How to Make a Photo Calendar - Easy step by step instructions
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My family had stopped exchanging store-bought Christmas gifts a long time ago. Instead, we send each other a family photo Christmas card. Well, this year, I have a surprise for everyone - a photo calendar personalized for each of my family and friends.
I'm making a photo calendar for my brother with pictures of their adorable dog, Maverick. My son and daughter are getting a photo calendar with pictures of their lovable Tuxedo cat, Tokey, and I'll sneak in my photo on my birthday month saying "Hey kids, it's Mom's birthday!" My three sisters are getting a photo calendar with old photos of our parents, who had passed. This might make them cry, but hey, we need a good cry now and then.
I'm making personalized photo calendars for each of my friends. Mary loves shoes (who doesn't?), so I'm making her a photo calendar of shoes to die for. Ted is a movie buff and loves poker (sadly, more than movies), so I'm making him a photo calendar of the 12 top poker movies of all time. Isabella loves chocolates (again, who doesn't?), so I'm making her a photo calendar full of mouth-watering chocolates from around the world.
Too much work, you say? No, not at all! A photo calendar is very easy to make. It's one gift that your family and friends will appreciate and use all year round. Well, for that year anyway. The following year you can give them another. No more asking the local hardware store for free calendar, and getting a calendar full of pictures of big-breasted drop dead gorgeous women in thongs and nothing else. What were they thinking? Where are the drop dead gorgeous guys in Speedos? Seriously!
What you need to make a photo calendar
- A photo calendar template - There are plenty of free photo calendar templates online. I find this printable Microsoft Word photo calendar template by Homemade Gifts Made Easy, just as their name says, easy to use. They also provide a video instruction.
- A color printer - If you have a color printer, you can print the finished photo calendar pages right at a home just like you print a Word document. If not, copy them on a thumb drive or CD, take them to your local print shop such as Staples or Kinko's for 49 cents a color page.
- Color paper - Color paper is a little thicker than regular copy paper.
Easy Step by Step Instructions on how to make a photo calendar
1. Download template. Here's the link to Homemade Gifts Made Easy free photo calendar template.
2. Open the photo calendar template. It will open to actual print size, so you will see exactly how good your page will turn out.
3. Click "Insert" then "Picture" then choose a picture from your computer.
As soon as you click the photo you want from your file, the photo will appear on your calendar page, looking like the picture below.
4. Right click on the image and a menu will pop up. Click on "Format Picture" and then click on the "Layout" tab. Choose "Behind Text" and then click "OK".
5. Now you can resize your photo by clicking and dragging one of the corners, and rotate by clicking and dragging the green circle on the top edge. Make sure the photo completely covers the rectangular frame.
6. Right click on the photo, a pop up menu will appear. Choose "Order", a drop menu will appear. Click "Send to Back". This puts the image behind the rectangular frame. And presto... a perfect fit.
Adding text to the photo calendar template is easy. Just click to where you want the text to appear, and type away.
To add emoticons or any clip art, go to "Clip Art" and search for the clip art or emoticon you want. Click on the date you want it to appear. Click and drag emoticon to the square, and resize.
I hope you found my photo calendar instructions helpful. Be imaginative. Do a Justin Bieber calendar. A Lady Gaga calendar. An LOL Cats calendar. Old photos of family and friends are always a big hit. Add favorite quotes and sayings. Add jokes, and make someone laugh or even just smile.
Enjoy!
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This is a great idea. I especially like you putting your picture on your birthday month - no excuses allowed! LOL
Great hub!
Beautiful and very practical. Voted up.
Great Idea! Thank you.
Personal made gifts are always one of the best gifts one can get! Very good idea and I especially love the idea to make each calendar after the receivers interest. Thanks Rosie! Voted up and useful!
Tina
I love gifts that are made via hand and imagination! Thanks for sharing a wonderful idea! Voted up, up and away!
a very good hub idea. Homemade gifts are great.
It's such a nice thought to make a calendar by yourself instead of going online. It means so much more to the recipient. I especially like the way you took the time to detail how to do it.
Im just want to say wow , very useful information . thanks for sharing it , i rated you useful.
I made one for family members several years ago. Each month's pictures focused on a particular family, esp. if it was the couple's anniversary month or there were several family members' b'days. My mother made one for my dad about 5 years before she died. Each month had a theme, for instance, Sept. was Labor Day (my dad was a labor union man) so she wore a work outfit and was on a ladder. Mother's day was a prim and proper portrait type of photo of herself, etc. I made a "private" calendar of myself for my husband one year. They can be a lot of fun to do.
I love roses...and Rosie. Do I get a calander too?
A nice idea for a low cost gift and well explained here a in simple to follow set of instructions.
Thanks Rosie. I didn't know it was easy. I think My desk at work will have a custome hot rod calendar this year. Real 'custom' since I get to choose - smile. Thanks for sharing the knowledge needed to accomplish this creative adventure.
Hiya tsmog, thanks for dropping by. I'm glad you like my photo calendar idea. A hot rod calendar for yourself sounds fantastic.. I'm making mine full of roses.. flowers make me happy.. roses are my fav. Happy Holidays!
Have a nice day,
Rosie
Rosie this is great, not only for gifts but how many of us Really like ALL the pics on any given Calendar...This way I can make my own with the photos I know I will love.
And, Gifts? Friends will love the photos because they know the thought that went into each one for them.
Thanks for such a great hub and idea, Rosie! Your tutorial is easy enough for even me to follow! That says a lot when I am tired, lol. :) I think I will play around with making such a calendar. Well done and thank you for sharing. Voted up, interesting and useful.
@lisakphoto - I know what you mean.. a personalized photo calendar is so easy to do and will be much more appreciated. Thanks for dropping by. Cheers!
@Dale Hyde - I'm glad you found my tutorial on how to make a photo calendar easy to follow, even when you are tired. Thanks so much for the votes. Cheers!
Have a nice day,
Rosie
@Phil Plasma, homesteadbound, craftybegonia, Frannie Dee, thougtforce, Dexter Yarbrough, jfay2011, Chasing Riley, ImChemist, Danette Watt, Gets, 2uesday
Thank you all for your lovely comments. I'm so glad you enjoyed my photo calendar tutorial and found it useful. Cheers y'all!!!
Rosie
Phil Plasma 6 months ago
This is a great idea - it is especially helpful to know what theme to use to give the photos to someone. Thinking of some of the people I know it isn't super obvious, but I'll give it some thought and maybe make one or two this year to see how well they go over.
Good hub voted up and useful.