Milk and Cookies
with Kristen
I'm a mother of five, a bargain hunter, a recreational comparison shopper, and always trying to make more time - for me and for you, too. On this blog I'm sharing my favorite tools and finds to help make your work-life juggle a bit easier.
You can find my personal blog at Swistle.blogspot.com.
After Christmas, when the gifts and ornaments and lights need to be put away but I’m not ready to tackle that sad task, I turn my attention to the fun of choosing the next year’s calendar. I need two of them: one for all the family appointments and so forth, and the other for next to my desk. And there’s such a WIDE RANGE of options! Did you know there’s a Kardashians calendar? an Apoclypse Survival Guide calendar? a Toilets of the World calendar? a THOMAS KINKADE DISNEY CALENDAR??
Here are the ones I’m considering:
Fractal Cosmos: The Art of Alice Kelley (photo from Amazon.com). Colorful, and cool, and the kids would think it was neat, and it looks good for standing in the kitchen staring at it while trying to figure out when I could fit in a dentist appointment and still be here for the bus.
Charley Harper (photo from Amazon.com) (go here to see the back). I had a Charley Harper calendar a couple of years ago, and it’s been one of my all-time favorites.
Food Landscapes (photo from Amazon.com) (go here to see the back). Landscapes! Made from food!
Yoga Cats (photo from Amazon.com). I generally avoid cat calendars, figuring that three cats is enough cat for our household. But oh, man, the kids would CRACK UP.
Masha D’yans Watercolors (photo from Amazon.com). If this one was still at a reasonable price and had Prime shipping, the choice would already be made and it would already be on its way to me. Since it doesn’t, I have to decide if I’m willing to track it down in a physical store.
Charles Wysocki Americana (photo from Amazon.com). I like the peaceful nostalgic look of this, and I also like pictures that have lots of things to look at while I’m on hold.
Hello Kitty (photo from Amazon.com). I get this one every year for Elizabeth. I suppose one year she’ll want something different. At which point I’ll probably get it for myself.
Hot Guys and Baby Animals (photo from Amazon.com) (go here to see the back). I am imagining Paul’s reaction to this suddenly appearing in the kitchen.
Mark Rothko (photo from Amazon.com). This is a top contender. I think the big chunks of color might be restful and cheery. Or maybe they would be dull. [Darn it, this one sold out while I was writing. This other Rothko calendar is still available.]
Exquisite Creatures (photo from Amazon.com) (go here to see the back). What lovely rainbowy…bugs. This one keeps catching my eye from a distance, but I don’t know if I’d like it so much up close. And in the kitchen, near where I’m cooking food.
Little Critters (photo from Amazon.com). This is the frontrunner, adorable and cheerful.
Rabbits (photo from Amazon.com). As with many calendars, this one has the problem of having about half really excellent pages, and about half kind of lame pages.
Healing Herbs (photo from Amazon.com). Perfect for the kitchen, and interesting things to read while on hold. But the interesting reading material means the calendar squares are smaller and have less room for writing.
Tattoo-a-Day Calendar (photo from Amazon.com). Perfect for someone considering a tattoo. Each day shows a different tattoo idea and there’s also a sheet of twelve temporary tattoos, one from each month.
Mackenzie Thorpe (photo from Amazon.com). Another frontrunner.
Audubon’s Birds of America (photo from Amazon.com) (go here to see the back). I had the Sibley bird calendar this past year, so I don’t think I want a second year in a row of birds. But I’m tempted anyway.
The Princess Bride (photo from Amazon.com). A Princess Bride CALENDAR? AWESOME. AND, this is one of the only movies Paul and I both like.
Spirit of the Far East (photo from Amazon.com). It was smart to lead with a bird picture on the cover. It’s not all bird pictures, but that caught my attention.
Foxes (photo from Amazon.com). I am fond of foxes.
Fold Your Own Robot (photo from Amazon.com). I bought this for Paul for Christmas. This morning he was in a tizz about whether to use it at work or at home: both his coworkers and his children would enjoy participating. So I just ordered him a second one.
The Elements (photo from Amazon.com). If I weren’t already buying this for William, I’d have it on my own contender list. Buying calendars for children’s rooms is an excellent way to (1) decorate the room with a fresh picture every month and (2) get more than one calendar when you can’t make up your mind. This one comes with a poster, too.
Pets Rock (photo from Amazon.com). A cat that resembles Lady Gaga? A dog that looks like Austin Powers? Sure!
Botanical Garden (photo from Amazon.com) (go here to see the back). This is so pretty and light!
Carnival of Dreams (photo from Amazon.com). Big areas of really nice colors; sweet tranquil pictures.
Vegetable Garden (photo from Amazon.com) (go here to see the back). I love this style of illustration so much, but there’s no room to write on the days.
Royal Wedding (photo from Amazon.com). The royal wedding was more affecting and interesting than I’d expected. The calendar tempts me, especially at half off.
Hershey (photo from Amazon.com). Yeah baby.
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This is so exciting! What calendar are YOU getting this year?
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I love this post of your every year. Alas, I always blow my calendar budget on an Erin Condren life planner and would feel guilty putting a calendar on the wall. It’s a sickness. I admit.
Amanda | December 28th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
This Edward Monkton one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005LG3C8K I love his greetings cards. We need a slim calendar because of the space we have to hang it in, but I love that Little Critters one you posted.
Anna | December 28th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Mary Engelbreit to match my kitchen, as usual. Both the wall calendar AND the page-a-day calendar because they’re ART. I need them.
Katherine likes the American Girl craft calendar that comes with her magazine, the boys get John Deere, and Helen is making the switch from princess to Hello Kitty! I see myself coming to you for lots of Hello Kitty shopping advice in the coming years.
Nowheymama | December 28th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
I like Little Critters, Princess Bride, Royal Wedding, and Hershey. Tough choices.
Courtney Tucker | December 28th, 2011 at 1:47 pm
For our wall, we use the calendar our college alumni association sends out with gorgeous pictures of campus.
I buy sudoku page-a-day calendars every year, though, not to use as calendars, but because I like the format (one puzzle per page and each one gets torn off as it’s used) and at 75% off they’re cheaper than regular puzzle books!
Jesabes | December 28th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Every year, my sister makes everyone in the family a calendar with pictures of my daughter on it. (She is the only grandchild. It’s not as weird as it sounds.) Except, this year, SHE DIDN’T! So I grumpily made one up myself this year.
I really, really, really want you to get Yoga Cats. Or the one with the hot guys and tiny animals. Or Food Landscapes. AAAHHH, they are all fantastic!
HereWeGoAJen | December 28th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
We get calendars every year from my boyfriend’s mom. He always gets Dallas Cowboys. Mine varies, but Hello Kitty has appeared more than once. This year, it’s Chihuahuas (we have and adore a chihuahua named Tanker).
PinkieBling | December 28th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
Jesabes- I DO THAT TOO!! I like that I can tear off a chunk of them for my purse or for a travel bag!
swistle | December 28th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
I always get the same calendar. It’s Sandra Boynton, and it’s called “Mom’s Family Calendar” (http://www.amazon.com/Family-Calendar-Boynton-17-Month-2011-December/dp/B005GHYVFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325080859&sr=8-1) and I love it. It has 5 columns, so I can keep track of everybody’s schedule in one place without having to fit 4 things in one little square. (Sadly practical reason to love it, but there it is.) It’s also cute with Sandra Boynton art all over it. At some point, I suppose I will have children so old that it will seem TOO cute, but perhaps by then I will no longer need the 5 columns.
Anonymous | December 28th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
I got a Peanuts calendar for 2012 because for 2011 I got a Wizard of Oz calendar for my own enjoyment, but then my daughter was very interested in it and loved the pictures. So I got one she would love to encourage her to pay attention to days and dates. But I’m totally tempted by many of these.
Donna | December 28th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
I cannot tear my eyes away from the Pets Rock! calendar. That is freakin awesome. I may have to buy that.
Shelly | December 28th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Love this post. I saw the food landscapes and was all, “Oh, yes. That one,” but then I was intrigued by many of the others as well. I use a desk calendar hung up on the wall because the squares are huge. Practical but boring. It pleases me to see all the options that you might buy. It makes me feel better about my choice.
Stimey | December 28th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
I never hang a wall calendar even though I sort of love them for the images if nothing else. A few years ago my sister bought my husband a wall calendar with serial killers on it. I am not sure what she was trying to say, but I could have saved her the time and money, because my husband doesn’t know how a calendar works.The only practical calendar I use is my Outlook calendar at work.
I do however love desk calendars that have something new every day. It gives me something to look forward to at work, which might be silly but I don’t care. Last year was inspirational quotes. This year I really want 365 Days of Amazing Trivia, though I have an intense want of something with fun or pretty pictures as well. Maybe I will do both.
Megan | December 28th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
I went with “The Organic Kitchen Garden” calendar, which I fully realize sounds douchey and smug, but in actuality it’s quite cheery and colorful, what with the pictures of fruits and veggies and such. I use it in the office but it would be a great kitchen calendar.
I am MIGHTILY TEMPTED by that Food Landscapes one.
Tessie | December 28th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
I have never heard of Charley Harper before, but I love the look of the art in the calendar and the books I can see on Amazon. I may have just added both the calendar *and* a 1000 piece Charley Harper puzzle to my Amazon cart.
Kate | December 28th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
I got this pretty calendar from Paper Source: http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/2012-Paper-Source-Art-Grid-Calendar/3205.001/436905.html
Paper Source has a lot of other nice calendars too! (I swear I don’t work for them; I just like their selection!)
Lisa | December 28th, 2011 at 2:25 pm
I love this post! I had already browsed through calendars on Amazon but I do not have the same skills as you. I just ordered the Little Critters one - I think my 4-year-old will get a kick out of it and I will enjoy it, too. Usually I dither back and forth and then all the good calendars are GONE .
Sam | December 28th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
I love the IDEA of calendars, but I am TERRIBLE with them. I always forget to switch the pages. My MIL used to buy me and my husband a daily tear-off calendar each year for Christmas - usually a word-a-day for me and Sudoku for him - but I still have mine from 2010 and it’s still on January something.
So this year, I got a big flat desk calendar with big spaces to write in for $4.99 at the grocery. It is not pretty or educational, but I am going to USE IT.
Life of a Doctor\\\'s Wife | December 28th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
I never buy a calendar because I keep everything on my phone and computer BUT my Mom gave me a Crayola Color-Your-Own calendar this Christmas for the kids and I’m pretty excited about it. My four year old was just asking,”what comes after New Years? And then what??” I’m looking forward to doing a craft with them that’s actually useful.
http://www.amazon.com/Crayola-Color-Your-Own-Calendar/dp/B0044GCTAU
Sonja von Franck | December 28th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
I always get either a Robert Doisneau “Happiness” calendar - http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Doisneau-Happiness-2012-Calendar/dp/B0057R0L7I
or a David McEnery “Fabulous Frogs” calendar - http://www.amazon.com/2012-Fabulous-Frogs-Wall-Calendar/dp/0767172604/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1325083213&sr=8-4
for my wall at work. I’m disappointed to see the colorization of the frogs on this year’s cover; I hope they didn’t do that to all the pictures inside.
I also pick out a page-a-day calendar every year, and that is very difficult for me. If it sucks, you’re stuck with it the whole year or you have to throw out that whole stack of paper.
Becky | December 28th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
I like Amy Knapp’s Big Grid Calendar — not so beautiful, but definitely great for organization. She also has a plannier-type calendar that I love. It has a section on the side for each week for menu planning AND a side that is perforated for a grocery list. It is a great planner! I also love Mary Englebreit’s calendar. So cute with great ink pictures. She is very creative.
1hot&tiredmama | December 28th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
I usually get 2 calendars–a page a day and a wall calendar for the kitchen. I keep appointments on the computer so these are strictly decorative/referral.
This year my MIL gave me a beautiful butterfly calendar for the kitchen. I love butterflies and could identify 7 of the 13 featured.
I bought a suduko page a day for my desk. I can’t wait to get started on that one.
Jodie | December 28th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Lisa- Oooooo, I lovvvvvvvvvve it!! I think I would have gotten that one if I’d seen it! I’ve seen ones SIMILAR to that one but then they don’t have the grid and I NEED THE GRID. But that one has the grid!
swistle | December 28th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
My FAVORITE calendar ever was exorbitantly expensive ($40 - I got it as a gift) and printed on traditional handmade Japanese paper (called washi). It was about 10″ wide by 24″ long or so, had numbers but no boxes for the days, and each page had beautiful, bold watercolor depictions of Japanese traditions taking place during the month - either festivals or traditional imagery associated with that month. It didn’t fold (you can’t really fold washi), but hung from a loop made of natural materials, which you had to untie and retie each month to change the pages.
It was utterly gorgeous. I found a similar version last year online, but it was $40 PLUS more than $10 shipping from the UK, and I passed. That’s more than I can spend on a calendar. I got a nice Charley Harper calendar instead.
THIS year I was going to get the latest Charley Harper but then I saw the pop out robots calendar and… yeah. I just bought it on Amazon. My girlfriend is going to completely flip out (in a good way). Thanks!
KP | December 28th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
I vote for the still available Rothko calendar or the Hot Men/Cute Animals one. I really like Rothko’s art, and I think the Hot Men one would crack me up every time I looked at it.
We use the free calendar from our city because it has really good photographs of local things and also has the trash pickup/recycling pickup days pre-marked.
-R- | December 28th, 2011 at 4:17 pm
I can’t find a link to my kitchen calendar. I got it at Michael’s and it is the family planner type of wall calendar with color coded slots for each person’s plans. It has pastel birds and owls.
For my daughter’s room I got this Colorforms calendar. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0789323834/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1325090144&sr=8-1
It doesn’t work so well hanging on the wall. She was really excited about it but I’m kind of disappointed.
melanie | December 28th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
My sil gives us one of our nephews and we absolutely love it. This will be our 5th one and I recently looked through all the old ones and it was just very happy making.
Lindsay | December 28th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
Every year for Christmas my husband gets me the Paper Source non-gridded calendar, with the huge pictures. Appointments et al get put into Google Calendar, so the Paper Source one works well for my occasional date reference and fresh-monthly-picture needs.
Amanda | December 28th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Swistle, you swayed me - I ordered the Little Critters one from Amazon. The animals are so colorful and cheerful without being too cutesy or babyish. I like it and the kids will too!
Jennifer B | December 28th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
I make photo calendars for holiday gifts each year and print one for our house as well, but these make me jealous I that I only get to look at picture of my family instead of one of these lovely lovely things.
I would like the Masha D’yans Watercolors, Carnival of Dreams. These two make me want to become an artist. Or the Healing Herb or Vegetable garden. I love plants. They make me really happy.
I need a calendar for Scooter’s room. Jelly got a vintage Mickey one for Christmas and last year, Scooter had a Suzy’s Zoo calendar that I got for a quarter in the Target aisle. Probably the best $0.25 I spent in 2011. I did enjoy changing the on the wall and will miss it when it is gone.
Misty | December 28th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
I wish I could join you… I keep a tiny printed desk calender and a dry-erase one near my desk upstairs, but in the kitchen I have to have the GIANT Mom Calender, or there’s not enough room for all the stuff.
I have 5 kids, too, and don’t know how you would make a regular calender with just gridblocks to write on work…
Alicia Cross | December 28th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
Of course I spelled it wrong. Twice, even.
Alicia Cross | December 28th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Melanie- Oh, that Colorforms one looks SO COOL! How disappointing!
Swistle | December 28th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
I love the cat yoga and animal rock stars calendars! Too bad I’ve already bought ours for next year.
I usually alternate Norman Rockwell and Greek scenery calendars as our kitchen/family calendar. This year it’s a Norman Rockwell. The only thing that bugs me about the Greek scenery calendars (that I guess are printed in Greece?) is that they often place Monday at the start of the week and put Sunday at the end of the week and that totally screws me up.
My husband got a Dilbert daily calendar because I couldn’t find his usual “365 of the Stupidest Things Ever Said” one. My daughter got a Harry Potter wall calendar and my boys got Toy Story and color-it-yourself Cars calendars. We go a bit overboard in our house.
Jana Lozado | December 28th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
I was given a Barbara Lavallee calender for Christmas. I love her art, very cheerful and bright. She’s an Alaskan artist, which I think is neat. And since my husband usually gets hunting type calenders, this makes a much needed change in my kitchen!
http://www.amazon.com/Barbara-Lavallee-Calendar-Coffee-Klatch/dp/B005TM0LYE
Love the Spirit of the Far East & the Aubudon calenders from your list.
Megan | December 28th, 2011 at 5:27 pm
My son will be 2 in January. And for the second year in a row we will have a calendar of him. Each month is a collage of pictures of him from that same month, the previous year. Ever since my son was born, I love calendars almost as much as you….but only this particular calendar!
Kristen | December 28th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
Ack! So many choices!!!
Anonymous | December 28th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
I love this! I guess I never knew other people are so considerate in choosing a calendar. Maybe I should be more thoughtful! I just choose the calendar with the biggest squares to write in. DH would choose a sports theme. The kids would choose cute animals. Maybe I can find a calendar of cute animals playing sports with giant daily squares. Thanks for posting all these great calendars!
Hippy Chick | December 28th, 2011 at 7:12 pm
I don’t use a grid for planning (I use my Outlook calendar on my phone/ computer for that) so I usually get a letterpress or art calendar from Etsy or someplace. Our favorite has been the one from Albertine Press, and this year they have a postcard calendar where each month you can send the calendar page as a postcard when you’re done:
http://tinyurl.com/d6uxayc
This year I am considering this Nikki McClure calendar. She’s a semi-local artist.
http://www.amazon.com/Nikki-McClure-Inherit-2012-Calendar/dp/B005F5IQ7E
Jenny | December 28th, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Usually I let someone else here at work choose the numerous calendars that we hang up every year, but I liked that Fractal calendar so much that I bought it. Also, the Elements one (we are a laboratory). Cruising around on Amazon this morning, I also got a Nature one (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1602374996/ref=oh_o00_s00_i02_details) and an old-timey Vintage aircraft one. Thanks for the inspiration!
Kristin H | December 28th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
I love a paper calendar in the kitchen. I got this one: http://eabdesigns.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/07/my-new-kitchen-calendar.html This is because I am a sucker for both a paper calendar and for Anthropologie. I can’t help it. I do what the people tell me.
I love the idea of the Hot Guys and Baby Animals calendar appearing in your kitchen. One year I tried to sell my family on World Travelling Cats, or something like that, but it was vetoed. I’m still confused about that.
Josefina | December 28th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
I am very excited by the idea of a vintage seed packet art calendar, but I don’t like the couple of ones I’ve found this year. More veggies, fewer flowers!
Rayne of Terror | December 28th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
I love Debi Hron calendars from lang, but I hate paying full price for them when free ones are everywhere. Thanks to your post today, I started looking (3 hours ago, thank you very much) and found that now that Lang has their calendars for 1/2 price, they are sold out of my favorite one:.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Simple-Inspirations-Debi-Hron-2012-Calendar-/370560861845?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5647260695
I bid on one on ebay, and if that fails, I found an ebay store with tons of buy it now calendars. (grandmasgiftware)
One way or another, I’ll have that baby! Plus a few others I’m afraid!
Barb | December 28th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Barb- I see GrandmasGiftware also sells it through Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SXXBLU/ref=nosim/?tag=88K18-20
Swistle | December 28th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Josefina- Oh, that’s GORGEOUS! I love it!
Swistle | December 28th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
I make calendars for the grandparents every year and print one for me too, so I have that one at home. We don’t use more than one, so that’s the one we have for the family. BUT! I need a calendar at work and I often just use whatever free one a company flings in my direction. BUT THAT WAS BEFORE YOU POINTED OUT THE PRINCESS BRIDE CALENDAR. Now I must have it.
Carmen | December 29th, 2011 at 12:26 am
I got that Charley Harper calendar for home, and a Nikki McClure papercut art calendar for work. Trying for a sort of simple, minimalist thing in my cubicle…we’ll see if it works.
Elizabelle | December 29th, 2011 at 1:28 am
I always buy my calendar at Indigo in early January when they’re fifty percent off, although it irks me that they don’t just go ahead and put them on sale in December - it’s like, come on guys, you know and I know how this is going to turn out….It goes on my ktichen wall, and I like a lot of colour, no cute animals or hot men (nothing against hot men in general, just not on my calendar). Last year I had an Alice in Wonderland calendar by Angi Sullins and Silas Toball and it was my favourite of the last few years.
allison | December 29th, 2011 at 1:34 am
Allison- One thing I appreciate about Barnes & Noble is that they put all their calendars 50% off right after Christmas. I feel this shows they know how things go.
Swistle | December 29th, 2011 at 1:42 am
I got this one for my 15-year-old photographer daughter:
http://www.amazon.com/2012-Happiness-Calendar-Graphique-France/dp/0767172450/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325123868&sr=8-2
qwanty | December 29th, 2011 at 1:53 am
I got to go to Scotland this year, and while i was there, i bought myself this calendar: http://www.irishshopper.co.uk/ZenCart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68&products_id=1079
It’s Highland Cows, which are adorable, and also it reminds me of my trip! Double-plus good!
karen | December 29th, 2011 at 5:37 am
After reading this post I went online and somehow ended up buying eight calendars. For five people. I tend to like animal calendars so I got myself a safari one, a big cats one and one with snakes. I picked the snakes because it had pretty colors. For my dad I got him a backyard birds calendar and a hot air balloon one. This is in addition to the Basset Hound one that I got hime for Christmas. My mom got a turtle one, one of my sisters got a zebra one. My other sister got an opera scene/set shot one.
Metacognitivethoughts | December 29th, 2011 at 6:23 am
I went to Amazon as I am also in need of a new calendar and have Prime thanks to my kindle purchase. I was torn between The Beatles Special Edition Wall Calendar, Pin Up Girls 2012 Mini Calendar by Gil Elvgren, Star Trek: Ships of the Line: 2012 Wall Calendar,
Uglydoll 2012 Wall Calendar, John William Waterhouse 2012 Calendar, and the Art of Dreams 2012. I bought the last one. It will be third (not in a row). The pictures are intricate, beautiful and suitable for framing.
Cassie | December 29th, 2011 at 6:28 am
I got the Botanical Calendar by Rifle Paper Co. for Christmas and I LOVE it. Each month has hand painted flowers, and I love the colors!
Here it is if you want to check it out:
http://riflepaperco.com/item/2012_Botanical_Calendar/191/c7
Elle | December 29th, 2011 at 8:59 am
Glad I popped on over via your names site. I looked in a Lang outlet store for a calendar for my daughter and didn’t find one. Never thought to look on amazon - which is silly, as I’m always looking for stuff on there. The Little Critters one is adorable, so we’re going to get that for her room. We have a Lang frame, so we always just buy one of theirs because it fits.
British American | December 29th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
I have an Erin Condren planner for myself, and we have a Snapfish wall calendar that we order every year. Usually I wait for them to be buy one, get two free and I order one for us, and one for each grandma.
Mama Bub | December 29th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Even I think that yoga cats one looks funny.
SIL Anna | December 29th, 2011 at 7:57 pm
I love family photos, so the calendar is my opportunity to have photos hanging up all year that change monthly. I started making them using Costco’s photo service a few years ago for family members as Christmas gifts, and they totally count on them now–they would be so disappointed if they didn’t get their calendar! I finally realized this year that I could actually start building my pages earlier in the year (for example, I could do my January page for the 2013 calendar as soon as Jan 2012 wraps up) so that the process is relatively quick and painless come next December. Also, snapfish and shutterfly offer some awesome buy one get two free deals in December, so if you had it pretty much ready to go they can be a great deal.
beth c | December 30th, 2011 at 4:03 am
Our main calendar is from our school, so runs August through July. Which disappoints me because I LIKE buying calendars! I got a Peanuts one for my 8-year old. We get a huge Budweiser one from my brother that has glamour shots of the cyldesdales every month. A free one from church (Norman Rockwell, I love it) and my three-year planner, which is up in June!
Melanie | December 31st, 2011 at 4:00 am
Thank you! I have just ordered the Little Critters calendar. It will be perfect for the kitchen. This year we had one with vintage food posters that I thought I would like more than I did. A favourite from past years was a Mark Rothko. Great choices!
Lasha | December 31st, 2011 at 3:10 pm
I love calendars! This year I bought England by Rail and Scotland by Rail, posters from the National Railway Museum in York. So beautiful, I am really going to enjoy looking at these.
Maureen | January 1st, 2012 at 8:28 pm
We have the book “The Elements” and the cover is JUST like that calendar! Ad the Jack Sparrow cat—hilarity!
I fell in love with a calendar years ago and Ibuy it every year. They change it up some as far as the theme but it just works so well for our family, I must have it. I usually find the at Michael’s craft store for $1 but I was too late this year so I put it on my amazon wishlist and my MIL got it for me. Here’s the link
http://www.amazon.com/2012-Month-Family-Organizer-Calendar/dp/B005EDC6JG/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2OC3X7OKZS22W&colid=NDZE694YTBSE
Fran | January 2nd, 2012 at 4:51 pm
I always get the Vintage Texas calendar here-http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Longhorns-Vintage-Football-Calendar/dp/1603686185/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325613252&sr=8-1
It’s vintage and Texas Longhorns, two of my most favorite things/obsessions!
elz | January 3rd, 2012 at 5:54 pm