It was December 30th when I realized we didn’t have our 2013 calendar ready. A few hours on New Year’s Eve morning and a couple more the next evening produced our fourth homemade calendar. As with previous years, we’re sharing the file so you can download it and personalize it with your own photos and captions—just like we did the last few years.
Over the years our calendars have become more decorative than strictly functional, but they’ve also turned into a small tradition. It began in 2010 and, for the past three years, followed a consistent look: a tall, narrow layout with brightly colored text. In 2010 we used inside jokes and funny phrases; in 2011 each month’s number was tied to a personal fact; and in 2012 we introduced photos—borrowing a favorite black-and-white snapshot for each month. This year’s version blends all of those elements: humorous phrases, personal touches, and black-and-white photos.
I’m probably biased, but this calendar is my favorite so far. It makes me sentimental about how much we adore our little girl. The quotes we used were cherry-picked from Sherry’s “Clara Conversations” posts and they remind us how funny and generous with language she can be. The Instagram photos paired with each quote weren’t always taken at the exact moment the words were spoken, but together they create a charming portrait of our chatty daughter. For example, one of my favorite moments is when Sherry said, “Helmets keep the head safe,” and Clara replied, “Helmets keep the head face!”
As in past years, we’ve created a downloadable version of the calendar that you can edit in Photoshop. The downloadable file includes each month as its own layer, so you can reveal a single layer, add your photo and text, print that page, then move on to the next month. If you don’t own Photoshop, there are many tutorials and resources online to help you learn the basics quickly.
For printing we use regular cardstock and a home printer, then trim the edges and punch a hole at the top for hanging. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to produce a personal, stylish calendar for your home or to give as a thoughtful gift.
Below are all twelve months at a glance, followed by a list of the Clara quotes used in the calendar. The quotes are also provided in full here so they’re easy to read and use when customizing your copy:
- “Mommy’s awake! Now I can scream!”
- “He has pretty hair like a lady.” (Originally said about Scar from The Lion King)
- “It’s Cinderinda!” (What she calls Cinderella)
- “I’m a little teapot, short and shout. Here is my cupcake, here is my shout.”
- “Don’t be shy. Be friendly!”
- “I smell like strawberries!” (Her response when we said she smelled like she had a dirty diaper)
- “Helmets keep the head face!”
- “Baa baa, black sheep, have you any chickens?”
- “We have to go to Home Depot to change your diaper.” (Said to one of her dolls)
- “I don’t have a beard. I just have a little chin.”
- “Daddy’s workin’. Don’t bobber him.”
- “Her name will be Santa Claus and she will bring me toys.” (Said while pretending to have a little sister)
Printing tips: use a good-quality cardstock for durability, set your printer to the highest print quality, and trim cleanly with a paper cutter or scissors. Add a simple hole punch at the top and hang with twine or ribbon for an instant, handmade wall calendar.
What about you? Are you using a decorative printed calendar this year, or do you keep everything digital? Do you maintain a single household calendar, or do you keep separate decorative and functional versions?