Are your index cards ready?

It is that time of year again where June is fast approaching and with the approach of June it also means the Index Card a Day challenge is nearly here. You can read more about it here.

I have my index cards ready:

I cannot recommend joining this challenge enough. Just creating for even 5-10 minutes a day sparks so many ideas. There is also a freedom that comes is using an index card for creating, a trick for your perfectionist mind.

I first joined in 2011 but life happened and I got away from it.

Last year I did the entire challenge and it was such a fantastic experience. I went into it with two goals, to finish, and to do as many of Tammy’s prompts as possible. I made NO other rules. I prepared some backgrounds on cards with extra paint and what have you so that on the days where I had nothing left, I had somewhere to start.

I also had a couple of times I basically completed two cards (or more) at the same time, and those back up cards were useful on the days where time got away from me. A couple of tweaks and I was good to go. Or an easy list scribbled down. No rules.

The biggest success factor for me last year was not to impose any rules on myself. In 2011 when I got behind I had so many rules in my head: I had to do both sides of the card, I had to do a card every day (it didn’t count if I did an extra card on another day where I had more time), if I got behind I HAD to catch up, each card had to be of a certain quality, it all just got too hard and I never got back to it after my life interrupted for a week. Last year there was none of that.

Last year I finished the challenge.

First set*:

Second Set*:

I pulled the cards out yesterday and I was amazed holding them in my hand. I had forgotten all about some of them, and the ideas that had been sparked. It was such a treat holding them in my hand, and I decided to bind them.  I pulled out my Alisa Golden bookbinding book.

I decided to make it very easy on myself. One of the joys of ICAD is the experimentation so I went into the binding with that in mind (two different binding methods). I used a cardboard envelope I received in the post as my covers and punched a couple of holes in the covers and the cards. No measuring, just by sight.

I LOVE THESE. Such a joy to hold these little books in my hand.

This year I have my cards ready and only two goals. To finish and to use only collage. Collage scares me a little so I thought index cards are the perfect place to challenge myself with this medium.

Get your cards ready now and join in, there is such a lovely community spirit that forms over these little cards, and you get to connect with so many new people.

No rules. Dip in or out. You will be surprised at how much it adds to your creative well, and how many ideas it sparks.

* Mosaic photo links:

First set:
1. Icad #1, 2. Icad #2, 3. Icad 3, 4. Icad 4, 5. Icad 5, 6. Icad 6, 7. Icad 7, 8. Icad 8, 9. Icad 9, 10. Icad 10, 11. Icad 11, 12. Icad 12, 13. Icad 13, 14. Icad 14, 15. Icad 15 – Part 1, 16. Icad 15 – Part 2, 17. Icad 16, 18. Icad 17, 19. Icad 18, 20. Icad 19, 21. Icad 20, 22. ICAD 21, 23. ICAD 22, 24. ICAD 23, 25. ICAD 24, 26. ICAD 25, 27. ICAD 26, 28. ICAD 27, 29. ICAD 28, 30. ICAD 29, 31. ICAD 30, 32. ICAD 31, 33. Icad 32, 34. Icad 33, 35. Icad 34, 36. Icad 35

Second set:
1. Icad 36, 2. Icad 37, 3. Icad 38, 4. Icad 39, 5. Icad 40, 6. Icad #41, 7. Icad #42, 8. Icad #43, 9. Icad #44, 10. Icad #45, 11. Icad #46, 12. Icad #47, 13. Icad #48, 14. Icad #49, 15. Icad #50, 16. Icad 51, 17. Icad 52, 18. Icad 53, 19. Icad 54, 20. Icad 55, 21. Icad 56: Background 1, 22. Icad 56: Background 2, 23. Icad 57, 24. Icad 58, 25. Icad 59, 26. Icad 59 Close up, 27. Icad 60, 28. Icad 60 close up, 29. Icad 61, 30. 61 Index cards!