quick & easy photo calendar

With the holidays quickly on their way, ideas for quick, easy, but yet meaningful handmade gifts are something that is on my list of things to do. One of the things that I have done in the past is to make custom calendars digitally for family (ex. here's the one I made in 2009.) This year with all of the great calendar making supplies now available at Papertrey Ink, I had another fun calendar idea using photos, the calendar page die cut, some patterned papers, and the mini calendar pages. Really, the part of this project that takes the most time? Picking out a picture for each month. Once that part is done, the rest of this great gift falls together quickly!

I printed the 12 pictures that I wanted to use for this project 5"x7". When you are choosing/cropping your pictures, you want to make sure that the lower left corner is mostly clear to place 2 1/2" square mini calendar page - you will see what I mean as we go along with the project. You will also need to cut 12 - 5"x7" pieces of patterned paper. I used the Distressed Dots patterned paper.

Adhere patterned paper to the back of each picture. I was generous with my adhesive, because the last thing I want is for the pages to fall apart.

Next, you will send each picture through your die cut machine with the calendar page die. Make sure that you place the die so that the notches go where you want the calendar mini page to go - in the lower left corner for this example.

After I die cut all of the pages, I tucked the mini calendar pages into the corresponding photo pages that I chose for each month.

I stamped the months on the calendars using my Journaling Circle set and then made a simple cover using the Calendar Basics set and the Mat Stack 4 die

I punched the top left corner with my Big Bite punch (We R Memory Keepers) - it went through all 12 pages with a little bit of muscle...! - and then clipped together with a ring from the office supply store. I stamped a simple tag with Fillable Frames #9 and tied it on with some Pure Poppy baker's twine. It's all set to package up to give as a gift - although Chad already claimed this one for his office at work!

Here's a look at all of the pages in my calendar. You can click on any of the images to see them larger.

(The December picture is from last year and so I will actually replace that picture with a more current one as the holidays get underway.)

Now that I have this little calendar all designed, my plan is to get my pictures printed to save on printer ink and then make several calendars at once. This calendar is of my girls (of course), but it could be done with just about any theme: scenery, pets, trips, etc. Whatever theme you choose, it will be all the more special because you made it yourself - and calendars are a perfect gift :)

Do you need more inspiration for making calendars for gifts? Read this post over at Nichole's blog where the whole Papertrey Ink design team share projects made with Calendar Basics and the other calendar making supplies.

Happy calendar making!

Supplies:

all supplies are from Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted

Quick & Easy 2011 Mini Calendar

stamps: Calendar Basics, MSS: Journaling Circle, Fillable Frames #9

ink: True Black, Smokey Shadow, Fresh Snow

cardstock: kraft, white, Distressed Dots

other: Calendar Page die, Fillable Frames #9 die, Mat Stack 4 die, Pure Poppy baker's twine, 2 1/2" square mini calendar pages, clip ring (Office Max), Big Bite punch (We R Memory Keepers)