Our Family - 2011 Desk-Top Calendar

A while ago we showed you the desk top calendar Donna made us for Grandparent's Day.  She did this for several years and used All My Memories calendar to make it.  Apparently, they quit making it because we haven't been able to find one anywhere.

While at Donna's this week, we decided we could make it ourselves.  This is our end product.

This is how we made it:

The base (this is what keep the calendar upright) measures 16.5 X 9.5.  If you can find stiff paper that length, score at 8.25" then score
11/2" on each side of this score line.  Fold on score lines to form stand for desk.  We didn't have paper we felt was strong enough so we improvised.  This is the paper we used.  It is good for making book covers.  It is available at Michael's and they put it on sale periodically.

We cut two strips, one at 9.75 X 9.5 and another at 7.75 X 9.5.  On the longer strip score at 6.75 and again at 8.25.  Fold on score lines so as to make a peak.  On the shorter strip, score at 6.75 and fold.  Adhere the two short ends together.  It should look like this.

This is the paper we used for the inner pages.  You can use quality cardstock but this is stronger. 

Donna is a whiz at WORD so she created our monthly calendars in it.  The pages are 9.5 X 6.5. 

 We then set about binding it with a Bind-it-all.  This is such an amazing machine to be so little.

We selected our pictures and began working on the backgrounds for them.  We would like to share some of the pages with you.  We will put cartridges used with them.

This paper is a brocade type with the corners punched with a Stamping Up punch.

This background is Paper Lace, page 25-Base Flower and Base Shadow cut at 5".

This was cut with Paper Lace-page 24-Quilt1 and Base Shadow cut at 5 1/4".

This is one of my favorite pages.  The background is cut from Lacy Labels - Flower 2 at 5".

We have so many pictures on this one we didn't have room for any cuts.  Most of these were made at Christopher and Stephanie's wedding.  The one over October is one of my precious late husband and our two wonderful children.

And just to show you the calendar is still standing at the end of the year, here is December.  The background was cut with Trim A Tree Ornament at 5.5".

I know this has been an extra long post and we're so glad you are here to see our project.  I hope you will try this.  God Bless You!!! Peggy & Donna