Form and Function: Picture Frame turned Wet-Erase Calendar

Well, that might be my longest blog-post title yet!

I was not actually considering this as a “form and function” post until I started writing, when I realized it’s a perfect example. My home office is in what was probably built as a formal sitting room in our 1940 colonial. We have one full wall of bookshelves now, giving it a library sort of feel. I like to think of it as classy.

It’s also the pass-through from the entry to the kitchen, so it gets a lot of traffic. As such, Mr. Pax (ok, I can’t really blame it all on him… I think I agree on this one) really doesn’t want it to have a messy lived-in office feel. We want it to stay neat and interesting, not filled with papers and clutter. So I set about trying to find a calendar solution that was understated, and I ended up creating a sort-of companion piece to my instagram photo display frame.

It was easy to make (and free! using a frame and fabric I already had).

1) Cut a piece of drop cloth material (actually, any fabric or paper would work) the size of the frame. Tip: Use the backboard from the frame to trace the size on the fabric and then cut it out.

2) Close it up.

And yes, that is Gorilla Glue seeping out of those seems. Since we have paneling on the walls in that room, I chose to use 3M strips rather than a nail. Note to self: use enough strips… don’t try to skimp…

3) Use a ruler and black wet-erase marker to draw your calendar boxes.

4) Write in your weekly events. And yes, I color code mine to match my different calendars in iCal. Super nerd, right?!?!

5) Use a wet paper towel to wipe it clean each week. Tip: Don’t erase the black lines each week, just wipe around them. That gives you freedom to change the whole thing someday if you want, but keeps you from having to redo the straight lines every week.

I love it. I love the juxtaposition of the ornate frame and the mundane calendar tasks.

And I love how it looks so much lower than the instagram pic frame on the other side of my desk, which, incidentally, also makes in the perfect height to view while I’m working at my desk. Lovely form and function.