H.A. #31- F is for fish

Well, here is the end of my first month. I think its going well. I certainly have learned alot! I must nod off now, though...

H.A. #29- Autumn Leaf & #30- BUG#$@^%&^^%!

This card was done yesterday from a leaf picked in my yard & coated with several layers of gel medium. I covered the whole card in a mesh so as to keep it from crumbling off later, if it will, I don't know.
I was appropriate that I did this autumn card because it is now really cold. My Dahlias died during the night, our first frost. I picked my last bouquet yesterday of the season and I didn't know it. This card did not come together well, nor is it a very happy subject, even though I like Autumn very much, its sad when the tomatoes die, the dahlias die & the garden takes on that brownish, wet, dark, tired look.
The sun came out now, so its not so bad. Its very cold, though. I think I'll watch from inside.









I nearly forgot to put his one on the blog. I like it but it is one of so many, that if I don't get them recorded, I forget.

I don't mind bugs. In fact, I won the admiration of my son, when he was about 10 for holding a hissing cockroach and a stickbug (separately) on the palm of my hand at an exhibit at our OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry). I have other things which "bug" me and I don't tell him or his father so they can't make me crazy with it....

H.A. #28- "Imagine Round"

Branching out a little style-wise. Used magazine texture, photos, postage stamps, adhesive mesh, and a sticker, then added the washer that says "imagine."

I need to release these cards. I am building up a backlog.

H.A. #27- Can you hear me?

I like this one, but it seems a bit political. Got the card done this weekend but not the posts. So, the y are all being put up this am.

H.A. #26- Fit Everything In

Rummaging thru magazine, getting ready to recycle them, I ran across this phrase "fit everything in" and it grabbed me. Perhaps someone will enjoy it. I am enjoying doing this, I can tell you.

It has become so much a part of my routine, now, that my husband will ask me if I have made my card today. He is my cheering section. Usually I will make it during the day in patches, trrying a technique & leaving it to dry or look better later. I often will be downloading it at midnight because it seems a good end of the day.

H.A. #25 Glucose Molecule

This one is my personal favorite so far. I got this idea the day before & did it the next day without a hitch. It was so fun and silly. It was one of the easy days.

H.A. #24- Adventure: man with fish under his arm with his friend the London Label

Its really funny how every day is so different in the way I feel about my art or how I do it. some days, I have the idea from the get-go and can execute it with no problems, some happen as I am figuring something out and to the other extreme are the days were nothing works and you get my cat or something equally as dreadful. I love my cat, but that one was not my best, even as a sketch!

The above card was one of the "figuring out" ones. I was playing with techniques, ran out of time and got a little wacky....

H.A. #23- Cat O' Mine

Here again, was a rushed day. I am still working on the Kitchen cupboards & it is slow going-- about 4 coats of paint to get rid of the horrible dark stained wood (popular in the 1970's when this kitchen was "remodelled").

So, today, I decided to draw my cat, "Ariel". She is very attached to me. I am very attached to her. She crossed the stree today and she and her brother both scared the sh@@ out of me! She is a very aloof cat normally but occasionally she will act really silly like grab a toy and run through the house with it, tear up some paper left on the floor and meow in a very annoyed manner if she thinks we are having chicken and not sharing. She will stare me down until I make a lap for her &, when she doesn't get one, she will again yell at me with her annoyed "RAOW!" We call her "Madame Feathertail" partly because of her feathery tail but also she weighs nothing, I kid you not. I suppose, over the next 12 months you readers will hear of my cats. She is one of 5. Enjoy your day!

H.A. #22- Nothing is guaranteed in Oregon Rain!

Yet another rushed silly one. In the 70's there were books that came out by an Oregon Cartoonist which said, "Oregonians don't tan, they rust!" When I caught sight of the image of the person in the rain & the guaranteed rustless, I felt I had a match. We have had beautiful weather recently, I hope this card doesn't jinx it!

H.A. #21-The "Dysfunctionals" have a party!

This one was so fun to make. I just went nuts with my rubber stamps. I hope it makes you laugh, whoever gets it.

Happenstance Art #20-Ghost

This one did not turn out the way I wanted, but it looks better a couple days later.
Also, this week for Illustration Friday: This is a piece of art on a playing card.

For those of you new to this site, this is day 23 of my year-long commitment to myself to make a playing card sized piece of art each day for a year & give them away. They are numbered and have a tag to this address to see if anyone cares to say something, but so far, nope. No matter, its my commitment to make me more proficient, more proactive and to do it even if I don't feel like it. So there!

H.A. #19- Best witches!

OKay, so, when I am working on a really big project, like painting my kitchen cupboards, I am useless as an artist. I have no juice, no imagination, everything looks terrible and I take no time at it, I'm too tired.

H.A. #18- Scarecrow Self

I like this one. I didn't at first, but it came together in the end. Today was a day for releasing several of the cards. One got left in the rain-- not my idea-- by a helpful family member. I hope it survives. Another was left on a radial arm saw at a hardware store. Ditto, there. I hope it is not decided that it would be a good idea to use it for demonstration purposes.

H.A. #17- Moonstruck

This piece was very hard to get out. I like it now, but I had to remove many pieces and start over a couple of times. It was probably because I had a day of paperwork sorting to do and I do not like doing that at all. My brain, I think, was way too far in the left realm. Its insidious!

H.A. #16- What would she want if you asked her?

Today I am, again, playing with transfers and I had to post three because I could not get to posting them on the day. But that is not the point. The point is DOING them each day, and I am. I'm having so much fun. Trouble tho.....I keep forgetting my folder or, if I have the folder, I keep forgetting to leave the cards in places. So, now, I have about 10 to "relocate."

A sad note: Today, I had to "bury" this card. In my haste, she was attached to another in a way that would destroy her face. None of my rescue attempts w0rked so she is retired here- forever lovely and artful in cyberspace....

H.A. #15- Idiot Mail

Had a blast making this one. I'm doing a lot of transfers right now. What a hoot! It was a good break from painting my kitchen cabinets. So, whoever gets this one, its not you, its just a silly piece of art for today.

H. A. #14- "Deep Thot"

She's trying to conjure up an image to read your fortune, but all she gets is....the weather channel. Too bad.

H.A. #13- Crossing

'Totally forgot it was Friday the thirteenth! Could have had a blast doing something completely scary-- like being suddenly in class without knowing there was a test or without wearing clothes-- you know, really wierd and scary dreams. Well, another day perhaps.

I was in a blue mood today. Not that I was sad, I just wanted to play with this color. When a piece of paper or color attracts me, I go for it. Other wise, its not me at all doing the art. Still no responses, mmmm. I guess either I'm too subtle ( not likely) or "give-aways" are too wierd (what's the catch, time-share? you want money? you have a book about Jesus Christ you want me to read?) for people to "get." Typical. Noone ever "gets" me and I am really not that strange. You would not believe me if I told you, so I won't. Be I have a lot going on up in my head all the time and, outside of a few facial expressions I let leak out, no one would know.

H.A. #12-"Odd Decisions"

So, now its been a dozen. I placed two more out into the world today. I figured I was getting behind &, if I didn't keep up with their "releases", I might end up with a stockpile and have to hand them out on streetcorners. The ideas keep coming and I am so glad I am cataloguing them here because I would so easily forget what I had done.

I decided not to leave one at my local grocery store. The clientele today was really rather antique and I thought they would not get it, think it was subversive or call the cops-- just kidding! Perhaps I was wrong about them. I'll try again another day.

Art must be "released" out to the world AT LARGE not at small. I think I was feeling shy. In fact, the place I ended up dropping off one was so busy that I was afraid of being spotted placing it so I must have looked like a potential shoplifter lurking around the shelves, scanning the room, placing the card where it will be seen within a few days, and scooting out the door as fast as I could without drawing attention to myself or the place where I "released" the art.

H.A. #10 & #11

Yesterday I was so busy that I was doing my card at almost midnight.
No. 10 is called "Something Halloween".

Tonight I am finishing up at about midnight. I need to make the card earlier in the day .
No. 11 is called " Halloween Vixen Weaves Her Web" (below)













This evening, I went by a place I had left a card a couple of days ago &, even with the high traffic, no one picked it up so I retrieved it to replace it somewhere else. By the time I've done 365, I will know not only how to make what I want to in the best way, but I will also know good spots to leave them.

H.A. #9- Good Houskeeping for Halloweentime!

HA! And Boo! to all you spookables. Its time to start tending our cobwebs, chipped goblets, and worn, black antimacassers. Me, I've been knee deep in a kitchen make-over: a low-cost version of the "remodel", alias a DIY job...So, I had housekeeping on my mind when I did this. I took time out, thought, to go to the local craft store where I left a couple of these for folks to find. So far they've gone to an art gallery, a beauty shop, a bookstore, and a fabric/craft store. I keep forgetting to leave one at a grocery store and I have not gone out for coffee since I began this, so no Starbucks, yet.

H.A. #8- Still Sky

It is the first day here in Portland to feel really autumnal. It rained and it was very cold. I found this quote and had to put it into today's collage. I got the feeling, while making it, that it would find someone who needed a hug. I hope it helps someone thru their day.

H.A. No. 6- "I Am Watching"& #7- Autumn

Today I am publishing two because I did come down with a nasty, mean little virus that I basically slept through for two days. All I could do were these cards, so they seem a little frail, I think. But I like them both & Fussed over them. I also changed the sticker on the backs to include the phrase "(Not selling anything nor expousing a view, just doing art for fun!)" which I hope will help those that are a bit shy about the website.

H.A. #5- Comet Watching

Today I felt like I was coming down with a cold. I fell awful so keeping this commitment made me feel better in that I could think of other things rather than my aches. I think about my cards all the time and sometimes I think I could make 10 a day but then I would burn out and mess up the purpose. After all, the fun will be when someone writes it that they found one.

H.A. #4- untitled

It was too early when I got up to finish this before going downtown for an appointment, so, it is unnamed. I was so excited to drop off three of the four of the ones I have done so far. I gave me a sense of accomplishment. Plus, as was the case with my original "free art", I loved imagining the person who found the piece. And, it could take some time for them to be found.

H.A. #3 Enjoy the Moment.

As I write this, this card is still wet and will be until tomorrow. I guess. I don't know, I'm using a new glue. This one has a real compass on it. I suppose it could get some one's attention. I enjoyed the quizzical look on the face of the little girl in this picture, which is, by the way, the exact size of the face on the photo. It was from a string of photos that looked to be the precursor to the modern photo booth.

H.A. #2- Acorns to Oaks

Number 2 was designed around the postage stamp and has a copper wire hanger. I like to do this kind of metal work. Tomorrow I go out to downtown and I can deliver the first 4 (if I get up early enought o finish tomorrows before I leave). It will be the perfect place to drop them.

H.A. No. 1: "Mystic"

No. 1: I really enjoyed making this one because it was my first and I look forward to using all my skills and my supplies. I already have so many ideas. I think I will leave this one near my home at a Starbucks or the grocery store the day after.

Other Labels Besides the Leaping Cat

These are the other two labels I have designed so far.
I am so excited that tomorrow is day one--oh, well, it's now today!
I am such a night owl!