First, a free download for all of you—thanks for reading. We’ve made a homemade calendar each year and, even though the kitchen renovation is in full swing, we took a moment while the wood putty dried to put this year’s together.
In previous years our calendars were mostly text-based. For example, our 2010 calendar collected a dozen odd family phrases and inside jokes laid out in simple bright colors:
Our 2011 calendar used a numerical fact about our family to represent each month—May, the fifth month, read “Five years in Richmond,” while July, the seventh month, read “Seven years spent together”.
This year we moved away from text-on-white and went full photo.
Each month of the 2012 calendar features a photo we took in the same month of 2011. It’s a simple way to look back and remember exactly what Clara looked like a year ago. A photo calendar isn’t revolutionary, but it felt right—2011 was the first full year we spent with Clara, and she’s a natural in front of the camera.
To give each picture a slightly “historic” feel, we applied the free Pioneer Woman “Heartland” Photoshop action, then added color with a bright curvy border at the top and bottom. The font is Lobster, a free download.
You can download our Photoshop file that includes all twelve colorful frames, which lets you personalize the calendar by:
- adding your own photos as a layer behind each frame using Photoshop
- downloading the Lobster font if you want to alter the text to avoid font substitutions
- using the Heartland action or choosing a different treatment—black & white, full color, etc.
Once printed on cardstock with color ink, we’ll cut the pages to size and hang the calendar in the kitchen—probably clipped so pages can be rotated easily. The kitchen still needs finishing, so it might not be up until February or March. Either way, happy almost-2012—have fun making your own calendar or gifting one to friends and family.
On a different note, a Secret Santa package arrived recently. It was festively wrapped with a “Peace On Earth” ornament on top, and inside was a silver Pottery Barn box that read “Good things come in small packages” — a perfect fit for this 5’2″ girl.
Inside were three glittery ornaments with our initials and a little sparkling bird. They’re lightweight and unbreakable, which is ideal for a house with a toddler.
I don’t know which blogger sent the gift, and I love the suspense. Some of the bloggers I’ve been paired with this season include:
- Mrs. Limestone at Brooklyn Limestone
- Michelle at 4 Men 1 Lady
- Bryn at Bryn Alexandra
- Emily at Emily A. Clark
- Shelley at House of Smiths
- Melissa at The Inspired Room
- Janell at Isabella and Max Rooms
- Paloma at La Dolce Vita
- Jacin at Lovely Little Details
- Nicole at Making it Lovely
- Marian at Mustard Seed Interiors
- Lauren at Pure Style Home
- Tanya at Save the Date for Cupcakes
- Michelle at TenJune
- Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick
- Laura at You Stir Me
The new ornaments went straight on the tree—initials and glittering bird included:
Here’s our little C in action. The ornaments are unbreakable, so they fit right in with our paint chips and ribbon decorations.
The red on the initials ties into the red ribbons, and the glitter around the edges complements our sparkly snowflakes.
Our tree has filled out a lot lately—many ornaments from our homemade advent calendar were moved from the door to the tree. Clara and I enjoy choosing a new spot for each ornament as we add it day by day.
I love holiday traditions—those small seasonal activities, like the annual calendar and the ornament advent calendar, don’t cost much or take a lot of time, but they bring the family into the spirit. With cabinet sanding, priming, and painting ahead, a bit of holiday cheer keeps us smiling while the house is half torn apart. Maybe we’ll play Christmas music while we work and pretend the sawdust is snow.
Update: You can check out our favorite holiday decor finds—many under $15—on the blog.