DIY Calendar: a Book of Days

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A book of days is a calendar without a year or days of the weeks. It marks the days of every month and helps you track important dates. Create a DIY Calendar like this as a memorable and economical gift to give.


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Many, many moons ago I crafted handmade calendars for our extended families. Each was custom made and included photos of the previous year as well as birthdates and anniversaries.

I really enjoyed the process of making them. Eventually, though, I wanted to retire my calendar tradition so I went out with a bang by creating a Book of Days. It’s a calendar of sorts, but one that does not include the days of the week.

Instead, a Book of Days is a great place to record special dates to remember. By adding bits of colored paper, photographs, and mementos, you can personalize and make it more special. And since it’s undated, it never goes out of style. So to speak.

How to Create a Book of Days

This is a super  easy gift to make for your family members or to help the kids make for the grandparents. If you do a lot of paper crafts, chances are you already own the necessary tools and supplies to make it. If you don’t, none of these are very expensive to purchase. If you make several books as gifts, you’ll save by buying in bulk.

You’ll need the following supplies:

  • large art paper – I used Canson textured paper
  • photos
  • colored papers and other scrapbook embellishments
  • glue or other adhesive
  • scissors
  • a bone folder to make crisp creases in the paper
  • all twelve months printed on long strips of card stock (Download this file to make it easy!)

How to assemble a book of days:

  1. Cut a long strip of art paper, 11 inches high.
  2. Fold it accordion style, so that there are 7 spaces. Make creases crisp with bone folder.
  3. Your 7 spaces on each side will allow for a cover, the 12 months, and a back. Decorate as desired.
  4. Tie closed with colorful ribbon.

See? That was easy, wasn’t it? Be sure to personalize your calendar with little pictures and bits of memorabilia to make it truly a keepsake.

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8 Comments

  1. Just wanted to share that the calendar was taught to a group of ladies that have had to deal with cancer through a local hospital program and all were very excited to do this project and all had a great time.

      1. just a note of humor…..a friend that was cleaning up my kitchen said ” Is your craft room so full that
        you had to move your calendar supplies to the kitchen table” Well, yup. I knew that I would love
        this project the moment I saw it. When I make them for friends, I always ask what they want on it..
        most of my friends are giving them to their married daughters for Mother’s Day.

  2. I really like this idea of the Book of Days and would like to make some for our family for Christmas. Maybe I’m just not a seasoned enough crafter but I’m having trouble understanding the directions… is there a way you could post a video of how to assemble this so I don’t get it wrong LOL thanks

    1. I don’t know that you can do it wrong. I bought a large piece of art paper from Michaels and cut it 11″ high. It was probably 2 to 3 feet long. Then fold it into sevenths, like an accordion or fan.

      I don’t currently have supplies to shoot a video, but I’ll see what we can do.

      1. ok thanks, i guess maybe im just not sure what a bone folder is and what you mean about using that to makethe creases crisp