Another calendar project

Mom has an 8 x 10 calendar frame that I gave her quite a few years ago.  Since no commercially produced calendars are made to fit it, it falls to me each year to create one.  I started working on it yesterday.  So far I have 4 months done! (usually it's much easier because I use already completed projects - but this year I don't have many!)  Here is what I did on Saturday:

January - CREDITS paper: barbi from DSO Color Challenge Aug 08 http://barbislostandfound.blogspot.com/;  dragonfly: Joni Gray from Lake House http://jonigray.blogspot.com/; frame- collected freebe, unknow source (it got separated from it's TOU document.  The photo is mine - from my "The Colors of WILD!" series.  I masked the background, and layered the same photo on top, cut to match the frame (which was colorized to match the green in the photo!)  The calendar was created by me as well using a masking technique that I just recently learned how to do with the "cheat sheet."  (I know something, when I can do it without looking at the directions!  smile)

My great nephew Blake just started public school Pre-K on August 23.  He's been in day care his whole life since Mommy is a teacher, but now he goes to REAL school, and he's very happy about it. His great achievement will be on the August page for 2011

CREDITS: paper - created by poki; frame - Vicki Parker from school rules http://vicki20.blogspot.com/

blackboard element top left, created by poki for journaling.

April's page shows flower images from Mom's backyard on April 22, 2010.  She will swear she doesn't have a "garden" - but these flowers are all perennials. And I captured them on a very pretty day!  I learned one new trick while doing these - I wanted the purple iris to stick out over the frame, but the photo to be under the frame. It took a while, but I was able to extract just the part that needed to be over the frame and layer it on top of the complete picture.  I think that it looks pretty cool, and not even detectable on the enlarged image.  It was fun!

CREDITS - paper barbi (see Jan), frames - collected freebie, unknown source. I was able to mimic the look by adding borders to journaling blocks.  net element used in journaling blocks - Joni Gray from Lazy Summer DSO color challenge Aug 08; ric rac: Marie http://freedigitalscrapping.com/

The last page I have done is for May - I actually took the photo on May 31, 2010 in Denver's Washington Park neighborhood. Mike's brother and sister-in-law have lived there for many years, surrounded by many vintage homes from the 1920's and 30's as well as some fabulous new construction made to look vintage!  I always love to walk around the neighborhood when I visited, just snapping pictures of the "pocket gardens" - splashes of color everywhere!  I created this layout when I was at the Heart of Texas Scrapbook Club's End of Summer Retreat in August at the Rockin' R Event Center.

CREDITS - background paper barbi (see January credits above) paper around photo: Helly from Apologize

http://designsbyhelly.blogspot.com/  ; fence - Carolyn Ritter DSO Color challenge Sept 2008.  label - unknown source. 

I'm back with more I have done this morning - Sunday, Sept 12

February - background Barbi's paper (see January credits) frame Helly Apologize (see May credits) all photos (there are only two, but layered with borders) by poki taken April 2010. 

Julie, Joe and Blake took a trip to Sea World in the summer 2010, and they were kind enough to share their pictures.  I really loved this one of Blake feeding the dolphin. 

CREDITS background paper created by poki, frame - Vicki from Beach Holiday http://scrapnart.com/

brad - Sindiego Through the Year July  http://sindiegosscraps.blogspot.com/

On June 23, Bryan (my nephew) and Tami became parents to Gabrielle Jean Grzonka.  On their first visit to Great Grandma's house, I took a Four Generation picture of Margaret (my mom), Sandy (my sister), Bryan (my nephew), and Gaby (my great niece).  I also included a picture of Bryan holding his daughter that I thought was so sweet.

CREDITS: background paper - DigiMom from Summer Blues, DSO Color challenge Aug '08 http://digimomdesigns.com/

More pictures shared by Julie - this is Blake having fun in Great Grandma's backyard (I think it was Dec. 23, 2009) but it looks like Fall - only in Texas would there be a little green left in December!)

CREDITS - background paper (see January credits) frame - collected freebie, unknown source; alphabet - ADSD Sept Blog Train 2008 Cornucopia of Color http://angelflyingsolo.blogspot.com/

felt leaves - Chiara ADSD Sept Blog Train 2008 Cornucopia of Color http://creativedigitalscraps.blogspot.com/