Happy May, everyone . . . I can't believe school is almost out and summer is on its way! The birds are singing and flowers and trees blooming everywhere . . . that's what inspired my May calendar!
My 6-inch calendar base is my favorite Memory Box Kraft Cardstock. To add a little interest to the right side, I edged it with a Notebook Edge die cut. For the green (Bazzill Easter Grass Card Shoppe) layer I used My Favorite Things' Polka Dot Cover Up background Die-namics -- I thought it could resemble a trellis for the flowers ... or all the pollenating grass that currently has me sneezing my head off! :)
The calendar is a great stamp by set by MFT -- Journal-It Calendar Basics. I stamped the calendar grid with Memento Toffee Crunch ink (to match the kraft cardstock) onto Neenah Natural White cardstock and then stamped the month (included in the stamp set) with Adirondack Mountain Rose ink to match the pink lily. The dates were stamped with Memento Pear Tart ink.
TIP: Stamp all of one number for each of the dates at once (i.e. all the 1's, then all of the 2's), to avoid having to change the stamps on your acrylic block for each date. Photo example can be seen in my January calendar post here. Using an acrylic block with grid lines on it helps to keep text and number stamps nice and straight.
The calendar was die cut with Postage Stamp STAX Die-namics and sponged with Antique Linen Distress Ink, then popped up over the "trellis" with Copic Foam Tape.
The lily flowers were die cut with Lily Die-namics out of pretty bright colors of Bazzill Card Shoppe cardstock: Circus Peanuts (orange), Banana Split (yellow), Gummy Bear (purple), and Candy Hearts (pink). I like to use Mini Glue Dots to layer small die cuts like these together, and the lower ones were popped up on Copic Foam Tape.
TIP: Lifestyle Crafts QuickStik makes picking up and assembling your die cuts a breeze!
TIP: Use Copic markers to add realistic shading to your die cuts. The Copic Sketch colors I used were: YR16, Y19, V17 and RV14. I added Clear Wink of Stella glittery goodness to the flower center/stamens.
To finish the calendar, I stamped this sweet "Bloom and Be Happy" sentiment from MFT's Sunflower Sweetheart stamp set onto a Fishtale Flag die cut.
Happy National Scrapbook Day/weekend! If calendars aren't your thing, you can always use this same idea/layout for a scrapbook page . . . just replace the calendar with a photo. Happy creating!
