updated on Creative Time DIY Projects

Make a Paper Calendar Wheel for the New Year

image of a colorful calendar wheel with blue and white clouds painted on top and handpainted vegetables peeking through the openings in the wheel

Spin your way into the new year with a handmade paper calendar wheel. Move the dial each month to see dates for the moon cycle, astrological sign, and what foods are in season. This project includes beautiful, hand-painted artwork for you to easily print out, cut, and assemble. To make this wheel extra nice, laminate each page before cutting, or glue the pages to cardstock.

Materials

image of materials needed to make a paper calendar wheel such as paper printouts of artwork, scissors, small brads, x-acto knife and cutting mat
Download the PDF here
  • Print outs of the 2-page PDF
  • Scissors
  • Pinking shears (optional)
  • X-acto knife
  • Cutting mat
  • Brad paper fastener
  • Laminator or glue stick and cardstock (optional)

How to Make a Paper Calendar Wheel

  1. Cut out the colorful base wheel. Use pinking shears and stay as close to the outside gray outline as possible. Otherwise use regular scissors and cut on the gray outline.
  2. Cut the center hole with the X-acto. Only cut it as large as your brad is wide so it doesn’t wiggle.
  3. Cut out the cloud patterned top wheel. Use scissors and cut on the outside gray outline.
  4. Cut out all the gray shapes with the X-acto. You should have six windows and a notch for the month. Cut the center hole as described above.image of two colorfully painted circles to assemble a calendar wheel
  5. Attach the two layers together with the brad.

Cleo Papanikolas is a painter, author, and educator. Her daily practice classes on Creativebug are Painting Repeat Patterns By Hand: A Daily Practice and Learn to Paint with Gouache: A Daily Practice in Questions and Answers . You can find more of her printable crafts on her website, and while you are there, take a look at her Patreon scarf club.