Making a calendar with your photos
Since we’ve been on the topic of color printers lately, I thought I’d share with you how I used mine to create a fun calendar gift for Chris’ birthday recently. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a huge fan of FD’s Flickr toys. I’ve created a mosaic of the daughter’s first four months of life, an inspirational poster and a cartoon cell. But the coolest Flickr toy I’ve used so far has been the fun calendar I made using photos of me, my beautiful daughter and my scruffy dog. Chris loved it, and it couldn’t have been easier.
First off, if you want to create a lovely calendar, go here. You don’t actually have to be a Flickr user to do this. (But why aren’t you?) You can upload pictures right from your computer or just insert links to your photos hosted on any photo sharing site. After choosing your pictures for each month, you insert them one by one and the calendar creator automatically adds the month, days of the week and dates. I chose my 12 months to go from April 2006 to May 2007. That’s what’s so cool — you can totally customize it to fit your needs.
After you’ve chosen your photos for each month, you can decide how you’d like them cropped and what size you’d like them to print out. You can choose between letter size (8.5×11), 8×10 or, my favorite, the option to display your calendar in a CD Jewel Case.
There are very easy instructions on how to assemble a calendar in a CD jewel case here, so I won’t go into too much detail. Basically, you just obtain a CD jewel case (easy for me as I have them lying around everywhere), gently remove the door/lid of the case, flip it around and put it back on, and then remove the cover and back inserts. You’ll save the calendar pictures to your desktop and print them so that they are 4.75 inches wide. Then just cut out the pictures and slip them in. Easy as pie.
I had a lot of fun making this, and I’m already trying to decide on which pictures to use for my next calendar project — a Mother’s Day present for Grandma!
Has anyone else tried cool craft or art projects with your photos and care to share?
Responses and Conversations
First!
Very very cool idea. I was going to buy another Dilbert calendar for work, but this is way cooler. Good idea for gifts, too!
Comment by John Koontz on April 20th, 2006 at 7:51 am
John, I totally agree about this being a perfect gift. And the best part about it is that you can give it more than once to the same person — just change up the photos!
Comment by Amy Frazier on April 20th, 2006 at 8:55 am
Hi, Amy. I run the Flickr Toys site (I’m fd). Thanks for mentioning the site. I’m currently enhancing the calendar maker to provide more layouts including an option to start weeks on a Monday instead of Sunday, a feature that many people have requested.
Also, I’m new to your blog but I’m loving it so far. I have two children myself and they are my favorite subjects.
Comment by John Watson on April 20th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
Our first Valentine’s Day together, Jenny made a wine label for a bottle of “Good Lovin’ Hooch.” The wine was, to be honest, crap, but the idea was so good that the bottle is still around, even though the wine was used for cooking long ago.
Comment by Kemal Ataturk on April 21st, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Wow – COOL idea. Can I steal it?
Comment by Christopher Frazier on April 21st, 2006 at 1:35 pm
Steal away. Steal away. Steal away home to Jesus.
Comment by Kemal Ataturk on April 24th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
[...] I know I have sung the praises of fd’s fabulous Flickr toys a time or two, but if you still have not checked them out for yourself, head over and create some great projects (and gifts!) from your own photos. [...]
Comment by Shooting the Kids - » Photographing Baby Parts To Preserve Memories on August 14th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
I just foind your blog today via parent hacks and love it! I also love flickr toys – that John Watson is a saint in my book. I am in the process of using his calendar feature to make Christmas gifts for all of my sons grandparents. I just can’t print them until we get a new printer (grrr).
Comment by Much More Than A Mom on September 28th, 2006 at 6:22 am
I’ve made personalized calendars this way as gifts since my first was born. Everyone loves them and wants to know “where’s my calendar!”
Another great photo gift is tshirts with pictures, using iron-on transfer paper. Kids love having shirts with their picture on them.
Comment by nyjlm on September 28th, 2006 at 6:57 am
wow this was EXACTLY what i was looking for..!!
THANK YOU SO MUCHH!!
Comment by becky on December 22nd, 2008 at 10:15 am
Becky – I’m so glad you found this useful! We’d love to see the final product if you’ve got a link!
Comment by Amy Frazier on December 23rd, 2008 at 4:25 pm