ICAD Week 2 - Days 8-14

My art is all over the place - both physically and productively.  I sometimes look at the cards of others that have a certain style and wish I did too, but so far, I haven't been able to pin down any particular technique or style.  So I guess you could file me under "eclectic" which definitely came out in this week's cards.

Day 8/61 - Wave

I used Microns and White Gel Pen for this tangle and the quote by Doe Zantamata

Day 9/61 - Potpourri

Yarn ORTs (Old Ratty Threads) - Here's the back story on this one.  HWNSNBP somehow tore his cargo shorts and wondered if I could fix them.  I told him I could if he got out the sewing machine that was in the lower cabinet.  Of course, when he opened the door to the cabinet it was like a game of Jenga when you pull the wrong block out and things come flying out.  One of those things was a plastic bag full of the ORTs or yarn threads that I had saved from the rainbow fairies I made a couple of years ago.  Well, since I can't tolerate the scents of most potpourris, I used the yarn as my potpourri.  I just wrote one letter at a time with plain white glue and placed the yarn pieces on the glue with some tweezers.  What I have to do now is put the card in a plastic sleeve to prevent those letters from shedding.  That reminded me of when the kids were little and we rented a house at the shore owned by an art teacher.  She had some wonderful handmade pieces throughout the house, but she also had a bowl of potpourri in each room so the first thing that I did when we checked in was to put each bowl in a plastic bag to muffle the scent.  

Day 10/61 - Orange

Sharpie Marker, General's Watercolor Pencils, Aquapainter, Sharpie Paint Marker, Butterfly Punch

11/61 - Ferris Wheel

When we went to the Kirkside Garage Sale the morning before Rachel and boys arrived, I succumbed to the temptation and bought a couple of little bags of buttons.  Of course, HWNSNBP just shook his head and asked why I needed more buttons because he knows that I have thousands already.  So, before I stashed these away, I thought I could turn them into a representation of a ferris wheel.  I first lightly glued them to the card and then took a needle to poke holes into the card where the stitching would be.  I did this for one ring at a time starting in the center.  I sewed them to the card with some silver floss.

Day 12/61 - Ellipse

Sharpie Paint Markers

Micron

White Gel Pen

Day 13/61 - Lost and Found

Paint Skins and Felt - some other "stuff" that fell out of the cabinet

14/61 - Recipe (Off Prompt)

I couldn't decide on a recipe that I might illustrate so I went for a tangle.  This one is called Searchin by Jody Genovese.  PaperMate Ink Joy Bright Gel Pens, Zebra Sarasa Pens, General's Watercolor Pencils

I'm really struggling to get my white index cards to look white in the photos.  Trust me, they are bright white.  This is very frustrating.  

Trucks and ICAD Week 1

That weekend we had with our daughter and grandson's was a really fun one.  They got to check out the little excavator that was left in the yard for the outside project we're having done.  

The day was cool and there was a beautiful breeze and after playing outside for a bit, then having lunch, she wanted to take them to Polar Cub for ice cream.  This little guy held onto that spoon for a very long time afterward.  But we were on our way to another adventure...... Touch a Truck at the local county college not too far from us.  

 

GS2 got to go in every vehicle that was open and even managed to turn the lights and siren on one of them unexpectedly.  There were all kinds of heavy machinery there, including a trash truck, and all the local emergency vehicles.  They also had food trucks there at the end.  Papa and I skipped that part and headed home - they weren't too far behind us.  Rachel and I took the kids to Target and then we all came home and crashed.  It was wonderfully exhausting.

This is the 11th year that I'm doing the ICAD challenge and I know that I promised to post each week, but somehow here we are at day 21 and I haven't posted anything yet.  So to keep this from being a mega post, I will start with only the first week here and now.

My Title Card 

Strips of Origami Star Paper with some markers for the background.  The letters and year on kraft stickers with some gel pen line work.

Day 1/61 - Doorway or Portal

Pro-Marx Ultra fine Marker, PaperMate Ink Joy Bright Gel Pens, QiLi Metallic Colored Pencils

Day 2/61 - Zinnia

Sharpie Pain Pens, General's Pastel Pencils, PaperMate Ink Joy Brights Gel Pens

Day 3/61 - Gradient

Ohuhu Alcohol Markers

Day 4/61 - Tree

I realized that I needed to update our family tree but I couldn't fit the names in quite well enough to suit me so this is a little different.  While we all share the same roots, our offspring have "transplanted" to other forests.  Ohuhu Alcohol Markers, Micron.

Day 5/61 - Patisserie

Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, PaperMate Ink Joy Brights Gel Pens

Day 6/61 - Owl

I revisited my tangle I named MYOWLZ adding some green leaves in between.  Micron, Ohuhu Alcohol Markers.

Day 7/61 - Lavender

Micron, Prismacolor Pencils.  When I did this I was thinking that the lavender was going to be ready soon and I might make some more this year.  I'll have to check tomorrow first thing to make sure I didn't miss out.

I'll be back soon with the next two weeks.  Hoping everyone is staying cool.  The temps here are climbing to that very uncomfortable point.

What's Going On...........

We're still in the state of flux in the yard right now.  HWNSNBP had an idea for a project that is going to take some heavy machinery so we're waiting for any ground planting although he's been filling the flower pots for a couple of weeks now - with the right plants this time.  But, much to our surprise, after not having any iris blooms last year, we were treated with these beauties the last week or so of May...

However, all but one of the newer ones that he planted last year didn't bloom.  This is the only one...

I've spent time going back and forth to the rehab facility that my mother was in, along with my own physical therapy and dr. appointments.  I've been tapping into my stash of pre-made cards for birthdays the last couple of months feeling slightly guilty about that but at the same time, knowing that they're being used and not just stored away is a good feeling.  I'm still proud of the work that I did on them, I just wish I had more energy and time to do some new creating up in the stamp cave.  Maybe, now that my mother is back at home some time will free up (and I'm going to have to make myself scarce when the work is being done outside).   Since I used those cards from my stash, I neglected to take pictures of them again - they're somewhere on this blog from past years I know.

We celebrated the DE GS's birthdays last weekend with them and I brought deviled eggs two ways and the requested banana cream dessert.  It was a gorgeous day and we really enjoyed spending time with them and their friends.

They had a big adventure the next day - CHOP had a reunion for all their fetal heart patients at the Philadelphia Zoo and they spent the whole morning there.

The little one is the original FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) candidate and wore himself out staying awake in the stroller all morning.  But it made for a quiet trip back home for them because he was out like a light as soon as he was picked up to be put in his car seat.  He sleeps well at night, but doesn't want to miss a thing during the day and only takes cat naps most days.

GS1 in Tennessee is done with school for the year and has started his "sports" camps - this week it's basketball....

We will miss watching him play like we did the last two summers when they were nearer.  Right now we're trying to figure out a good time to go visit them.  I'm still in PT but I can work my schedule around it - driving 12 hours is out, so we will be flying.  I'll have to explain this when I go through security.....

Yes, that's my back.  Doctor says to do what I'm comfortable with.  Still using the cane when I go out for balance but I'm working on that more with my PT so the next time I see him, no more cane.

I've started ICAD again this year which I'll be sharing a week at a time, and I promise I will get back to visiting my blogging friends soon to catch up with them and all the Jingle Belle challenges too.

We've got GS2 and GS3 coming with their mom this weekend and have some fun things planned I hope to share soon too.  So I'd better get busy clearing off this dining room table where I camp out with my supplies within reaching distance of toddlers' fingers.