December Calendar Free Download

I enter the last month of the year with excitement and anxiety all at once. December is the month where I'd love to finish all the things that I had planned back in January, a time to tie all the loose ends, but it is also a month with lots of expectation, preparation for the holidays, family gatherings, presents to buy. I wish I could slow down this time of year to just enjoy the season and savour the Christmas spirit. But it takes a lot of self discipline to say "no" to things and avoid being hit by the Christmas craziness.

I hope you've enjoyed my monthly planner and I'm hoping to create something similar for next year (talking about things I'd love to do in December!).

Enjoy the holidays, and thanks for stopping by.

Happy December!

November Calendar Free Download

And so come November! We start the month here in Italy with a public holiday called All Saint's Day. I don't recall any particular tradition while growing up, except we were home from school and work and  we would have a big family lunch. Nowadays, my kids are more into Halloween as they get to dress up and eats candy and chocolate. But I'm hoping to bring some kind of family tradition for the day this year.

But past the holiday, we tend to start thinking about Christmas already, which is both exciting and stressful at the same time. We also have two family birthdays coming up which require planning and preparation.

So this year I'm making a conscious effort to live the month of November day by day, not making the Christmas/birthday rush getting the best of me and enjoy the small things everyday.

I have a little project coming up for this month which is getting me excited. I will tell you all about it in the next few week....it will involve little time and trees, so stay tuned.

In the meantime enjoy the calm of November before the December storm hits!
(click on the image below to download)

October Calendar Free Download

We are slowly moving into autumn, savouring these last warm days, spending time outdoor as much as we can, changing our weekly menu to add more soups and comfort food, enrolling into after school activities and attending birthday parties. It's almost time to bring out jumpers and blankets, time for afternoon teas and apple cakes, time for slowing down after a fast going summer and a hectic back to school. I'm starting to like this season, even if it means shorter days and cool mornings.

What are your plans for this month? Hope something exciting!

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September Calendar Free Download

September is like a new beginning. We had a long summer this year and getting back into a routine feels like an hopeless task. The new school year is just around the corner with Vale starting kindergarten and Olivia primary school; needless to say their approach to school is completely different, if not the opposite. I'm back at work this week, but I feel as I would need a few extra days to reconnect with myself and my home, which are both upside down at the moment. 

Endless to-do lists are in order, as well as strategic planning.

Hope you are having a slow "back to school" time and enjoying the last of these long days.

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August Calendar Free Download + some photos

We are in the midst of summer, along with school holidays, high temperatures, afternoon naps, al fresco dining, water games and biking rides. Yet, we have to wait a few more days for our family holidays to begin.

In the meantime, we start the month celebrating my 3 year old birthday and savoring the memories July has brought.

Happy August!

Click on the image below to download the monthly calendar. 

July Calendar Free Download

July is the middle month. It sits between the excitement of June, with the beginning of summer and the end of the school year, and the freedom of August, with the family holidays and lazy days on the beach. It's the month with lots of plans, weekends away, holidays prep and anticipation. It's the month where the usual family routine feels a distant memory and the unscheduled holidays activities are still  far away. It's the start of the second half of the year, and Christmas feels already around the corner.

Wishing you a wonderful month; hoping the weather will be temperate and not too hot!

Click on the image below to download the monthly calendar. 

Monthly News and June Calendar Free Download

Summer is around the corner, and although we are eagerly waiting for beach days and mountains hikes, the holiday season is still far away.

We are slowly changing our daily routine, adding more outdoor activities, lots of ice creams, pic nics and, much to our dismay, a later bedtime (it's difficult for the kids to go to bed when there's still light outside!).

I'm carrying on with my #100daysofwildflowers project on Instagram, even though I'm a bit behind. I'm learning a lot about wild plants, to take notes and to identify different species.

My perpetual nature journal is being filled every week, slowly transitioning from wildflowers to wild grasses as the temperatures become higher and the rain disappears.

Our balcony garden is slowly, very slowly, growing. Unfortunately we have a north facing balcony, so the plants don't get much direct sun, and are in the shade for most of the day. Nonetheless, the kids are excited to check on the plants and water them every day after school.  

I've finally made an attempt at making elderflowers syrup. I've discovered it about two years ago, somewhere on the internet, and have been obsessed ever since. This year I finally picked the right time for harvesting the flower heads. 
This is the recipe I used, which was adapted from an infinite amount of online recipes:
50 flower heads
3 lemons (sliced)
2 litres hot water
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 kg white sugar
Pour the hot water into a bowl (I used an alluminium pan with lid) with the elderflower blossoms, the lemon slices, the vinegar and 200g of sugar. Stir gently, cover and leave it for 3 days.
Strain the syrup, add the remaining sugar and bring back to a boil. Pour the hot syrup into sterilized jars or bottles, and carefully close the lid.
The syrup can be stored in a dry cool place up to a year, or in the freezer. Once opened, it can be stored in the refrigerator for about a month. 
I'm planning popsicles, aromatic cold teas and fizzy drinks!

How are you getting ready for the coming summer months?

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May Calendar Free Download

May has arrived in the blink of an eye, leaving behind April's holidays, chicken pox and the initial stage of new projects. Summer is slowly making its way with warmer temperatures, short sleeves and longer days. I don't have too many things planned for the month ahead, just keeping up with the things I've got on my table feels enough.  Enjoying the outdoors, caring for our balcony garden, carrying on with my #100daysofwildflowers, eating ice creams after school seem to be just right! 

Have you got any exciting plans for this month?

Click on the image below to download.

April Calendar Free Download

    

Welcome to April! It's probably my favourite time of the year. It's the first full month of spring, the days are longer, temperatures are just about right, nature is at its best. And is also my birthday month. My new day job is not leaving me with much time to paint, as I hoped, but I'm doing my best. My perpetual nature journal is being filled in every week, my current everyday sketchbook is coming to its last few pages and I'm a bout to embark on the "100 day project" (you can read about last year's challenge here). 

 Hope April brings you lots of beautiful and happy moments!
 Click on the image below to download.

March Calendar Free Download

March starts the beginning of a new phase of my life. A new day job, which means lots of adjustments, lots of planning and lots of work trying to find a new balance. Our family routine hasn't been shaken up too much, but surely my daily rhythm has had a sharp turning point. Sitting at my desk to paint daily is going be a distant memory, nonetheless I'm planning to carve out time to create, anytime, anywhere I can.   

Digging out my pen and brush while out and about with the family during the weekend will be on my wish list. And I'm surely will be carrying my painting travel kit everywhere.

Bedtime doodles is another option, less viable as I'm not a night owl and I find working after the kids are asleep almost impossible. But a late afternoon coffee could be of help!

 I love sketching in the car before and after work. It's becoming my favourite quiet and creative time.

And maybe doing a bit of planning and research during my lunch break could help making the most of my free time. Life with kids and a day job is hard, but fulfilling nonetheless.

Enjoy your free monthly calendar and happy March everyone! Spring is on its way.
Click on the image below to download.

February News and Calendar Free Download

I feel like we had the longest January ever! The Christmas holidays are by now a long distance memory and we are already longing for the first signs of spring.

I have been busy painting lately; the more I do it, the less I feel the pressure to make a masterpiece everytime I pick up a brush. My preferred subjects are dried leaves and small branches; anything that doesn't tilt or fade overnight. And I'm getting obsessed with olive green!

I have also started an annual perpetual nature journal. It is a simple concept that doesn't require too much energy and most of all doesn't have to be completed in a year. Basically you take a blank journal, I'm using Stillman and Birn Zata Series, and date the first page to represent the first week of January (Jan 1-7). Then continue dating the pages to represent each week until you get back to January. Each week you put an entry, it could be a sketch, a painting, some notes, and carry on to the following year by turning the journal to the current week and entering a new drawing.

I'm currently working on a new website and shop, which I'm hoping to launch by the end of the month. Fingers crossed I don't get swamped by too much coding.

Enjoy your free monthly calendar. Click on the image below to download.