Friday, January 5, 2018

New Year, New Family Calendar

Would you like to have a calendar that is filled with family photos, past & present? Would you like a calendar that shows the family birthdays & anniversaries, past & present? Several years ago I decided I would like a calendar just like that & I started making one.




I wanted a calendar that I could customize to include family photos on the top page and birthdays and anniversaries on the bottom page. I tried several different companies with mixed results. Then I found Mixbook which lets me do almost everything I want. I can even add various backgrounds and seasonal graphics.

The family calendars have included:
·      Artwork created by my talented niece
·      Old black & white photographs
·      Travel photos
·      Wedding & Anniversary photos
·      Birthdays going back as far as my 5x great grandfather, Richard Dillon
·      Birthdays as recent as our newest grandson, born this year
·      Quotes about families & life in general
·      Silly photos like people sleeping or photos of people taking photos

The calendar has always been based on my parents, their four children and eight grandchildren. There are now five great grandchildren who are featured on the cover. I have more and more copies printed each year because my cousins, whose faces are always included, ask for copies.

It takes me all year to make the calendar. Every hour of work is worth the time because of the smiles on everyone’s faces when they unwrap the calendar. I love those smiles and I love visiting my family and seeing the calendars hanging on the walls of their homes.

This is a great way to interest your family in genealogy.

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8 comments:

  1. This is a gorgeous calendar. I used to do similar family calendars but happily for me, a niece has now taken over the creative duties and she, like you, collects photos all year. These are wonderful keepsakes--family members actually hold onto the old calendars because the photo quality is so high! Happy new year.

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    1. Wonderful that you have passed the torch to your niece. She has caught the bug! Caring about family is a wonderful thing to pass on!

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  2. Such a thoughtful gift and wonderful way to share your research. Do you put pictures only on pages separate from the days or do you put a person’s picture in the dated square of their birthday?

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    1. I have a photo of each person for their birthday or a photo of a couple for their anniversary. In the square announcing they special day.

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  3. That’s a great gift to those you love.

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    1. Thanks, Charlie. Everyone has big smiles as they turn the pages of the new calendar. One cousin won't turn the pages till the new month; a new surprise each month.

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  4. The calendar looks lovely, Colleen, a true heirloom for future generations. Wishing you all the best for 2018.

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    1. Thanks for your comments. Folks tell me that they never throw the calendars away. They show me where they keep they for the future. Enjoy the new year!

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