Planning Time!

I think it must still be the teacher in me that loves to create a new planner for the year. I used to alter my teacher's planner each year to make it uniquely mine - always easy to find in the pile! Now, I look forward to creating a calendar to keep track of all of my creative deadlines. 

Inspired by my journey to India this fall, I knew I wanted to work in some of the vibrant colors I saw there, and try out woodblock printing. 

 FRONT cover

BACK cover

I started with this Kraft planner I found that is very similar to one I made from scratch last year - what a time saver to have it already blocked out!

Step 1 - paint a layer of gesso over the cover, not worrying about carrying it out to the edges.

Step 2 - add a layer of Titan Buff

Step 3 - make a box of orange in the center of the covers

Step 4 - Add depth to the orange with several transparent and semi-transparent fluid acrylics.

Step 5 - Add a layer of blues around the orange box.

Step 6 - Use a baby wipe or damp cloth and swipe down into the blue to create a bit of texture. 

Step 7 - Add more depth to the orange with the Andy Skinner Whirlpool stencil and Q Gold.

Step 8 - Do the same step with the blue, using Andy's Bubbles stencil and the fluid acrylic. A cosmetic sponge works great with the stencil, so you can dab just a bit into it.

Step 9 - Time for some gold! I tried a few different techniques with the Indian wood blocks, and the best was to use a brayer to roll out the paint on a gelli plate, then brayer directly onto the block to print with it. 

Step 10 - The Peacock wood block was not leaving a great impression on the orange, so instead,  I stamped it onto the gelli plate, and then used that to stamp the orange section. 

Step 11 - I felt like I needed more with the peacocks, so stamped them again onto leftover gold on tissue, then cut them out and used the DecouPage to attach them. 

Step 12 - Add washi around the orange block.

Step 13 - My box full of wonderful goodies from and inspired by India arrived just in time from Gwen LaFleur! Inside was her beautiful Peacock Feather stencil, so I went around the edges adding in feathers. 

Step 14 - Time to add more gold around the edges of the cover.

Step 15 - I cut some thin strips of this marvelous gold paper, and used the printed elephant and attached these with the DecouPage.

Step 16 - I decided to add more gold onto the washi tape. 

...and the peacocks.

Closeups...

Step 17 - Create a bookmark to keep track of the month with some sari ribbon and beads.

Step 18 - I thought I was done until my son suggested adding something in to each of the months to tie the inside to the cover. I started by stencil the feathers with orange and blue.

Step 19 - Then, I used these tiny woodblocks and stamped an image onto each of the months.

I am now ready to start my planning for 2018 in my India inspired calendar!

 

I would love to hear what you think! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Be creative!

Calendar? Year in Review?

I love Graphic 45! They continue to come out with new paper lines that I fall for each and every time. A Place in Time is no exception to that! Several of us are working with the collection and making the pages together at the crops we go to. In addition to the G45 line, we selected coordinating card stock and ribbon (Stampin Up). I wanted to share my pages with you here.

January pages

February pages

I am envisioning mine as a kind of "year in review" where I will select a few photos to represent the month, and add a bit of journaling to remind us of some of the everyday or special events that make up our lives.

Calendar Swap!

What do you get when twelve crafters agree to work on a year-long project together?...an amazing calendar filled to the brim with their unique talents and style, that's what! Now that I have mine mounted onto a 7 Gypsies 12x12 easel book,I can share it with you all.

Tracey

Sheree

Maura

Lynda

Leslie

Beth

Sheila

Fran

Lori

Doris

Colleen

Michelle

Now, I just have to decide where to put my beautiful calendar on display for maximum enjoyment! I love that this is an endless "calendar" that celebrates the seasons.

Altered Calendar for 2012

Cover

 I wanted to share with you my new 2012 calendar I altered recently.  I think this has become a tradition for me to take a plain basic calendar and make it my own.

I use my calendar everyday, and I want something that I enjoy seeing and working in.  Pockets are a must, because there is always something extra that I need to keep with the calendar - coupons, notes, school stuff, etc.

Now, I need to add in all the dates I already have notes on...such as upcoming crops!

Inside front cover pocket page

Print-Cut-Assemble

How creative is this Calendar of the Month Club? Of course, being a camper myself, I am pretty darn partial to the month of July shown here.

You can download each month, print it out and follow the instructions to assemble it. Some past downloads include:

Maura and I see all sorts of possibilities with these beyond calendars. Perhaps you can use them as placecard holders by adding your guests' names or fill them with little candies as a party favor. You can sign up on their website HERE to have them sent to your email. How much easier could it be?