Keeping an open mind to what you can use a punch for, made quick work in creating my February Art Journal calendar in a bit of both scrapbook and art journal style.  Making things more artful isn’t hard!

Here is how this went together:

• I found a piece of red with white dot paper for the background.
• Used coordinating paper and cut letter out.
• Found the letters not only coordinated, they just blended in and faded away.
• Outlined the die cut letters with marker to make them stand out!  Much better!  Adhered the February title.
• Hand cut 3 hearts in different shapes from paper that looked like book text.  I didn’t want to use book text, because I wanted to make sure the paper was archival safe for this project.

• Added definition to the text hearts by using pastels on the edges with both a gray and red color. (Use what you have on hand for this step, inking will be just fine – just rub it on.) Note that this was purposefully not done neatly.

• More definition was added by just loosely outlining around and partially on the hearts, with a thin black marker
• Punched smaller hearts out of a white vellum card stock, and arranged them on page.
• Attached the vellum hearts in the corners with a glue dot.  Normally you want to be careful what you use to adhere vellum, because it can show through.  I used that to my advantage, and used it as the tiny spot to write my numbers for the days of the month.  Also, I decided that I would attach the hearts only in a single spot, in case I want to write under the heart.  That way, I have several options for journalling and can actually double my writing space if I need to!

• I outlined a couple of special days during the month, which are a holiday and a family birthday!

• I went in a put a dot of Crystal Effects on the upper left edge of each punched heart to give it a little more stability.  Those dots weren’t dry when I took the photos, so they really don’t show up.  It will be a nice little shiny accent for each day!
• Done!  Although I realized I forgot to put the year.  However, don’t you think if it is sandwiched in with a bunch of other months from the same year it will be okay?  I may add the year, I may not.  Oh, maybe I’ll just use a date stamp!

If you make a calendar page, please come share it with us over at our Artful Adventures Facebook Group!

Here are some supplies you can pick up over at my Stampin’Up! store.

Heart Punch – #119883

First Edition Specialty Paper – #121878  (Also used on this project)

White Vellum Cardstock – #101856

Glue Dots  – #103683

Stamp Sponges – #101610

Ink Pads

Basic Gray – #126979

Real Red – #126949

White uni-ball Signo Gell Pen – #105021

Crystal Effects – #101055

Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die Set – #127553

Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine – #113439