How to Create Your Own Calendar Layout

Make your own calendar.

Whether you can't find a calendar to match your room's theme or just prefer to make your own, you can create one at home. Use Microsoft Word, included with your computer's Office Suite, to take advantage of the software program's pre-set layouts and designs, which you can then customize with your own pictures and colors. Make calendars featuring your vacation photos, pet pictures or drawings, all with just a few quick clicks on the computer.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Word
• 12 digital images (optional)

Instructions

1. Open Microsoft Word, and click "File," then "New." When the "New Document" task pane opens, click the "On my computer" link.

2. Click the "Other Documents" tab, and then click "Calendar Wizard." Step through the process of the wizard; you just need to get the calendar framework and can change the designs and colors next. Choose the correct calendar year.

3. Click through the pages of the calendar on the screen. To change an image, right-click it, and select "Change Picture." Click the "From File" link, and then browse to an area on your computer where you have a picture saved for the calendar, and double-click it to insert it in place. Repeat for all calendar pictures.

4. Double-click a design element, such as a graphics separator bar and change the color on the "Colors and Lines" tab by pulling down the menu and selecting a new color. Click the "Fill Effects" link to choose from designs such as tie-dye, rainbow or sunbursts, or select a texture such as grass or brick wall.

5. Click within a calendar date and press the "Enter" key. Select a font, size and color from the text toolbar at the top of the page, and then type a family birthday or special holiday to remember on the date. Click through the pages of the calendar and add more dates as preferred.

Tips & Warnings

• You can create calendars in other software programs. Depending on your installation of the Microsoft Office Suite, you may have the Publisher design and layout program, which comes with a number of preset calendar designs. You can also create calendars in Photoshop, which is part of the Adobe Creative Suite, where you'll hand draw all the pieces of the calendar and may insert your own photographs and designs. You can also download templates from Microsoft Office for free to use for the calendar.

References

• Baycon Group: Microsoft Word Tutorial

Resources

• Microsoft: Calendar Templates