Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Our First Challenge for 2026

   Hi everyone. It's Tuesday so you probably know that it's time for a new challenge over at Try It on Tuesday.  Before I get to that, let me ask if you checked out our Annual Spotlight? If you joined any of our challenges in 2025 you might be in it.  

    Our top five winners from our Santa challenge (our last theme for 2025) will be shown next week.

   This new challenge is our first challenge for 2026.  As always it runs for the next 2 weeks, and this challenge may favor those of you who live in cold places since this time we're asking for  art about the cold. Our challenge is officially titled: It's Cold Outside.


   I made my journal page using a 6x8 inch sheet of printed paper. I thought the sweater design made a good background for when it's cold. That paper didn't quite reach either end of the  background paper, so I decided to add some washi tape. I also bordered the knit image paper with some die cut borders. I used a very  very old Cheery Lynn die for those.

   The snowflake is a die cut using silver paper. I colored in the center with a silver marker and then added a giant gemstone to the center. To finish, I stamped a few quotes.

   Don't forget the other examples of cold weather art on the design team's blogs.

   I am also linking up my journal page to my "What's Up?" challenge over at Art Journal Journey. "What's Up?" with me there is that there's been lots of cold weather. 😨 I'd love to have you join if you do any art journaling and you can read about this challenge over at the AJJ home page.

   I hope you're inspired by cold weather, even if it's warm and summery where you live.  I hope to see your art over at Try It on Tuesday.

15 comments:

Shari Burke said...

Your page definitely has a winter chill vibe! Love it!

Elkes Lebensglück said...

What a fabulous, wonderful idea your page is with the knitting pattern and the paper underneath! Absolutely beautiful!
It's 0 degrees here!
Hugs Elke

Angie's Recipes said...

I love that sweater design! Now I seriously want a sweater with a giant gemstone :-))

The Happy Whisk said...

Love the chilly art. Looks pretty. Was outside this morning and it's cold and still. I love that! Wishing you a groovy week.

Iris Flavia said...

A very beautiful page! You make me like winter, hugs

Anonymous said...

So beautiful -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com

Jeanie said...

this one has a very nice, wintry feel to it!

Tom said...

...Erika, I wish you many more creative challenges in 2026.

Anita said...

Stay warm, Erika! I saw in an earlier post that you have a new teapot as well, so I'll amend that to 'stay warm and drink tea.' 😊 Love the cable knits on your art journal (I was all excited thinking it's actual knitted fabric 😂) and all of the additional embellishments you added make it seem extra frosty. Hope your husband is feeling better now, and that the cold will soon be back to enjoyable levels. -Anita xx

DVArtist said...

Oh Erika, this is brilliant! So clever to use the sweater background. I so hope you join in on Sunday in the art room. This is just the type of art that should be shared. Have a great day today.

CJ Kennedy said...

Gorgeous! Another inspiring Winter design for the journal class I"m taking.

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

Happy New Year Erika, your knitted paper certainly gives the page a wrapped around warm hug, we have our fair share of cold weather in my lil part of the UK. Hope you and yours are keeping well now? Take care Hugs Tracey xx

Lucimar da Silva Moreira said...

Erika linda arte, maravilhoso o design, feliz terça-feira bjs.

Meggymay said...

A fantastic page Erika, I'd love to have that background knitted, it would make a cosy sweater for a cold winter day.
Best wishes for the coming Year to you and your family

Helen said...

Happy New Year!!!! LOVE that background knitted paper! It definitely fits the theme this week! ((HUGS)) Helen