ICAD 2014

I'd been seeing the Index-Card-A-Day challenge  (aka ICAD) going on over the past few years and thought it interesting, but I never jumped on board. After seeing a friend post one of her index cards on Flickr, I decided to give it a go this time around.

ICAD #1

I usually don't have a problem getting some creative time in most every day, so for me the challenge wasn't really about carving out a bit of art time every single day. I'm really not sure exactly what prompted me to join, or what I'd hoped to gain, but I am so glad I decided to play along!

ICAD #2

I knew from the beginning that my own personal goal would be to incorporate some of my lesser-used art supplies. Other than that, I decided to just go in whatever direction I wanted on any given day. I have rarely used the prompts and themes, although those can be helpful to give you a jumping off point or something to work towards.

ICAD #3

By the time I'd gotten to my 4th ICAD, I noticed a wonderful thing starting to happen. I had a flurry of ideas and things just seemed to flow. For me, this is what I always call being "in the zone". All too often when I sit down to create, the zone eludes me, but getting to that point feels amazing, and it's there that I do my best, most authentic work.

ICAD #4

A revelation!

After working on this challenge for a few weeks, I'm finding almost no end to the rush of inspiration. These little index card creations have given me a ticket straight into the zone, and it happens almost effortlessly. I can't really explain why; maybe it's the small size (although I do make ATCs and other small creations as well), maybe it's the fact that I've been using some of my forgotten art supplies, or maybe it's the freeing feeling of using something as common as an index card. Perhaps it pushes aside that inner voice that nags at you to make a masterpiece when you sit down with a canvas or expensive papers and paints. I don't fully understand it, but that's ok, I don't need to have all the answers. I just know that this fun little challenge has allowed me to break out of a bit of a rut I was in and make some authentic creations. Not only that, but the ideas that have come about on the index cards I have then transferred to other pieces, like handmade postcards and other mail art, ATCs, and more. 

ICAD #5

I would encourage anyone to give this a try. The main idea is just to be creative, just to get something onto the index card. It allows for a small bit of art time every day, and can be done nearly anywhere depending on your chosen medium. You don't even have to consider yourself an artist to give it a try, but trying is what's important. Give it a shot, and I'm pretty sure you'll find it to be as much fun as I have. And you just might be surprised by what ideas you're able to unleash, and the resulting creations.

ICAD #6

New-found love: Gelli Printing

I can't remember when I first heard about the Gelli Arts printing plate, but I knew right away I wanted one. I've been interested in gelatin monoprinting for awhile, but was uncertain whether I wanted to try my hand at creating my own homemade gelatin plate, a plate that breaks down over time and so is temporary. The Gelli Arts plate makes monoprinting so easy and hassle-free, as it is a permanent, gelatin-like printing plate, so it's always ready to go whenever you are. I know I sound like a Gelli Arts spokesperson, but I can't help it. I just LOVE this thing!

I received the 8"x10" plate for Christmas, and I can sincerely say it is one of the greatest creative gifts I've ever been given. From the first moment I rolled paint onto it with my brayer, I was hooked. I took every available opportunity to sit down and make prints, and in short order I had accumulated quite a substantial stack of painted papers. Some of my prints were a success, with interesting patterns and textures, and some weren't so amazing, but I have come to realize even "failed" prints can be used in numerous ways in various other projects.

Here are just a few of the multitude of prints I've made:

It's always exciting to peel your paper off the plate and discover what you've managed to create. I haven't been this inspired by a new art tool in awhile. If you have been thinking of jumping into monoprinting, you simply cannot go wrong with the Gelli plate. I must warn you, though - it's completely addictive. 

In a future post, I'll share some of the projects I've created using my prints. 

I return with mail art goodness!

Wow, it has been well over a year since I have posted here. So much can happen in a year, and as with most of us, life has been hectic and busy, which makes it very difficult to find the time for blogging. I am, however, still creating (as I have been for most of my life), and the desire to share my creations and network with other artists brings me back here yet again.

As per my usual, I'm all over the map as far as mediums, but my main love has always been paper, paint, and ink. In that vein, I find myself regularly making a lot of handmade postcards; mail art is near and dear to my heart. So, I'm jumping back into the blogosphere to share a bit of that. For those interested, I'm sharing a bit about techniques and/or supplies, too. 

The above postcard was made from calendars for a calendar recycling/reusing swap. I added a bit of rubber stamping, because everything's better with a stamp!

This guy makes me smile. Made for a green collaged postcard swap. The robot image is from a vintage children's book. I added sequin waste, embossed circles punched from metal tape, scrapbook paper, and rubber stamping.

I have a dear friend in England who loves puffins as much as I do. This was made just for her. The puffin image is from a National Geographic magazine. I placed textured items underneath (stencil, rubber stamp, ceramic tile), and then rubbed over the surface of the paper with Nevr-Dull. Love that technique! And I know you're shocked, but rubber stamps were used here, too. 

Made for a Year of the Snake swap. Nevr-Dull again makes an appearance, and stamps, and ink, and stencils, and paint, and...

Made for a swap where we could only use trash *ahem* (read: ephemera!) to create our postcard.  

Oh rubber stamps, how I love thee, even after all these years. Color was added with Inktense pencils. 

"Thrust you can trust". Ha! National Geographic image, Nevr-Dull, fish from old library book, Gelli-printed papers. 

Made for a very recent swap that I'm hosting; rubber stamped and inked and such.

Another swap, this time one using the Gelli Arts printing plate and bubble wrap. 

I offer my thanks to those of you who decide to stop by and visit my little, neglected piece of the web (bad blogger that I am...). It means a lot to me.