Sunday, 1 February 2026

February ❤️


Hi everyone, January has been and gone already, so it’s time for me to share the February page on my Lavinia calendar. Last year I did a very sweet and cute February page of loved up wintry hedgies, so this year I decided to go in a different direction with my steampunk heart, and the theme ‘key to my heart’. This is vaguely inspired by a Jo Rice design though it actually turned out very different!


I cut a piece of white Pink Frog super smooth card 19.5cm x 14.5 cm, then stamped and heat embossed the focal heart. I masked the heart then stamped and heat embossed an arrangement of cogs down one side. With the mask still in place I created a smooshed background by applying Blue Lagoon Elements ink to acetate, spritzing with water then dabbing onto the card. I stamped the wooden platforms and mice, then stamped the key and heat embossed in gold. I coloured the heart with Zig pens with gold Posca for the cogs, added Stabilo pencil and Posca white shading to the mice, then stamped a texture stamp in red around the edges. To finish I stamped the word ‘love’ from 3 different sentiment sets randomly onto the background, then matted the finished piece onto my calendar.

Stamps: Lavinia Heart (Large), Cog Set 2, Cog Set 3, Tilly and Tango, Basil and Bibi, Hobbit Door Accessories, Key (Small), Texture 2, Heartfelt Verses, The World Is Full of Beauty;
Media: Lavinia Elements ink (Blue Lagoon); Versafine Clair (Nocturne, Strawberry, Twilight); Kuretake Zig Clean Color watercolour pens; Versamark; clear and gold embossing powders; Sakura Stardust pen (yellow); Posca pens (white, gold); Stabilo pencil (white).

Challenges I would like to enter:

613 Avenue Create (February) - Anything Goes with option Animal Magic
Crafty Catz #706 - Anything Goes
Country View Crafts (February) - Hearts
Creative Moments #278 - Love and Romance
Dream Factory #146 - Love Actually
Heart’s Quest Challenge #82 - Anything Goes with a Heart, with option Red or Gold Heart


Inkspirational #360 - Word Prompt


Krafty Chicks #805 - Anything Goes with option Embossing - TOP PICKS
Simon says (Monday) - Have a Heart
Simon Says (Wednesday) - Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin’ - All You Need is Love
We Love 2 Create #1 2026 - Anything Mixed Media / Papercrafting Goes
Word Art Wednesday #736/737 - Anything Goes (3rd entry) 

I’ve still not been finding much time for crafting with everything that has been going on during the past month, but I hope things may be moving into calmer waters, so we’ll see what happens! 

Take care, and thanks for visiting.
Hugs,

21 comments:

Sarn said...

Lovely calendar page. xxx

crafty-stamper said...

Beautiful calendar page, love the fabulous embossed Steampunk heart.
Carol x

Chris said...

Wow! Love this - the Steampunk heart and cogs are a fantastic focal point for your beautifully stamped Calendar page.
Thanks for sharing at Sweet Stampin' and Crafty Catz.
Chris
x

Aquarius said...

This design is so apt for the February page of your calendar. Love those mice with the steampunk heart - a great combination.

ScrappyHorses said...

Ooh, loving the colors and that mouse with the key! Perfect for February. I always enjoy seeing your calendar pages. Thanks much for sharing with us at The Outlawz AbaC. Katrina

dj said...

Key to my heart....yes!! Way to go shopping your stash!! This card is perfect for our "Love Me Do" challenge over at Shopping Our Stash with those cute little mice holding the key to the heart!!
Deb Horst, DT #SOS566

Ellibelle said...

This turned out so beautifully, great mix of stamps for the wonderful grungy look! Love these mice, I can't believe I don't have them!!

Fiona said...

Gorgeous page Pauline - love the rich colours of that heart. I wasn't quick enough to get a new calendar this year so I'm reusing my old one from last year and just updating the months. It's going to last me years lol! Thanks for sharing with us at Pearly Sparkles

Sabra & Holly Gerdes said...

So beautiful! I love the little mice!

Barb Finnical said...

Pauline, this is a lovely calendar page. I love that you create your own each month. Those mice are adorable, and I love the turquoise blue around the heart. Thanks so much for playing along with us at Word Art Wednesday. We appreciate your participation!

Ink Outside The Box With Diane said...

So stunning! Spectacular project! Such a great theme and great colours. Love that you used the EMBOSSING twist. Such a pleasure having you join the Anything Goes challenge with Krafty Chicks this week.
Diane - DT KCC

EmmaT said...

Luvvvvvvvvvely february page, those mice are such fun

Deanne Saunders said...

Beautiful!!! Thanks so much for participating in our 613 AVENUE CREATE challenge!!! I appreciate that you play along and I enjoy visiting your blog!! Have a happy crafty day!! Deanne at A Little Bit O’ Paper

Deanne Saunders said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deanne Saunders said...

Me again!! Thanks so much, as well, for participating in my IF YOU GIVE A CRAFTER A COOKIE... challenge!!!

Wendy L said...

What a fabulous project, thank you for participating in the Outlawz ABAC Challenge, xx

Marlena M. said...

This is a beautiful piece of art Pauline; wow! Thank you for sharing with us at INk~

Becca Sadler, owner and manager of HQCB and FQCB said...

Fabulous February calendar art, Pauline!! How cute to have a mouse getting ready to open/unlock the heart!! My thoughts are thinking of sentiments could be: "gearing up for Valentine's Day" or "love drives our marriage" or "unlock my heart, sweetie"... Thanks for participating at Heart's Quest! -- Becca

Pamela said...

thank you for sharing this creation with is us at Heart's Quest Challenge! Hope to see you again!

ClaireB said...

What an amazing project! The mice are so cute too. Thanks for joining us at the Pearly Sparkles challenge this month Claire DT

Billie A said...

Awesome that you get to look at this creative fun page for the whole month. I love it. Thanks for sharing over at Crafty Catz