my 2018 watercolor calendars are here and a GIVEAWAY!

I’m so happy to announce that my 2018 watercolor calendars are here and I’m so excited! And I’m doubly excited because I did two different designs this year. One calendar has a variety of watercolor paintings depicting images that remind me of each month. My other calendar has watercolor paintings of birds along with some fun facts on each.

I’ve been painting and designing these calendars for the past four years and they’re so much fun to make. My standard watercolor calendar is simple, just like in past years. I paint images that remind me of each month and then design the set so that each month has it’s own card, with it’s own image.

It’s fun and challenging to come up with new images each year but I think this year’s are my favorite.

For the bird calendar, I painted a different bird for each month. I know birds may be a little cliche, but I actually love them and I love watching all the birds we have visiting our feeders lately. Our hummingbird feeder always draws the most beautiful emerald green hummingbirds. They’re so sweet to watch.

Some birds just seem to go with different seasons so it was fun incorporating them into a calendar. I hope you like it.

They’re for sale now in my Etsy shop and they make great holiday gifts for teachers, hostesses, family, friends – really anyone on your list. Last year I had to print three batches because they kept selling out. So even though the holidays seem a little far off, this is the perfect time to start your shopping. Each version is $20 and they come with a magnetic clip so you can hang them on any metal surface like a refrigerator or locker. You could also include a standard 5×7″ frame and change the calendar cards each month. Or you could slip the set into one of my wooden clip frames and hang it on the wall. Lots of options!

I’ve been asked a lot about how I create these calendars. Here’s a little overview of my technique. First, I research ideas of what I should paint for each month. Four example, ice skates for January, heart candies for February, and so on. I search for photos of each image online. Then I sketch each month’s image onto watercolor paper.

I erase the pencil marks so they are very faint, then I paint the images with a watercolor technique.

I let the paintings dry and carefully erase all the pencil marks. I scan the images so they become digital files.

Then I design the calendars on my computer and place the digital files into my page layout document and complete the designs. Here’s where I pick the colors, the fonts and the sizes of all the elements so it all looks pretty.

I send the file off to the printer so they can do their magic and we now have a gazillion sets of calendars!

And I’m extra excited because I’m giving away TWO calendars for FREE – one of each version!!

Just click on the link below to enter the giveaway. And if you don’t win, remember they’re for sale in my Etsy shop. Click here to purchase the bird calendars. And click here to purchase the regular watercolor calendars. Locals, message me to purchase to avoid shipping charges. Or catch me at the Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 14!

Thanks for all your support and be sure to let me know what you think of my little calendars. Would you give them as gifts? Keep them? Or do you have any ideas for future calendar artwork?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you’re having trouble accessing the giveaway, click here to enter. Good luck and I hope you enjoy the new calendars!