the last few months

and here are the last few months of the desk-top calendar I created earlier this week.

gold rim pearl brad

the tiny safety pin is stapled to the page

love all the layers

I added tiny holiday treasures, along with more machine stitching

the back cover.  Love these images.

thank you for stopping by!  I hope you loved what I created.  Now, I need to craft several more, using different paper collections.

a few more months

here are a few more months of the latest desk-top calendar I crafted:

more machine stitching, and a decorated paper clip 

 I created the ruffled lace trim by hand, while sewing.

The kraft twine is tied through the button and paper blossom, before tied into a simple bow.

 more staples

I loved this pattern paper so much, that I didn't want to 'hide' any of images by layering other pattern papers on top of it.  The cluster of images are just gorgeous to me.

Thank you for stopping by to see more of the calendar pages.  More will be posted tomorrow.

Legacy Desk-Top Calendar

Welcome.  I have been busy crafting items for several holiday craft fairs.  I didn't get a chance to finish the cover to this calendar, until today {smile}.  I didn't find a sketch, or a layout that I liked, and wanted to use with these papers.  I looked at a few sketch challenge sites yesterday, to see what was new, and I was pleasantly surprised.

I stopped by Vintage Cafe Card Challenge, and instantly fell in love with their current sketch challenge.  These wonderfully talented ladies are sure to inspire you, if you aren't instantly inspired by the sketch.

Their requirements: vintage or shabby chic styles, and your creation must remain horizontal.

here is what I created:

I crafted, by hand, this desk-top calendar.  This is the cover.  I used Legacy pattern papers by Simple Stories.  I used a digital 'ticket', a blue vintage button, mustard twill trim, and kraft twine.  I used my Rol-a-Desk punch to create the unique holes on the floral pattern paper, and added two staples to add a metal embellishment.

here are the first few months:

yes, the circles are machine stitched

gold glitter hearts add pizzazz

the polka dot pattern paper was torn to resemble washi tape

I added machine stitching to almost every page.  I kept the pages as flat as possible, so that the calendar wouldn't become too bulky.  For those who know me, this 'flat' style was 'difficult' for me.  I love to add multi-loop bows, paper blossoms, buttons, and pearls.  This pattern papers were fun to work with, but different for me.  I typically 'collect' pink, vintage, shabby chic inspired pattern papers.  You know, sometimes, it is really nice to stretch your creative muscle {smile}.

Thank you for stopping by!  I'll be posting more photos over the next few days.  I am still working on my box advent calendar.  I have been stuck for several days.  I don't know what to add to each flap, so the recipient knows the direction the boxes open.  So, if you have any suggestions, please comment.  The boxes are 2" cubes.

Desktop Calendar

~ large photos ~

Welcome.  I have been a bit busy making some last minute special orders.  A very sweet, dear friend has asked me to make her a desktop calendar in my traditional shabby chic, vintage style.  And well, I couldn't say 'no', so I set out into my craft room, and started crafting.

I wanted to make her something 'one of a kind' and something very special.  So, I located some beautiful digital papers I had recently purchased, printed them, and then started crafting.

I am happy with how it turned out, so I wanted to share a few photos with you.  This first one is of the cover.  And the next two are of my favorite pages. {smile}

This is the cover.  These desk top calendars measure 4" x 4".  I use a 1" spiral ring for the binding. I love the large spiral, and the color of the metal {smile}

I used one sheet of this digital paper.  I love the mix of text, floral images, polka dots, calendar numbers, and ledger writing.  I added a spool label to the year.  I thought the colors and images looked perfect with the cover collage.  [My struggle with these pages is to keep them flat, and not too bulky.]

These are my two favorite months {smile}

February is my birth month, and so I believe that, that connection, helps my creative side craft something pretty, and St. Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday, so  there is a special place in my heart for this whole affair.  {smile} 

I used another collage digital paper for the main image.  Yeah, love the white text, the polka dots, the floral images, and the hand-writing.  I used another spool label behind the glitter trim.  I used a scallop trim border punch on a thin piece of gold glitter paper.  I machine stitched a piece of cream crochet trim to help add some softness.  I cut a tiny tag from a pink checkered digital paper.  I added a digital scrabble word across the tag.  I distressed a pink button with white paint and glitter.  I tied the button to the tiny tag with strawberry bakers twine.  I just love this month!

And here is my other favorite month: September.  Not necessarily the month, but rather the page.  I used another digital collage paper.  Again, a mix of polka dots, florals, text, and hand-written ledgers. I stamped the mason jar onto a different digital pattern paper and fussy cut it out.  I added a scallop trim piece of a different digital polka dot pattern paper.  I added a simple knot of a cream crochet trim.

All of the months have a simple machine stitch border.  Each month is matted with kraft card stock.  I hope my friend Cathy (MB) really loves her desk top calendar.  And I hope that you enjoyed my little share.  {smile}

Bunco Nine

~ photo heavy post ~

As promised from yesterday, I have another Bunco prize/gift to share with you today.  We are currently at number nine.  (Counting down backwards from eleven)

If you are just joining me, I stamped and heat embossed this little mason jar in early espresso embossing powder, onto very vanilla card stock.  I punched a 3/4" circle from the same digital paper I used to make my reminder cards, and added (alternating) a gold or silver sticker number.  I fussy cut the jar image out with scissors and sponged the edges with crumb cake classic ink.  I wrapped the top of the little mason jars with coordinating bakers twine.

As with all of the prizes, a kraft gift bag decorated, along with a matching little gift card.  An altered clothes pin to hold the prize number.  And of course, the prize!  But before I share the prize, I wanted to share a quick photo of the gift card.

This prize is a desk top calendar.  The finished size is 4" x 4".  That way, it doesn't has a large footprint, and is super sweet!  Here are the photos:

the cover.  super plain, but you won't see it.

I used Market Street pattern paper, from My Mind's Eye.  I just love this rustic, vintage-y look.  I wanted to keep the months kinda flat.  The pages lay better.  I used my Bind-It-All to put the spiral piece thru the little 'book'.

Thank you for stopping by!  See ya tomorrow!

Shabby Chic Desk Top Calendar

Whew, almost done creating these for some special girlfriends.  (only 2 left)  One of these special girl friends, has a love for shabby chic, too.  So, her calendar was the easiest (so far) to create.  She is also a minimalist when it comes to crafting.  So, I created a double-sided desk top calendar with that in mind:

January, February, March, April, May, and June

July, August, September, October, March, November, and December

Holy cow!  I forgot to flip March over, to show October.  Ugh! and the calendar is already put together.  Well, here is October, bound.

This calendar was super easy and fast, to get together.  For October, I stamped 'Halloween' in a soft fine linen ink color, onto the pale pink polka dot pattern paper.  I stamped the witch 'ticket' in soft suede classic ink.

  

I used a super heavy vanilla card stock for each main page.  The pattern papers came from Lost & Found - Market Street.  I matted the calendar pages onto crumb cake card stock.  I sponged linen distress ink on the calendar matts.  I stamped the months in soft suede classic ink.  The little 'reminders' are stamped in linen distress ink, too.  They mark St. Valentine's Day, Halloween, Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Thank you for looking.  I will post an image of each month, soon.

Favorite Fabrication

~ photo heavy post ~

I shared my latest  desk top calendar with you yesterday.  and today, I want to share my favorite months.   The creative block for me, was the use of these bright, bold colors.  But, once I started, it became easy.  

love the mix of orange and aqua

love how the yellow pattern paper adds a splash of brightness

a splash of aqua

love the different shades of aqua, and the mix of patterns

love the 'glass' star and bakers twine

love the ruler

love the black and yellow color combo

I was pleasantly surprised how lovely these colors are together.  Abstractly, you would think, 'Yikes!'.  But, it really does work.  The crushed curry is repeated in the main pattern paper.  The aqua and orange are repeated as well.  

Thank you for looking.  I hope you have been inspired.  Making a desk top calendar isn't hard.  Just takes a little fore sight.  Use what you have.  And experiment with products that aren't 'easy' for you to work with.  You just might be surprised!

Stationery Noted Calendar

I created another desk top calendar, using Teresa Collins Stationery Noted pattern papers.  I used the same 4" x 4" base, along with the same calendar page size.

January, February, March, April, May, and June

July, August, September, October, November, and December

For this desk top calendar, I did it a bit different.  I made it two sided, so that when you are done with June, you just flip the calendar around, and use the other side.  So, January thru June uses the text side background piece.  While the July thru December uses the flourish side background piece.

When I first bound the calendar, I used a 1/2" spiral, and it was too small.  It really bunched the pages together, and looked too 'cramped'.  So, I am off to the craft store, to purchase a larger spiral.  I'm looking for 1" and 1 1/4".  Let's see what they have {smile}.

I used a different style pattern paper.  Not my typical paper crafting style.  But, I really need to start using what I have here at home, and not spend so much money on more stuff.  You'd think that I was a pattern paper collector, and not an at home paper crafter.

I'll take a photo of the desk top calendar once it is all bound.  Stay tuned {smile}.

Months in French Country

~ photo heavy post ~

Thank you for stopping back by.  I know this year is starting busy, but I'm happy that you have taken the time to swing by and take a look at what I have created.  I have chosen a few of my favorite month layouts.  Enjoy the eye candy {smile}.

March 2014

I'll start with March.  I love the mix of pattern papers, along with the machine stitching along the top edge of the banner.  This layout is clean and simple.  But, I think that leads to the over-all beauty of it.

April 2014

 Another clean and simple layout.  I didn't add a whole lot to these pages.  But, I really love the look of the sparkle clay cameo with the toile pattern paper.  I added a blossom shape text paper piece behind the cameo.  I wanted an additional pattern, but I felt that another blue pattern paper would get lost.  I wanted to add some sparkle, so I cut a foliage piece out of silver glimmer paper.

Easter, is on April 20th, this year.  So, I stamped the bunny in a circle in pink ink on the calendar page.

August 2014

 I had fun with this one.  August always means 'back-to-school' for us.  So, that was my thought process for this calendar page.  I used a large sun flower pattern paper, along with a trimmed down library card, and a wooden ruler.

September 2014

 I love the look of the small floral print with the stamped banner piece.  The colors, and pattern really do work well together.

December 2014

And last.  December.  I used the same pattern paper for the first month and the last.  I think the rooster image along the right side of the calendar page really adds a french flair.  I was also pleasantly surprised at how the text on the pattern paper works so well with this project.  December, is a month that I make cookies with my grandchildren, so the mini ginger man cookie cutter, seemed like the perfect embellishment.  Christmas, is marked by a circled tree stamped in green ink.

Once again, thanks for stopping by.  I made another calendar today.  I'll post photos later this week.  I used pattern paper from Teresa Collins, creating a whole different look.  Stay tuned.