Tuesday, June 30, 2020

ICAD Week 4

The last full week of June is behind us and we're almost half-way done with this challenge.  It's gone so quickly.  It's been fun and truly challenging at times.  I'm sure there will be more challenging days ahead.  But let me get on with what I've accomplished so far.

Day 22/61 - Anchor - This started as just an anchor mandala and grew into a sea scene of sorts.

Micron, General's Watercolor Pencils, Derwent Inktense Pencils


Day 23/61 - Terrarium 
The framed part is actually a 3x5 index card that I did as a warm-up to the start of ICAD unknowing it would come up as a prompt.  I added the little story around it - It was Valentine's Day 2017 and instead of spending money on cut flowers that would only last a few days my husband took me to a garden center and we created our terrarium.   This terrarium went to school with me and sat on my counter until it came home during this quarantine where it will stay and hopefully be as happy.


Day 24/61 - Emerald
This started with the idea of drawing/painting an emerald green parrot.  While I was looking for pictures of green parrots, I was remembering some recent posts on FB about local people finding parakeets at their feeders.  Pet parakeets.  I was sad when I read that because I know that they will not survive our winter climate but I remembered that there was a colony of Monk Parakeets in Northern New Jersey that had adapted to the Jersey weather.  These are the Monk Parakeets that have that pretty green and grey coloration.

Micron, Derwent Inktense Pencils, General's Watercolor Pencils


Day 25/61 - Cappuccino
Who knew that there really are Cappuccino Roses.  Google them - they're beautiful beige and pink.

Prima Watercolors (Complexion), White Gelly Roll, Chalk Pencil


26/61 - Bougainvillea
There are two cards for this day because I wasn't too thrilled with the first one and had another idea for the second.  The first was the flowers added to an already prepared card that I had trying some crayon resist and watercolor on.  The flowers were done with oil pastels.

White Crayon, Watercolors, Gallery Oil Pastels, Graphite Pencil, White Out


This is a tangled version of Bougainvillea.

Micron Markers, Prismacolor Pencils


Day 27/61 - Souvenir
I had seen a picture on a friends timeline of rocks on the beach of the Amalfi Coast.  These are my kind of souvenirs - pebbles or shells.  Some people have rocks in their head, I have rocks in my pocket.  I've pocketed beach stones, landscape stones from the miniature golf course, walkways, etc.  Not many are as pretty as these though.

Derwent Inktense Pencils, General's Watercolor Pencils, Gallery Oil Pastel, White Gelly Roll, White Out, Graphite Pencil


Day 28/61 - Wind Chime

General's Watercolor Pencils, Micron Pens (I added some MicroGlaze to the center piece hoping it would give it more of a shine.  It does IRL but not so much in the picture.)


This will be a busy week ahead so I'm trying to work a little ahead of myself so I can enjoy the time with family coming up.  And I'm finally going to be able to get my hair cut this week!!!!  I have missed 4 haircuts during this pandemic and my hair grows fast.  I am not used to having this much hair.  Not only does it fall into my face, it's actually curling in the back and almost down to my collar - not what I'm used to.  I am so looking forward to this.

Monday, June 22, 2020

ICAD Week 3 (And Something To Make You Smile)

Three weeks into June and it's starting to really heat up.  Regular school is out and I am on vacation until July.  They won't be back in the office full time until August, so I will only have to go in one day a week until then, or more if I need to.  I'll still be working from home, but with the teachers gone now, there's basically only the ordering to do and getting ready for the next school year which they are still trying to figure out.  They've chosen a replacement for me and the tricky part is going to be how to "train" her and remain socially distant.  This will be interesting.  But let me get on with showing my ICAD's for the last week.

Day 15/61 - Dandelion
Dandelions at the bottom of my Home Depot Bucket

Micron Pen, Derwent Inktense Pencils, General's Watercolor Pencils


Day 16/61 - Robot
Based on the Robot from the 1951 film "The Day the Earth Stood Still" one of HWNSNBP's favorites which is to be watched whenever it is on.

Microns, Derwent Inktense Pencils, General's Watercolor Pencils


Day 17/61 - Mustard Yellow

AC Moore Watercolors, Wrapping Paper Butterfly, Gift bag flowers


Day 18/61 - Six Word Story

Gallery Oil Pastels, Gel Pen, Graphite Pencil 


Day 19/61 - Pause

Microns, Zig Watercolor Brush Pens


Day 20/61 - Birdhouse (Based on a picture I took way back in 2008)

Micron Pen, Derwent Inktense Pencils, General's Watercolor Pencils


The colors aren't as vibrant, but I'm pleased with it.


Day 21/61 - Geode

Gallery Oil Pastels, Gel Pens, Bic Correction Fluid
(There really is silver in there.  I could not get it to show up in the photo.)


And now here is something to make you smile as I promised - 






Monday, June 15, 2020

ICAD Week 2

The second week of ICAD has flown by.  There are usually one or two prompts that I have to research such as the first one below.  

Day 8/61 - Suzani Pattern
 A type of embroidered and decorative textile from central Asian countries. Suzan is Persian for needle.

Micron Pen, Moonlight Gelly Roll, Marvy LePen, General's Watercolor Pencils


Day 9/61 - Bookshelf
Micron Pen
(enbiggan to see the quotes)


Day 10/61 - David Bowie
Some thought that David Bowie had two different colored eyes.  He did not.  He had a condition called aniscoria - the pupil in one eye was paralyzed open after an eye injury which made it appear to be black.

Micron Pen, Posca Paint Pen, Derwent Inketense Pencils, General's Watercolor Pencils, Graphite Pencil


Day 11/61 - Tiramisu 
A tangled cross-section slice.
Micron Pens, Graphite Pencil


Day 12/61 - Brocade
My grandmother made all her special occasion dresses and almost always there was some brocade material involved.
Prima Metallic Watercolor Accets, Gelly Roll Pen


So you can see the sheen............


Day 13/61 - Kite
Based off of a photo that I took at one of the Kite Festivals on LBI.

Prima Watercolors, Arteza Acrylic Gouache, Micron Pen


Day 14/61 - Chamomile
My twist - Camomille Butterfly (totally made up)
(enbiggan to see all the cells)


I try to work a day ahead so I have some wiggle room to get these done.  Of course, if I don't get the card of the day done on the day of the prompt it's no big deal.  We do see the prompts a week ahead so I try to plan around them.  This will come in handy next month when I have to go back into the office until my last day.  We're going back to the 4-day week with the long hours so I know that it will be a challenge indeed especially with some events we've got planned for July.  Keeping my fingers crossed I don't get too far behind.


Tuesday, June 9, 2020

ICAD 2020 - Week 1

This will be my 7th year participating in the ICAD (Index Card A Day) Challenge and I'm so ready for it.  I'm going to try to follow the prompts but there might be the occasional card that breaks free.  I don't plan on a running theme this year like I did last June, but if I can come up with something for July I might give it a try.  So without further ado .........

Title Card
Micron Pens, General's Watercolor Pencils


Day 1/61 - Hopscotch
PaperMate Flair Pens, Micron Pen, Graphite Pencil



Day 2/61 - Marigold
Micron Pens, General's Watercolor Pencils, Derwent Inktense Pencils


Day 3/61 - Album
Micron Pens, Posca Paint Pen, Derwent Inktense Pencils, General's Watercolor Pencils, Graphite Pencil


Day 4/61 - Sequins
Microns, Gelly Rolls, Prima Metallic Accents Watercolors, Graphite Pencil, Silver Floss


I had to let you see that shine and the stitching up close.


Day 5/61 - Off Prompt (It was 1980's) - This is a tribute to the Full Strawberry Moon
Microns, Derwent Inktense Pencils, General's Watercolor Pencils


Day 6/61 - Dream Catcher
Saved Wrapping Paper Butterflies, Gelly Roll, Posca Paint Pen, General's Watercolor Pencils


Day 7/61 - Highway
Microns, General's Watercolor Pencils


You can see they're tangle-heavy and my new go-to are the General's Watercolor Pencils.  They're not as vivid as the Derwents, but they're soft to work with and get good coverage.  I was introduced to them while doing one of the Zentangle Project Packs that included 2 of the pencils.  I just had to have more.  (I'm easily enabled to buy new art supplies.)