Zendala Dare #11

This is my contribution to Erin's weekly Zendala Dare (www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca). This is the first time I've used C-scape, Veezley, and Eye-wa. As usually happens, the finished tile looks absolutely nothing like what I had in mind - and that's part of what makes Zentangle so much fun! Now I'll check out what others have done... Have a good rest of the week everyone!

Zentangle Challenge #75 - Cadent 2

I recently bought the Poloroid PoGo printer mentioned in Sandy Bartholomew's book Totally Tangled- LOVE IT!!!! (best bargain EVER, and is available through Amazon.ca). I've started to do a number of postcards using Strathmore Watercolor Postcards and a photo, and Zentangle. I just finished one with a photo of a purple flower from my garden (sorry, I've forgotten the name of this plant), and cadent and some other tangles. It's missing something...., but I like it better than my first one (below). Ongoing project, but since the package comes with 15 preprinted postcards, there will be more to come.

Zentangle Dare #10

This is my contribution to Erin's Zendala Dare of the week (see www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca). I enjoyed this one, even though I "rushed" through it because it's a very busy week. As usual when I'm hurrying, I wanted to make it simple, but got caught up in all the fabulous tangles - couldn't decide which to use - so used as many as I could :) I made a few mistakes along the way, but that's ok, it's all part of the process. (Starting outside, clockwise from the top: wisket, nightsbridge, jonqual, chard, jalousie, bitten, stax, gewurtz, and moving day; then inside: facets, zedbra, voxter, footlights, slink, and crescent moon) Thanks again Erin for a fun template!

Zentangle Challenge #75 - Cadent 1

Super busy week for me this week with lots of social engagements including hosting an English Tea wedding shower for my step-daughter in my garden this Saturday (fingers crossed for good weather!). Added to this, my stuffed owls are selling really well and I need to get sewing to build up more stock. So, I was going to skip the Zentangle Challenge and the Zentangle Dare this week.... but I can't. This morning I set aside one hour to "play" with Cadent and this is the result. (I don't think I like the squared version of cadent so much, but I can see where it could make some great variations which I'm sure will show up in others contributions). This is one of my all time favorite tangles, and now I'm inspired to try again with something more structured, which I intend to take with me while I'm babysitting for some friends tonight.

Zentangle Challenge #74 - Eccentric Circles

The Zentangle Challenge (www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca) for this week is to draw "eccentric" circles for our string. I decided that instead of drawing irregular circles, I would draw circles (ovals) in one direction, then draw some others in another direction. This led me to wanting to "weave' the lines. I've used two new to me tangles, Purk and Wartz. I'm not entirely happy with this, especially Bilt which didn't turn out or float the way I wanted it to; and it's rather hard to see how the circles interweave. Oh well - at least I learned two new tangles. Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to post comments - they are much appreciated. Have a good rest of the week.

Zendala Dare #9

Every Friday, Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca posts a zendala template for us to tangle and submit. This week is #9, and here is my entry. I was inspired by her use of some tangle I'd never seen, so I went into Pinterest and found H2O Flowers by Lori Howe - fell in love with it! That was the beginning of what my pens led me into - a koi pond. I wasn't going to try to make this look like anything in particular, but it just fell together, as tangling tends to do. It looked a bit bare without color, so once I started... again it took on a life of it's own, and I even had a go at some watercolor pencils. This was fun, but took way more time than I had expected (again, the way of tangling). I love looking at others contributions, and I love that people take the time to make comments. Hope everyone is having a terrific weekend. (I did my first craft sale this weekend - see my owl post - and was pleasantly surprised at how much I sold and how much positive feedback I got.)

Selling Owls

This was my first craft sale for the owls I've been making since Nov. 2011. I didn't know what to expect as it was a public school fun fair/craft sale in my neighborhood. Well, the owls were a hit and I sold nine owls which is really good considering that many parents said they didn't expect to be buying anything other than food and games for the kids. There was lots of interest and many others took my business card, so maybe I'll make some sales via my website? I've probably made about 130 owls so far, and have sold almost 50! It's been great fun playing with fabrics and since each owl has an original name, it's been fun searching for and making up appropriate names. Of the owls I've made, I gave lots away for presents, then found a store in Kensington Market, Toronto, (The Fairies Pyjama's), that has been selling quite a few for me. Another store in Collingwood (Store 54) has taken a few as well. I'm hoping to be accepted in another craft show in Peterborough in late August.

Zentangle Challenge #73 - Bridgen

This week's Zentangle Challenge from "Iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca" is to use the tangle Bridgen. I've never used it before but certainly will again. It's a great tangle. I made the mistake though of looking at other contributions - never a good idea because it is intimidating because there are so many wonderful interpretations and I start thinking that I can never do anything as good. But that's the point... it's not a competition, and I have to remember that I'm doing it for me, and learning from others. It really is amazing to see how so very different each contribution is! I'm not totally happy with mine, but it will do. I have several other projects on the go so this week is getting short shrift time-wise. (I bought one of those Pogo printers (amazon.ca) mentioned in Sandy Steen Bartholomew's "Yoga for your Brain" book, and am having a blast making post cards - maybe I'll post some when I've done a few more.)

Zendala Dare #8

This week's Zendala Dare (#8) posted by Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca, is to use the template she created and use only tangles that start with the letters L, O, V, and E. This is in honor of her friends Jenn and Travis who are getting married! I LOVE this particular challenge for a number of reasons... First, I'm a romantic! Second, I get to use some of my favorite tangles (see the first tile - all tangles I've used and love). Third, I decided to do a second tile with tangles I've never used before because there were so many that start with those letters that I've never even attempted. Which lead to a third tile because I've discovered even more tangles that I just couldn't resist trying! On the third tile, I cheated... somewhat, by using the tangle named All about "V" because I figured it was close enough in name to be acceptable. I hope everyone else enjoyed this template as much as I did.

1st Zendala done with tangles I've used before, and LOVE: L= Lokomotive, O= Ornamento, V= Versa, E= Efilys

2nd Zendala done with new to me tangles (and as I'm writing this I just realized that I did two tangles starting with L, and none with E...(sigh, I meant to use eye-wa or emingle): L= Loave it and Looplopp, O= Ojo, V= Voxter

Well, I guess it's a good thing I did a 3rd tile with new to me tangles: L= Longwood, O= Opus, V= Vigne, E= Eke and Ennies, and the border is one of the variations of "all about V"