Calendars

Happy Friday!!  It's time for another challenge from Jo's Scrap Shack.  As always, we are now an Anything Goes challenge and our sponsor for the week is The Cutting Cafe.

WARNING--this post contains a LOT of photos!

I was given a fabulous file from The Cutting Cafe.  It has several different calendar options for 2019 and I had a blast playing with it!!  I wish I had more time, I would have tried all the options that come in the file!!  Here is what I created:

The file comes with a full page (8 1/2 x 11) full year calendar and a list of the holidays and observances for 2019.  I used the full page calendar for my first project and used the list of holidays to mark the special days on my calendar.  Here is what the calendar looks like:

 I used a circle stamp and red ink to highlight the holidays and other special days (such a birthdays).  I decorated each month with an image that corresponds to the "theme" of the month.  Here is a close up of the first 6 months of the year:

 January is decorated with a blue snowflake and the holidays are highlighted with the circles. February has hearts for Valentine's Day, March has a green cupcake to celebrate a family member's birthday, April has a cross for Easter, May--purple carnations for Mother's Day and finally a blue sailboat for Father's Day.  Here are the next 6 months:

 July has fireworks to celebrate the 4th.  There was nothing exciting about August, so I used ice cream cones--a yummy treat for those hot summer days.  September has another cupcake as both my husband and I celebrate our birthdays that month; an orange pumpkin for October; a Fall-themed cupcake for November as we celebrate more family birthdays that month and to finish it all off, a red poinsettia for December and Christmas!  I think this would look awesome tacked up on a bulletin board and you can easily highlight all the special dates that pertain to your own family!

     For my next project I used a different file from the set to create individual month "pages".  Do you remember several years ago when little calendars that fit into CD cases were all the rage?  I always thought it would be really fun to do, but never got around to doing it.  Mostly because making the calendar images seemed to difficult.  The Cutting Cafe to the rescue!!  All I had to do was print out the file and cut the months to the desired size.  I bought a whole box of empty CD cases at a yard sale this summer, planning to use them to hold my clear stamp sets, but one was rescued for this project.  I created each month page with the same layout, changing up the colors and themes to match the months.  All of the patterned papers came from the same paper pad--it has an old-world feel and has a bit of texture.

 I kept the pages flat so they would be able to fit in the case, so there aren't any extra embellishments--just some fun die cut borders, ribbon and die cuts to fit the theme.

January:

I chose blue for the January Blues to start of the year.  I think this is one of my favorites, I just love that snowflake die cut!

February:

I chose pink for the month of love.  This is the only page that has any additional embellishments, it just looked to plain without the die cut hearts.

March:

 I chose green for March because it is my daughter's favorite color and her birthday is in March.  Then I realized it would also work for St. Patrick's Day as well.  I added a gold, celtic-looking border die for this one.  It's actually the first time I've used this one and I think it won't be the last!

April:

 I chose purple for April since Easter falls during the month and purple is the color of royalty which speaks to Christ being the King.

May:

 I chose pink for May because of Mother's Day.  The lacy die reminds me of lace and is beautiful and feminine.

June:

 In contrast with May, June is dark and masculine since we celebrate Father's Day during the month.  The little starts are the cut outs from the star border.  I used a fun textured silver paper to add a little flash.

July:

 For July, of course, I had to use red, white, and blue.  The lighter blue gives it a slight Americana feel.

August:

 I didn't have anything specific in mind for August, so I chose yellow to represent the hot, humid days we usually have during the month. August definitely says "summer" around here.

September:

 I chose this fun, aqua blue for September; partly because the sky during bright, sunny days is so blue this time of year.  Plus, my birthday is in September and this is one of my favorite colors.  I found this fun flocked border sticker in my stash and it was perfect!  I have had it forever and have always struggled with what to do with it.  Well, this project finally finished it up!

October:

 I don't celebrate Halloween, but I thought the Halloween colors were perfect for decorating the October page.  And the die cut border kind of reminds of of the harlequin design elements that appear in some Halloween products.

November:

 I chose some muted Fall colors for the November page to bring the feeling of Thanksgiving.  I added a bit of sparkly ribbon to keep it from feeling too dull.

And last, but not least, and probably my favorite, 

December:

I chose a bit darker red for this one to fit with the green patterned paper tone.  I used another of the snowflake die cut borders (which might be why I like this one so much!).

Phew!  Thanks for making it all the way through!!  I know there were a lot of pictures!

What do you need to do to enter?

Challenge Rules

1.  Please post a direct link to your blog post that includes your challenge entry project, using the linky tool on Jo's blog.

2.  Be sure to include a link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering your project into.

3.  THREE entries per person are allowed for each challenge and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4.  For all entries-NO BACK LINKS ACCEPTED--the date on your blog post should be dated between the start date and the end date for the challenge you are entering, in order to be eligible for the challenge prizes.

5.  You may link up to other challenges but be sure to link back to Jo's Scrap Shack and to the challenge post you are entering.

*All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements WILL NOT be eligible for the top 3, any sponsor wins or any random wins by Jo.

All random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

You have until Oct. 12th by 12:00AM  (eastern, USA) time to link up.

All winners will be announced during the week of Oct 14th.

Have fun and we look forward to seeing what you create.

Supplies:

For all projects: The Cutting Cafe "2019 Calendar Set"

Full Page Calendar:

Stamps: PTI "Fab Flakes" in SU! Brocade Blue; Verve "Text Objects" in Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide Ink; PTI "Baker's Dozen" in PTI New Leaf; Verve "Richly Blessed" in MFT chocolate brown; PTI "A Year of Flowers: Collection" in SU! Lovely Lilac; Verve "Text Objects" in SU! Nearly Navy; July unknown fireworks in SU! Real Red; Fun Stampers Journey ice cream cones in SU! Creamy Caramel; PTI "Baker's Dozen" in SU! Brocade Blue; Verve "Tall Oaks" in PTI Orange Zest; PTI "Baker's Dozen" in MFT Chocolate Brown; Repeat Impressions "Poinsettia (lg)" in SU! Real Red

Calendar Pages:

Dies:

January: Memory Box "Frostyville" (I believe)

Challenges:

Creative Fingers #153--anything goes

February: Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio" and Sweet n' Sassy small hearts

Challenges:

Penny's Challenge #400--anything goes

March: Spellbinders "The Gilt Life"

Challenges: 

{Pin}spirational #225--try something different (making calendar pages and using a die for the first time--I've had it for years)

April: PTI border die

Challenges:

Crafting with an Attitude #44--anything goes

May: PTI border die

Challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes

June: MFT star border die

Challenges: 

Love To Craft Challenge Blog #27--anything goes

July: Verve "Scalloped Trim Trio"

Ribbon girl--anything goes

August: Verve "Pennant Trim"

Challenges:

Crafting by Designs--anything goes

September: None

4 Crafty Chicks #425--something old is something new

October: PTI border die

Challenges: 

Unicorn #37--autumn or Halloween

Divas That Cut--autumn an Halloween

Cut It Up #158--Halloween

November: MFT "Stitched Scallop Trio"

Challenges:

Creative Moments #145--anything goes with fall colors

Moving Along with the Times #81--autumn/fall

Brown Sugar #285--halloween and/or autumn

Craft Rocket Challenge #33--autumn/halloween

December: Memory Box "Frostyville"

Challenges:

Crimbo Crackers #168--anything goes

Winter Wonderland--anything goes

Christmas at Sweet Stampin'--anything goes

Merry Little Christmas #3--anything goes