- 15 sheets of 2-sided photo paper
- Print-and-stick project paper
- Heavyweight paper and plastic covers
- Easy-to-use spiral binding
- Create your own calendar
The kit contains heavyweight paper for the cover(s) and 15 pages with glossy paper on one side and matte on the other. The glossy side means your photos can be printed at the highest photo-quality setting of your printer, and the matte side (for the month''s grid of days) permits easy writing. That is the major draw of the kit. If there is a glossy/matte printable paper out there, I don''t know of it (a trip to Kinkos would take care of the binding). The pages are pre-cut with a hole to hang the thing from and holes for the plastic binder. Two clear plastic covers are included, as well as two sheets of sticker paper, to print stickers for placement on the finished calendar. I didn''t use them.
I have considerable, but non-professional, computer experience, and I found the calendar kit to be a good experience. I composed a calendar of our two daughters, with 12 monthly photos and a cover photo. I used 3.3 Mega-pixel digital images from my new Sony S-70 digital camera at full resolution, and included them at 8"x10" size. High quality images are a must for good results. After constructing the January graphics, I simply altered it for the other months. In total, you need 12 month grids, 12 month photos, cover photo or graphic, and rear cover graphic (if desired).
A couple of caveats. First, large photos, particularly dark ones, chew up printer ink. Be prepared to feed your printer ink cartridges. Try to use photos without a lot of dark background, or consider smaller sizes. I decided to pass up on a beautiful photo of a Halloween pumpkin that had an extensive black background. Secondly, I had some difficulty getting the paper to feed into my HP 722 smoothly. I think the printer may not be used to feeding paper with the glossy side DOWN, as is required to print on the matte side. As a result, the printing was tricky, I lost a couple of pages (you get three extra), and it took a lot of time. The large photos, as usual, take a long time to print. I don''t recommend doing more than a couple of kits in a short period. Let the relatives compete for your affections. Finally, the heavyweight covers are very nice, but one side is matte white and the other is DARK BLUE (Argh! They should change that, and make one white/white, for the front cover/January). I used one for December/back cover (the "copyright" on the blue side), but used a glossy/matte month page for the front cover/January, with a clear cover on top of it. One less screw-up possible, then.
If you need software to compose your calendar, they offer an "Invent It! Photo Calendar Plus" version that includes the software. I used my own Corel Print House program, so I can''t comment upon the "Plus" version.
The results? My mother-in-law said it was "the best present she had ever received," and my Dad said that one of the pictures of our older daughter "brought a tear to his eye." Enough said.
Buy Invent It! Photo Calendar Kit Now
I purchased my first calender kit a few months back.The first kit I bought was the Photo Calender Plus with the software. And of course I had to try it right away. It is very easy to use. And the prepunched pages are great it saved me a lot of time. I really couldn''t believe how easy these calenders were to make. And the finished product is just fabulous. I have family and friends who saw my calender. And just had to have one too. I have purchased at least 35 Photo Calender Kits in just the last two months. I really want to thank Invent It this is one great kit. It is easy to use, you get enough pages so if you do make a mistake you don''t end up short,they give ideas on how to lay out your calender and sticker pages too. I plan to keep using this kit for all my calenders...Read Best Reviews of Invent It! Photo Calendar Kit Here
For four years we''ve been producing family calendars for Christmas gifts. The first year we let Kinko''s do it all for us. That was easy but you only get 1 photo per month with no graphics or other frills. The second year we found some matte/flat paper and printed things on the computer and let Kinko''s bind it for us. That was the worst of both worlds and finding that paper again is impossible.Last year I found these kits and bought one with the software. The software wasn''t too helpful to me (being the control freak that I am) but the kit itself it wonderful! 15 pages for the calendar, clear plastic or blue paper covers, and a binding. It is literally the perfect set of supplies for this type of project. I used 5 kits last year and may use even more this time. After all, once you get the design down why not make a lot!
I use Calendar Creator and MS Publisher to make the calendar and photo displays. You could use their software if you want. Either way, the paper, covers, and binding in this package are the only way to make calendars with your printer.
I highly recommend this to anyone. I''ve tried the alternatives and this is the best!
Want Invent It! Photo Calendar Kit Discount?
I bought 6 of these last year and made them into Christmas gifts for my family. They were a BIG hit!! The kits are extremely easy to use and you get extra paper in case you goof. I am planning on buying even more this year for Christmas gifts. I used to buy photo calenders through the mail and this is a LOT easier, faster and CHEAPER than that. (Plus, the results are just as good if not better)!
I take snapshot photographs as a hobby and inundate my sisters and brothers in law and my chidren''s grandparents and their great grandmother with pictures of my kids regularly.
Thus purchasing this calendar kit was ideal for me!
I''m adept at using the computer for word processing, using the internet and creating and maintaining spread sheets, but haven''t done a lot yet with photographs and graphics. Thus, this was a completely new program for me to learn. The directions are clear (I''ve had problems understanding or have found some instructions so complex, I become intimidated and don''t use them, this was not the case with this package.)and it''s easy and fun to use.
I purchased a few of these calendar kits (THEY COST LESS THAN PURCHASING A PRE-PRINTED BOOKSTORE PICTURE CALENDAR, GREAT BUY!). Then I separated my favorite photos and organized them by month (photos of the kids playing in the snow for January, dressed in red [Valentine''s Day] for February, on Santa''s lap for December, etc.) Then I inserted photos of my children with the intended calendar receipient throughout the remainder of the calendar (people LOVE having pictures of themselves!).
This way, family and friends see photographs of my little ones and are reminded of us throughout the year. I ULTRA personalized all of my family''s calendars, including printing everyone''s birthdays, special family dates and anniversaries thereon (With telephone numbers!), which was REALLY appreciated by all.
Finally, for me, this was a really fun craft to do, I really enjoyed making the calendars. This kit is a perfect vehicle to be artistically creative for those of us who are "artistically impaired". The final, finished products look sleek and professionally made, which is always a plus when having made gifts for presentation to others (without embarrassing yourself!).
Everything is included: 15 sheets of heavyweight, 2 sided photo paper (one side is for the picture, the reverse for the calendar), Heavyweight paper and clear plastic covers, Print & stick project paper, Easy to use spiral binding, PLUS, you can create and add stickers for special days & events using the included print & stick project paper.
To actually make the photo calendar you just plan your calendar by selecting images for both glossy and matte coated sides of each sheet. Then check your printer manual for instructions on loading and feeding heavyweight photo paper. Then test your design by printing on a sheet of plain paper. If satisfied, set printer driver to the appropriate setting for either gloss or matte side. You then place one sheet of photo paper in the printer. They recommend printing the matte side first. Allow paper to dry completely before printing on the reverse side. If desired, create and add stickers for special days & events using the print & stick paper. Choose either heavyweight paper or clear plastic covers for your calendar. Snap on the sprial binder and you''re ready to display or present!
HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION for the perfect, home-made gift that the receipient will use and keep!
