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january 17, 2007 volume one : issue thirteen This week is all about essentials. Those fabulous basics that you use all the time in your creative projects. Enjoy. Peace. Ali AE creative essentials  This week, as things were swinging back into the normal routine, and as I looked around my studio (again feeling the weight of stuff: obligations, responsibilities, etc.), I began to think about the idea of essentials. What is essential? On the continuum of life we have things that are very necessary for our survival such as water, food, shelter and somewhere down that line of essentials there are other things we "need" for enjoyment, for fun, for documenting our memories...specifically scrapbook and craft supplies. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I only used photos, a pen, and cardstock. Breaking it down to the very basic elements, the essentials, would be an interesting exercise in focus and in telling the story. I wonder about this when I feel overwhelmed with all the stuff I have on hand, or when other parts of my life seem to be weighing on me. It is in those times that I want to get rid of all of it and get back to the basics, the essentials, of this art. And then, I wake up and bring myself back to reality. Part of what I love about this craft is the ability to play with different materials and experiment with paints, and unique products. It is exciting. It keeps me interested. It keeps it different and helps hold my interest when maybe my stories don't feel so interesting. So this week I wanted to introduce you to my essentials. It is a question I get asked often in classes and over email. These are the things I count on and use almost every time I create something. Some are new, some are old. Their common bond is that I rely on them to do their job so that I can do mine. If I were to get rid of everything else, here is what I would keep: 1. Black journaling pen. Specifically, Precision Pens from American Crafts. These used to be called Pigment Pro - they went through a redesign and got a new name. The pen is still great. My favorite points are .03 and .05. (And hey, did you know that American Crafts has cool computer wallpapers available for download on their site? I just found them here.) 2. My computer. I use it everyday for so many different things. I am a MAC person and use iPhoto for organizing all of my pictures. I use Adobe Photoshop CS2 and InDesign or Illustrator for journaling and other design related stuff. Two Peas in a Bucket and the CK message board are my two daily scrapbooking haunts for scrapbook-related information. 3. Bazzill Lily White and Kraft cardstock. I order both 12x12 and 8.5x11. I have some other colors in my stash right now - some creams that are really growing on me - but I find myself reaching most for the Lily White. 4. Corner Rounder. I have a couple of these and use them regularly. A large purple one from EK Success and a small blue one from Marvy Uchida. 5. Square and circle punch. Enough said. I love them. Would I say that all the sizes I have are essential? Almost. If I had to have just one of each I would go for the largest square (just a bit over 2 inch x 2 inch) and a medium sized circle. 6. An xacto knife, metal ruler, and a self-healing mat. I have been a pretty die-hard user of this system since I began scrapbooking because I feel it is most precise and gives me the most control. It is still my favorite. Lately though, I have been trying out some trimmers and have been liking the new one from Fiskars because you can lift up the blade portion and see exactly where the cut will be by lining up you paper with the edge of the plastic. I like that. I also like the large guillotine trimmer from Tonic. I tend to reach for that when I need to make a bunch of cuts (such as to create squares) - it has been reliable and good for that purpose. 7. Stickers with words on them. If you have ever taken a class from me you probably know about my love of word stickers. I am pretty picky about their design - I like clean, classic typefaces without a lot of extra stuff going on in the background. My favorites since they came out have been the 7gypsies 97% Complete series. I have tried to take a break from them lately because I felt like I was overusing them, but I guess that is a good sign that they are an essential. 8. Life. This is an essential supply if there ever was one and I remind myself of it often. To me it means that I need to make sure that I am actively living this life I love to record. I am constantly monitoring myself: am I giving Simon enough of what he needs? Am I telling Chris I love him enough and making sure I don't just wander back into the studio as soon as he walks in the door and I hand-off "Simon duties?" Am I living in the moment when I am with both of them rather than day dreaming about my next project? These are very real issues for me. And it is essential that I monitor myself closely to make sure I am not missing out on this wonderful experience of life that I love to document. 9. Lined patterned paper. I love lined patterned paper because it is perfect for hand-journaling. You can cut it up to make little journal blocks or use it as your foundation and build other things on top. Anything that looks like little kids school paper or accounting paper works just right for me. Old ledger paper is also a fun thing to hunt for if you venture into junk or antique stores. 10. Camera. Currently I use a Canon Digital Rebel XT. Great camera. Just enough for me. And once again, the trick is having it with you and available so you can capture those moments. 11. A good, classic alphabet stamp set. My favorite still tends to be the old Printer's Type from PSX. Not sure if it is still available, but it is one of my favorite essentials. 12. Adhesive. If I really had to pick only one I think I would go with some sort of tape runner adhesive such as the one from Herma or the Kukoyo brand that I have been using a lot lately. Next on my list would be a glue stick. Easy and cheap and they have come along way in terms oftheir stickiness. 13. Stapler. I like having a larger sized one that can reach farther into a layout. 14. Scissors. Do I really need them? Are they really an essential? Maybe, maybe not. But I think I will keep them on here because they really do come in handy. 15. 12x12 3-ring Binder Albums. Still loving the Modern Albums from American Crafts. I put my 8.5x11 pages right inside with my 12x12 pages. Works like a charm. 16. A blank book for jotting down ideas, thoughts, etc. weekly challenge What are your essentials? If you had to get rid of everything and just keep a modest amount, what would be on your list? The challenge this week is easy: draft up a list of your essentials. What do you reach for time after time? Come by my blog and post your response to the challenge on Monday, January 22, 2007. Looking forward to seeing your creations and reading your thoughts. inspired by A new addition to the AEzine. Each week I will bring you one thing that has inspired me from the week before. Inspiration truly comes from all over the place - even in the smallest little cracks. Inspired by: Post It A Day Project Loved this idea. Too fun. Sometimes it is little delights such as this that can really get my creativity flowing. You can read more about the artist here. question & answer Question and answer will return next week. If you have a question you would like to have answered in an upcoming issue send me an email (ali@aliedwardsdesign.com) with NEWSLETTER QUESTION in the subject line. Copyright � 2007 Ali Edwards/AE Design/Life Art Media. Please do not reproduce any content without permission. Ali Edwards, author of A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking and A Designer's Eye for Scrapbooking with Patterned Paper, is Creative Editor of Creating Keepsakes magazine where she writes a monthly inspiration column called Studio A . She is a wife, mother, artist, writer, and seeker of balance. Owner of AE Design and Life Art Media, she conducts life art workshops around the globe. You can find her online on her blog or contact her through email at ali@aliedwardsdesign.com
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