Calendar Gifts

[sprauncey1]

Ok here's the deal...

For the last two years I have made calendars for the family. I love how they turn out and everyone loves them so I want to keep it going. Before now I've purchased pre-made ones and just plopped my photos in, but this year I decided to be frugal and make my own because
1) I have 646448374 kits needing to be used and
2) I do have the skills and
3) I can adjust the colors/etc for what I want for the month depending on photos I have.

But now I'm getting non-buyers remorse!!! I have ONE page set done and it took me over 6 hours to do!! I know I'm a slow scrapper sometimes but come-on! Oh and I was lifting a LO I found in the gallery so I wasn't starting completely from scratch. So tell me...am I crazy? Should I just wait a little longer and use pre-made ones?

OK now can I at least show off a little?
My completed pages (sans photos)



second pages done (I think I'm not sure about the papers on the bottom)



third set done



fourth done



fifth done



sixth done



seventh done



eighth done



ninth done



tenth done



eleventh done



twelve done

[jocelinsmommy]

you should continue onwards your layouts/calendar is AMAZING!---and beautiful! great great job....

[MamaBee]

I agree... that is A-Mazing!!! I've always cheated and got a template to do mine and raced through it in December. You are so smart starting now!

[newfiemountiewife]

I tried this the year before last. I got ONE month done, and it nearly made me go insane! So I caved and bought templates. I did this last year too, and probably will this year. But since it's so early, you should be able to get it done! I think it looks lovely!

[ColleenSwerb]

STICK WITH IT! That is GORGEOUS!!

[pewtertm]

Wow that is GORGEOUS!!! I say stick with it...you've got 4 months...and you can do it. It'll be a fabulous gift

[lovely1m]

Wow! Thats gorgeous! I make my own every year, but frankly, I am never all that happy with them.

[sprauncey1]

Thanks guys for the encouragement. Yeah I started early because well otherwise it won't get done! I've started in on my second page(s). I decided to do my December one next to give me a little "guide" with the colors/theme. So far so good. I'm not a good "clusterer" but I love the look so I think that is the slowness of it. Plus the change in size...I have to adjust all my 12x12 papers with their nice distressed edges to my 11x8.5 size and one side at least I have to re-distress by hand and that is a PITA!!! But with the grid and the scalloped edge done from the first one, the second one is going much faster.

But I am going to lift every single top I think...

thanks again for the encouragement!

[SmallFry73]

I do the same thing! Yours is looking wonderful! Keep going!

[ariesfl326]

Love It!! I am really wanting to do the calendars as well; for xmas gifts. Not sure I'll have the time but so far you are off to a great start! I wanna see the next one! LOL

[eranslow]

GORGEOUS!!! Glad you are going to stick to it! Can't wait to see the finished calendar!

[KyRainbow]

That calendar page is stunning!! Glad you're going to stick with it. I do my own too, and start in September, lol

[crecia27]

Personally, I buy just to save time - but O M WOW! Your pages are amazing!!!

[HeatherKS]

Keep going! It looks amazing!

I've never customized the grid pages, just the tops, but that's definitely making me want to do them both this year!

[meems]

you should do you own!

every November (like after Thanksgiving) I like to throw myself into full on stress mode as I struggle to scrap calendars. I really should get started now ...

[Giseli Freitas]

Oh yeah, keep going! You have skillz! And send one to me, please!

[MandaT]

That is amazing. So beautiful. Keep it up.

I haven't done calendars, but think it would be a great gift for the g'parents. Where do you get them printed?

[rach3975]

They're beautiful! I think whether to make or buy depends on how much time you want to devote to them. I used to make them myself. I'm a slow scrapper, so I had to set aside at least a month for them. I finally decided it wasn't worth it--no one but me knew or cared if I'd bought or made, and I didn't like losing a month of "regular" scrapping.

[dana]

oh that is GORGEOUS! i love love love it!! i always use premade templates as well - but just b/c i don't have time to do them all - but if you have the time, it will totally be worth it!!

[Jengerbread88]

Stunning!!! Keep doing what you're doing!

[KateD]

That looks AMAZING!! I haven't done calendars in a while, but I want to now! I think I'd have to make a page a month, though, because I'm pretty slow and I tend to procrastinate so I'd be trying to do all of them in about a week and they wouldn't look very good.

[suzyqscraps]

So gorgeous! I would totally hire you to make my calendar toppers, lol! I think scraplifting is a great idea. You could also take some of your templates and adjust them to work for an 11x8.5 layout.

[SweetMelissa]

It looks amazing! I would stick with it.

[sprauncey1]

Originally Posted by apphotos

That is amazing. So beautiful. Keep it up.

I haven't done calendars, but think it would be a great gift for the g'parents. Where do you get them printed?

I print mine myself but I know you can print online at different places. Most though won't allow you to customize the bottom though. But I think one or two will. I have a good printer and double sided paper that I use and then I take it to Office Depot to get it bound.

[DeepGirl]

Go on, the calendar looks georgeous!

[Sarah8914]

that is AMAZING!! do it!

[suzyqscraps]

Originally Posted by sprauncey1

I print mine myself but I know you can print online at different places. Most though won't allow you to customize the bottom though. But I think one or two will. I have a good printer and double sided paper that I use and then I take it to Office Depot to get it bound.

What kind of printer do you have? Does it let you print to the edge? Mine always leaves a margin of white and I'd love to get something that would actually let me print 8.5x11.

[julifish]

Stick with it! Gorgeous!!!!

I will say that I shamelessly pick a layout from each month and then just alter it to be the calendar topper. I usually have to make one for Nov and Dec and then just leave the bottoms the plain white calendar pages. I try to wait for Shutterfly to have a good price and then order all of them at once. Last year I did half Shutterfly and half Arts Cow and the Arts Cow ones came late and the colors weren't as nice.

[sprauncey1]

Originally Posted by suzyqscraps

What kind of printer do you have? Does it let you print to the edge? Mine always leaves a margin of white and I'd love to get something that would actually let me print 8.5x11.

Mine does have a small white border on it, but it doesn't bother me. It is only about 1/8 inch. I have a Canon Pixma MP620 and a Epson 2200, I've printed with both.

[Milmomma]

Are you gonna sell them? Jeez that is gorgeous. I have no where to bind so I will be doing mine online and probably with templets. That is if I get around to doing them this year Hopefully!

[adrianka]

You're not crazy! What you've done is beautiful and WELL worth it. I did it last year and except for ArtsCow messing it up a bit I'm still totally happy with it and want to do it for next year too.

If you're interested, here be mine.

Don't give up, you've started awesomely. It really will be worth it in the end. :-)

It's good that you're starting now - I started in October and it was too late, if I didn't fall sick I would have never finished it on time. And yep, one page takes ages to do, but, to repeat myself, it's SOOOO rewarding.

[sprauncey1]

edited my first post with updated pages!!! Yay, I'm getting them done (still taking me 4.5 hours to do one though)!!!

[adrianka]

I LOVE IT! December has me drooling!

Totally a great project, and I hope hope hope I can get myself going after my vacation thanks to you. This is so inspirational.

And I'd say this - everybody who's doing a calendar might start their own thread. I love seeing the progress. Last year I was all secretive, because it was to be a huge surprise, but this year everybody knows, so a thread I will have.

Keep going. Once again, it's PERFECT.

[*Celeste*]

stunning!

[jaylensmom]

wow your pages are awesome...makes me think i should start mine soon...i usually cheat but you totally have me rethinking that idea...

[allboyz]

Keep it up!! So UNIQUE and beautiful! Plus, you can *SAY* that you did it!! Good for you! Love them!

[Sharon Kay]

use the monthly portfolio challenges to make your calendar pages! That is what I do! ...although I am behind in it ... I would like a monthly calendar page to be an actual challenge to make sure i get them done ON TIME each month

[sprauncey1]

Originally Posted by Sharon Kay

use the monthly portfolio challenges to make your calendar pages! That is what I do! ...although I am behind in it ... I would like a monthly calendar page to be an actual challenge to make sure i get them done ON TIME each month

That would work if I did the challenges!! LOL I've just been taking a break from scrapping this summer and loving it! I only scrap for fun and if it starts to stress me out...well then I go do something else. But when I do scrap I go in productive spurts like this one!

Oh and I finished the fourth pages...first post updated. Sorry guys if you get tired of me...but it makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something by posting here! LOL!

Course now I'm at a quandary...however you spell it! I've been using KCB's kits for my pages and now there are a few themes/colors I don't have yet (Red, White and Blue for July, Fallish for October). So should I keep on just using her kits to make it flow and wait to do those months that I have nothing for in hopes that I get to buy some kits at a discount, or should I just go with whatever designer I do have those colors/themes for? What's a girl to do!!

[sprauncey1]

Ok just wanted to update this thread with my semi-final pages. (see first post in thread)

I have to add a few dates and months (depending on the photos I use) and print and done!

This has been so much work and next year...I'll just buy the pre-made ones!! Oh well at least I gave it the college try! LOL

[adrianka]

Don't buy pre-made ones! The result here is totally worth the effort. Your calendar is amazing, and I mean it, mean it, mean it.