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Our Free Annual Calendar Template Is Finally Here For You

It was December 30th when it struck me: “Cripes, we don’t have our 2013 calendar ready.” So I spent a couple of hours on New Year’s Eve morning and a couple more the next evening cranking out our fourth homemade calendar – and as always we’re sharing the file so you guys can download it too (and sub in your own pics and quotes to personalize it for yourself) just like we’ve done last year, the year before, and the year before that.

Calendar Beauty Shot

I’ll be honest, over the years these calendars have proven more decorative than functional. At this point they may just be considered a tradition. It started back in 2010 and for the past three years it has been a variation on a similar formula: long skinny layout + brightly colored text. Back in 2010 we used funny phrases/ inside jokes, in 2011 we tied each month’s number to a personal fact, and in 2012 we went a bit bolder and included photos for the first time (borrowing a favorite black & white snapshot from that month the previous year).

Calendar Past Years

This year’s formula sort of became a culmination of all of the past years – funny phrases + something personal + b&w photos.

CalendarFormula3

I’m probably biased, but this calendar is my favorite so far. It makes me so all sappy about how much I adore our little lady. Cue the collective aww. But seriously, the quotes from her (which we cherrypicked from the Clara Conversations that Sherry’s documents over on Young House Life) remind me just how hilarious she is. And although the Instagram pic along with each quote wasn’t taken at the same moment as it was spoken, together I think they paint a pretty great picture of our chatty girl. For example, there’s this one where Sherry said “Helmets keep the head safe” and then Clara screamed “Helmets keep the head face!”

Calendar July Big

As in past years, I’ve also created a stripped down version of our calendar for you to download. You’ll need Photoshop to edit it by adding your own text and pictures (dude, it’s free right here for anyone who wants it – Update: whoops turns out its not, see the comments for more info). And you can download the scripty “The Only Exception” font here (also for free). You won’t need the other font (“Homestead”) since that’s already set as each month (which won’t need to be altered) but here’s where I got it if you want it for another project (it requires a donation to download).

As for how to edit the document, each layer is a month (so showing one layer and adding your pic, altering the quote, and then printing just that layer before showing and editing the next one is the way to go). If you’re not quite the Photoshop master yet, there are some great tutorials online and a few books on the subject at the library/bookstore.

Calendar December Big

Here’s all twelve months at a glance.

Calendar Grid Of All

And since I know not all of the Clara quotes are readable at that size, here’s a quick rundown for ya – starting with January:

  • “Mommy’s awake! Now I can scream!”
  • “He has pretty hair like a lady.” (Originally said about Scar from The Lion King)
  • “It’s Cinderinda!” (What she calls Cinderella)
  • “I’m a little teapot, short and shout. Here is my cupcake, here is my shout.”
  • “Don’t be shy. Be friendly!”
  • “I smell like strawberries!” (Her response when we said she smelled like she had a dirty diaper)
  • “Helmets keep the head face!”
  • “Baa baa, black sheep, have you any chickens?”
  • “We have to go to Home Depot to change your diaper.” (Said to one of her dolls)
  • “I don’t have a beard. I just have a little chin.”
  • “Daddy’s workin’. Don’t bobber him.”
  • “Her name will be Santa Claus and she will bring me toys.” (Said while pretending to have a little sister)

Oh yeah, and we just print each page on some cardstock paper using our home printer (we have an HP Photosmart C4780). Then it just needs a little trim with the scissors and a hole punch at the top and it’s ready to hang.

Calendar Hanging

So what about you guys? What’s your go-to calendar this year? Do you keep a decorative calendar in one place and a functional one elsewhere? Or are you entirely digital with your date-keeping?

Comments

  2. Coco says

    Hey Sherry! Just wondering, since you guys said that you don’t spend any money you don’t have, do you keep credit cards around?

    Was there ever a time you had to deal with credit card debt?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, we have one credit card that we pay off each month. It’s sort of like an interest free loan for the month since we buy things (that we have the money for) and then pay it off at the end of the month instead of paying in cash as we go. That way our money sits in the bank earning interest until the end of the month, and it’s a great way for us to track expenses and look back each month and analyze ways to save more next time, etc. We also get rewards for using it, in fact two different times we have worked up to getting $1000 checks (yes, we made 2K over about 5 years of buying things we need and would buy anyway with our credit card). One tip: we cash the points in when they run point-doubling promotions to get the most money back, otherwise we might have only earned $500 each time. It’s pretty awesome bonus money! We both were raised by parents who suggested demanded that we always pay off our cards in full, so neither of us have ever had a balance that went month to month. Paying them off has just always been ingrained in us :)

      xo
      s

  3. Rebecca says

    I just found your blog (from House of Hepworths) and I sincerely LOL’d at the Calendar quotes! I have 5 kids, and I am texting my husband all day with the funny things they say to me. My favorite this week was my 4 year old putting her feet in my face. I told her to stop and she told me “I am just hugging you with my toes”. I think I want to make a quote calendar too! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  5. Leslie says

    Hey,
    This is a bit off topic but wanted your opinion and wasn’t sure where to ask. I’ve put together a picture frame collage on my wall using ikea frames. Glossy or matte photos???
    Thanks for the help!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Under a frame I’m not sure if it would matter much since the glass will press them so flat any sheen will be minimal. But we always order matte photos just because think they let you appreciate the photo more without being distracted by any shine or glare off of them.

      -John

  6. amanda says

    I have to have a full-sized wall calendar and I prefer one with art. I love the Lang Folk Art calendars, got Mary Singleton’s this year. I like paintings of people and outdoors that match the seasons, so these are perfect for me. John Sloane’s Four Seasons ones are good too. I usually also have a mini wall calendar and a mini planner. I always get my mom a Thomas Kinkade calendar for her office and Gooseberry Patch for the kitchen-everyone loves checking the monthly recipe and they have cute pictures. Can you tell how ocd I am by my in-depth knowledge of calendars?

    I was so excited this Christmas because I’ve been working all year on a calendar for my sister and brother-in-law of their first child. Every month for his first full year (he was born Nov 2011), I took a picture with a theme that went with the month. I’ve been keeping it a secret, so at times it was really difficult to get all set up and get him to cooperate and get a good pic when usually they came over with him- and I wanted the pic taken during that month, so they could compare him each month to the photo from the previous year. I don’t have a fancy camera, so my pics aren’t as high quality as yours, but they really enjoyed it.

    Reply

  7. Danielle says

    I think my favorite is the Home Depot quote. My 6 yr old just had a winner this morning with, “Girls LOVE to get married!”

    I’m still calendar-less. I’m going to have to pick up some colored ink and download my YHL date-keepin’ goodness.

    (Band name! Date-keepin’ Goodness!)

    Reply

  11. tracy d says

    This calendar is adorable! Quick request – if you do a travel-related post with tips, etc. could you please tell us what suitcase/travel gear you use? I’ve been looking for a good suitcase that can take a bit of a beating. I’ve been through 3 bags in the last couple of years! Any recommendation you have would be helpful!!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Sure! We travel really light (all carry on, we don’t check anything), so we have one roller suitcase from Target (a blue one if that helps identify it, we’ll look up the maker for the post) and then I just have a purse and John has a backpack.

      xo
      s

  13. Christina C says

    Wow, the new calendar is awesome! My fav part is the quotes. Jeez, I need to start writing down my kids’ sayings!

    Reply

  14. Kirralea says

    This calender is SUPER CRAZY amazeballs!!!!! This is seriously the BEST yet!!!
    I just wished I owned a macbook to be able to do this projest.
    :-(
    HAPPY 2013
    Kirra

    Reply

  17. Susan says

    this is amazing! I had to use it right away and it found its place on my new pinboard (had to print it on thin paper in this case). And as i had to show this to all my friends i blogged about it :D (of course with credit)
    Thanks a lot!

    Reply

  18. Melissa says

    Just a funny kidism I think you guys would appreciate — my oldest son, from the age of 3 to 7 called Home Depot “Homo Depot”. It cracked us up for years every.single.time. ;)

    Reply

  19. Faith Cooke says

    I am a 40 yr.old happily married mother of three beautiful boys and I just have to say…I love you guys! I love your style! I love your love! You are living a lovely life, I’m sure it’s not always easy or perfect, but keep going…God Bless!

    Reply

  20. Emily says

    What beautiful calendars! I’ve only ever attempted to make one once … and i used some generic program and uploaded a photo … I can only imagine how much time it takes to make these.

    Every year, I am given a James Dean calendar – my parents always buy me one. And I always carry a cute agenda; I need it for work and no matter how hard I try, I can use the calendar in my phone. Just not the same!

    Reply

  21. Faith Cooke says

    Oh, and I have your theme song for your year/life/book tour…ready, Anywhere With You by Julia Nunes. So cute, you’ll love it!

    Reply

  23. Brenda says

    I think this is my favorite yet. Love the colors, fonts, pics, and quotes! I have a dry erase calender that I update every few weeks, and I have a daily planner that I use to keep track of everything. I think this is my fifth year in a row that I snagged my planner from the dollar spot at Target, but they always come out early so by mid-November they were almost out and I almost missed this year.

    Reply

  26. .:Van:. says

    Loved the idea!
    and my favorite quote?
    “I smell like strawberries”

    your little lady is great at saying the right thing at the right times… LOL

    Reply

  28. Melissa S. says

    Hey guys, this may be semi out of context as a comment on this particular post but I wanted to reach out and share my thoughts. I’m a long time reader and was looking to pull up the template for this calendar that I read earlier at work. When I Googled you, I was scandalized to find that “young house love haters” came up as a hit (haters gone hate). How obscenely ridiculous that anyone would ever criticize you for being “overly cautious” when it comes to the type of paint you use with Clara in the house. I don’t even have kids of my own and it’s a no brainer that I would give credence to umm…easily preventative airborne toxins…especially when speaking to a large audience. Seriously, I think someone criticized you for being “too positive.” Who says that kind of stuff? Be more depressing! Write a morbid op ed about the downside of DIY!
    Just wanted to say that as you get even more public attention through the book, I hope you never let this kind of stuff get you down and know you’re doing an awesome job as parents and as diy/design extraordinarie bloggers!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Aw thanks so much Melissa! We know not everyone would make the same choices if this were their home (and everyone parents, paints, lives, and decorates in a different way) so it’s all good :)

      xo
      s

  29. Sasha says

    Hiya,
    Not sure if this has been answered, but I don’t seem to be able to access CS2 on my mac. Apparently it is something to do with “PowerPC” and “Rosetta” being removed from apple computers with the snow leopard update. I have lion, was wondering if anyone else is having this problem?

    Love the calendar. You are lucky to have such a sweet girl. Absolutely love those Clara conversations :)

    Reply

  30. Sophie says

    So sweet. I know how organized you guys are at YHL, maybe you could do a post some day on what kind of calender/organizing system you use to keep track of all your appointments etc.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We keep birthdays in our cell phones (iphones) since they remind us automatically and we keep dates and projects and appointments like doc/dentist in an actual paper dayplanner (we just have one for the whole family, so we easily see if things conflict, etc). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  34. Melinda says

    thanks so much for supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital! I am a pediatric cancer survivor and have worked for St. Jude since 2002. I love that a blog that I love so much (and the folks behind it!) support a charity that I am so fortunate to work with/for. Thank you so much from all of the St. Jude kids!! (St. Jude vs. St Jude’s :))

    Reply

  39. Tammy says

    Great ideas for a calendar! I use all digital format and my husband and I can synch them together so that he can pretend he knows what is going on, haha. Also helps when he “forgets” to tell me something.

    In the kitchen, however, I have a calendar that my parents make every year with pictures from their worldly travels the year before. They pre print all of the family birthdays on there too.

    Reply

  42. Tania says

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this. Quite possibly my favorite idea ever from YHL and I’ve been reading for a long time. Definitely want to do this when my lil munchkin starts talking. In the meantime, I want to whip some of these up for the grandparents using the template. Thanks guys, you rock.

    Reply

  43. Carolyn says

    Your calendar looks great and would be a great present. My husband and I actually have a fun tradition where we wait until all calendars are on super sale after the new year and then go buy one from Barnes and Noble. They are always all picked over and we end up getting the goofiest one we can find. Each year we swap who’s turn it is to pick it out, this year we ended up with Food Landscapes by photographer Carl Warner. It’s not as crafty as yours but they are always functional and keep us smiling the whole year!

    Reply

  44. Misty @ 2brokebruces says

    All those cute Clara-sayings are adorable! I get a kick out of some of the things my niece says and wish I had recorded them for posterity, for example, “flop-pops” instead of flip-flops… and one of the funniest that I’ll share in this lengthy comment: my brother likes to annoy my niece by re-naming all her dolls and stuffed animals… it drives her crazy! For example, her doll Haley he renamed Harry, her stuffed duck he re-named ‘Frog’, etc. So recently, she got a horse and named it Buttercup. He started calling it Buckshot. Well at the dinner table on Sunday, she loudly announced to my entire family that her Daddy had named her horse “Butt-Sock”. LOL, I died laughing. Kids say the darndest things!

    Reply

  46. Anna Sebok says

    These Clara quotes are SO FREAKING AWESOME!!! I’m literally sitting at my desk cracking up. My coworkers are all like “Huhhh?”

    Reply

  47. Erin Shipps says

    Love this. I’ve been trying to pull in some Instagram photos, but when I do, they’re so tiny! (I’m in publishing, so I’m a whiz at Photoshop.) So…how do you pull photos from Instagram at print quality? Or are yours just low-res versions and a bit fuzzy in print?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      If you click on them in Facebook where they get uploaded they’re pretty big, so those are the files we use. They still have that grainy instagram quality to them but it seems to work!

      xo
      s

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