I really had fun making these little desktop calendars as Christmas gifts for 2013..

{ if you’re my friend.. look away! }

♥

I was going to wait to show you these but thought some of you might want to have a go at making these

{ as gifts for your friends! }

♥

You can find lots of creative inspiration on Pinterest and if you’ve run out of time, you can purchase a set on Etsy.

but it’s so much more fun and personal to make these yourself

{ and gift them to your friends! }

♥

You might recognize my graphics, they were purchased at The Ink Nest

{ I have a link on my sidebar → that will take you to their website! }
and I know I will have fun using them for other creative projects as well.

..like invitations, and birthday cards

{ for your friends! }

♥

Adobe Photoshop works best,

because you download a Photoshop File, that allows you to change the font’s style and color..

but the free photo editing software, Picmonkey does a great job too and the downloaded font is pretty enough!

You could also use your own photographs instead of the graphics,
that would make this project even more affordable and your calendar would be very personalized.

♥

 

2014 Desk Calendar

Materials

2014 Calendar Templates and Graphics from The Ink Nest
{ click on The Ink Nest logo on my sidebar → }
and/or photograph jpg’s from your computer

Computer

Printing company or printer

Acrylic 4×6″ Photo Easels

Directions

1. Purchase the 2014 Calendar Template set and any other seasonal or theme graphics you like.

2. Go to Picmonkey, select Edit a Photo and choose jan2014.jpg from your Downloads 2014 Templates file.

3. Click on the Butterfly (overlays) on the left-hand column then select Your Own at the top.

5. Navigate to your downloads and select the graphic you wish to add or navigate to your photographs folder and select the jpg photo you wish to use.

6. The graphic or photograph will pop open on top of your calendar with the corner handles highlighted.
Just click and drag to move or resize your graphic and place it on your calendar where you wish.

7. Repeat, adding graphics then moving and resizing them as you wish.

8. Click to save, select “Sean” and leave the Dimensions as they are.

9. Upload your file to a local printer, I used our downtown Minuteman Press.
Their equipment is able to quickly print beautiful, high definition color, with a two to three day turnaround.
You could print these at home on your own card stock,
however, I think the amount of ink you’d require on any inkjet printer
would cost far more than sending your calendar to a professional printing company.
I was really pleased with the results, everything was copied, cut to size and collated for me and 15 sets were ready to go for only $35.00

10. Wrap and gift with a small acrylic 4×6″ desktop photo easel. I found mine at Michaels.