CD Calendar

Here is a fun little project for yourself, friends or family. It's a CD Calendar using stamps from Purple Onion Designs and Autumn Leaves, Ranger Distress Inks and Ink Blending Tool.

If you've never seen Purple Onions Calendar stamps you'll definitely want to check them out. They are very cool. I'm sure you've seen those expensive little 1 1/2" x 2" pre-printed calendars...well, Purple Onion makes rubber stamps of each month in that same size!! You will be able to churn out your own little calendars at a fraction of the cost! Purple Onion also offers a larger "Year at a Glance" type stamp that has the entire year on one 3" x 3 1/2" stamp.

Now, on to the calendar....

Supplies:

Calendar Stamps - Purple Onion Designs (pre-printed or computer generated calendars will work as well.)
Flourish Stamps - Autumn Leaves
Distress Inks - Ranger

Ink Blending Tool - Ranger

Archival Ink - Jet Black - Ranger

Double Sided Printed Cardstock or Pattern Paper

CD Case

Exacto Knife

Instructions:

1. Check your cd case and make sure it will open as shown in the photo. I have noticed that some cases have a lip that will prevent them from opening up to this degree. To correct this problem, just take your exacto knife and trim off the little lip. BE CAREFUL!!! I sliced the side of my knuckle doing this on one this past weekend.

2. Cut all pattern paper to size. I like to use some of the printed cardstock type pattern papers. It is sturdy enough to be able to use both sides. The paper pictured is from Paper Loft. I used 3 coordinating sheets of paper yielding 6 different patterns. Cut 4 large sheets and 9 smaller squares.

3. Stamp months on the scraps using Archival Ink.

4. Assemble the individual pages - mount smaller squares onto large squares. Note one page will only have a small piece on one side. This will be the last page of the calendar with the Year at a Glance Calendar.

5. Take the 3 double sided pages and apply Broken China (blue) Distress Ink using the Ink Blending Tool to the edges on one side. Flip the 3 pages over and apply Peeled Paint (green) Distress Ink to the other side.

6. Stamp flourishes again using Broken China & Peeled Paint Distress Inks to each side where desired.

7. Mount stamped calendar pieces. January & February on the front of the first page, March & April to the front of the second page and May & June to the final sheet. Flip all pages over keeping them in correct order and finish mounting the months in the same fashion.

8. Mount the Year at a Glance Calendar to the back of the 4th sheet as shown.

9. Slide all of the pages into the CD case! You're done...you have your very own flip top desk calendar. These make very nice gifts and are great to use up all of your scrap pattern papers.

These little calendar stamp gems are also great for cards, scrapbook pages, etc. I will have some additional examples using them for you in the near future :)