Hi, friends! I hope you are having as much fun with the new shapes as I've had creating with them! Today's free shape is one of my favorites... it is a monthly calendar for the new year. I used it to create this little desk calendar.
To create your own calendar, open the shape in Silhouette studio. Then ungroup and arrange them on your mat according to the paper size that works with your printer. Next open the registration marks window and turn them on. Be sure that the red cut lines of the calendar shape are within the red margin lines, and not touching the grey hash marks like you see here.
Once you've printed out the shapes and registration marks, place your paper on the mat just as you see in Silhouette studio. Then load it into the CAMEO or Portrait and press cut.
Once the shapes are cut, stack them in order, placing the 2013 image on top.
Then, using office clips or clothes pins, clamp each side near the top. Next, using a small amount of glue {one that stays flexible when dry} apply one thin coat all the way across the top of the stack. Let that layer dry and repeat the process at least 2 more times. Once it is completely dry, remove clips and you're done.
When in use, the page for each month is easy to peel off {this is where the flexible glue comes into play} and can even be used in a scrapbook or art journal.
For some of my gifts for friends this year I decided to combine my christmas wishes and a hope for a happy new year by giving the little calendars wrapped in cello bags along with an easel and some bright, colorful confetti. Cute little things!
What are some of the handmade gifts you are giving this year?
So cool! Will adapt shape and use in PL also!
ReplyDeleteWould you mind in a future post including a close up of where you align your mat when you feed it in the Cameo? I think I am putting mine too far left.
Thanks!
Oh, using it for PL is a great idea! I'll include the photo you requested soon.
DeleteThanks Jeana (it's me again, still don't know why it shows as unknown!)
DeleteJust line up your mat so that the white rollers are rolling over the non-sticky edges of your mat. Left edge of the mat on the furthest left line on the cameo. Not all the way over to the blade ratchetter thingy...
DeleteYou are welcome! :)
Deletewhat is PL? awesome idea...thanks for sharing.
DeleteWhat is PL? Is that Project Life?
DeleteThis is so cool! Thank you! :) Janis
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteSo cute!! I love this idea for little gifts...where did you find those little easels? Too cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks Amanda! I got the easels from Hobby Lobby.
DeleteThank you! this is really awesome!
ReplyDeleteLove it. What type of glue did you use? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, I used Elmer's fabric and paper glue.
DeleteYes please- tell us which brand of glue you used! Would love to make a few of these for last minute gifts! Thanks so much- this is soooo cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cindy! I used Elmer's fabric and paper glue.
DeleteThanks so much- I can't wait to make these!
DeleteLoving all of the great ideas and of course the shapes this week....thanks so much. I just got my Cameo and I am having so much fun!
ReplyDeleteHow do you know if a glue stays flexible or not without actually trying it? Is there an "easy" way, or some suggestions?
ReplyDeleteHi Darla, on the bottle of glue it should say something like "dries clear, remains flexible"
DeleteThank you
DeleteOMG love the idea. Totally going to copy you. Headed to hobby lobby now! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI AM IN LOVE WITH THIS! I must make it for last minute gifts! What size easel did you get? I can't tell how big it is from the picture?
ReplyDeleteHi Megan, the easel is 5" tall. A small, cute little thing :)
DeleteLove it, great idea! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHow cute and functional is this?! Love it!
ReplyDeleteThis is the BEST freebie! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteDid you keep the calendar at 3.5x 3.5? I'm having trouble getting them within the registraion marks.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are 3.5x3.5. You'll notice in the screen shot that it's a pretty tight fit. If necessary, you can use the toggle arrows under the Reg Marks margins and move the right one over just slightly with the down arrow.
DeleteI didn't think of using the toggle arrows. I tried using the mouse to move it and it moved over to much.
Deletewhat sort of paper did you use
ReplyDeleteHi Yvette. It is white textured cardstock from American Crafts.
DeleteI tried to print the calendars but some of them came out weird. For example, January, May, and June have dots on them, the lines of the letters and numbers aren't smooth. Other months, like February and July are fine. This is how it shows on my screen and it's how it prints too. Ideas?
ReplyDeleteHi Brianne, That shouldn't be happening. If you haven't already, maybe try closing out of Silhouette studio and restarting the program, then opening the shape again. If that doesn't fix it, send customer support a quick email at support@silhouetteamerica.com and let them know what is going on and they'd be happy to assist you further. :)
DeleteI shut everything down and redownloaded the shape and that worked. Thanks so much!
DeleteOh good, glad it's working!
DeleteI love this idea, Jeana....thanks! :) And thanks for naming your glue. Would I find it somewhere like Michaels? Or would a rubber cement work? Or would that be too thick, do you think? Again...thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteHi! I imagine you could find the glue I used at your local craft store. I found mine at Hobby Lobby. As for rubber cement, I haven't tried that... but if you can get a couple thin coats, it might do the trick.
DeleteThanks for replying! :)
DeleteI just tried rubber cement because I couldn't find said glue at Michaels (not surprising). Seems like it is working out ok.
DeleteShould be available at Joanns too. The glue that Jeana used.
DeleteWhat an awesome idea! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! I did not give any presents to my friends this Christmas, so now I know what I will give them! Thanks for the tips and all the extra info!!
ReplyDeleteJannette
Love this idea! I created a game board for a game I call Rudolph's Reindeer Game, my Christmas version of the game Don't Eat Pete. I used the reindeer set I created (Susie Hildebrandt) and for now just used them print and cut style. My kiddos love it! Gonna give it for my neighbor gift this year!
ReplyDeleteOh, that sounds fun! Do you have photos?
DeleteI do, but didn't know how to attach them here and my blog still isn't up to post a link to the pictures. Once the holidays are over I plan to tackle getting my blog up and running.
DeleteSuper cute, thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteI was looking for a desk calendar to give my kids' teachers! What a great gift to me! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is great, BUT, I've been a little disappointed that none of the blog posts have matched up with the actual free shape of the day. This is such a busy time of the year, that I don't really have time to go everyday, but would like the opportunity to get the shapes that interest me.
ReplyDeleteHi there. This post is from yesterday 12/19, and did match the free shape offered. If you subscribe to the blog via email, for whatever reason there is a delay in when you actually receive the post. We did compensate for that however. You'll notice if you link to the shape from this post it is still free for today as well. :)
DeleteVery nice, but unfortunately we have in Russia week starts on Monday (((
ReplyDeleteI have downloaded the shape, but it's not showing up in my library. I used your link, plus tried downloading through the store. Any suggestions as to what's going on? I've tried closing the program and restarting.
ReplyDeleteHi Brittany.. sorry to hear that! If you send customer support an email and let them know what's going on, they'd be happy to help. :) You can email them at support@silhouetteamerica.com
DeleteThanks! I'll do that.
DeleteHi!!! Totally in love with this calendar, but I can't get to see the image on my software, just the squares. Any idea on what am I doing wrong?
ReplyDeleteBless
Hi! If a shape isn't loading correctly, I'd try closing Silhouette studio, re-open it and then try opening the shape again. See if that helps. If not, you may want to contact customer support at support@silhouetteamerica.com and see if they can help :)
DeleteOh my, LOVE this idea, Jeana - hope I can try this out, looks fairly easy :)
ReplyDeleteHello Jeana,
ReplyDeleteFeel a bit of a "cheapskate" asking this but the calendar is not showing as free :(
The other shapes are but not this, am I doing something wrong?
regards,
dumb question, still learning to use silhouette. but what command do you use to set up 4 months on a page, do you ungroup and then just position it
ReplyDeleteHi Yvette, not a dumb question at all :) Yes, just ungroup them and move them around to fit on the page.
Deletethanks, I didnt know if any of the other commands would do it without ungrouping "everything"
ReplyDeleteDOH!! I should read things slower, it says in the first step to ungroup, arrghh
ReplyDeleteHaha... no worries. I'm more of a picture reader myself, :) so I understand.
Deletewhile your there, I have ungrouped and psotioned and the months re like 8cm sqaure each, that 3 and a bit inches square. is that correct?
ReplyDeleteYes, they should be 3.5" square.
Deletethis is a fabulous idea. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeletePaula x x x
merry chrismas and happy new year
ReplyDeletei asked a crafty friend today about the textured cardstock and she said the weight of it would never go through a normal printer. my printer can go up to 90g/m
ReplyDeleteHi Yvette,
DeleteIt may depend on the printer, but I haven't had any problems when I use American Crafts cardstock.
When I hit ungroup, mine don't ungroup. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteI'd try one more time clicking on the shape to make sure it is selected, then click on ungroup. Let me know if it still doesn't work. :)
DeleteCan someone tell me what cursive font is used for the months on these cute calendars? I can't seem to identify it in my list of 200 fonts... Lol
ReplyDelete