While visiting the fabulous Absolutely Everything, in Topsfield, Massachusetts, I saw one of the amazing projects that Marcia had made for a class she taught. (Marcia, plus all things Graphic 45, equal bliss.) She used the "Place In Time" 8"X8" paper pad and their 8"X8" easel album. Marcia encouraged me to make one of my own (even though I had missed her class), and so I looked at hers very carefully, made a few notes, and decided to try it. I must give all the creative credit to her, but Marcia encouraged me to share my version, since it isn't an exact copy of hers, and because she is a generous soul.
The calendar I designed is not for a particular year, but rather a keepsake calendar for noting birthdays, anniversaries, and a few pertinent details.
I love Marcia's design of the centered month's page below the mid-line, with the monthly lined list to the left.
Just a note here. Marcia cut her 8X8 month pages in half and overlapped the bottom half upper edge over the bottom of the already fixed upper half. She did this, because the easel is 8X8, but the spiral binding occupies part of that measurement, so the usable space is about 7 3/4" from top to bottom.
I couldn't bear to part with any of the wonderful page, so I attached mine abutting the top binding, and hanging off the bottom. It just fits, without bending the paper.
I chose to apply my monthly calendar using score tape along three sides, making it a pocket into which the corresponding post card could be inserted. That post card will hold personal notes about my friend's gift preferences.
The dates I stamped on the calendar are just for the purpose of marking them with a sticker to indicate that those dates are a birthday or anniversary.
I will place a small heart or candle, stamped on a clear label and punched out with a small circle punch, on the appropriate dates.
The date and person's name will be written on the list to the left.
My plan for the wonderful images accompanying each month, was to use as many as I could, without covering any of the drop dead gorgeous illustrations adoring each base pages art. (They still take my breath away with each look.)
One trick I used to help me placing the images, was to make sure that none of the tilted images were parallel to any of the others. (If two are at the same angle, they catch the eye, and keep it from roaming over the entire page effortlessly.) Just the smallest tilt in either direction will fix the problem.
My only real dilemma is how I'm going to get all the candle stickers on December 24 and 26. Seven of my friends have been born between Christmas Eve and New Year's! This is proof positive that children are indeed a gift.
My calendar pages are back to back, and this left two sides blank. To fill one of those, I used a calendar set by "Inkadinkadoo", one by "Papertrey Ink", and two border stamps from "The Stamps of Life" to make a background paper on kraft. I also waded up a small mitt full of plastic wrap, tapped it on my white stamp pad, and tamped it over the surface to mottle it a bit. (I should have used cream ink, but I had none.) Papertrey's "Tremendous Tags" dies were used to cut the tags.
Thanks for stopping by to have a look. I would love to hear any comments you may have. Happy crafting.