Egad! I finished the ICAD!

What's the ICAD? It is the Index Card A Day challenge, hosted by Tammy Garcia of Daisy Yellow Art. Tammy started the project in 2011 and it has grown into a huge movement. I had heard of it before, but only after it had already started. Fortunately this year, I found out about the challenge in the nick of time and joined in.

All 61 index cards have a hole punched in the corner, and two flip books were created.

The concept is simple: create art on an index card every day for the month of June and July. Not using beautiful watercolor paper cut to the size of an index card, but floppy, thin, ordinary index cards that are inexpensive and readily available.

The first thing I did was to make a cover for my book. I used some leftover, stenciled paper that I had created for a mermaid paper doll exchange, cut it to index card size, added washi tape and hand wrote the title.

There were daily prompts for people who like a new idea every day, and weekly prompts for people who like to work within a general concept. If you went off prompt and marched to your own drummer, that was okay too. The main idea was to be creative every day.

I'm not big on prompts, so I chose the weekly ideas. They were open-ended and there were several to choose from, so I didn't feel stifled. I mainly did collage, because that's what I love. I incorporated washi tape, stencils, stamps, recycled product packaging, mailing envelopes, canceled stamps, paint, and pretty much whatever was in my art stash that spoke to me at the moment I was at my art table.

I did make 61 index cards, and posted one every day to my Instagram account.

I challenged myself to choose my top 10 of the 60. It wasn't easy...actually I chose 11...but here are my favorites:

Collage of fabric, paint skins, printed deli paper, recycled envelope and recycled "paint splat" packing tape.

Collage of recycled, paint stained baby wipe, commercial map scrapbook paper, and stencil on deli paper.

Collage of recycled mailing envelope, geli print deli paper, vintage mail graphic and washi tape.

Collage of vintage Graphics Fairy image, Dina Wakley stamp, stenciled deli paper, stamping, handwriting.

Dina Wakley stamp, painted deli paper, stamping, handwriting, washi tape, paper scraps, Dresden gold wings

Collage of stenciled deli paper, washi tape, Tim Holtz vintage floral tags, vintage Graphics Fairy images, fluer de lis stamp and washi tapes.

Collage of assorted washi tapes, snippets of turmeric tea bags, Turkmen jewelry part, and mini brads.

Stamped newsprint, Graphics Fairy vintage images, washi tapes.

Portrait made with Jane Davenport facial feature washi tapes, acrylics, Derwent watercolor pencils, and Nuvo drops.

Portrait made with Jane Davenport facial feature washi tapes, acrylics, Derwent watercolor pencils, and Nuvo drops.

Collage of Tim Holtz printed tissue, assorted washi tapes and a beach admission ticket.