Make calendar personal
HOME DECOR PROJECT
Create a personal calendar using your favourite digital photos! They’re great for keeping up with everyone’s agenda. With digital cameras being so readily used and the availability of specialty papers, making your own calendar has never been easier. The fun part is that you can start it any month you want using pictures and themes of your choice. Teens can even create their own calendars with pictures of their friends for their rooms or lockers. The digital photo calendar kits by Strathmore can be used with your favourite design software and any inkjet printer.
PREPARATION
To begin, plan your calendar by choosing 13 photos ( one for each month and one for the cover). Go to www.strathmoreartist. com and click on print centre and then on calendar project. You don’t need to download anything. Create and print your calendar by following the online steps.
Click on Inside Month, load your image, add your text, and choose your font style and colour. You can also move, crop, rotate, remove red eye, and adjust colours or produce duotones. Once you are happy with your layout, do a test print. It is advisable to first test a concept on plain paper in order not to waste the specialty paper and to make sure that your page will be printed in the proper feeding orientation.
APPLICATION
When you are ready to print your calendar, adjust the setting on your printer driver to the appropriate setting for gloss or matte side of the paper, and for the quality of printing. Refer to the printer manual for instructions on how to load and feed heavyweight paper.
Place the sheet of photo paper in the printer ( for best results print on the matte side of the paper first) with the side you want to print facing according to your printer specifications, and click on the print button. Once the page has printed, allow the paper to dry before printing on the other side. To preserve the appearance and colour of your photos, apply a few light coats of matte or gloss Preserve It by Krylon.
Shake the can for two to three minutes prior to use, and then spray an even coat on the pages in a well- ventilated area and allow to dry.
Repeat the above steps for the remaining calendar pages, as well as your cover page. Stack and line up your calendar pages. Place the plastic covers over the calendar cover and line up the punch holes. Insert the plastic teeth of the easyclick binding mechanism through the punched holes and snap- click it to close.
Simply display your new calendar in a key location to keep track of everyone’s activities. Make more than one calendar, make some to put up in other rooms throughout your home or make some as gifts.
VARIATIONS
Other calendar templates are available on the Internet, such as Microsoft calendar templates ( http:// office. microsoft. com/ en- ca/ templates/ CT061993171033. aspx). Some schools offer calendars online.
Calendars made with your own design software allow you to add your own creative countdown to upcoming special events. Many digital cameras come with photo centre software where calendar templates are available. All standardsize calendars can be made using the calendar kit by Strathmore, and can be printed in either portrait or landscape orientations.
I even make photo covers for my personal books such as my agenda, phonebooks and notebooks. Print and cut a photo to size, apply spray adhesive and paste it to your books. Madeleine Langlois is a home decor accent designer. www.maddylane.com