ICAD 9-12

Continuing my ICAD playing....be sure to visit Tammy at Daisy Yellow for lots more index card creativity - you'll be amazed what can be created with a few minutes on such a little format!

#9 - tried something different here - think you can see the raised edges....that's my gesso spread on thick and swirly and then dried up close and personal with a heat gun making it raise and bubble - a very cool effect. You can't see the little bubbles all that well, but they create great little moonscape effects on the paper.

#10 - busy day today so this was was super simple, just some paint.

#11 - using up scraps, a stamp I made, lids for circles, a bit of dotted wood veneer...  (oops I just noticed my dates and realized I switched these two....oh well)

#12 - simple again - a map scrap and circles made with a wine cork.

Join in, won't you?

books

Books.  I love books.  I love to read them, smell them, feel the paper.  I am inspired, entertained, moved by them.  I love to display them, share them, and sometimes give them away.  I want everyone to be reading a good book.  Here are a few of my favorite book images from my Pinterest board....

Handmade book by Camden Richards, Liminal-Press.com


Tumblr.


Tricia Wilson, tumblr


Designed and folded by French artist Lucille Moroni


An intricately altered book by Yerden Uzak

Stitched altered book by artist Lisa Kokin.

  What better place to store books than a little used dining room?! Adds instant warmth and what opportunities for dinner conversation! (no, this isn't actually my room, just an inspiration room)


Small handmade books by Noela Mills, WabiSabiArt.blogspot.com  (I recently won one of her books and can't wait to receive it - will be sure to share when it arrives.)

If you enjoy a good book now and then, be sure to check out my Book tab at the top menu where I'm tracking everything I read this year and I always give a quick review in Goodreads if you want to 'friend' me there.

I know there's likely still lots of folks who have issues with Pinterest - I've read and followed the news and know they've made great strides in fixing many of the main complaints against the site.  Now when you pin something, the pin retains the original site so if you click on the image, you are taken to the originating website (a huge improvement).  As with most internet things like tumblr or stumble upon or whatever, there are careless users who don't credit where they sourced the image.  I always do.  I want to share your blogs and comments and beautiful artwork with others - but always including your name and often your blog address as well.

Every once in awhile I come across someone who doesn't want their images pinned and I honor that request.  If you're one of those that wish people wouldn't pin your images, consider putting a disclaimer at the top of your page so it's always in view or, I know there's a way to block Pinterest because I've encountered it a couple of times.  Research and implement blocking and protecting your blog.  In the mean time, I'm going to continue to use it, responsibly, because it gives me such pleasure to be able to browse through all that inspiration in one convenient place.  What are your thoughts?

mail call

I'm sharing the wonderful mail art I've received this week.....

The top card is from Corrine at dosfishes and the Zentangle card is from Julia Winkler in the 2nd Flutterbye swap (now moved to Mail Me Some Art).  I love Julia's comment on the card that she's been doodling like this for years and wishes she'd thought to call in Zentangle and make buckets of money! :)  Probably lots of people think that.......

This creative card is from Gemma for the IA swap (my first of 5...) and the bookmarks below are from Tracey Fletcher King.  Aren't they gorgeous?  I just LOVE her botanical style and will treasure these bookmarks - she knows how much I read, so they'll definitely get some use!

This abstract, titled Moonscape, is from Jo Murray in Australia, one of my blogging buddies. OMG, I was blown away at the care and beauty of this piece - course I know I love her style and her beautiful work, but this postcard is really a mini-art piece and I adore it.  She wrote on the back that it has handmade paper, rust stained fabric, hand printed papers and paint.  Isn't it luscious?

This p/c arrived in the handmade envelope from the MMSA (mail me some art) swap - Thanks Lynn, both are beautiful and so appreciated!  And thanks for taking time to include the letter - hope you have a fun summer with your son.

I sent out some mail too:

Sent out for a swapbot exchange with yellow as the prompt: used some scrap papers, a postage stamp, and some paint.

I sent out 10 cards for Shannon's International Card Exchange and used a little of a lots of techniques.  I found some precut card stock in a range of colors so started with that and added paint, stamps, ephemera, a little collaging, etc.  I forgot to take a pic of the backs, but they're all customized and with a short message.  They are headed to the Netherlands, Australia, the US and Canada.  Hope everyone enjoys them....

BTW, due to my list making compulsion, I of course have an Excel list of everyone I've sent a p/c or swap to and have started numbering my postcards - a goal?  Not particularly, just a record.  These make 73 so far.  I have more on my worktable.....

icad 5-8 and APR

Updating you with my ICAD challenge work so far:

#5 - doodling my name

#6 - more of that cool combo of purple, teal & lime with one of my fave quotes.

#7 - using the grid prompt, I pulled out my collection of little bird/butterfly stamps

#8 - I picked up a little brayer on sale and wrapped it in rubber bands and starting playing with the patterns I could create.  Then, I realized the APR theme (artist play room) is zentangle this week, so it seemed logical to fill in my little spaces with tangles....

If you haven't joined the ICAD group yet, it's not too late.....you don't even have to play catch up, just start from where you are.

summer of color: rainbow sherbet

Hot pink and orange - now there are some summer colors!  Kristin at Twinkle Twinkle is kicking off another 6 weeks of color prompts to play with through the summer.  And, they're based on ice cream colors.  What could be more summery?



Her inspirational image this week is this rainbow sherbet.  Although I'm actually not much of an ice cream fan, I do love the colors, so.......

Here I'm channeling my Jane Davies - love her style and how she uses big swaths of black...... (I'm trying to work in taking her class in October in Portland - anyone else going?)

Obviously feeling very abstract the last couple days. I bought a bottle of ink that I wanted to try with a brush instead of a dropper so that was the beginning of my first effort on 6x9 watercolor paper.  The second, in my journal, is tissue papers, washi, paint, oil pastel crayons and the diamond grid is a stencil using a rubber sink protector from the dollar store.  The opposite page has the reverse where I cleaned it off - just waiting for my next inspiration....

virtual vacation

Carolyn over at A Colorful Journey is taking an early virtual vacation through June 15.  She's asked us to link up with our own vacation and as I look out my window at another totally wet and rainy day, I'm inclined to leave town! ......Hubby and I usually like to vacation in tropical, hot places since Seattle is so ..... well, not hot!  We need our week or two of sunshine.  This year tropical isn't in the cards so I'm getting my fix by joining in virtually......

AND, Inspiration Ave's theme this week is Wishes.  I wish I was on vacation!

Fiji beach - we found a black sand one but it was TOO hot!  What I remember most about Fiji is that it felt like we were under a broiler.  Though the temperature was only in the low 90s, it felt like 130 and I swear I could see my skin bubbling.  It wasn't the heat so much as the intensity of the sun - it was staggering.  But if you stayed in the water or shade, it was a beautiful tropical place to visit.

Same trip, but this is a Tahitian beach.  This is some different from a Washington rocky beach!

My virtual tropical vacation might include a trip back to St. Maarten in the Caribbean..... (I cropped out the naked people)

You might find me building sand castles on the beach at Surfer's Paradise, Australia (the softest sand in the world!) (this was D's fave beach)

Or you might find me relaxing on Waikiki ......

We enjoyed the sunshine and beaches in Acapulco but I don't know that it was my favorite tropical vacation...

My virtual tropical vacation might take me back to this quiet strip of beach just outside Cabo or watching the boys have more active fun wave-chasing.....

But if I had to choose the ultimate tropical destination, I'd choose Tenerife, Canary Islands - we'd go back there in a heartbeat. Though there's not a lot to do on the island, the food was terrific, the beaches gorgeous and the pace very slow and relaxing.  Again with the topless ladies and I never saw so many piercings!

Sigh - such great memories of hot, lazy days, sand and fruity drinks, sunscreen, wave runners, snorkeling (which I hate!) and dozing in the sun.  Close your eyes, imagine it......

collage invitation

Through Jo Murray, I've become aware of an open invitation to collagists to exchange art, exhibit and perhaps sell a collage.  This year's exhibit and exchange is completed, but you can sign up for next year, the 14th year of the event.

One of the collages submitted for the first exchange in 1999, artist unknown.

You create and send 13 collages which must be 8x10 or smaller.  One will be part of a permanent exhibition and the other 12 will enter the exchange - so you'll get 12 beautiful collages back.  You can see the pieces that Jo received in her post here.  You can read more details on the exchange and exhibition here.

The deadline isn't til March 2013, but I wanted to put the bee in your bonnet, the thought in your head, the suggestion out there.  As Karen at I am Rushmore reminds us - " You CAN do it. You ARE worthy."  So think about submitting collages for this international event.  I am.  (I'll remind you again.)

ICAD #2-4

Index Card A Day (ICAD) hosted by Tammy at Daisy Yellow.  As promised I'm going to group them together in one or two posts a week.  By the way, my cards are actually 4x6 because that's what I had on hand from another project and have way too many of them.

#2 - more spray color wash paints, washi and a little india ink

#3 - love this color combo! acrylics and a little inktense watercolor pencils

#4 - using collage theme, scraps from my table and a little circle stamping.

Never too late to join (and you don't even have to play catch up, just start from today).

Come to the Edge

Come to the edge.
We can't. We're afraid.
Come to the edge.
We can't; we'll fall.
Come to the edge.
And they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.   - Guillaume Apollinaire   (from Wen Redmond, FiberArtGoddess)

Let's Fly!

By the way, I'm also linking to Artists in Blogland (I always seem to forget this one!) for Show & Tell Saturday #27.

here we go

Okay - here I go.  ICAD is upon us and I'm joining in.  Hosted by Tammy at Daisy Yellow, this simple challenge is to decorate and Index Card A Day for 2 months (see the button in my sidebar).  Two months!  Really, did I just commit to a daily something for 2 months?!

Tammy has a separate section on her blog for ICAD posts where she'll be sharing info and even prompts if you need a little creative nudge.  There's a flickr group if you want to see how folks are doing.

My plan is to use it as a warm up exercise, a reminder to create something....anything every day.  Even when I'm camping in a couple weeks....I'll take cards and pens and be among nature and dirt which will surely end up on my cards (maybe I'll take my mess book and finally get started in that!).  However, I don't want to be tedious and post my efforts every day.  So, I'm posting today just to announce I'm playing and show that I made one, but I'm thinking I'll just share once a week.  That's enough, don't ya think?

Day 1 ICAD 2012:

I got my new Adirondack spray Color Wash colors today so had to play with them first thing - I love them! I love the way they spread and blend with a little spritz of water.  However, definitely too wet an application for my flimsy little cheap cards....that's okay.  It was fun to play.

As Karen at I am Rushmore says:

                               "I keep bumping into people who kinda want to do this but are afraid.

so I'm here to say, shut up.

you can do this.

                                     it's an index card for crying out loud.  not a masterpiece.  

                                                                       this is loose.

this is casual.

this is fun.

make something small every day for two months.

don't over think it.

share it.

because it's not about being "good enough"

you're just fine."

You CAN do it.  It's not a 3' canvas, it's a little index card.  It's not a 3 hour/day commitment, it's 5 minutes.  Not all will be beautiful works of art, but many will be.  Mostly it will be fun and creative.

Can't wait to see your ICAD creations.