Desk Calendar with Notes!

Hello!  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.  I can't believe it is already Wednesday, which means it is just a few short days away from a new year!  Today's project is one I worked on before Christmas.  I thought it was finished and I did like how it turned out.  But, I decided in the last couple of days, that since I would not be sending it in the mail, and that I am making it to sit on a desk, that I should redo it, changing the size.  You see, my original one was an A-2 size.  And the end version is a 5 1/2 inch square.  Now that it is complete, I really like the square version better.  My idea all started when my hubby and I were at Dollar General one day before Christmas and I came across this little package with a notepad and a calendar.  The weird part is that the calendar was a thick stack of papers, too thick for just 12 months so I opened the package up and found that there were 4 to 5 sheets of each month!  And, the idea came!  Now I have seen a few sites where you can download a 2011 calendar and print your own, but I was thinking this would be better because I didn't have to do any of that.  There were a few different packages with different colors of calendar pages so I got one of each.  I think I ended up spending $5, giving me enough to make about 25 or so ... and you know that is not going to happen ... but I do have variety!  I figure I can use the memo pads too, so not all is lost.  I guess I had better get to showing you my creation, then I can talk more about the details.  I also have pics of the original A-2 size one.  Enjoy ...

What do you think?  It could still be sent in the mail because it does lay flat but stands up on it's own because it is an easel card.  How do like my new Pure Innocence little girl stamp?  Is she not too cute?  I got her back before Christmas but just now had the chance to use her.  I paper pieced her dress to match my background paper.  I added the sentiment Joy for the Journey, another new one I got at the same time from Verve, which I thought says it all when thinking about the new year.  In the second picture above, on the left you have post it notes which I halved the stack so it wouldn't be as thick, and on the right, I made a small envy to hold the additional month pages. On the previous design, I had to make a pocket on the top part of the card to hold the pages.  Here is the pic of the previous version ...

And, I had to hold the current month page on with a paper clip.  And that is the part, I disliked the most.  I saw on some blog where they held something in place with two slits on either side.  I liked how that looked.   Well, Stampin' Up used to make a punch that did just that, which I don't have anyway.  So, I thought I could figure out how to do it with another punch ... NOT!  So, I "phoned a friend", but after trying additional ideas, I still didn't like the result.  So, in the end I used my Victorian photo corner punch to create two holders for my current month page.  Here is a close up of that ...

I wasted more paper by trying to make slits that look good!  I think this is a better solution.  And I like it! 

Recipe:

Paper - My Favorite Things Paper Pack (this was the freebie when I did my MFT order, and as you can see, I put it to good use!), Cardstock White (in the square version, I went with this as the base because it is thicker than the pink I have), Pink
Stamps - My Favorite Things Pure Innocence Girl called Making a List, Joy for the Journey by Verve Stamps
Ink - Versafine Black, Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, YROO Copic marker for skin
Tools - Classic Circle and Labels 8 Nestibilities, Martha Stewart flower border punch, EK Success Victorian Photo corner punch, Polka Dots embossing Folder
Other - Pink flower and dots rhinestones by Hero Arts, Prima Flower

Reminder about how to make an easel card.  The base piece is 5 1/2 x 11 with a score at the 5 1/2 mark and then the second score for this card is 2 3/4 from one end.  You create your whole front on a second 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 piece and then you add adhesive ONLY to the bottom 2 3/4 end of the foldover to adhere your 5 1/2 square to.  This will allow you to form the easel.  If you need a visual, here is a you tube video from splitcoast stampers. Pretty darn simple.

I hoped to make a couple of other cards for you this week, but since the week is going fast, that may not happen.  I will be back with a post for tomorrow or the next day to share with you my top 10 favorite cards from 2010!  That will be fun!  Right now, I am off to make more calendars with my different color pages!  Woo Hoo!

Happy Stamping!
Tina