Anything but Perfect

{Free Printable} September 2012 Calendar

AC — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:21:41 +0000

For those who plan far in advance, here is the September 2012 calendar!

Charlie thinks school is cool!

Free printable

For best results with downloading/printing, please use the latest version of Adobe Reader. Additional printing tips here.

The calendars are free for personal use only. Please do not remove the copyright info and/or alter the original illustrations or design. Full terms of use here.

► Click here to view all 2012 monthly calendars ◄

Why Anything but Perfect?

AC — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:14:50 +0000

I’m often asked why I chose the name “Anything but Perfect”, so here’s a little insight on that. I’ll try to make it quick :) …

Since the start of this website, the direction has changed a bit and I’m definitely happy with it. However, when I’m asked why I went with a design name that may be interpreted as a “negative”, I sometimes get an itch to change it. Then hubby tags me with the reality stick, reminding me of what a complete name rebranding entails and the fact that this name really does fit me. (He’s right, it does!)

I chose “Anything but Perfect” as an expression of humilty. It’s a nod to the fact that despite all of the OCD/perfectionist tendencies, that I’m still anything but perfect and that is okay! The name makes me laugh at myself and not always sweat the small stuff in life.

Besides, “ROCK YOUR FACE OFF Designs” was already taken ;D

{Free Printable} Love Pals To Do Lists

AC — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:17:16 +0000

I use to do lists all day long, to jot down quick reminders, things I need to buy, design ideas, wants/wishes, you name it! Been lovin’ these wintery cuties, but I’m so ready for spring!

Since spring is not quite here yet, let’s switch in some love-themed lists first. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any day really!

Love Pals to keep you on task

These lists are “new and improved”! I made them slightly larger this time and changed up the design just a tiny bit. Bigger is better, right?! … Or is that only in Texas?

Free printable

Click here to download

Hooray for listmaking!

{Etsy Shop} Fitness and Food Log Set

AC — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:58:08 +0000

A DONUT working out and eating healthy? Why yes! Don’t you just love the irony of it all?

Sprinkle Donut

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ETSY LISTING

{Free Printable} Love Signs Digital Art

AC — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:18:02 +0000

Is it February yet? I started decorating for Valentine’s Day kinda early (like right after New Year’s!). Unfortunately, I didn’t have as many Valentine decorations as I thought I had. So I created a couple new prints to spiffy up the place.

Ombre Hearts

I also realized it was time to update the “FREE GIFT” tab on the ABP Facebook page!

ABP FB Fan Exclusive

There’s two prints, one is ombre hearts and the other is a LOVE design (with peace sign).

TO UNLOCK THE DOWNLOAD:

Go to the ABP Facebook Page.
On the left-hand column, click the FREE GIFT tab.
“Like” us (if you haven’t already).
Click the image to download the ZIP file.

The ZIP file contains one 8.5×11 PDF file with both prints in 5×7 format. It also contains both prints in JPG format (300dpi). Use the PDF file for quick/easy at home printing. The JPG format is for printing through a photo lab and/or resizing to your desire.

I need to pick up a 16×20 poster of the LOVE design from Walgreens today. It will be going on the mantel in the playroom, where I will subject my boys (I’m the only female in the house) to tons of pink/valentine foofiness. (Yeah, that’s not even a real word.)

Thank you so much for supporting me on FB!

{Free Printable} Monthly Dinner Menu Planner

AC — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:18:27 +0000

On the weekends I try to put aside custom orders to focus on other tasks. (Uh, like maybe the housework I neglected all week?) … What? NAH!!! ;)

During this time, I also try to fit in personal designs and ABP freebies. I try to prioritize by the most requested, but sometimes I just do whatever I fancy at that moment. The key is for it to be relaxing and fun, not “work”. Right?

A dinner version of the Week Day Lunch Menu Planner has been a popular request!

Plan those dinners out monthly!

We don’t usually plan out dinners a whole month at a time. But maybe if I start doing it this way, I’ll be less stumped/stressed during weekly shopping trips. It will help to see what we already ate last week too, because meal burnout is no fun! It could help with sale items/stocking up too. Hmm… maybe I should start writing this in pencil!

Free printable

Click here to download

BTW, we ARE having fajitas tonight and I just realized I forgot to get cilantro. RATS! I was planning to be a scrub today and not leave the house, but fajitas just aren’t the same without that tasty cilantro! Glad I remembered the habanero pepper!

{Free Printable} August 2012 Calendar

AC — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:39:37 +0000

The theme for the August 2012 calendar came from my Aunt, who was brainstorming with me the other night. We tossed around a few ideas, but nothing really struck me. When she texted me later and said “How about a Farmers Market?”, I took it and ran! Below is the concept drawing I came up with. I like that it’s a little different than usual, but there’s still a little cutie (or two) thrown in there! Can you spot the stowaway?

There's a stowaway in the banana crate!

I had to resist the urge to put a cute little face on every single piece of fruit or vegetable. Even my 5-year-old, who was looking over my shoulder while I created this, told me not to go crazy with the faces. Hah!

Free printable calendar

Click here to download

For best results with downloading/printing, please use the latest version of Adobe Reader. Additional printing tips here.

The calendars are free for personal use only. Please do not remove the copyright info and/or alter the original illustrations or design. Full terms of use here.

► Click here to view all 2012 monthly calendars ◄

Maybe this will inspire me to eat more healthy… well, during the month of August at least!

{Free Printable} July 2012 Calendar

AC — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:23:44 +0000

Just finished the July 2012 calendar and I’m so excited to publish it, because I think this might be one of my favorites! Just looking at it makes me happy and warm inside! Watch out, the ants are crashing your 4th of July picnic! …

Stealing your lunch!

Free printable calendar

Click here to download

For best results with downloading/printing, please use the latest version of Adobe Reader. Additional printing tips here.

The calendars are free for personal use only. Please do not remove the copyright info and/or alter the original illustrations or design. Full terms of use here.

► Click here to view all 2012 monthly calendars ◄

Hmm, now I’m craving a really good hotdog!

New ABP site design & branding

AC — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:50:47 +0000

After many months of designing, testing, tweaking (and sometimes cursing at my monitor), I’m happy to finally push the button on the new site design and branding for AnythingbutPerfect.com!

ABP gets a facelift!

I wanted a more streamlined look, but didn’t want to deviate from the cute factor, because cuteness is how I roll. I also wanted the content to be easier/faster to navigate and sort through.

Now, when you visit the main page, instead of seeing full posts, you’ll see the latest full post and a grid view with a thumbnail/excerpt of each subsequent post. This makes finding (and clicking on) the posts that interest you much faster.

ABP Mushrooms

With the new branding, we have a few new mascots! The mushroom guys are probably my favorite though.

Here are several other new features that I’m excited about:

2012 Calendar Repository – view all available calendars at once.
Free Printables Gallery – view all free printables by image thumbnail.
FAQ Page – centralized FAQ with common questions in dropdown format.
Terms of Use Page – defined terms/restrictions for ABP freebies.
Custom Order Form – will be published once the design queue reopens.
Navigation bar – improved navigation bar with dropdown child pages.

Dropdown navigation

My Etsy Shop, Facebook and Twitter pages all have the new branding too.

I hope these new site changes help to make your visit here more pleasant. Thank you so much for supporting me!

Happy Birthday Label Set {Exclusive Free Printable}

AC — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:09:03 +0000

Yowza! Those cool cats at World Label enlisted me to design another printable label set for them. This Retro Happy Birthday set is now available for exclusive download on their blog!

Exclusive Free Printable

This set contains everything you need to send personalized birthday greetings, with a hip and colorful theme!

As always, World Label has worked their magic with those nifty editable text fields. You’ll be able to edit the font selection, size, color and alignment, to add your personal touch to every item in this set. How AWESOME is that?!

Now get on over there and start downloading!

P.S. While you’re at it, snoop around their blog for LOTS more free printable labels designed by some fabulous illustrators.

{Free Printable} June 2012 Calendar

AC — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:51:28 +0000

When I started to think of a theme for the June 2012 calendar, I knew I wanted to do something with popsicles. I wanted them to be super cool characters though! Thus, “The Rocksicles” were born!

Rockstar popsicles!

Free printable

Click here to download

For best results with downloading/printing, please use the latest version of Adobe Reader. Additional printing tips here.

The calendars are free for personal use only. Please do not remove the copyright info and/or alter the original illustrations or design. Full terms of use here.

► Click here to view all 2012 monthly calendars ◄

That’s half the year posted! I’m being asked all the time when the rest of the year will be posted. I’m so excited that people are anxious to download these calendars, but I’ll be taking a break from calendar creations for at least a few weeks. I have so much custom design work to catch up on still!

The holidays were a nice break, but it’s nose to the grindstone now. Here’s to a super productive, organized and quality-filled 2012!

{Free Printable} 2012 New Year Subway Art

AC — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:29:40 +0000

Remember this from last year? I’ve received many requests for a 2012 version, so I took the 2011 print and tweaked it some.

2012 New Year Subway Art

I’m liking the new font selections and there’s also a few more color options this time around.

Free printable

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS:

TROPICAL – The original
PRECIOUS METALS – Gold, bronze and silver
BERRIES – Reds and purples
FOREST – Greens and browns
COTTON CANDY – Pastels
OCEAN – Blues and aquas

I’m so ready for a new year! In fact, I wanted to start taking down all the Christmas decorations already and start putting back the normal decor. Talk about impatient!

{Free Printable} Zebra Diva Holiday Gift Tags

AC — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:12:59 +0000

As I was gift wrapping, I realized I really needed some GIRLY gift tags. Specifically, I had a few gifts that I put inside these adorable zebra print boxes, found at Hobby Lobby.

Zebra Diva Gift Tags

So I created some zebralicious tags to match. I think my favorite is the pink zebra print! Tie on some black tulle and there you have one cute gift!

Free printable

Click here to download

If you’re still wrapping your gifts, I hope you can use these as well!

{Free Printable} Skull & Hollybones Treat Bag Toppers

AC — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:06:07 +0000

The Skull & Hollybones Gift Tags were great, but I had several $15 iTunes gift cards that I wanted to wrap up without making a big production of it. Meaning, I didn’t want to get a greeting card and/or use a gift card box. Matching treat bag toppers came to mind!

A Rockin' Treat Bag Topper

Throw in some candy (I also put in a candy bar with one of my holiday wrappers) and voila! Instant, cool and easy way to give a simple gift card.

Free printable

Click here to download

These treat bag toppers are sized to fit 5″ wide cellophane bags.

{Free Printable} Skull & Hollybones Gift Tags

AC — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:32:39 +0000

Are you a perfectionist when it comes to gift wrapping? Or do you just slap a bow on it and call it done? When I’m giving a gift, any ol’ gift tag just won’t do! It has to match the packaging, the colors and the theme. LOL, I’m a total nerd, I know!

This gift is for my brother-in-law, who happens to be young and hip. We’re giving him a gift card, but I didn’t want to just place it in a Christmas card. BOR-ING! So I found these cool 80′s-looking metal tins at the dollar store. It not only fit the gift card, but some wrapped chocolates too. I tied it up with some cool skull & crossbones ribbon (leftover from Halloween). Very rock n’roll, but then I needed a cool tag to match it. So I made one!

Skull and Hollybones!

I think these tags would be great for hipsters, young and old. I hope you can get some use out of them too!

Free printable

Click here to download

*Sigh*, back to work! I can see that this gift wrapping process of mine is going to be very SLOW.