Months of the Year Ephemera Printables
Happy New Year! I’d like to kick off January with some free ephemera printables featuring the months of the year. Each month is accented by a lovely assortment of bird illustrations. The images come from a vintage book entitled, Through the Year with Birds and Poets by Sarah Williams. It was published in 1900 and also includes a collection of poems by various writers about the birds and seasons, though, I didn’t include any of the poems since the small print of those was too pixelated.
I feel like these are the perfect additions to a junk journal, bullet journal, or scrapbook to help chronicle your year. They can be used to make journal cards, and dividers, or add them as bullet journal embellishments. I kept thinking they could be used in your creative endeavors for the upcoming year, but it just occurred to me that they could also help break up and organize the work you created last year.
Scroll down, and you’ll find three different ephemera sheets. The first two printables are larger 2.5” x 4.25” images broken down into January-June and July-December. I also included a collage sheet of smaller 1.5” x 2.5” images that I think would be especially great as bullet journal accents. I’ve also included some ideas for journal themes and prompts.
If you like these, make sure you also visit the ephemera section of my library of free printables. And if you like using bird images in your mixed media collages, I have a great assortment of free vintage printables featuring birds.
2.5” x 4.25” January - June
Here are some monthly theme ideas for your junk journal, bullet journal, art journal, or scrapbook this year. I hope these inspire you to break up your journal in a unique and meaningful way for each month of the year. But remember, there are no rules when it comes to personal journaling, so let your creativity flow and find what works best for you.
January: Fresh Starts - Focus on goal setting, resolutions, and self-reflection.
February: Love & Gratitude - Celebrate loved ones, practice gratitude, or explore self-love.
March: Spring Awakening - Embrace nature, new beginnings, and personal growth.
April: Showers of Creativity - Explore different art forms, write poetry, or delve into creative projects.
May: Bloom & Flourish - Celebrate personal achievements, milestones, and moments of joy.
June: Summer Adventures - Document travel, outdoor activities, and carefree experiences.
July: Reflections & Rest - Take time for introspection, mindfulness, and mental health.
August: Back to School - Set learning goals, explore new skills, or document academic journeys.
September: Harvest & Abundance - Reflect on blessings, express gratitude, and celebrate successes.
October: Spooky Delights - Get creative with Halloween themes, scary stories, or fall festivities.
November: Cozy Comfort - Focus on self-care and warm feelings for the holidays.
December: Reflection & Celebration - Review the year, set intentions for the next, and celebrate with loved ones.
2.5” x 4.25” July - December
Here are a handful of challenges you might consider as you journal this year:
Monochrome Month: Pick a single color and use it in all its shades throughout the month.
Nature Photo Scavenger Hunt: Challenge yourself to capture specific nature elements (leaves, flowers, insects) each day.
Microcosm Month: Focus on a small space, like your desk, and document its details all month.
Gratitude Challenge: Write down one thing you're grateful for every day.
Dedicate each month to a different sense (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) and document experiences related to it.
Choose a word of the month and use it as inspiration for journal entries and doodles.
Create a monthly character or persona and write from their perspective.
Focus on a different emotion each month and explore it through journaling and art.
Use found objects (leaves, tickets, receipts) to inspire your monthly spreads.
1.5” x 2.5”
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: art journals, scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
