Perfect 1st Anniversary Paper Gift

Jessie just received her anniversary gift, and she loved it!  
Now it's safe to publish this post...

I just love it when Ian is home from work.  Not only did I have time to finish some crafty odds and ends, but I am actually sitting, feet up, coffee nearby (still hot), and am blogging from the couch...watching Disney because I can't reach the remote...while daddy feeds little Denver. Love today!

April 8 was my sister's one year anniversary and since one year is paper, and I just loved this calendar idea from Design Sponge that I found on Pinterest, I knew exactly what to give Jessie and Brian!  I made one for myself, but I definitely like the way that theirs came out better...it's more personal, as you'll see.

Kate Pruitt @ Design Sponge

First, I bought the largest index cards I could find and cut them in half. Easy. Then I bought a date stamp.  This was super cheap at Staples and since I plan on making lots of these perpetual calendars, I cut off the year band of the stamp so that only the month and date remained. Then I stamped each card with a date until I had 365 cards.

Quick story, because with all of the bad out there, you hardly ever hear about people who do good: A few weeks ago when Ian and I went antiquing, I saw used, wooden, fruit containers that would be perfect for my calendar. There were four tied together with some ribbon. I can't remember how much they were so I don't want to exaggerate the price, but I remember thinking, I can't spend that on those! So I thought I would continue my search for another perfect container...but none existed. I couldn't stop thinking about the overpriced fruit boxes. I had to have them. Trouble was, I couldn't remember if I saw them at the first or second stop. We went to one of the two antique shops...I rushed in as if there was a run on used fruit boxes! I asked the woman if she had any in the shop and explained the story about how there were four used fruit boxes, tied together with ribbon, but that I couldn't remember if I saw them at her shop or the one up the street.  Much to my disappointment, she said she did not have the containers.  She was asking me all kinds of questions, like what i wanted them for and how they were sold at the other store...i got the impression she was fishing for ideas.  Then she disappeared.  So, Ian and I did a quick walk-about to see if any new gems had come in. The woman found me as we were leaving and had six of my fruit containers! She said she was shocked that anyone would charge for them, let alone charge such a ridiculous price! So she gave them to me, for free dollars! All she asked was that I come back to show her the finished project.  Deal! See, good people really do exist!

Anyway, back to it.  I had the perfect containers...now I needed postcards to divide each month.  For my own calendar, I bought a lot of vintage postcards on eBay. I didn't care where they were from. I was just interested in color.  But for my sister's I wanted something more special.  Her husband collects vintage postcards from the New Jersey Shore...that's where we are from and they still live there.  So back to the antique store I went! I picked out 12 beautiful Jersey Shore post cards.  It's like two gifts in one! And it really brings home the paper anniversary theme.

Finally, I wrote some instructions...in case index cards in a box don't make sense.

I wrapped up the entire package in baking twine...it was such a nice touch in the original Pinterest find that I couldn't resist! 

I made them a card...yep, more paper! I also used the baking twine for some extra pizazz. It's so charming...and when I buy a new craft toy, I can't help but overuse it.

So, I packaged it up and stuck it in the mail.  I was a little nervous about the presentation upon arrival, but it is what it is.

HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY JESSIE & BRIAN!