Create a Calendar Easel card that can grace any desk for the entire year! And bonus, it folds flat for mailing and fits in a regular envelope with no extra postage. Read on for the step by step instructions.
cutting & scoring guide
| Paper Dimensions | Score | |||
| 4-1/4″ x 11″ Evening Evergreen cardstock base | 4-1/4″, 8-1/2″, 9-1/2″ & 10-1/2″ | |||
| 4″ x 4″ Delicate Desert patterned paper | 1/2″, 1-1/2″, 2″, 2-1/2″ & 3-1/2″ | |||
| 2-1/2″ x 3-1/8″ Evening Evergreen mat for calendar | ||||
| 2-3/8″ x 3-5/8″ Evening Evergreen mat for watercolor image | ||||
| 2/3-4″ x 4″ Shimmery White cardstock plus scrap piece |
watercoloring
Stamp the image from In the Country stamp set on the Shimmery White cardstock in Black Memento Ink and diecut it with a Stitched Rectangle.
| Sky: | Pool Party | |
| Bushes: | Soft Succulent | |
| Pines: | Evening Evergreen | |
| Grass: | Granny Apple Green w/Soft Succulent accents | |
| Road: | Crumb Cake w/Soft Suede accents | |
| Fence: | Soft Suede |
Use an acrylic block as a palette for watercoloring. For each color, open the ink pad and swipe some color on the block. Squeeze a drop of water from a water painter on the ink on the block. Swirl the brush in the color and test the strength of the color on the piece of scrap shimmery white cardstock. Blot the tip of the water painter on a piece of paper towel as needed. To clean the water painter between colors, squeez the water painter and wipe the brush on the paper towel until it runs clear.
PRO TIP: Use a wet-on-wet technique for the meadow and the road so the inks blend together. Use an almost dry brush to get an extra dark coat of ink on the fence.
make the calendar easel card
For the base of the easel, score a 4-1/4 x 11” piece of Evening Evergreen at 4-1/4”, 8-1/2”, 9-1/2” and 10-1/2”. Adhere the 4” square of Delicate Desert patterned paper to the second section from the left and a strip of Tear N Tape to the bottom tab. Fold all the score lines inwards with the exception of the bottom accordion fold. Then remove the Tear N Tape and fold the large section over to seal the bottom.
Mat the printed calendar on another piece of Evening Evergreen before adhering it to the bottom center of the easel. If the watercolor image is curling up, gently curl the piece the opposite direction. Then add a strong adhesive like SEAL+ around the entire back perimeter before adding it to a mat.
Once the watercolor image is attached to its mat, apply Tear N Tape on the back towards the bottom and use grid paper to make sure the finished piece is under 5-1/2” tall before pressing the image to the top of the easel.
I made another fun variation of the Calendar Easel Card with the Taco Fiesta stamp set. I swapped out the guacamole in the bowl for more chips, specifically Doritos, a fave of my daughter.
And I did make a video with tips & tricks on watercoloring as well as a visual for how to put the easel together. You can find that video over on my YouTube channel. Calendars were ordered from Vippies.
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