Magnetic Calendar Project

I received a magnetic calendar from Jeannie and thought maybe I could make it (see above). Only thing was that I did not know where to purchase the big sheet magnet that she used on the back. I went to Ben Franklin but they had really tiny ones and they were quite expensive. My husband who went to the mall with me asked why I wanted magnets. I explained and he told me I could use those magnet sheets people give out to advertise their business. I had at least five already stuck to my refrigerator door. I got couple more from the cover of the phone book.

See my project above. For direction see previous blog. It's simpler than Jeannie's. I baked some cookies and place the calendar and a bag of cookies in a clean white bag for Christmas. This project was so much simpler than the first calendar project.

Calendar Project

I am finally uploading the calendar project - my Christmas presents. Hopefully, I can complete two more projects before the end of this month - Bag & Clip projects. I will post them as I get them done.

The original idea came from Jeannie's workshop which I could not attend.

1. I cut the standard 12x12 papers into 4x4's then use the round corner punch (one from walmart) to round the corners. Paste the papers to front of two coasters.

2. Place the hinges and brads (from close to my heart). Then paste the papers from step 1 to the back of the two coasters. This way back of the brads are covered.

3. Sand down all sides (I did not do this to all of them). Note: some 12x12 papers are little smaller than 12x12 so when it did not fit, I cut the plain coasters with scissors to match the paper size. You can sand it down as well.

4. Cut a solid color paper slight bigger than the calendar (I did not measure) and paste to the back of the calendar then to the prepared coaster from step 3.

5. Cut the same solid color paper to 3"x3" then round the corners using a corner punch. Fold a designer paper to make a corner wrap (by folding - I did not measure) then gule to the 3x3 solid color paper. You can add embelishments if you like (i.e. ribbon). This is where photo can be placed.

6. I placed the finished calendar project into a plastic bag and placed a ribbon. See below.

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2009 and happy new year to everyone! It has been about two months since I last blogged. How time flies! We are now proud parents of a bouncing baby boy (and a talkative curious little girl)! We are so blessed. With the new addition, I hardly had the time (or the mind) to make any presents this holiday season. Actually, in truth I picked up a book (Twilight by Susan Meyer) late December (after Christmas Day) and have been so hooked on the Twilight Saga - Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn - that I have been putting off finishing my projects that I started early December. I should be done with the last book, Breaking Dawn, by tonight or this afternoon.

One of the projects I am done with is the calendar project (I will post the pictures soon)- just need to tie them with ribbons. It wasn't too hard to do once I figured out the paper color combinations and the paper dimensions. That's always the hardest part, isn't it? I still need to bake some cookies and also finish the paper bag project (which I haven't started at all). Hopefully I can get it all done soon.

What's my new year's resolution? I was so into finish reading those books that I really did not make any list. I seem to follow similar pattern at the end of each year. One year it was C.S. Lewis' "The Witch, the Lion, and the Wardrobe" series, another year the Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling, then the Notebook by Nicolas Sparks. I can't remember titles of other books but I seem to always find time to read at the end of the year. Must be the cold weather. I just love reading all cuddled up in my blanket.

Back to my new year's resolution. I know what I wanted to do this year more than any thing else. Well, it's more like what needed to do this year. Yes, more than anything else I needed to get back on the treadmill (and also start lifting) again from Day 1 of 2009 (for more energy and to get back into shape - I do not have a single pants or shorts I can fit into. I am still wearing my maternity pants). Well, I have not been on the treadmill yet. I need to devote at least five days of the week to get back into shape but already four days have gone by and I have not been on the treadmill (Oh, it's my birthday today) once. Exercising is a habit so I just need to put myself on a routine although, it might be hard to do with two kids at home. Well, there always a way when there is a will. I just have to be creative.