Welcome 2026

    Hi everyone. Happy 2026 to you!  🎊⌛⏳

   My New Year's Eve was very low key, and the new year will start that way also.  How about you? Any big plans for the start of the new year.?

    I'm here to start a new year at Art Journal Journey. Again, thank you Sharon for hosting last month.  You rocked it! And thank you everyone who joined in also. Winter was a great way to wrap up the year, and might even be a great way to continue into 2026 from the way the weather has been going. Or maybe for some of you, a warm and sunny beach would be better. 

    It's a new month so time for a new host, and for January, I am hosting. I've chosen a theme of "What's Up?"  Let me explain what I mean by that.

    I picked the phrase "What's up?" because it can be addressed in many ways. You can take the phrase literally and make a page about something that is up. It could be something in the sky, or even something up high like an item on a shelf or a skyscraper. I'm sure you can think of many things that are up.

   OR, since some people like more of an open ended theme, you can make a page as though you were answering someone asking you "What's up?" . If you aren't familiar with that phrase, "What's up?" can be interpreted to be what's going on with you, what is happening in your life, what's happening around you, or even how you are.

   I'm excited to see how you interpret the theme and to see "What's Up?" with you. And just to clarify, you don't need to use both interpretations of the theme in your journaling.

    "What's Up?" with me. Well I am, like everyone is, welcoming in the new year, so that is the theme of my first page. I did include some fireworks on my page because that's an example of something being up in the sky. 

    To make my page I painted the background with some pink graphite watercolor paint. Then I stenciled in the letters and numbers for the title of my page with a Sharpie. I used a silver marker to color them in. Then I took another stencil that looked kind of like a firework and  used a gold paint pen to make that image. I add gold glitter glue to the little star-like ends of the lines. 

   After that I stamped several clocks from a couple of clock cube stamps. I then die cut the ric-rac and added a piece along both ends of my page. Finally, I punched out a phrase and a bow from some 49 and Market punch outs. I  outlined the bow with a black Sharpie.

  Please remember our rules also. Art Journal Journey is an art journaling blog. Our themes run for a month and your journal pieces must somehow connect to the theme. Please, we only accept art journaling, but it can be journaling in any form. BUT we don't accept cards, ATCs, tags or other forms of art UNLESS they are part of a journal page. 

   I hope you like my theme this month and decide to join in at AJJ. I'm looking forward to seeing "What's Up?" with you.

   And I'm wishing everyone a wonderful year ahead too with lots of joy and happiness, good health, good friends, good family, and of course, some good art ( or whatever it is you love most 😀) too.