Mini Desk Calendar Tutorial

I'm working on thank you gifts for my customers who recently placed on-line orders and used my Hostess Codes.  These gals will be receiving a Stampin' Up! Simply Shammy as a reward from me for using the code.  I'm also tucking in a Mini Desk Calendar and Post It Note holder in their thank you packages to show my appreciation.  

The calendar and Post-it Note covers are both made with the Berry Delightful Designer Series Paper featured in the Sale-A-Bration flyer. Isn't it beautiful?  I really like the colour and design on this paper and the coordinating stamp set called Berry Blessings.  

Berry Blessings is a Two-Step Stampin' set and comes with 13 photopolymer stamps.  The coordinating Berry Delightful Designer Series Paper is 12" x 12" and comes with 2 each of 6 double-sided designs. The paper coordinates with the following product colours: Balmy Blue, Blackberry Bliss, Calypso Coral, Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Flirty Flamingo, Garden Green, Granny Apple Green, Night of Navy, Pacific Point, Poppy Parade, Rich Razzleberry, and Shaded Spruce. This coordinated bundle is free with a qualifying purchase of at least $120.00 before tax and shipping charges and is only available until the end of February 2021 or while supplies last.

Here's an inside view of the mini easel calendar.  So pretty and only a few steps needed to create this great project.  The Post It Note Holder is also a simple project and really goes compliments the calendar when giving it as a gift.    

The thank you card also features the Berry Delightful DSP.  This card design is called a Circle Card, and showcases both sides of this paper. 

This has to be my most "used" sentiment in this age of COVID-19.  It's been the star attraction on so many of my cards and gift boxes.  The sentiment is from the So Sentimental  stamp set and is stamped in Rich Razzleberry.  I used the  Stitched So Sweetly Dies to cut out both labels.  

So Sentimental Stamp Set

Stitched So Sweetly Dies  that coordinate with the So Sentimental Stamp Set.

Here's Some Other Calendar and Note Pad Samples:

I usually make these mini desk calendars for Christmas stocking stuffers and last minute hostess gifts.  Because the calendar pads are sometimes hard to find and are gone as soon as they hit the shelves I generally buy mine in the early Fall.  They come ten to a pack and the price is very reasonable.  They can be ordered directly from the manufacturer Taylored Expressions, or at local craft stores.  

Here are some pictures of the calendars I've been working on. The Dog and Sunflower calendars were both made using the directions for the Small Easel Stand Desk Calendar (tutorial below).  The Blackberry Bliss sample is actually a combination Desk Calendar and Post It Note Holder and I've provided a link for this one. 

This is the cover of my Pampered Pets Calendar.  I've had a lot of fun designing both dog and cat calendars and Post-it Note covers using the Pampered Pets Designer Series Paper.  

The 2021 calendar pads are from Taylored Expressions.  They measure 2 3/4 x 3" and are the perfect size for these holders. 

When the calendar pad is open the top flap rests against the calendar pad so it stands upright.  

Small Easel Stand Desk Calendar

I don't know who created the first template for this calendar but I really thank them for providing a simple way to dress up a mini desk calendar. Here are the simple instructions.

Base:    Cut one 8 1/2" x 3 1/4" piece of cardstock for the base. Score this piece at 2 1/8" and 4 1/4" burnish the score lines 2 1/8" score line is a mountain fold and the 4 1/4" score line is a valley.  When you work with this piece these two folds need to be pushed back.  Adhesive goes on the front piece and then the front layer from the next step is attached to the base  like this.  

Calendar Front:  Cut a 4 14" x 3 1/4" piece to match base card stock.  Cut a 3 x 4" piece in a coordinating colour to the DSP for the 1st layer and adhere.  Cut a 2 3/4" x 3 3/4" piece of DSP for the final layer and adhere.   

Inside Base:  Cut a 3 x 4" piece of coordinating card stock for first layer followed by a 2 3/4" x 3 3/4" piece of DSP.  Adhere both layers.   Attach 2 1/4" x 3" calendar pad. 

Just add embellishments to the cover of the Easel Calendar and you're all done. 

Calendar, Post It Note and Pen:

If you want to create a larger easel card calendar holder there are many templates out there, but here's one I made that measures 4 14" x 5 1/2".  It has a calendar on the front a pen holder and covered post it note pad. on the base.

I followed this tutorial by Tracy Elsom to make my calender set.  I used paper from my Love It Chop It paper stash to make this sample.  I used Perfect Plumb (retired) and Blackberry Bliss cardstock along with Whisper White for the layers and base.   

This is the Post It Note cover in the contrasting paper 

  

This view shows the Post It Note cover lifted. What a great and simple way of dressing up the Post It Note pad. 

I hope you've enjoyed these projects and samples.  They make great gifts.   

Happy Stamping!

Penny Tokens Stampin' Spot

Penny Hanuszak, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator

FEBRUARY HOSTESS CODE:

Berry Blessings and Berry Delightful DSP available during Sale-a-bration 
Click here for details. 

A Touch of Ink from Sale-a-bration

Today I'd like to share some of the cards I've made  using "A Touch of Ink (#155233) stamp set which I got for FREE from the Sale-A-bration catalogue as part of my order.  

A Touch of Ink is a two-step Photopolymer stamp set that has 17 image and sentiment stamps.  The line drawn images for the butterfly, flowers, leaves and hummingbird all have coordinating "filler" stamps so you can use markers or ink pads to colour the designs. 

"A Touch of Ink" makes it so easy to create nature inspired scenes and backgrounds, and these stamps are just the right size for combining with labels and backgrounds or doing multiple images of the same stamp. There's also a good variety of sentiments with fun fonts, which cover almost any occasion.  This would be a perfect stamp set for someone new to stamping. 

Lets See What I Made With It:

For my first card I visualized laying on my back looking up into the branches of a Jacaranda tree and seeing the vivid purple blooms and sky beyond  Here's my card:

Jacaranda Tree with Spring Blooms 

• This card begins with a Granny Apple Green card base that measures 81/2" x 5 1/2" and is scored at 4 1/4".  This is followed by a Gorgeous Grape mat that measures 4" x 5 1/4". 
• I randomly stamped the leaves in Momento Black ink on a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4" piece of Whisper White card stock, leaving enough room in the top center of the panel to stamp three clusters of flowers among the leaves. 
• I also stamped the top of the flower image in the white spaces around the edges of the card stock, and stamped the image between the leaves. 
• I randomly stamped the flower filler stamp with Purple Posy ink on the flowers and added highlights and depth with light and dark Purple Posy Stampin' Up! Blends.
• The flower centers were coloured with Mango Melody Blends 
• The leaf filler stamp was inked up with Granny Apple Green ink and I used the Dark Granny Apple Green Blend to outline and give them more definition.

For the inside of this card I added a 1/4" x 5 1/4" strip of the background design to adorn the top of the panel.  The floral image was stamped in the lower corner and coloured the same as the front of the card. Ample white space was left for messaging. 

One of the highlights of the "A Touch of Ink" stamp set, for me, is the little speckled image.  I know it will become one of my go to stamps for adding texture to my stamping. On this card, I inked the pebbled stamp up with Purple Posy and stamped randomly between the flowers and leaves on the front and on the inside panel of the card. 

Here's a close-up of the floral stamp..........so pretty.  I love that little pebble stamp too as it's great for filling in or covering those little ink "whoopsies".  

 

My second card features the Hummingbird image and another stamped background.  I created a background with the flower outline and filler stamps and then added some accent with the pebble stamp. In California we have Hummingbirds  visiting all through the day and this is what they look like:

Here are the details:

• The Soft Sea Foam card base measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is scored at 4 1/4".  
• The first layer started as a 5 1/4 x 4" piece of basic black card stock. The  bottom edge was die cut with the Curvy Dies from the Jan-June Mini Catalogue.

The Curvy Dies can be bought separately or as part of the Quite Curvy Stamp and Die Bundle.

• The background piece measures 3" x 3 3/4".  The floral image and pebble image were randomly stamped across this layer in Tuxedo Momento Black ink and the flowers were stamped with the filler in Melon Mambo Ink. 
• To soften the look of the Melon Mambo flowers, I coloured in the white space with Light and Dark Soft Seam Foam Stampin' Blends  and add random colour to the leaves in the background.
• I stamped the pebble image stamp in Momento Black Ink between the flowers.  If I were doing this card again I would have used Basic Gray or Gray Granite for this purpose.   

My third card was created with my "butterfly loving friends" in mind. It features the butterfly stamp and I've used it both as the background focal and for the main image. What a great image and very easy to fussy cut!

Here are the details:

• The Basic Black card stock base measures 8 1/2"x  1/2" and is scored at 4 /4".
• The Silver Foil layer measures 5 1/4" x 4" and I die cut the label from the center of this layer before adhering it to the card base using a die from the Tasteful Labels die set. 
• I stamped the butterfly image in two rows across a 5" x 3 3/4" layer of Whisper White card stock with Momento Tuxedo Black ink.
• The Butterfly filler stamp was inked up with Purple Posy Ink and the edges of the design on the wings were coloured with a Dark Purple Posy Stampin' Blends.  
• A faint outline around the butterfly was drawn with the Light Purple Posy Stampin' Blend.  
• Once again I randomly stamped the pebble image stamp with Purple Posy ink throughout the white space between the butterflies.
• On a scrap of Whisper White I stamped off the butterfly image a couple of times using the "stamping off" method (second generation stamping). I stamped the Best Wishes from this set in Tuxedo Black ink over top of these butterflies and then die cut this label with the Tasteful Labels die cut.  
• An additional butterfly was stamped, coloured and fussy cut and attached to the label with Dimensionals. A sprinkling of Rhinestones finishes of this card.      

My fourth card started out as an image test, and then blossomed into this simple thank you card.

Here are the details:

• The Whisper White card base measures 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and is scored at 4 1/4"
• The second layer is a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Basic Black cardstock.
• The next layer is a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of Whisper White.
• Colours used for the butterfly are the same as in Card Four however I used Rich Razzleberry Stampin' Blends to out line the Butterfly.  The flowers were coloured with Mango Melody and Petal Pink Stampin' Blends and the leaves were coloured over with Granny Apple Green Blends. 
• The sentiment "Thank You So Much" was stamped in Tuxedo Black Ink.
• To finish the card a few Basic Rhinestones were added.  

Well that's it for today, I've come to the end of my time, so I hope you liked these sample cards and the details I've provided for making them.  I'd love to hear from you.  Let me know if you have a favourite?  

HAPPY STAMPING!

PENNY TOKENS STAMPIN' SPOT

Penny Hanuszak, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator 

JANUARY HOSTESS CODE:

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