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How You Can Use Old Calendars for Your Next Craft Project

 

By Kathleen Wolak

 

Calendars, by their very nature, expire. But it seems like such a waste to toss out old calendars every January, especially when so much work went into producing them! Check out these simple and fun ways to reuse those old calendar images by making eye-catching accents that are totally unique.

 

1. Break Out the Mod Podge!

Decoupaging is not just a great way to relieve stress. (There’s something satisfying about peeling the dried glue off your hands that brings to mind grade school art projects.) It’s a creative way to dress up old furniture and create quirky and personal accent pieces! Wall and tear-away calendars are the perfect material for this activity because the paper is durable, malleable, and boasts just a hint of shine. Glass bottles are great decoupage canvases to start with and make cool vases. Here’s what you will need:

 

  • Mod Podge (matte or gloss finish both look great)
  • A bowl (you will be pouring in Mod Podge, so don’t use a bowl that you eat from!)
  • A wall or tear-away desk calendar of your choice
  • A sponge or sponge brush
  • A glass bottle, any size

 

Start out by collecting all the images from your calendar that you will need. For glass, the desk calendars are preferable because they are smaller and the paper is a bit thinner than wall calendar paper, making it easier to bend around the curves of a bottle.

 

Next, pour in the podge! Pour about a quarter cup of Mod Podge into your bowl. Take your calendar image and soak it in the bowl. Be sure to completely cover the picture with the Mod Podge on both sides. Don’t worry. The Mod Podge will dry clear.

 

 

Stick it on! Using your fingers or a sponge, adhere the picture to the glass. Continue until your glass is covered to your satisfaction. Remember to use the sponge or your hands to press firmly on the images to smooth them out and remove any excess Mod Podge. Go over the images again to ensure there are no air bubbles.

 

Let it dry! Your vase will be ready in 24 hours.

 

 

If you want to use your outdated calendars to spruce up old furniture, make sure the piece has been stripped of all paint or varnish. Calendar paper adheres best to stripped wood. These are the projects that you will want to use your wall calendar for to cover more space. Repeat the same steps as above, but give the bigger pieces 36-48 hours to dry before using them. Turn that old set of shelves into a piece of pop art and have fun doing it!

 

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2. Frame It Up!

If you have an album cover frame laying around, use it for a calendar image you want to view for years to come! No album cover frame? No problem! Simply cut the image to fit a frame that you do have. Calendar images are typically high quality, especially if you have one that features a certain artist or nature photographs, and they absolutely dazzle when they’re framed. This is an easy gift to make someone, especially if they happen to have the same interests as you!

 

 

3. Make Adorable Personalized Greeting Cards!

The high-quality card stock used in commercial calendars is perfect for making or embellishing cards, and a thoughtful way to personalize your note. Is it your best friend’s birthday? Choose an image from their birth month and show them you really care! Pro tip: if you’re aware of a particular interest of someone you want to make a card for, buy a theme calendar at the beginning of January (when they are deeply discounted). This way, you have an arsenal of images for not only personalized cards, but personalized gifts as well!  

 

There are endless possibilities when it comes to what you can use old calendar images for. With so many hobbies, beloved characters, and art being represented by commercial calendars, it’s impossible not to find something for everyone! What are some of your ideas for your outdated calendars?

 

 

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