Birdie Tag Calendar

On one of my groups I have joined a tag calendar swap so I created this calendar for my swap partner!
I have used birdie artwork that I created in 2009 for a 2010 calendar which simply never happened!!  I have been storing this artwork in a file folder since then.

Recently, my sister Sylvia was over and she suggested using them for a 4" x 6" calendar because they were square - they would work perfectly.  She photographed them and created the calendar. It turned out wonderfully!!! You can check it out here.  (third down)  She has been making 4"x 6" photo calendars for several years now with her own photographs.  She has two new ones for 2014 - Garden and Nature. They are the first two on her calendar page.

 I created the little collages after I finished these birdie ATCs.  I started with squares of cardstock, layered on torn papers for the backgrounds adding watercolour and sponging as needed.  Added my little birdies with their wire tails and embellished each appropriately for the twelve months.

With the artwork already created it only took a few days to get this calendar ready to go.  I cut six tags - 8.5" x 4" - from black cardstock, stamped them with background stamps - one definition and the other script (SU) using white pigment ink - one on the fronts, the other on the backs.  I downloaded a 2014 calendar off the internet (12 months on one page), laser printed it and cut apart the months.  

  I glued the calendars on the bottom portion of the tags, added the birdie artwork above them then stitched on a length of white ribbon using black thread on my sewing machine.  I added some little black diamonds (squares) over the stitching, added yellow circles above that and punched holes for hanging the pages.

The tags are double sided with Jan to June on one side and July to August on the other side.  I alternated the backgrounds to create a bit of contrast month to month.

The pages can be stacked and hung on a pin or nail.
 Alternately, they can be clipped together using a small bull clip and hung or attached to a metal surface using a magnet.  They could also be tied together using a loop of string which allows it to be hung.  At the beginning of each month the old month page can simply be flipped to the back along the loop.  This method secures all the pages to each other and avoids losing any!!
I will be creating another set of collages for next year's calendar!  I am considering using houses, hearts, flowers or quotes as my next theme!!  So many possibilities!!


This has be a very fun experience.  It has been really cool to see my art on a 4"x 6" calendar and I am really looking forward to creating some collages for next year!!

Therese

My Art - Photo holder

These little photo holders were the last project I made with my students the last week before March break. It was a fun little project and for their versions I allotted them a piece of shrink plastic to make an embelishment or a tag for their holders. Shrink plastic was very popular!! I also brought in some recyclable plastic which acts very much like shrink plastic so they had a ball!!
I used large binder clips (2") as a base for these photo holders. The cardstock cover is tied on at the top to keep the two arms tight to each other which allows the photo to be held in place when inserted between the two. I got the basic idea of using a binder clip to make a photo holder from SCS but modified the design to suit my needs. This version allows more space to decorate and to personalize the holder. I provided the students with a variety of collage materials and some 3D elements to decorate their holders. They are so open to just going for it and created some very nice holders!!
I used a piece of cardstock about 3" x 8.5" which I scored at 3.5" and 4.5". I punched the holes to tie where the binder clip handles narrow which keeps the whole cover very nicely in place.
A quick and easy gift idea that can be changed up or down to be suitable for a kindergarten class or the next gathering of your craft group!! Great little idea for Mother's Day!!

Enjoy! Be creative!