You know that feeling when you find a paper collection that just gets you? It’s rare. Usually, you see a pretty pattern, think "that's nice," and move on. But then there’s the Graphic 45 Children's Hour calendar montage. It isn't just paper. Honestly, it’s a time machine. If you’ve ever held a sheet of Graphic 45 in your hands, you know the weight is different. The ink smells different. It feels like something you found in your grandmother’s attic, tucked away in a cedar chest since 1920.
Most people see a calendar collection and think of a boring planner. Not this one.
The Children's Hour collection is basically the "Greatest Hits" of vintage childhood imagery. It’s nostalgic. It’s whimsical. And if we’re being real, it’s a bit of a challenge to cut into because the art is so balanced. You don't want to ruin the flow.
What’s the Deal with the Montage Sheet Anyway?
In every Graphic 45 calendar set, there’s usually a specific "Montage" or "Calendar Page" sheet. For the Children's Hour line, this is the Holy Grail. Why? Because it condenses an entire year of mood into a single 12x12 space.
Imagine 12 distinct blocks. Each one represents a month, but they aren't just dates. They are stories. January is all about that crisp, snowy isolation. February hits you with that Victorian Valentine's Day vibe—lots of lace, deep reds, and chubby cupids. By the time you get to the Graphic 45 Children's Hour calendar montage for October, you’re looking at these perfectly muted oranges and harvest greens that make you want to bake a pumpkin pie immediately.
The genius of the montage sheet is the scale.
The regular 12x12 signature pages are huge. They’re great for scrapbooking large photos. But the montage? That’s for the "fussy cutters." It’s for the people who spend three hours with a pair of micro-tip scissors and a cup of tea. Each month's imagery is scaled down to roughly a 3x4 or 4x6 size. This makes it the absolute perfect candidate for ATC (Artist Trading Cards) or pocket scrapbooking.
The Art of Fussy Cutting a Legend
If you aren't fussy cutting your Graphic 45, are you even crafting?
Seriously. The Graphic 45 Children's Hour calendar montage is designed for layers. Look at the May page. You’ve got these delicate floral borders and children playing in gardens. If you buy two sheets—which you should, always buy two—you can cut the figures out of the second sheet and foam-tape them onto the first.
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It creates this 3D shadow box effect that looks like you spent a week on it.
I’ve seen crafters take the December block and turn it into a standalone Christmas ornament. They cut out the little girl in the winter coat, mount it on chipboard, and suddenly it's a family heirloom. It’s that versatility that keeps this specific collection in high demand even years after its original release. Graphic 45 eventually did a "Collector’s Edition" because people were literally hoarding the original 2016 run.
Paper hoarding is real. We don't talk about it enough.
Why This Specific Collection Works Better Than Others
Let's talk about color palettes.
A lot of calendar collections feel disjointed. January is blue, July is red, and it feels like a rainbow threw up on your desk. Graphic 45 doesn't do that. They use a "creamy" base. Everything has this sepia-toned, aged parchment feel under the primary colors. Because of that, a layout using the Graphic 45 Children's Hour calendar montage feels cohesive even if you’re jumping from Spring to Winter.
- The Weight: It’s 80lb cover weight. It takes glue without warping.
- The Ink: It’s double-sided. The "B-side" of the montage sheet usually features a subtle, monochromatic pattern.
- The Versatility: You can use it for cards, tags, planners, or home decor.
Most scrapbooking paper is "disposable." You use it, you look at the photo, you put the book on a shelf. But there is something about the "Children’s Hour" imagery—based on those classic 19th-century illustrations—that makes it feel like actual art. You aren't just making a scrapbook; you're curating a gallery of vintage aesthetic.
Common Mistakes When Using the Montage Sheet
Don't just slap the whole 12x12 sheet on a background.
It’s tempting. I get it. It’s a beautiful grid. But it’s a waste of the paper’s potential. The biggest mistake I see is people being afraid to cut the "Calendar" headers off.
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Listen. If you want a calendar, buy a calendar at the gas station. If you want a masterpiece, cut those months apart. Use the January block on a winter birthday card. Use the August block for a summer "thinking of you" note.
Another tip: watch your edges.
Because the Graphic 45 Children's Hour calendar montage has so much detail near the borders of each block, a "clean cut" with a paper trimmer can sometimes feel too clinical. Try distressing the edges. Take a pair of scissors and scrape them along the side of the paper to fray it. Or better yet, use a Distress Ink (Vintage Photo is the gold standard here) to take the "white" off the cut edge. It blends the paper into your project so it looks like it grew there.
Where to Find It Now
Since this is an older collection, finding the original 12x12 loose sheets can be a hunt.
Check Etsy. Check small local scrapbooking shops that haven't cleared out their backstock. But your best bet is the "Children's Hour Collector's Edition" pack. Graphic 45 released this specifically because the fans wouldn't stop asking for it. The pack usually includes two of each sheet—including the montage—and a sticker sheet.
It’s a better value. Plus, you get those stickers, which, honestly, are great for sealing envelopes or adding a tiny bit of height to a card.
Making a "Perpetual" Project
One of the coolest things I've seen done with the Graphic 45 Children's Hour calendar montage is a perpetual flip-book.
Instead of making a 2024 or 2025 calendar, you use the imagery to create a birthday tracker. Since the art is timeless—kids playing with hoops, picking flowers, building snowmen—it never goes out of style. You create twelve heavy cardstock pages, glue the corresponding month from the montage onto each, and write down birthdays that stay the same every year.
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It becomes a piece of home decor. You put it on a little easel in the kitchen.
Every month, you flip the page and see a new piece of that Children's Hour magic. It’s a way to keep the paper "alive" instead of burying it in an album that only gets opened once every three years.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Project
If you’ve got a sheet of this paper sitting in your "too pretty to use" stash, it’s time to pull it out. Here is how to actually use it without feeling "crafter's remorse."
Start with the fussy cutting. Grab a pair of fine-tip scissors and cut out just one element from the month you're currently in. If it’s April, cut out the child with the umbrella. This breaks the "perfect sheet" spell and forces you to start creating.
Invest in some foam dots. The Graphic 45 Children's Hour calendar montage lives for dimension. Pop up the main figures. It changes the way light hits the paper and makes the vintage colors pop.
Ink the edges. Don't leave those raw white paper edges showing. Use a warm brown ink to give it that "found in a trunk" look that Graphic 45 is famous for.
Mix your media. Don't just use paper. Add some stained ribbon, maybe a few rusted metal charms, or some dried flowers. The "Children's Hour" theme is very organic and earthy; it looks best when it's paired with textures that feel real.
Scan it before you cut it. If you’re truly terrified of losing the art, scan the sheet at a high resolution (600 DPI) for your personal digital archives. It’ll give you the "safety net" you need to finally take the scissors to the physical page.
The beauty of the Children's Hour collection is its ability to make us feel like childhood was this golden, sun-drenched era, even if our own was a bit more chaotic. It’s a celebration of innocence. And in a world that feels pretty loud and fast right now, spending an hour fussy cutting a Victorian paper garden is probably the best therapy you can get for the price of a 12x12 sheet of cardstock.