Another quick update tonight - I came across some photos of a date book I created using papers from Karen Foster Designs Calendar Collection. This would be very easy to create multiples of and you could create at least two books from one set of papers - more if you made them smaller. I used chipboard for the cover and thinner, cereal box like cardboard for the pages - everything is covered with paper - holes made using a Crop-a-dile and metal rings hold it together. I attached some metal rimmed tags from the office supply store with eyelets to use as page tabs (I saw a project by Donna Downey sometime way back when that used a similar technique). I added some calendar icons to each one and colored them in with watercolors (that step is entirely optional, but it doesn't take much time and is easy to do). The numbered parts were made on my computer and printed onto cardstock - the month name is a rub-on.
For the cover I cut a square from scraps left over from each monthly paper, stamped the title, and added some hand drawn outlines. Inking around the edge helps tie the whole thing together.
The idea behind this book is that it isn't so much a calendar or planner as it is a reminder book... I don't know about you, but it seems like it is getting harder and harder to remember all those important dates... like birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones. For someone who gets paid to create handmade cards, I have to admit that I am horrible about remembering to send them on time. I'm hoping this book helps me do a better job with that. I also thought this would be a nice gift to give at the holidays and something that most people could use.
Here are a few of the interior pages - they all follow the same basic design.
That's it... pretty simple. I'll try to stop back over the weekend, but I've got a bunch of projects to finish up first.
Enjoy the rest of the week!
