Origami and Paper Folding Desk Calendars 2017

If you're new to the world of daily or page-a-day desktop style calendars, I'll explain more about what they are and, more importantly, aren't.

Basically they are nothing like a conventional calendar at all: you can't use them to record your schedule either daily, weekly or monthly, you can't make notes on them and you can't flip them over like spiral-bound desk designs. So they're not for organizational purposes at all - just to be clear on that.

Instead, they present a novel way to countdown the days as the year progresses. And some of the calendars, like these origami and paper folding examples, are really fun because you get daily (or almost daily) activities to enjoy completing.

I like the Easy Origami Fold-a-Day Calendar with Jeff Cole - some people prefer the one by Margaret Van Sicklen. Actually I'd be happy receiving either or even both! The name is a tad misleading because, while there are things to fold on most days, there are some days like the weekends which have no paper pieces to fold but you have to read something instead or some weekends where you have a project that might take a little longer.

So the name 'fold-a-day' is not strictly correct but I don't think that should prevent you from purchasing this for yourself or for someone else as a Christmas or other gift. I think the projects are lots of fun to sit and make in the mornings or whenever you have some down-time. They have a great variety of little folding patterns and good instructions included too.

For me, I look forward to sitting down to work in my home office every Monday through Friday and having a novel and fun little paper craft project to create every day. It just really starts the day on a good note.

The sense of completion when I finish a folding pattern is really good and puts me in a 'I can do this' frame of mind before I even get on with my real work. For creative types, they're a brilliant idea and I recommend you try one.

When you get the box, you can fold the card of the box back to make it into a stand for your desk or to place somewhere where you will use it. The stand is angled back so all the papers sit neatly inside and the box is not easy to knock over - it stands firmly on a flat surface.

Most of the projects in the box are aimed at beginners or people like me with a bit more experience with some of the folding diagrams starting out ridiculously easy but progressively getting harder through the box.

Older children who are already used to doing origami and who understand the folding symbols could do it and adults who are complete beginners could do this set. You will see some more great ideas for fun calendars below too.

You get explanations of what the folding symbols mean which is really necessary for complete beginners. You get cards showing you popular base folding diagrams - many origami designs require knowledge of a standard 'base fold' to complete first before completing the rest of the folds for a design and these instructions are included.

You get colored and patterned standard sized 6x6 origami sheets of paper which you can use or you can use your own paper instead. I prefer to use my own paper because instructions are printed on the reverse of the printed papers - so to keep all the instructions in my daily calendar set pristine, I use my own papers instead.

I hope you've enjoyed reading my wizzles page today, thanks for your visit. Anyone who enjoys paper crafts and novel little puzzles (because that's what these are when it boils down to it) should also really enjoy having a go at doing a box set like this - and it will last a whole year too!