Using up my Kit Scraps - Weekly Flip Calendar!

In this month's kit newsletter, we have continued our summer series on using up the kit leftovers. If you’re like me, you can’t bear to throw away any of those pretty paper pieces or embellishments. After creating 2-3 layouts from each layout kit, I often find that I have some parts and pieces that I really want to use but don’t have enough for a full-sized scrapbook page – so I turn to my stand-by “leftover” ideas. We began this series in May with “The Power of a Pretty Card” and focused on creating cards with all of those parts and pieces of paper and embellishments that are left over at the end of your kits. This month, we’re focusing on my absolute FAVORITE way to use up your scraps – WEEKLY FLIP CALENDARS! (Let me preface by saying that the assembly of this calendar is not an original idea; I found this basic idea years ago in one of my scrapbooking magazines, and I've used the idea many times over the years.)

You start with a 6”x 8” spiral bound scrapbook. (I *think* it is Pioneer that makes the one I like, and you can find it at Michaels.) You’ll need at least 26 pages. I punch a hole in the bottom of the 6” side of the front and back covers and secure some ribbon to hold the calendar when it is standing up.


I leave about 1” of space at the bottom of each page, and I write the date in this space (ie: July 5-11). This is a weekly flip calendar, so I write the dates across the bottom of the fronts of the page until I run out of pages and then I flip the calendar over and write the dates for the second half of the year on the backside of each of the pages. Now I’m ready to start creating mini-layouts.

Each calendar page measures 6” horizontally x 6.5” vertically (after leaving room for your date), so I start trimming my patterned papers and cardstock to this size. Each page will hold one standard-sized photo, and the photo takes up the majority of the page, so there isn’t a lot of room for additional embellishing. I generally layer a few patterned papers and add an embellishment or two for balance and interest in the corner or along the side of the page, making sure to leave room to add a photo later. At the end of the year, I’ll choose and print all of my photos and add them to the pages in one sitting. I don’t worry a lot about matching colors or seasons; it’s more about the creative display of photos that can be enjoyed all year.


And, when create this calendar for my husband (which, by the way, he requests every year), I like to tuck in a few gift cards to coffee shops and restaurants on some of the pages for him to find throughout the year. :)

This Weekly Flip Calendar is a great way to use up bits and pieces of your kits, getting even more mileage and value out of your supplies. I guarantee that this will be one of the most requested and treasured gifts that you'll give. Make one! :)

Tammy