2022 Documenting Plans & January Pages

[@forestofthings]

Hi Steph, This is the first time I saw a video from you and I enjoyed watching your video SO SO MUCH. I loved your layouts and your whole approach. I loved every bit of what you've shown and the whole January pages are so pretty and with so many details, lovely! It was really eye opening to see a story album without page protectors, that is so cool! Thank you for sharing and I'm crossing my fingers you'll share more along the way, it was really fantastic and fun!

[@createdbysteph]

Thanks for watching Reut! I'm glad you enjoyed it and I will definitely be sharing more throughout the year!

[@janmari1581]

Loved !! Thanks for sharing !!

[@jenshappyplace4393]

Great plan! Very inspiring!

[@ryankelly326]

I love that you are returning to weekly documenting. Your spreads are beautiful and thoughtful as always. I love the idea of using the stories by the month as a dashboard. What will you do in February when it is on the left page for your next weekly spread? Will it be one page? Three pages?

[@jeannewilliams4285]

Fun to see your plan and process! Love using my stash. I also do 9x12 Project Life and 6x8 story album. Love both! Here’s to getting our stories told. For the large letters, I sometimes use them as initials for names of family members. The Begin kit is so great!

[@createdbysteph]

Yes! I was also so inspired by your walkthrough of your 6x8 story album from last year Jeanne! The initials are a great idea, but hubby and I have the same first initial, so that's a bummer when there's only one of each letter. I ended up adding them to my giveaway pile, as they no longer bring me any joy. Just a lot of pressure for how to use them! LOL

[@fran_mendez_18]

You're always so inspiring to me! I had not watched your videos (or anyone else's) in a while and while organizing my office, stumbled upon one of them, and I have been binge-watching since. Your style is so refreshing and fun, yet so aesthetically pleasing. Love it!!

[@createdbysteph]

Francisca, thank you SO much! You've made my day! Thank you for watching and for leaving such a kind comment!

[@stephanievandersmissen3066]

Thank you so much for this video Steph ! Loved to see what your approach will be for this year . This begin kit is my favorite of all time too, I did my January pages with it and nearly killed it 😘

[@createdbysteph]

Yes! It's SOOOOOO good! Love that kit! Thanks for watching Stéphanie!

[@susanbrochu2173]

What a well-thought out plan that is sure to help you use up your stash. Love what you put together so far, and I agree with your opinion of the Begin Kit. Looking forward to seeing next month’s update! (And you reminded me that I have lots of digital kits from when I subbed to both the kit and the stamp - I need to take advantage of that piece as well.)

[@createdbysteph]

Thanks so much for watching Susan! So far it's been a lot of fun to work from what I already have on hand. And I feel good about that choice! Love having the digitals to reprint cards I loved or change size / color to work with my project.

[@WeissFamily05]

I love your ideas! Between this and your 2021 walk-through you’ve inspired me to keep going. Thank you!

[@createdbysteph]

Thanks so much for watching Christie! I'm so glad you've found some inspiration here!

[@theresaANDnicholas]

Just based on your January intro page alone I can tell we’d make great friends! Curious how you’re printing your photos especially the large ones

[@gretchenfrance5695]

Love this so much! I’ve been an Ali subscriber since Heart which I think was out in 2016 and I have so so much product I need to use up! I tried to quit all my subscriptions and I lasted a month and re-subscribed cause I get fomo seeing all projects made with the new kits. Ugh! I hope you continue to share its really inspiring!

[@createdbysteph]

Wow! You've been a subscriber longer than I have been! My first kit, I think, was Lens. I plan to continue sharing, thanks for the encouragement and for watching, Gretchen.

[@janetkemper9177]

Loved seeing your plans. I went back to 9x12 this year for monthly. I, too, am trying to use up my stash.

[@createdbysteph]

Yay! We can do it! I'm loving finally getting some of these products I love on pages! I also love the 9x12 size, but trying to do weekly in this format has been challenging! I feel like I have SO much less space than a 12x12, which has been confusing to me. I think I'm finally getting into a flow, but it definitely took some time.

[@jeannewilliams4285]

@@createdbysteph when I switched to weekly 9x12 last year, it took me awhile to get in the flow and I felt I had less space. Now I love it. I do add inserts when I have more pictures.

[@TinaStPeter]

Love your plans for this year. I am doing a bit of the same…canceled my subs and each month, I am pulling all the SBTM and Story Kits that were released in the month in previous years and trying to use each kit for at least one week of my yearbook. I am also using a 6x8 album for other stories that come to me from those kits. We may be craft twins, LOL ;) I am not necessarily “killing” all the kits, but I feel good about what I am using up! Looking forward to seeing how your process evolves through the year.

[@createdbysteph]

I LOVE the idea of craft twins! LOL! Yes, I like the approach of pockets for my yearbook, primarily, and then have a place to play a little outside the pockets for stories that inspire me from the kits and products I'm using. I also don't plan to necessarily "crush" the kit, but I definitely want / need to make a good dent in the product I have in my studio. Hope you have fun documenting your year - craft twin!

[@heatheranderson9433]

I can't wait to see more! I'm really new to digital kits and I plan on doing a 9x12 hybrid project life this year. I've purchased some digital cards but have yet to print them because I'm kind of overwhelmed with the idea of customizing everything.

[@createdbysteph]

Thank you Heather! When I started using Digital Stories by the Month last year, I eased in with just adding my journaling and printing cards. I also took Jennie Rey's Hybrid Year Round course that she ran on Ali's site last year and that really helped me learn new skills and grow more comfortable with digitals. Highly recommend that class! Have fun!

[@heatheranderson9433]

@@createdbysteph Thank you so much! I feel like I need all the digitals but if I keep it simple by using one monthly kit, I will be able to stick with it and not be so overwhelmed. Thanks again, I'll look into the class!

[@karenguy6767]

Love the beginning of your albums. Thanks for sharing! Can you also tell us where you got the blue 6x8 album? Thx.

[@createdbysteph]

Thank you so much for watching Karen! Sorry about that, the blue album is from Studio Calico from a few years ago.

[@libbymeyer3950]

Steph, I loved this video so much! Thanks for sharing your 2022 plans and I can’t wait to see the albums come together. I love that you are trying to use up your stash and canceled physical subscriptions. At what point do you disassemble a kit and put it into your stash? Or do you always keep them in their kits? For your kit you made for yourself for February, did you have those all out of the packaging (cards with cards, chipboard sheets together) or did you have to search in each kit for pieces you wanted? I’m trying to figure out my process, so I’m always fascinated by how different people do things.

[@createdbysteph]

Thanks so much Libby! I appreciate you watching and leaving your questions. So in the past I took apart my kits at different points in time. At one point I was taking them apart right away and separating them into components (cards, sticker sheets, cardstock stickers, extras) and organizing them as such. Then I started using the kits for a couple projects, usually a week or two of PL, and then I would separate them out. Currently I have a stash of older products and leftovers from kits I've "crushed" that are organized by component type (that same breakdown from before) AND as I mentioned in the video, I have a cart that has the whole top full (probably at least 2 years worth of kits) and they are all still together. Nothing I pulled for my Feb stash kit came from those "full kits", everything came from the individual components. Whether I have kept the kits together or separated them, I almost always get rid of the packaging right away. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any follow up / additional questions!