DIY Desk Ombre Calendar

DIY Desk Ombre Calendar:

I’m in love with this project—not only is it ridiculously easy, it also combines two of my favorite things:watercolors and ombré. C’mon, who doesn’t want a pretty little desk calendar in their office?

And don’t worry—you don’t need to be an artist to pull off this project. If you can hold a paintbrush, you can paint ombré! You may need to practice a little beforehand (I definitely wasted about 5 gift tags before I figured it out), but once you get the hang of it it’s quite simple.

First, measure the interior of your box (mine was 5 5/8” x 3 5/8”–you won’t need the lid).  Then, measure and draw a corresponding rectangle on the back of the patterned paper and cut it out.

With the sponge brush, add a layer of modge podge to the bottom of the box and the back of the paper. Place the paper on the bottom of the box, and smooth out any wrinkles/bubbles (a credit card works great for this!).  Let dry for 15 minutes.

In the meantime get out the watercolors, a small dish of water, and the gift tags.  I chose to work with pinks, blues, and greens, but you can do any combination of colors you choose–or even a single hue.

Dip the paintbrush into the water and wet the first color, ensuring you have a decent amount of pigment on the brush. Make a large stripe across the bottom of the first tag (remember: do a few practice ones first). Rinse the brush, wipe lightly, and paint another stripe above and adjacent to the first using only water.  Repeat these steps until you reach halfway up the card.  The color should be darkest at the bottom and gradually lighten until it matches the white of the tag.

Repeat this process on 13 of the tags. Let dry, and repeat on the other sides. Don’t worry if the paper starts to curl — painting both sides will flatten it out, and you can always bend it slightly afterwards.

While the tags dry, add another thin layer of modge podge to the bottom of the box and let dry for another 15 minutes, taking care to make it smooth.

Divide the tags into three piles of 6, 2, and 5 respectively. The first pile will be the months, the second pile will be the day’s first digit, and the third pile will be the day’s second digit.  Follow the directions of the rub-on letters and apply the following to the tags (front/back): jan/feb, mar/apr, may/jun, jul/aug, sep/oct, nov/dec, 0/1, 2/3, 0/1, 2/3, 4/5, 6/7, 8/9.

Next place three tags into your box, evenly spaced. Use them as a guide to make three marks on what will be the “ceiling” of the box, ½” from the front edge.

Screw the three C-hooks into the ceiling of the box.  Or ask your hubby to do it.  These babies take some muscle!

Place the tags onto the hooks! If you find they aren’t easy to hang, you can trim the tops or bottoms until they fit perfectly.

There you have it! Now stop checking your iPhone to see what day it is.