I'm having a great week! I've sold my first owl, and have 13 more on consignment in the Kensington Market. I'm getting lots of positive feedback about them. Yesterday a drapery store gave me lots of pretty fabric samples so I'll be sewing some new colors, and since most samples are too small for the owls, I will have to come up with some other way of using them.... maybe quilted lap throws? cushions? placemats? mini-owls? And, I loved this week's Zentangle challenge - see my other posts for examples. Feeling very optimistic (even more than usual) - must be SPRING!

Zentangle Challenge #60

This week's Zentangle Challenge (#60) is to use the two tangles "Cirquital" and "Munchin". LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Munchin! I hadn't tried it before; and don't even remember seeing it (I am fairly new though). It's a tangle I want to play around with and see the different effects with large, and/or small, straight lines, and/or curvy lines, and variations in shading. I've used Cirquital a couple of times, but again, I'll play around with it more and see what happens. I can't wait to see what other people come up with on this week's "I am the Diva" challenge. Thoroughly enjoyed this challenge - it didn't stress me out like some of them have :)

This weeks Diva challenge is "Mardi Gras". Interesting, because just last week I was mentioning to my husband that someday I would love to visit New Orleans. I couldn't get inspired with this challenge though - I felt that I had to actually draw something that looked like something (a mask, a face, ???). I don't generally like to look at other submissions before I do my challenge, but I did this week peek at a few which were all spectacular and made it even harder for me to start. But I am determined to do each challenge - it is after all a "challenge". I'm not pleased with this one, especially after seeing so many other fabulous Mardi Gras zentangles! If I have time this weekend, I might try again - and try to do something with just pattern - no objects. I think I would be happier with that. In the future, I'm not going to look at anyone else's before I do my own. What is so neat about these challenges, and Zentangle in general, is that everyone has their own style, their own personality put into each piece. Even though we are all following a common theme, each zentangle is so completely different! It's awesome. (There is a lot of purple and green in "featherfall", and the whole mask, but unfortunately it didn't scan too well.)

This is my second entry for the Zentangle Challenge #58, Diamonds. The challenge was to use the symbol for the Four Diamond Fund (my previous post explains the fund a bit more). I had started another piece first but didn't like it, so I started this one, then got stuck on it. I worked back and forth on the two pieces. Love/hate the frustration that goes with having an image in my mind of what I want, but not getting there, yet when I push myself to let go and just keep working at it - something seems to come together. Zentangle gets me to release some control and yet pushes me beyond my comfort zone - 'specially these challenges!

This week's challenge is to use they symbol for the Four Diamond Fund (see below). I thought it would be simple... but found when I did the string using "laced" that I wasn't happy with it so I went on to my second try. Then I got stuck on that one and went back to this one. That's what I love so much about these challenges - I get frustrated with my original idea not working out as I envisioned, then go through a phase of "what the heck, just work at it, it doesn't matter", then generally, I'm not displeased with what it ends up as. In this one, I don't like the way the eyelete turned out around the laced, but otherwise I love the interlocking hearts! The top diamond was also created from a mistake, but I kind of like it too. Penn State University’s Dance Marathon—lovingly called THON —is an annual event that benefits The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. In 1973, 39 dancer couples participated in the first THON and raised $2,000. Last year, in 2011, 353 couples danced and raised $9.56 million. In its 40 years, THON has raised over $78 million, money that has paid medical expenses for more than 2000 families and also funds innovative research. The Four Diamonds Fund was started by Charles and Irma Millard after their son, Christopher, lost his 3 year battle with cancer in 1972. Symbolic of the traits Christopher felt were needed to defeat cancer, he wrote a story in which the knight Sir Millard overcomes obstacles to achieve the four diamonds of Courage, Wisdom, Honesty and Strength.

Zentangle Weekly Challenge #57 - "Sanibelle"

This week's Zentangle Challenge is to use the tangle "Sanibelle". I've been on a short trip to Vancouver for the past 5 days, and worked on this tangle while visiting with family. Sanibelle is a beautiful tangle, somehow it always seems to me to be an underwater plant. I chose not to look at any one else's pieces until I posted this as I didn't want to be influenced by others perceptions and interpretations. Now I can't wait to see what others have done!

Zentangle - Phringe

I had in mind a tangle - a "fringe" which I've renamed Phringe. This is the ZIA that came out of it.

Paisley's

I love the paisley design and wanted to try it with zentangles. Looked flat, so I added color..