Calendar Gifts

Honestly, this year I have failed at the Buy Handmade pledge. This is mostly due to the fact that my crafting supplies are still in Texas. But there is Etsy! And Paper Source! within clicking and walking distance.

I wanted to give my co-workers and certain friends a little something for Christmas but not break the bank. Also, my new rule for gift giving is PRACTICALITY. If they aren't going to use it/wear it/like it then don't gift it. All year, I've had a small calendar from the now defunct Blueprint magazine on my bulletin board at work. It's handy and cute to look at.

For this gift, I started by purchasing a 2009 calendar pdf download from Little Brown Pen. This Etsy shop has been featured on a lot of blogs this fall. They also made this cute video describing their vision:

So I printed one copy of the calendar for each of my recipients on cardstock.

To hang the calendar, I took a small black binder clip and covered it in scraps of paper from my clipboard project.

The clip holds the pages together and the loops of the binder clip can be used as a hanger on a push pin.

To package the calendar, I bought these envelopes in the moss color at the oh so dangerous Paper Source. That wasn't enough. I needed some decoration and perhaps something that mentions the fact that this is a CHRISTMAS GIFT.

Back to Etsy I went and Simple Song Designs to purchased letterpress tags, which might be like putting diamond earrings on a pig. So what? I'm seriously addicted to letterpress; it's just so elegant.

I sealed the back with a sticker, also from Paper Source. I also added a clear label on the envelope flap saying it was from me and added a label on the back of the Joy tag explaining how to hang the calendar.

All lined up and ready for my friends!

Cost breakdown for 7 gifts:
Calendar: $5
Printing and paper: free (at work)
Envelopes: $4.25 for 10
Binder clips and paper: free (from work to use at work, totally ok)
letterpress tags: $7.50 for 6 (one got a different Simple Song tag)
stickers: $2.50

Total for supplies: $19.25
Price per calendar: $2.75