WOYWW 608 - cutting and sticking

Good morning on another grey day in Pembrokeshire.  I am not getting out of the house every day at the moment - and missing my daily walks.  We didn’t really have any snow - just ice with a slight dusting.  We actually went out yesterday (I put make up on!) - to view another house and collect groceries from Aldi (they are doing Click n Collect now).  We are now progressing further with the purchase of the house that we had our offer accepted on at the beginning of December - getting quotes for full survey, as it is an older house.  

My crafty table is still covered by the notebook holder kit I showed last week, but now it is in progress.  I retrieved a paper pad that was a members’ gift from Create & Craft and got my trusty ruler out.  Very satisfying - measuring, cutting and sticking (and deciding which papers to use).   Started doing the notepad holders themselves, and thinking of doing some stencilling and heat embossing on the notebooks.  I will show the finished collection next week.

Stay safe everyone.

Ali x 

WOYWW 607 - Kit in a Bag

Happy WOYWW to you all (What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday - click HERE to join in).  It is still morning here, just about.  My Psoriasis has flared up in the past few days, so had a quiet morning watching some tv and sorting out my Instagram accounts.  I try to keep Wednesdays as a more relaxed day, with housework etc, but there is still a fair amount to do each day.  I spread it out throughout the day, otherwise I just get too exhausted.

In my craft room today I am actually making a start on a 'Mixed Media Kit in a Bag' that I got from one of our local craft shops last summer.  She has not been able to hold the usual craft workshops, so the tutor kindly puts together project kits with full instructions.  This one is for a Notebook Box Set with Holder.  Just my sort of thing (I prefer craft projects that are useful).  I have grand plans of getting on with it, but the farm business is being particularly 'needy' with admin today - so got vehicle insurance to sort out first, once I have got this typed and published.

I got my first diamond painting project finished.  It was a freebie kit and not the best quality, but great experience for me - and will still look good up on my craft room wall.  (I am giving away a similar-sized kit, perfect for a beginner - read my blog post and comment to enter, or enter via Instagram @aliwadedesigns).

Apologies for not visiting any blogs last week - will be making a start later today, so I don't end up missing out a week again.

Lockdown is definitely not boring here!  I managed to escape out of the farm on Monday - just to go to the tip, but lovely to be out driving again.  We have a 'Fish Friday' once a fortnight, and go and get fish & chips from one of two fantastic local chippies, and of course driving anywhere in Pembrokeshire is a real treat.  I hope the weather is better this Friday - a fortnight ago we nearly got blown away going to the chippy in Porthgain!

Stay safe (anyone had a vaccination yet?).

Ali x

Digital planners. How am I learning how to create them? Also, how is this helping me to live with my chronic illnesses?

Please note there are affiliate links within this blog post. I earn a percentage of the purchase price of each product, whilst you do not pay any more. We both win!  (I apologise if any of these links are not valid currently.  I do return to check and edit as often as possible, but please email me at aliwadedesigns1971@gmail.com if you have any questions.)

It is a sunny morning in Pembrokeshire and I have already gone outside to put the recylcing waste down by the farm gate.  My Fibromyalgia isn't too bad this morning, but my Psoriasis is sore and itchy.  Will probably have to take an antihistamine soon.  I have lots to do around the house - it is Thursday and that with Kitchen Day with Team TOMM, so I am cleaning the dishwasher, ovens, extractor filter and the toaster - and that will also mean I need to rest regularly.  However, working from home as a digital creator/blogger means that living with my chronic illnesses (Fibromyalgia and Psoriasis, plus another yet to be diagnosed issue) is made slightly easier.

I am a creative person - both with words and images. I love colour, pattern and texture. However, I also have an issue with too much physical 'stuff' around me. I did have a physical paper planner for a while. I, of course, loved it, but the issue of storing a growing collection of bulky planners and the cost of buying stickers etc meant that my addiction to digital design for my cardmaking etc moved into digital planners/notebooks too. I have been using digital planners for over 3 years now. For the past year I have looked tentatively at creating one for myself (and perhaps to sell as well), but would watch some YouTube/Skillshare and tell myself that hyperlinks etc were just too complicated for me.

I had been reading the Planner Girl digital magazine from The Secret Owl Society for a while and then at Black Friday this year I saw they had their courses/templates on offer. I wanted to create a quick digital notebook for my email list, so purchased the Digital Planner Template.

Within a week I had created a lovely Christmas notebook (see it in my Etsy shop). I very quickly realised that I loved how Michelle and Aimee presented their courses and wanted to progress further, so I then went on to purchase their Passive Income Planner Girl course.

I have started to work through this and getting so much inspiration and information from it already. In their courses and templates they concentrate on a portrait-style planner.  So when I saw the Extraordinary Digital Planner Design course, which is half price until 1st January, I jumped at the chance to learn how to create a realistic landscape-style planner.

Jayme, who created this course, lives full-time in a RV - a lifestyle that I would have taken up if I had never married (living in a small space with minimal possessions has always fascinated me). She supports this lifestyle with her passive income from selling her fantastic digital planners and now creating this course. That is so inspiring for me. I need passive income, so that it fits around managing my health and eventually we will be spending a lot of the year in Spain. Whether we are here in remote Pembrokeshire on our farm, or sitting by a pool in sunny Spain, I want to be able to create digital products and continue with my blogging. All of these courses enable me to do that. They are teaching me the practical information I need about using Affinity Publisher (also Apple Keynote and Adobe InDesign are covered), selling on Etsy, using Pinterest and more - plus there are friendly/helpful Facebook groups.

I am so glad that The Secret Owl Society came into my life - and that name is just fantastic!

Thanks for reading about how I am using these courses to support our lifestyle.

Please comment below or send me an email (aliwadedesigns1971@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

Ali x

ps Jayme is also selling a bundle of her favourite digital planner, plus printable planner, digital notebook and access to her Customer Hub (with lots of freebies and information) for only $30. 

Click HERE for more information on The Whole Life Binder Bundle.

pps The Secret Owl Society have some other products, which are listed below.

Canva Template Hub for Planner Makers & Sellers.

Design Your Own Digital Magazine

The Magic Is You coaching group - full payment

The Magic is You coaching group - payment plan

Ultimate Life Binder Cactus and Llama 

(Michelle's planner, both digital and printable supplied, with over 60 templates for life goals, business and more - FREE NEW EDITION EVERY YEAR!)

WOYWW 606 - new blog

Yes, I am back in Blogger.  Couldn’t be bothered to work out why Wordpress had stopped working for me.  Blogging will be less important for me this year, with new pressures on my time (all positive and exciting).

I know it is unlikely that I will get any crafting done today, so I am showing you my latest mood tracker design in my digital planner.  Very satisfying to colour in each section.

If you would like to join in with WOYWW (What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday), click HERE.

I hope everyone is well and keeping busy.  I certainly am - lots of the usual housework/laundry/cooking/online shopping.  I continue my exploration of learning how to create digital planners, and the use of Affinity software and Procreate.

All we need is some better weather!

Stay safe and smiling.

Ali x

Introduction and links to my old blog

I have been blogging with Wordpress since September 2019, which to start with worked out well.  However, recently it has been getting increasingly difficult to open that website and to comment on the blog posts.  When I got the hugely increased bill from Siteground to renew my hosting plan (more than double what I paid last year), I decided that I would return to Blogger.

I am not going to be spending so much time working on my websites this year anyway, with some other commitments starting, so fingers crossed that everyone will be able to read my blog posts on here!

I am not sure how long that Wordpress site will be up and running, but here is the link - Crafting With Ali.  I will be attempting to transfer the blog posts over at some point (posts are from October 2019 to January 2021).

My old Blogger site is Me And My Life.

INTRODUCTION

My name is Ali Wade, I am nearly 50, and live with my farmer hubby in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, UK.

A true Multi-Crafter, I love to try out lots of different crafts, techniques and crafty tech.  However, scrapbooking and digital crafting are my two favourite ways to spend time in my craft room.

I create digital planners and other digital designs for my Etsy shop (click on the link in my sidebar).  Lots more designs coming in 2021.

I live with chronic illnesses - Fibromyalgia, Psoriasis and Hyper-Mobility Syndrome.

I spend time in Instagram and Pinterest.  Come and join me.

Ali x