A DIY Weather Resistant Garden Calendar

We are marching towards spring and it will be knocking at our windows and blowing the backporch chimes before long now! In our DIY gardening series, we've been tackling various chores to push the season as early as possible, but today we are going to focus on the future. Not the distant future, but simply the future of the planting season this year. Are you ready?

With garden planning on my mind, I decided to come up with a better version of my planting calendar that I've been using for the past few years. I typically just use one of those free calendars that come in the mail and jot down when seeds are planted, when the first blooms appear, etc. The problem with those paper calendars is that they die a quick death anywhere near garden soil, sand, water and sun.

The solution? A little backbone! Join me today as I show you how to make a prettier, hardier garden calendar!

First things first, you need something tough, strong, square (or rectangular) and wooden. I chose to pick up an as-is cabinet door at IKEA for $1. You could check there, or visit your local lumberyard for some scrap wood. Basically, you are looking for a piece of wood several inches wider than your calendar.

You will also need:

Consumer Crafts Calendar Base
Scrapbooking Paper (I used this collection by Martha Stewart)
Mod Podge - this hard coat works really well for this project
Brush (Mod Podge or otherwise...any brush will work!)
Pretty Pens - These golden sharpies worked well!
Break out that leftover scrapbooking paper and line it up with the sides of your piece of wood. Measure and trim where needed.

My little trick is to simply slide my thumb down the straight edge to make a fold and then cut on that fold for the perfect line.

Once your paper is measured and the wood is clean and dry, apply a coat of modpodge

under the paper and then on top of it as well. Add a second coat if necessary.

I decided to use a couple different coordinating papers on the wood, but feel free to use one or several. Just make sure you are liberal with the mod podge at any seems and corners without leaving clumps of the adhesive in any spots. Once the background paper dries, you can then attach your calendar base. There is a little plastic tab at the back of the calendar. Simply hot glue that plastic to the wooden base and allow it to fully dry.

To further customize the calendar, I cut out the shape of the "header" where the name of the month was in coordinating scrapbook paper. Then simply stamp, write or add vinyl lettering to finish off the titling.

When it is all said and done, this calendar is tougher than my old, shaggy ones and feels right at home in my girly garden shed. Now it is time to start sowing those seeds! Let's break out the swiss chard and spinach! Hail the poppy seed and sunflower starters! Let's get growing!