ICAD catch up

A lot of my index cards start as scraps from other projects.

This one came together after experimenting with distressed magazine pages 

(technique from Katie Kendrick video on Create Mixed Media website)

This one used up some painted cards I made for my new zine

(click here to enter the giveaway by Sunday June 17th)

I was also playing around with some shimmery acrylic paints I got at Target from their new "kids made modern" line.  colors were yummy - total impulse buy.

This one is made from experiments with distress ink and water, and an un-used scrap of text that was laying on my desk.

 

And this used the price tags and receipt from my thrift shopping adventure (plus a page from one of the books I bought there)

 By Tuesday, I was crazy busy getting ready for a spontaneous surprise road trip to my sister's house in Virginia.  Only time for a list.

and after a half day of school followed by an 8 hour drive yesterday, I only had energy for a list. (though I managed so scrape some paint on the card first) (pardon the crappy phone photo)

 Here are Max's cards.  He continues to enjoy it even though he doesn't create every day.

These next ones are all part of his "Minecraft" series.  

(It's the video game he eats/sleeps/breathes these days)

  

The best part of this next one is that he wasn't kidding.  He was actually excited to clean the bathrooms.  (though I think he appreciates the irony of how weird that is)

 

This next one is an ode to a fallen ice cream cone.

(note, no actual ice cream cones were harmed in the making of this index card)

 

 

I'm not sure where this Android tribute came from.  We are die-hard apple users.  Perhaps it's rebellion.

His next one takes the minimalist approach.

I'll continue to create cards on my mini-vacation since I packed my emergency supply kit!

 

don't leave home without it!

Mail Art

lookit, lookit, lookit!
look at the cool stuff that has come in the mail for my June postcard swap!

What?  You don't know about my June postcard swap? 
Where have you been?

You've got until Friday to make and mail one.  
Head on over to "Mail Me Some Art" to find out more, and to see close ups of those yummy post cards.
Too bad I have to mail them all back out!

But not these things - THESE I get to keep.
Here's one of the coolest things to ever grace my mailbox:

A giant puzzle piece - 
my first from mail artist extraordinaire, Kelly P. 

Inside that little plastic pouch is a folded piece of paper.

When you open it, it looks like this:

It says "everyone carries with them at least one piece of someone else's puzzle."

How cool is that?  My post office guys, Hector and Ike really liked that one.

I also got this nice envelope from Julie;

Hector said "that one is really cool - you guys should design tattoos"

Hear that, Julie?  

I got the BEST coffee themed package from Pamela:

First this envelope, made from some kind of old homemakers guide giving tips for perfect coffee.

("want to be elected president of your coffee club?")

and inside????  a cool postcard and COFFEE FLAVORED GUM. 

 I know.  

I'd never heard of it either.

But somebody combined my two favorite things into a 3 inch package, and then Pamela discovered it and mailed it to ME.  

(I'm not sure I've talked about just how much I love gum.  Love it.   I think I came out of the womb with a piece of gum in my mouth.  When my dad would tease me that I can't walk and chew gum at the same time, I'd say "dad, I can do ANYTHING and chew gum at the same time.")

part two from Pamela came a few days later.  A CD, not wrapped, just closed with some pretty tape and addressed to me.

with a note that said "Music to drink coffee by...or make art by... or chew gum by..."
thanks, Pamela!

I've been part of so many swaps and groups lately, sometimes I get mail and I'm not sure why I get it. 

(mind you, this is not a bad problem to have)

This beautiful envelope came from Stanislav in Russia.
After some detective work, I think this is an IUOMA connection. 

Barbara was kind enough to mention she found my address on the Good Mail Day list, so I didn't have to guess.
(it's soooo helpful to tell your first-time recipient why you are sending them something)

I'm not sure how Beth got my address - Inspiration Ave swap?  Shannon's international post card swap? Hard to say

Mariza answered my "mail call" via this blog.  Great mail, inside and out, all the way from the Netherlands. 
Let's hear it for reader mail!

Then there's this one.  Absolutely no idea how Dion found me, but this card is amazing. 

 love love love it.

it says "lick me" on the back

Joanna sent me this card "just because" after meeting me in the now-defunct Flutterbye swap group.

And here are some highlights from my favorite and faithful mail friends:

two from Terrie - the zentangled one came wrapped in baker's twine and both the twine and card got a little mangled in transit, but still made it to my mailbox!  

Two from Mad Madge, who makes these lovely large painted/collaged/stitched beauties.  I put the paintbrush there for scale so you wouldn't go thinking these were your average 4"x6" postcards.  They're wonderfully big.

Another big one from Corinne, which I am thinking of hanging on the upstairs bathroom door (since that's the bathroom predominantly used by the males of the house and which I use as little as possible.)

from Amy D:

Carlene:

Millicent:

Tina:

Steph:

and speaking of Steph, we did a scrap swap and I got this box jam packed with goodies.

so much fun to get different collage fodder.

I started making big collages to cut up for postcards:



(but I'll save the outgoing mail for a different post.)


Moral of the story:
Want good mail?  Send good mail!
Go here or here or here to find some good people.

Zine Giveaway!

Guess What?

(don't you dare say chicken butt)

I've got an article in the brand new issue of Daisy Yellow's Zine!

Not only that, but I've got two copies to give away!

Yup, you heard that right.

TWO copies of a 15 page, full-color, completely wonderful art zine.

and I'm not the only awesome contributor.

I'm in the excellent company of TJ Goerlitz, Quinn McDonald, Jeannine Peregrine and Silky Hart.

not to mention Ms. Daisy Yellow herself, Tammy Garcia.

The zine is full of inspiration and journal prompts and glorious images.

And you can win one right here.

All you have to do is leave a comment.

Did you already buy this wonderful zine?  Tammy is so awesome, she will refund your money if you win one.  My co-contributors are also giving away copies on their blogs, so you should follow this link to learn more about issue #5 and then click through to the other fabulous blogs in this giveaway extravaganza.

To add to the excitement, I'm giving away copies of three original zines, created by yours truly.

A mini-zine about making gelatin prints:

 A 40 page documentation of last summer's 

"30 new things" challenge:

 And this brand-new, the-glue-is-still-wet, autobiographical mini zine:

Two grand prize winners get all 4 zines.

Leave me a comment with your name and email address (so Tammy knows where to send the zine).

  If you ALSO tell me a joke, (and didn't win the grand prize) you will be entered into the runner-up drawing for one of my zines.

I will announce winners Monday June 18th.

How cool is that?

Black and White

When I volunteered to host the Black and White prompt for week 2 of the index card a day challenge, I thought I needed a plan.  I mulled it over all week, waiting for the perfect idea.  As the days slipped by and brilliance was not forthcoming, I started to get a little panicky.

  

I rarely have an idea in mind when I sit down to make my index card each day.  Usually that's not a problem.  I start playing with paint and something emerges.  I'm not sure why I thought this had to be different.

Finally, with the deadline breathing down my neck, I sat down in front of the blank cards, turned on some music and turned off my brain.  The best way to combat paralysis is to move.  I started ripping sheets of newspaper, black and white photos and painted paper from my stash.

I glued the strips across a grid of four cards.

I often work on more than one card a time.  It gives me the freedom to try different techniques on similar backgrounds.  Sometimes I like all the cards, but usually I just end up with more collage fodder. Either way it's okay.

After gluing, I ended up with two "sheets" of index cards.

 Looking through my stash of black and white papers, I was inspired by these: 

They are pieces of copier paper used to mop up extra spray ink from a tree stencil.  I love the way the prints look and wanted to do something similar on my cards.

I laid my stencil on some plastic, sprayed it with black ink and used one of my sheets as the blotter.  It didn't come out the way I hoped it would.  I think there was too much gel medium on the page from the collage so it didn't soak up much ink.

I  then laid the stencil on the other page and used my brayer to cover the page in gesso. Again, not what I was hoping for.

I couldn't give up. 

I needed more than a blank blog page for today.

After the sheets dried I cut off all the excess paper to free the four separate index cards.

Suddenly they were a lot more interesting to me.
I almost always like my paintings better after I've cut them to pieces.

I added black and white photos and stamps and smudged around some black pastels and black ink.

Here are the finished cards:

 I'm happy with them and can't remember why I got all worked up.  
These weren't hard.

All I need to do is play.

Remind me to read this next time I get crazy, OK?