I love
calendars! I keep them all over the studio so no matter where I look there is
something colorful to see. The Dog A Day calendar is at the foot of the stairs,
the first thing I see each morning. A puppy calendar greets me when I enter the
laundry room. I hang a flower calendar by the dryer. And there are my homemade
calendars elsewhere – by the stamping table, near the AccuCut machine, next to
the computer desk.
In
addition, I make lots and lots of calendars for gifts. Sometimes it’s a single
month on a birthday card, exhorting a friend to ‘celebrate all month’! In years
past, when I got behind on holiday cards, I have sent calendars. As an
alternative to a greeting card, calendars can be enjoyed all year. I’ve even
whipped up perpetual calendars from magnet boards (a much more involved
project, but a fun one).
Today’s
calendar is what I call a ‘Mix-It-Up’.
THE RECIPE
1. Buy
or make a calendar. There are many computer programs to make it easy and fast. And
lots of options to buy. It can be a pad or a flat calendar with all twelve
months on a single sheet.
2. Pick
a color palette. Now start mixing it up! Gather patterned papers, solid color
cardstock, handmade papers, plus bits and pieces left over from other projects.
I incorporated embossed Shimmer Sheetz, stamped cardstock, flowers gilded with
leafing foil, and an intricate glittered die cut border strip.
3. Create
a base layer. Shown: A 7” purple square topped with a 6” printed paper square that
has a narrow double border.
4.
Decide on a layout. Shown: A log cabin quilt-inspired square with strips of
varying widths framing and surrounding the centered 1.5” x 1.25” calendar pad.
Dimensions
are up to you. Go for a long vertical calendar, make a standard 8.5” x 11”
rectangle, make something oversized that can be viewed across a room or
miniature size to sit on a desktop easel.
5.
Arrange the pieces. When pleased with the composition glue it all in place.
DESIGN STRATEGIES, THINGS TO
NOTICE
Putting
on my teacher hat:
Notice
that the horizontal bands pull your eye to the left and right, while the
vertical bands pull your eye up and down. It’s this movement that creates a
visual, but not literal, frame.
Even
though the calendar pad is small and the elements surrounding it are ‘busy’ and
heavily patterned, by centering it your eye goes to it like a bull’s eye.
The
intricate die cut strip is pale and fades into the background. If it were
darker, it would get too confusing.
MORE OPTIONS
Just
because I used leftovers from previous projects, it doesn’t mean YOU have to do
so! If you are making a big batch of calendars, you can stamp whole sheets of
paper to cut up or start with a morning of gel printing, embossing, and/or die
cutting.
Experiment
with new techniques or stick with old favorites.
Mix in
photos to further personalize the calendars.
While
you’re at it, keep some of the leftover strips you created to use for bookmarks,
cards, and other projects!
SUPPLIES
- Calendar
- Paper glue
- Double-sided adhesive tape
- Glitter
- Shimmer Sheetz
- Embossing folders
- Sanding block
- Printed papers
- (Days of the week: BoBunny ‘Calendar Girl’ 6 x 6)
- Cardstock
- Handmade paper
- Assorted leftovers from other projects
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