A look back at 2015

At this time of year, as one draws to an end
& another begins to unravel, I like to reflect on my creative work.

I tried several different things, but there are two projects which stand out for me.

I joined in with ICAD this year, on my own terms,

but still following the general idea & prompts.

Here is a short video of the thirty-six index cards that I made.

If you are interested in learning more, just click on the ICAD2015 tag.

The second was a year long project of my own, which I called Waddington Weekly.

Here is a short video of all fifty-two altered playing cards.

If you are interested in learning more, click on the link above or on the Waddington Weekly tag.

I have a few ideas for 2016, but nothing certain as yet.

Blogs per se seem to be fading into obscurity,

but mine has always been about being a place where I just record my art projects,

like an art journal.

Visitors may be few & far between,

but I will continue to leave it as an open resource.

I have enjoyed my creative journey this year

& am looking forward to seeing what adventures 2016 brings.

ICAD Week 7

ICAD  is the Index Card A Day creative challenge,
which runs for two months from 1st June,
however this is my last week.

I am rounding off my series with thought-provoking quotations to inspire.

My index cards are 3" by 5"

Day 31

Day 32

Day 33

Day 34

Day 35

I have used a white pigment ink Signo pen by Uni-ball,

Tim Holtz Pocket Cards & Tissue Tape,

fabric tape & a Whispers Strokes Pen (Red),
images by Jessica Sprague,
dymo tape & a thread of Hessian,
small manila envelope,
a butterfly from Dover,
page torn from on old English dictionary,
old map illustration from a 1928 edition of Philips' New Pocket Atlas of the World

& gift wrap paper by Cavallini Papers & Co Inc,

Finally one last card, as this is all that remains of my used sheet of wrapping paper.

Day 36

This whole series was inspired by the wonderfully designed gift wrap paper from Cavallini,
which was chosen by my sister to wrap a gift to me several years ago.

I carefully unwrapped the gift to avoid damaging the paper as best I could.

At the time, I didn't know what project I would use it for,
I just knew that I needed to keep it for something special.

So just a few weeks ago,
when I was thinking about joining in with the ICAD challenge,
I looked at the used, torn & wrinkled paper
& just knew this was the right moment to use it.

Many thanks to my sister & to Cavallini.

This is all that is left.

ICAD Week 6

ICAD  is the Index Card A Day creative challenge, which runs for two months from 1st June.

I am posting my cards daily on Instagram, but only publishing a blog post once a week.

My index cards are 3" by 5"

This week I have taken the theme prompt of games
& as with all games, a few explanations are needed.

Day 26

Impulsive Word Game

This card was inspired by a single game of Word Balloon
on my Nintendo DS the night before.

The game is similar to Hangman.

The word generated was Impulse.

Day 27

Playing Solitaire

The card game Solitaire, is also known as Patience,
which lead to this quote from Francis de Sales.

The lone Ace of Hearts represents ourselves.

Day 28

Games Compendium

For card 28, I took a photograph of the index card,
which had been covered in the used gift wrap as usual.

The image was enlarged & printed out.

Letter were cut to spell out
Hide & Seek

Can you find where each letter originates from?

Also can you spot the clues which lead me to choose a Compendium for this day?

Day 29

Words with Friends

The Scrabble tiles are made from printed images adhered to a mountboard base.

Day 30

The Rule Book

To end this week, I thought I had better throw in the Rule Book.

I have used washi tape by Stampington,

white pigment ink Signo pen by Uni-ball,

Tim Holtz Pocket Cards & distressibles cardstock (Library)

Distress Ink (black soot) & Whispers Strokes Pen (Red), 

images by Jessica Sprague,

dymo tape, staple & fabric tape,

page torn from on old English dictionary,

gift wrap paper by Cavallini Papers & Co Inc,
the Butterfly & the Bee are from Madame Payraud Patterned Paper by docrafts.

ICAD Week 5

ICAD  is the Index Card A Day creative challenge, which runs for two months from 1st June.

I am posting my cards daily on Instagram, but only publishing a blog post once a week.

My index cards are 3" by 5"

This week I was inspired by the "telephone" prompt.

Telephone - telephone messages - which messages would I send to myself?

Day 21

DOCUMENT THE EVERYDAY

Day 22

FOLLOW YOUR OWN PATH

Day 23

ENJOY THIS JOURNEY

Day 24

EVERY DAY IS A NEW BEGINNING

Day 25

REMEMBER THE NOW

I have used
white pigment ink Signo pen by Uni-ball,
Tim Holtz Pocket Cards & distressables cardstock,
Ranger's Glossy Accents,
images by Jessica Sprague,
gift wrap paper by Cavallini Papers & Co Inc
& butterflies from Madame Payraud Patterned Paper by docrafts.

ICAD Week 4

ICAD  is the Index Card A Day creative challenge, which runs for two months from 1st June.

I am posting my cards daily on Instagram, but only publishing a blog post once a week.

My index cards are 3" by 5"

I had taken just one of the prompts for this week, which was academic.

Day 16

Science Lesson

Day 17

Philosophy Lesson

Day 18

Art Class

Day 19

Business Studies

Day 20

Music Practice

I have used white pigment ink Signo pen by Uni-ball,

dymo tape, printed text,

Distress Ink (black soot),

patterned fabric tape,

& gift wrap paper by Cavallini Papers & Co Inc.

ICAD Week 3

ICAD  is the Index Card A Day creative challenge, which runs for two months from 1st June.

I am posting my cards daily on Instagram, but only publishing a blog post once a week.

My index cards are 3" by 5"

I had taken just one of the prompts for this week, which was Wabi-Sabi.

Day 11

Celebrate the inevitability of change

Day 12

Celebrate the smallness of things

Day 13

Celebrate the silence ...

Day 14

Celebrate the impossibility of perfection

Day 15

Celebrate the happiness of others

I have used Distress Ink (black soot),
label  images by Michelle Ward,
butterfly image from Dover
& gift wrap paper by Cavallini Papers & Co Inc.

ICAD Week 2

ICAD  is the Index Card A Day creative challenge, which runs for two months from 1st June.

I am posting my cards daily on Instagram, but only publishing a blog post once a week.

My index cards are 3" by 5"

Day 6

Today is the most important day of your life.
Yesterday has been.
Tomorrow is yet to come.

Day 7

Enjoy a quiet and simple life.

Day 8

You have to simplify the world
if you want to change it.

Day 9

Better to travel with hope than to arrive.

Day 10

I have used washi tape by Stampington,
white pigment ink Signo pen by Uni-ball,
black Pigma Micron pen,
Tim Holtz Pocket Cards & Tissue Tape,
Distress Ink (black soot),
images by Jessica Sprague,
dymo tape, a thread of Hessian,
& gift wrap paper by Cavallini Papers & Co Inc.

ICAD Week 1

ICAD  is the Index Card A Day creative challenge, which runs for two months from 1st June.

I am posting my cards daily on Instagram, but only publishing a blog post once a week.

My index cards are 3" by 5"

Day 1

Creativity begins when you challenge assumptions

Day 2

Embrace the beauty of imperfection

Day 3

Beauty is the mystery of life.
It is not in the eye,
it is in the mind.
Agnes Martin

Day 4

Envelope unopened

Envelope opened revealing insert

Message on the reverse of insert

Day 5

He is a wise man who does not grieve
for the things which he has not,
but rejoices for those which he has.
Epictetus

I have decided not to make any over the weekends, so I am aiming on making just five each week.

I have used washi tape by Stampington,
white pigment ink Signo pen by Uni-ball,
black Pigma Micron pen,
Tim Holtz Pocket Cards,
Distress Ink (antique linen),
patterned fabric tape,
images by Jessica Sprague,
dymo tape, metal eyelets, staples,
page torn from on old English dictionary,
old map illustration from a 1928 edition of Philips' New Pocket Atlas of the World
& gift wrap paper by Cavallini Papers & Co Inc.

Ready, Steady ...

Monday sees the start of ICAD for 2015, for which you create on one small index card

each day for two months.

During those two months, by spending a short time each day being creative,
it helps develop a creative habit, training your creative muscles to be ... creative.

But really, do you need a reason to be creative?

I may join in with this, although I am still having a debate with myself on this point,

but just in case I do, today I have made a small holder for my index cards.

The top is made from white mountboard on a rectangle chipboard base. 

The outside is covered in Ranger's white sticky-back canvas, painted black.

Some people prep a few cards in advance, to ensure a fast get away from the creative blocks,

so I have also covered a few blank index cards in some old wrapping paper

I have been saving for a few years. 

To be honest, it's a relief to finally find a good use for it,

as I have been hoarding it for simply ages.

The paper is by Cavallini Papers & Co Inc.

Come Monday morning, I should be ready to Go ...