Have you hung up your 2013 wall calendar? Do you love a new calendar as much as I do?

My sister gave me The Old Farmer’s Almanac Gardening Calendar this year. It’s always been one of my favorites. The pages are beautifully illustrated with helpful notations and interesting quotes. Here’s one:

Benjamin Franklin introduced kohlrabi to colonial America.The vegetable’s German name originated from the Italian words cavolo rapa, meaning “cabbage turnip.”

You learn something new every day! 😉

It’s fun turning over a new page to a new month and a fresh beginning. Conversely, I removed my 2012 gardening calendar with great anticipation. In the past few years I’ve been re-purposing the beautifully designed pages into envelopes and stickers, tags and the odd bookmark.

This year I’ve challenged myself to use all of last year’s garden calendar in new and different ways. Here’s what I’ve been up to:

Gift Card Holder

This design simply evolved based on the pattern of the flower. The gift card holder folds into thirds and is held in place by a sleeve. When the sleeve is in place, the butterfly keeps the top flap from opening.

Gift Card Holder (cutaway with sleeve)

Gift Card Holder (closed)

Desk Top Organizer

I’ve always loved little boxes, and this one is no exception. It arrived with some unexpected treasures from a dear friend. Rather than pack it away with the Christmas gear, I covered the box with four different calendar pages. I used the stiffer cardstock from the front of the calendar to make a pair of dividers. Now I can easily get my hands on what I need.

Christmas gift box from a dear friend

Desk Top Organizer

Dividers

Box Lining

Napkin Rings

Once folded in half and glued together, the pages are quite sturdy. I cut them into strips, formed a ring, and stitched them together with a scrap of raffia. Now I’m all set for Thanksgiving.

Napkin Rings (8 for next fall)

Envelopes, gift tags and stickers

Assorted gift tags and stickers

Envelope

Wine Tag

Postcards from the Edge

I used the only bit of white from the calendar to create a writing space. The reverse side of the postcard has a quote.

Two-sided postcard (back side has quotation)

Bunting

For the Fairy Garden…of course. 🙂

Drawer Liners and a Poster

Drawer Liners (My husband swears we need all these remotes)

Poster (back of guest bath door)

Check this out:

Katherine at Pillows a-la-Mode likes to re-fashion or re-purpose clothing in a similar fashion. She held a contest a few months back. The lucky winner mailed her a beautiful embroidered jacket (that not longer fit), and Katherine turned it into a tote bag, a tissue holder, a pillow and more. You can check out the contest winner and lots of other fun ideas at Pillows a-la-Mode.

19 thoughts on “Garden Calendar Lives Another Day”

Wow . . . I L-O-V-E all your projects!!! I’m bookmarking this and trying some of these with my calendars!!! THANK YOU! (And thank you for the sweet shout out, too!) 🙂

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Born To Organize | January 10, 2013 at 4:02 pm

You’re welcome. I have so much fun on your site. I’m glad you enjoyed the calendar ideas.

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These are so very nice and what a good way to put a pretty used calendar to use!

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Born To Organize | January 11, 2013 at 10:16 am

Thank you so much, Nandini!

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Wow, WOW! I am speechless. HA, and that never happens. Alys, those are all so original…I swear, you should be writing a book about artistic recycling. It’s usually such a mundane topic, not because it’s unimportant but because it’s not presented in new and interesting ways. Your Gift Card Envelope simply rocks. The way the flower petal is part of the closure was so smart. How cute is that bunting? I can’t wait to see it gracing your ‘Fairy Garden’. I actually use a lot of those little banners and buntings on my scrap pages, I just love them. I could never have imagined the transformation of that little box, I saw it roll up on my screen and just smiled. You’ve covered it so perfectly. What kind of adhesive do you use? It’s all glorious and just too darn clever.

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Born To Organize | January 11, 2013 at 9:02 am

A Boomdee WOW! You made my day, Ms. Creative One. Thank you for that.

You are full of great advice and generous compliments. Thank you, thank you!!!

I used Hermafix permanent adhesive (a scrapbooking tape) for most of it, but I also used Scotch Tape to hold down the small edges that went over and it to hold it better in place. Once I covered the inside, the tape doesn’t show. I love that little box!

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- Boomdeeadda | January 11, 2013 at 9:19 am
  
  Well I love it too now that ‘Alysbot’ has magically transformed it. 😀 I’ll have to check out Hermafix, not seen that one but looks like a good secure hold. Thanks for the tip. x
  
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  - Born To Organize | January 11, 2013 at 9:55 am
    
    ‘Alysbot’ You are making me grin ear to ear this morning.
    
    I think it’s a German company but readily available here. My friend turned me on to it twelve years ago and it is all I use now. I love it.
    
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    - Boomdeeadda | January 11, 2013 at 6:19 pm
      
      🙂
      
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Organizing, the way to go! Very nice, and Creative Way of organizing. Thanks for sharing your ideas. Mtetar

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Born To Organize | January 12, 2013 at 6:51 pm

Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you enjoyed them.

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- mtetar | January 12, 2013 at 7:24 pm
  
  Yes I did, and I also like organizing. It is much fun, and easy to work when things are organized. Thanks for replying. Mtetar
  
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  - Born To Organize | January 12, 2013 at 9:09 pm
    
    You’re welcome. Enjoy all your sewing projects. Sewing can be fun and relaxing.
    
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    - mtetar | January 12, 2013 at 9:26 pm
      
      Thanks for stopping by, and clicking the Like Button. Be BLESSED, Mtetar
      
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      - Born To Organize | January 16, 2013 at 8:37 am
        
        You’re welcome.
        
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