conception and contraception calendar

(320 pages)

Origami Page-A-Day Calendar 2008 by: Margaret Van Sicklen publisher: Workman Publishing Company released: 2007-06-30 ISBN: 0761145508 $12.99

One piece of paper, so many possibilities! Celebrate the fun and magic of origami with "Origami Swami" Margaret Van Sicklen, author of The Joy of Origami. Fold a ladybug, a school of fish, a slithery snake. Sailboats, planes, a rocket, a horse and rider. Plus Halloween creatures, Valentine’s hearts, and a snail from a dollar bill.

Combining instructions for hundreds of models and featuring perfectly square pages that double as decorated folding paper, this calendar is a complete origami kit. The models begin easy early in the year and grow more complex as folders' skills improve. A 16-page "Origami Key" clearly explains the basic folds and techniques that are the foundation of every model.

This is a fantastic gift for someone who likes origami -- even if they are not serious about doing each day's project, there is always a new one! I'm guessing they get harder as the year goes on, but from what I saw, good directions and pretty fun stuff to make.

I look forward to folding a new model each morning before I start my day of work. This makes a great desk calendar. The molds are fun to fold. Some are very easy and other take a little more patients. Overall, this should be a lot of fun for almost anyone.

A great little calendar. A wonderful gift! Fun for parents and kids - something for them to do together! Paper folding - Origami - is not only cool but a sly way to teach children about shapes. Anyone can do it!

Love this calendar! I gave it to several of my relatives as stocking stuffers this Christmas. I've been buying it for the past several years. The models are fun and easy to follow--with a few more difficult ones thrown in so those advanced folders don't get bored (and it challenges the rest of us to step up). The fun facts are sometimes educational, sometimes funny and sometimes downright clever. It's a great thing for your desk at work or to give as a gift. If you are considering it, I'd say BUY IT! Its crafting in a box. Everything you need is right there--directions, paper and you. Plus, Origami is totally addictive and in the end, simply good clean fun.

(320 pages)

Crochet Pattern-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar by: Desiree Scales publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing released: 2007-09-01 ISBN: 1579393233 $14.99

I love this calendar so much that i had to order a new one when i lost some of my pages of the old one. i would recommend this calendar. i never would have thought that i could make some of these items without this calendar. buy it and enjoy it.

I have been buying this calendar for the past three years, and it is very nice and helpful with patterns.I already knew the product. I find that the previews ones had more useful patterns and they are running out of ideas. I am not sure I would buy it next year.

I have gotten this calender for the last few years. I miss Annie Modesitt as the editor, but this year's calender is still good. The patterns range from the silly (like "Jellyfish Scrubby" and "Crocheted Fortune Cookie")to the beautiful (like "Long and Lacey Scarf" and "Mohair Triangular Shawl"). There are also several good patterns you can use for charity crocheting--hats that that would make a great chemo caps (especially "Hip Cap" and "Child's Ladybug Hat & Purse") and many blankets and scarves.
As other reviewers have noted, there are many patterns from yarn companies--more and more each year, it seems. However, most contributions are from individuals--many of whom have websites you can check out for more great patterns.
The biggest complaint I have always had for this calender is that the yarns listed for each pattern are usually name brands, rather than the size/gauge (bulky, worsted, dk, or whatever) of the yarn. This makes it a pain to substitute yarn--I often have to look the listed yarn up on-line to find what type it is. On the whole, though, I'm glad I got this calender and will look for it next year, as well.

The calendar came quickly and was exactly what I wanted. It came in perfect condition.

We got the 2007 version of this calendar last year when all the sellers put calendars on half-price. Some of the patterns are just stupid (why would I want to crochet an outfit to dress a baby like Lincoln, Washington or Napoleon?), but overall not a bad product.

(110 pages)

Scrapbooker's Sticker-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar by: Accord Publishing publisher: Accord, a division of Andrews McMeel Publishing released: 2007-09-01 ISBN: 1579393381 $12.99

I love this product. I also bought the Punch-Out and Scrapbooking calendars. The three items together, make several pages and look nice on my layouts. The order came very fast after I ordered it and the package was unopened.

Stickers, stickers and more stickers, all of them awesome!! And all of them on a clear background! some of the stickers are tiny and some of them are bigger, pages are divided into 3 sections. One page for Mon/Tues/Wed, and another for Thurs/Fri/sat&sun. So you get two pages for each week, but each page has tons of stickers, there are way more than one a day!! The stickers are great on cards, letters, notebook pages, calendars, tags, backs of letters, on anything at all!!! This calendar is my absolute favorite of all of the the page a day sets available, they are: Easy Scrapbooking - backgrounds and frames with a new page for every day, Punch-Outs - cardstock with a small blank lines section I use as a mini diary, and the Sticker-A-Day, I am also trying the Quilling one this year too! I had so much fun with all of them that I bought them all again this year, who knew a calendar could be this much fun or inspiration!! It's like being a kid again! I definitely recommend this calendar to anyone who likes neat stickers!! Sure do hope they come out with a 'rub-ons' calendar again! Now that would be too cool an addition! I don't peek in advance BUT tommorow I get to put away the 2007's and bring out the new boxes flip open the lid that becomes the back stand and woo hoo start another year off right! Happy new year everyone, mine is going to be FUN!

Every year i buy this sticker a day calendar, it's very cute it has 360+ stickers for each day and each holiday very creative!

(320 pages)

365 Tiny Paper Airplanes Page-A-Day Calendar 2008 (Page-A-Day Calendars) by: Ken Blackburn, Jeff Lammers publisher: 2008 Calendars from GrandmasGiftware.com released: 2007-06-30 ISBN: 0761145761 $12.99

Who knew a calendar could be so much fun? From paper airplane world record holder ken Blackburn and engineer Jeff Lammers authors of the 2.2-million-copy bestselling world Record Paper Airplane series here is a year of tiny foldable flyers that really soar. Every day's plane is based on one of 30 aerodynamic models, including the Eagle, the Spitfire, the Arrow, the whirlybird-style Twister, the Flicker, and the Mini world Record. Boasting highimpact, full-color original graphics, each plane is an attention-getter, no matter where it's flown. Detailed folding instructions are included with the calendar.

I always buy many calendars after the holidays when they go on sale. This is useless.

I had bought one of these calendars for my son who is 10 yrs old. We were enjoying doing it every day. We then got word of a 5yr. old boy with severe cancer that belonged to a work associate of my husband. His goal was to be in the Guiness Book of World Records for the most paper airplanes received. Last I heard they had 95,000 planes. You helped us help that little boy! Thanks

Overall great product. Most of the planes fly pretty well if you can figure out how to adjust the wings. Some are definitely easier than others. More of a "big-kid" toy as some of the planes are fairly difficult to make. Great for the office desk.

It was delivered quickly, and was in perfect condition. The price was a little high (especially with shipping and handling), but I guess you have to pay for convenience. Overall, good product.

This gift is perfect for my wife's office, which includes military and non-military employees. These are just fun to have, and they can be a good ice breaker, shout out, gift, or motivator to others around her because they are intricate and so well designed. These are not your average paper airplanes.

(320 pages)

Easy Cross-Stitch Pattern-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar by: Tamara Schmidt publisher: Accord, a division of Andrews McMeel Publishing released: 2007-09-01 ISBN: 1579393241 $14.99

You'll be on needles and threads throughout the year! With wonderful new designs each day AND the patterns to actually create them. Enjoy beautiful Cross Stitch Art and the thrill of knowing that you can stitch a new design every day, or simply save it for another day. Weekends include color symbol keys, stitch dimensions, final design sizes. Patterns include major grids, center marks. DMC Floss Color Key - updated for quick reference. Easy access date cards for daily and monthly reminders.

Easy Cross-Stitch Pattern-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar

I love this calendar. The patterns take a little more than a day to do but it has some really cute patterns.

The product come nicely packed in a standard Amazon packaging.
The box which holds the Cross-Stitch calendar can be folded as a display stand for the card calendar.
My girlfriend is loving this calendar.

For the past several years I've enjoyed my daily "easy" Cross-Stitch Pattern-a-Day calendars, but I've never done a single pattern.

why?

For one thing, they are extremely difficult to do. Computer generated, a typical design of 5" x 5" may require as many as 36 colors. The patterns are very hard to read - they are very small for the intricate detail they require. The one time I did an element from one of the designs, I took the pattern to a Kinko's and blew it up. Even a small teddy bear (2" x 2") that I loved took me a long time to do and over 12 different colors.

I still buy the calendars every year, though. I like the look of the designs and find the calendar an attractive addition to my desk.

(320 pages)

Beading Bead-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar by: Accord Publishing publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing released: 2007-08-01 ISBN: 1579393225 $14.99

This is the third year I have purchased this calendar. Everyday there is a new project, some for beginners, and some for advanced bead workers.
I would give this as a gift to any bead lover.

I was a disappointed with this calendar. I was expecting a 365 page a day thing with small individual daily projects. However, most of them are multi step projects that are several pages over several days. So far all I've seen are advanced crocheting and stitching projects, neither of which I like to do. Even if I did like those types of projects, the designs are hideously ugly and I would never make them. Another thing I don't like about this calendar is it's not bound like a regular calendar where you tear a page off. Instead all the pages are loose and fit inside a holder that the box turns into. The whole design is weird and I can't quite figure out how to keep the pages in there and organized properly.

It's only the beginning of February and I hate this calendar already!

I bought this calendar because I'm always on the lookout for new jewelry project ideas. So far, I'm disappointed. Don't be fooled by the pictures on the box. Those projects are few and far between; however, if you're a beadweaver, you're going to love this calendar. This is mostly a beadweaving calendar with a few other bead-jewelry projects interspersed among the peyote stitch, brick stitch, and similar items. I've peeked at pages that are still weeks ahead, and beadweaving is not just a January theme.

The title of the calendar is misleading...This is actually approximately three or four projects a week, with the instructions for each spread out over multiple days. This includes a couple of weeks devoted to foundation skills, also with the instructions spread out over several days. Since the foundation skills are already included on cards, I don't see the point of also having them repeated (the identical pages) within the calendar. I wish these calendar pages had been used for actual projects...Maybe projects that don't involve sewing seed beads into painful patterns.

If you love to sew your jewelry projects with a needle and lots of teeny-tiny beads, this is the calendar for you.

Beading Bead-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar

I received the 2007 version as a Christmas gift and was hooked from the beginning. You get 365 days of instructions, eye candy and wonderful projects. It's not just beading, there's wireworking, knitting and crocheting, applique, and even bead making. Something for everyone.

For your favorite beader - this is a must give gift!

Coming up with 365 beading ideas must be hard, but I was quite disappointed by some of the projects in the 2007 calendar (a peyote weave motorbike?!). The author's website is referenced a lot but on visiting it I found there wasn't much there. The calendar is a great idea - I hope it continues to improve.

(320 pages)

Quilling Design-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar by: Accord Publishing publisher: Accord, a division of Andrews McMeel Publishing released: 2007-09-01 ISBN: 1579393403 $14.99

I LOVE THIS IDEA. EACH PAGE COMES WITH ITS OWN PICTURE AND STRIPS TO QUILL. EACH ONE IS DIFFERENT, NO DUPLICATES. AND IT COMES WITH ITS OWN QUILL TOOL. FUN TO DO PROJECTS.

I got last year's version of this calendar and I really liked it. I have to say that honestly they've made some serious improvements this year. I love it! The paper is more sturdy so that the strips provided can actually be used for quilling and the designs (so far - I refuse to look ahead) are great with a ton of variety! This is a really fun thing for older children and craftsters alike! I like to use it to make unique earrings and such but the possiblities are pretty varied.

I am a little disapointed in the quality of the paper used for each project. Edges of the strips are not colored nicely so the project turns out pale. Great for beginners

I would have to echo the person who stated that the paper is very cheap. Not only that, the glue hardly sticks to it. As a beginner, the ideas are fine for someone just starting out, but I would have to advise anyone to buy regular quilling strips elsewhere and not use these. Had these papers been my very first attempt, I'd have gone crazy with frustration. The glue I have is excellent and works within seconds on the other papers; on these strips however, it simply will not work on the thin, slick surface. So if a beginner, I'd say use the sheets as a starting and practice point (but with better quality papers.)

This is a cute calendar with lots of ideas. So far (2 weeks into january) i haven't like any of the designs enough to try them out myself. I think about 5 of the 14 designs so far were for snowflakes.
Flipping through it, I would guess that only 25% or less of the designs appeal to me. If I had the chance to flip through all the designs before purchasing, I probably would not have gotten this.

(320 pages)

Knitting Pattern-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar by: Desiree Scales publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing released: 2007-08-01 ISBN: 1579393306 $14.99

A Calendar that markets itself as a "pattern-a-day" should be just that. In the past years, I've lived with having Saturday and Sunday combined - but this year's calendar often (more often than not?) spans several days. Last year I probably saved about 5 patterns a month for another look-through at the end of the year. So far this year (and it is now mid-March) I've only saved 4 patterns total.

Next year, can we please have one pattern each day (and yes, I'll give you a Sat/Sun combo)????

How many mp3 player covers do we need? Are we too stupid to figure out how to make them without a written pattern? Patterns are far too simple and simular patterns can be found free on the internet. What a total waste of money. Next year I'll just use the money to add to my yarn stash.

The patterns in here are ok, nothing fantastic. The one thing that annoys me is that they take one pattern, and use it for both Saturday and Sunday, instead of using the two part patterns for the weekends. And there are plenty of two parters. I probably wouldn't buy this next year. I might get the stitch n bitch one instead.

This calendar is well worth your money for you or your favorite knitter. Almost every day has a new pattern covering a wide range of interests. I am making the scrubbie cloth right now -- it's fun! What is bad about this calendar is at the end of the year, I have to keep it for all the cute projects.

The knitting patterns are sometimes interesting, sometimes not. There are too many "cutesy" patterns and not enough serious challenges for proficient knitters.

(24 pages)

Make Your Own Calendar 2008 by: Desiree Scales publisher: L,B Kids released: 2007-08-01 ISBN: 0316830453 $8.99

Make Your Own Calendar (R) is back for 2008! Each month features a space for kids to draw their own pictures, as well as stylish borders to color in and a sheet of 198 stickers for decorating each month and marking important days. Kids will love personalizing this calendar and kicking off the year in a big way!

My five year old son completed the 2007 calendar and really wanted the 2008 for Christmas. It's a great calendar for young kids - very engaging with lots of stickers for holidays and special events. It's a fun way to learn about time and the days of the week and months.

My 5-year old and I have been very happy with this calendar! It has about 200 stickers of holidays and special activity days you can put on with your child that we have had a lot of fun with (a lot more stickers than the Highlights calendar). It also has a blank month page every month for you to draw a picture, which is bordered by simple seasonal pictures and shapes to color in. Great fun!

This is a great calendar to use with my daughters. We have used it the last 2 years and starting our 3rd year. We practice writting letters, learning colors, days of the week and all the months, etc. It helps anticipate celebrations and events or when an activity will be over. The anxiety factor is really reduced for them. We use about 75% of the stickers. When we run out of certain stickers, we just write it in. It's also a why to preserve some artwork from each month we have done. Love it and gave it to several friends and family as a gift.

This is a great calendar. I have been buying them for the past six years for my kids. Each month my kids sit down and color the calendar page for the upcoming month. It is a great way to see the growth in your child's development. At the end of the year the calendar is a great keepsake because you can see the progress in each month's drawing. I really recommend this for a 2-6 yr old. My almost 8 yr old won't be getting one this Christmas because she has outgrown them, but my 4 yr old definately will. I also buy these for late in the year birthday party gifts- they are really cute!

My children love to draw the pictures for each month and enjoy using the calendar. They have just asked for these for the 3rd year in a row. With my kids, the calendars have been a big hit at ages 3-7 so far.

(320 pages)

Quilting Block & Pattern-a-Day: 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar by: Debbie Kratovil publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing released: 2007-08-01 ISBN: 1579393411 $14.99

This calendar offers great quilts, blocks, and inspiration. They have made many improvements since they first started putting this out. The only thing that I'd like to see added is actual templates for applique blocks.

Not as much instruction with the patterns as I had hoped but not bad for a calendar

I was given the 2006 version of this product by an Aunt and loved it. This year I was talking to a Quilt Buddy who enjoyed this product in the past so I surprised her with the 2008 version. She enjoys it and has it displayed on her desk at work it sure brightens up her day as she pulls up the new day's block. I bought one for myself also. It is fun to see what new block each day brings and it is a wonderful source of inspiration to help get out of your comfort zone of block making and try new blocks and techniques! There are great instructions and helpful hints and tips to help any Quilter advance their Quiltmaking skills.

This quilting block and pattern-a-day calendar for 2007 was a Christmas gift. When 2008 rolled around and the 2008 version was not under the Christmas tree, I missed it so much I had to buy it myself. There are many quilt patterns for both small and large quilts, one block on each day's page. So many ideas for designing original quilts. If you're a quilter (beginner or advanced) you'll surely enjoy studying the blocks and letting your imagination take over!

I purchased this for my sister, a quilter for many years. She absolutely adored it. Said it was the perfect gift. Full for fantastic ideas & reminders of past blocks. The color photos are absolutely beautiful.