Yearly Calendar

[elizabethlmccoy]

Hey gals & guys!

Need some advice. I am thinking of doing a calendar for my mom for next year (xmas gift want to get an early start). I wanted to do a photo shoot with my youngest sister dressed up appropriately for each month... winter coat, bathing suit etc.... I was going to do a white background (probably a sheet) with different props.

Does any one have any suggestions on:
1) apparel/theme for the months
2) How to bind it/ put together the final product
3) Helpful hints when doing a photo shoot? Lighting etc...

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences & talents with me.

Liz McCoy

[TsMom]

You might check out an office supply store like staples or office depot. They probably have a service where they can put spiral rings through the pages. Another option, which is probably cheaper, is to print your pages front and back on 11 X 17 paper, with the photo on top and the month on the bottom. Then go somewhere, again like staples or office depot, where they can use one of those big staplers that can staple right in the middle of something.

Another thing you can do is just design the photo part of the page, not the calendar, then have a calendar made up from that. this might be the cheapest option. I know walmart does this for less than 20 bucks and several office supply stores do it too. I also know Shutterfly does it too, but I don't know how much it costs. This is probably what I will do. Check out this link for an example of what I mean. Now though I'm wondering if there is an issue with these places cropping out parts of the pics and stretching the LO.

http://tinyurl.com/2jgkc

Oh, crud, now I don't know if I've been any help at all.

LaWanna

[Rebecca]

Does any one have any suggestions on:
1) apparel/theme for the months
2) How to bind it/ put together the final product
3) Helpful hints when doing a photo shoot? Lighting etc...



Themes are easy, look at the adds for certain times of the month, go with a holiday in that month or if someone has a birthday sit the child down with a card/sign wishing them a happy one.

For binding and printing, send it out. I had a lady who ahd me do several different photos for her and it was cheaper to just send out for it rather than to sit here and fight it. We went through Ofoto and they came out beautiful.

Photo shoots aren't as hard as they seem. Don't have lights use natures light. Early morning and late evening are the best times for photos. When the sun isn't too strong or even an overcast day will work. If you are going to use a sheet as your backdrop make sure it is the purest cotten you can get, blends reflect back at you. When I do a shoot with any children I keep noise making toys handy, no matter the age of the children it always gets a good giggle and with little ones can guide their head to where you want them to look. Some people use a feather duster to get a smile but I found fanning air with my notepad would work just fine. Most of all if the shoot isn't working take a break let the child rest and go back to it later.

[elizabethlmccoy]

Thanks gals for all the help.. :D

[Tina]

Liz, with your camera, the photo shoot will be a breeze ;) Maybe try a garage shoot?

how old is she? some of these may be too young for her.........

Clothes- Jan- all white or winter coat
Feb-pink, red, white- maybe holding a large cut out heart
March-Spring colored clothes, maybe holding a kite
April-spring again, maybe with tulips, a stuffed bunny, or plastic eggs
May-break out the shorts!
June-vacation things- maps, camera, sunglasses, touristy looking hat, binoculars
July- Red, white, and Blue, Flag
August-bathing suit- beach towel, beach ball, etc
September-back to school, backpack, books, apple, etc
Oct- Halloween costume, all brown/all orange clothes, pumpkins of course!
Nov-maybe on her knees praying, silk leaves scattered around her
December- red and green, of course, maybe holding Christmas ornaments, or wrapped up in lights :)

HTH!

[Sherra]

I'm new to this forum, but thought I'd chime in. (I know this is an older thread.)

I did a calendar for my family several years ago. I had everyone in the family send me old family pictures and I scanned them and sent their originals back. I also had them send me a list of the dates of all their birthdays, anniversaries, school vacation days (we had a lot of school age kids in the family at that time), other special dates, etc. I make the monthly calendars with the special dates and did a different collage of photos for each month based on the people who had special dates in that month. I spent about 2 months getting all the photos scanned, monthly calendars formatted and making the collages for each month. Once I got everything the way I wanted it I took it to Kinkos and had a copy printed for each person in the family. It was a HUGE hit! It's been 5 years since I did that calendar and some of the family members still have them hanging on the wall because they like the collages!

[elizabethlmccoy]

Thanks for sharing that info...it is great!!! Man, things sure have gotten busy since april...i haven't done anything for this calendar...and don't think it will happen this year...but i guess there is always next year...especially if everyone in my fam...likes it as much as yours.

[Amber]

What a cool thing Sherra! I guess if DH and I ever have kids I will have to do this for the grandparents for gifts! Great suggestions ladies!

[Sherra]

What a cool thing Sherra! I guess if DH and I ever have kids I will have to do this for the grandparents for gifts! Great suggestions ladies!
I did the calendar BEFORE I had my daughter. The photos I got from most people were of me and my sister and our cousins and aunts and uncles and g-ma, g-pa, etc from YEARS ago. It was great seeing all the old pictures again...and a lot of pictures that some of the family didn't even know existed!

[susan]

Now you've all got me thinking... One more project I can add to my list! This day job keeps getting in the way of what I really want to be doing. Which makes me wonder how the heck some of you mothers get any of it done!

I salute all of you!

[Yvette]

I made a calendar for my MIL's birthday gift. Basically just made layouts with no pics. I made a list of the sizes I needed for each month and now at the beginning of each month I send her the latest pics of my son. This way she has all the newest pictures AND a place to display them! I've had several requests from other family members for next year!
ps: printed double sided (like a regular calendar) and had them bound at Staples, I think it cost about a dollar.

Yvette

[elizabethlmccoy]

Yvette!! that is an awesome idea!! I like having the recent picks..not to mention she must love having something to look forward to in the mail. (All i get is bills and junk) :D

[Yvette]

I works great for us, the grandparents are all 5-6 hours away, so we only see them 8-10 times a year and at 16 months babies change very quickly!

Yvette

[aagesen]

When you list the important days put the year the event took place. I did this for wedding, and birthdays. That is what my mom liked best about the calendar. She has trouble remembering the age of all the grandchildren, her own children and how long we have been married.

When she came to visit two years later she told me twice how much she liked the calendar. That she still refers back to it to find out how old we are and when we got married. From my Mom that’s a heavy hint. I want another one.

I even got a compliment people didn't think I’m that old.

[elizabethlmccoy]

that is a great idea!!! I love that tip! Did you see the PSE3 review on the DSP Site?? http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/place/PSE3.shtml It shows that you can do wall calendars with it...that sounds very promising!!! Can't wait to try that out. :-)