calendar 2016

My first post of 2016, so first of all I want to wish you all a very happy new year loaded with creativity.

Last year I participated in the monthly Craft Barn calendar challenge, these were the pages I created

But I still needed to create the cover.

I started with one of my favourite background techniques, which is tearing and collaging booktext.

Next I used a technique I learned in another Craft Barn challenge, the retiform stamping technique. You create blocks, mask them off with some post-its and stamp inside of these blocks, I used the themes of the pages: trees, butterflies, snowmen, flowers, owls, dragonflies, hearts. I had a little oops as I started out stamping in blue and wasn't liking it, so switched to brown, but the already present blue was standing out too much

So I colored the other blocks with inktense pencils hoping the blue stamping would blend in more, but this wasn't the case, so I covered the blue stamping with some patterned paper. Better.

I created a stencil with the months of the year with the Silhouette Cameo, don't know what I did wrong as it took me like 5 goes before it cut correctly. Just had to show the stencil with all that wonderful color on it.

Finally I added the numbers 1 to 31.

I've added the months with some washi tape, this way I will be able to change them easily next year so I can enjoy my calendar for years to come.

Now this is completed I can get a start on my planner for this year and be totally organized (as you may notice something I'm rather not otherwise these would already have been finished before the beginning of the new year)