Zentangle Challenge #88 - use the tangle "IX"

The Zentangle Challenge (#88) for this week from www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to use the official tangle "IX". I haven't used this one before, and I love the challenge and exercise to use a "new to me" tangle. The first one I did I wanted to play with adding in another tangle, and jetties seemed to just jump right in. I also wanted to play with the darker ends of the first lines and see what happened if I inverted or extended them... I'm happy with the result.

The second one I did using the Zentangle String #5 because I thought it would present another challenge since none of the lines actually crossed (though I did change that a bit...) I like this tangle and will probably use it again, but I'm really curious to see how others have changed and adapted it. Thanks for taking the time to look, and I appreciate any comments.

Zendala Dare #24 - 2nd try

This is my second try using Erin's fabulous template for this week's Zentangle Dare (www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca). What I really wanted to do was have the tangles "morph" into another tangle where the corners overlapped, but it didn't work out quite the way I wanted to. I didn't intend to use color either, but it was too hard to see the overlapping corners in just black/white. I put way too much thought and planning into this one, and got to the point that I was putting too much pressure on myself and wasn't enjoying the process. I'm not unhappy with it, but it isn't what I had envisioned.

Zendala Dare #24

This is my entry for this week's Zendala Dare from Erin at thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. I love this zendala and expect to do a couple more from this template. The first one I did today isn't at all what I expected to happen, but there you go. I think I was influenced by the weather. It's starting to get cooler and was raining when I got up this a.m. So I've taken off my pretty summer bedspread and replaced it with a darker flannel duvet cover. This Zendala reminds me of that summer bedspread (though it doesn't remotely look anything like it). The tangles I used are Embellish, Lanie, and Camelia. I have an idea of what I want to do for another Zendala using this template, but it's going to take some planning so perhaps I'll be posting again later in the week. Thanks Erin for a great template, and thank you to everyone who takes the time to look at and comment on this and everyone else's entries.

Zentangle Challenge #87: "String Theory v. XII: Pinwheels for Peace v.II"

This week's Zentangle Challenge (www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca) was to use a pinwheel for our string - in celebration of International Day of Peace, Sept. 21, 2012. My first pinwheel string (or pattern) is a quilt pinwheel... it turned out fussier than I would have liked. Tangles used are: H2O Lilly, Facets, Trimonds and Rose (Rose is supposed to have the accent over the e, like the blush colored wine, but I can't figure out how to do that on my computer).

My second pinwheel is simpler - two tangles: Tortuga, and Efilys

The third is from a pattern I found by browsing through google images of pinwheel coloring pages. This was my favorite to do, and out of the three tiles, I managed to do four new to me tangles. I've had a lot of fun with this week's challenge! The tangles I used in this third tile: MI2, Archer, Golven, Lokomotive, Yabbut and Huggins (and woodgrain for the post)

Zendala

Picked up another one of my pre-strung Zendala tiles (available through www.zentangle.com) and this is the result. I wish I hadn't colored in the background on Maylea, but there you go.... Love the teal color though and will use that more often.

Zendala Dare #23

Thanks Erin for another great template for this week's Zendala Dare (thebrightowl.blogspot.ca). Seems like this is a time of changes - the weather, activities, careers, whatever... and so I decided to do tangles that sort of represented pathways from one thing to another - all intersecting, and with little "bumps" on the way. All circled by the ying/yang of life. Not that I'm particularly spiritual, but I do believe that change can be a good thing if approached with a positive attitude, and if it doesn't work out, well, you've learned from it and can often go back, or, further ahead. I just finished reading a fabulous book that sort of ties into all this: "Hector and the Search for Happiness" by Francois Lelord. If you have read and liked "The Petit Prince" and "The Alchemist" - it's sort of along those lines - but about Happiness.

Zendala

The Friday Zendala Dare has been delayed - so I opened my tin of pre-strung Zendala's and chose one - this is the result. I had fun doing it, but discovered that I really don't understand Opus and need more practice. I'm going to try to do one of these pre-strung zendala's every week - after all, that's what I bought them for, and they've been sitting for the perfect opportunity for a couple of months...

Zentangle Challenge #86 - Break Free

The Zentangle Challenge (iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca) this week is one I looked at with excitement (it's a real challenge for me to go outside of lines) and dread (stepping outside my comfort zone - big time!). In this challenge we are to use our strings as a "guideline" and extend our design beyond; in other words to "break free" of the constraints of some lines. Hummmm.... I found a pattern I had set aside for the right inspiration (boxes, a circle, and a ruler shape), and decided that should really make me push my comfort zone! I started with a newish tangle "Tra-la-la" (which I have fallen in love with), and then Featherfall (which looks wonderful on everyone else's but I need more practice), then Rouche (another new to me tangle). Anyone out there have a tutorial on perspective? Those boxes were tricky - again something that looks great when I see them on others sites. Anyway, it's done, and was fun/scary to do. I'm looking forward to paying more attention to "break free" designs when I look at others' designs. Thanks Laura for making me push my boundries by coming up with these great challenges; and thanks everyone for sharing your own designs and to everyone who takes the time to look and comment. The Zentangle community is truly encouraging and supportive!

Zendala Dare #22 - Monodala

This week's Zendala Dare #22 is to use one tangle on the pattern posted by Erin at http://thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. This is my contribution using the tangle Dooleedo, which was fun to do, and I'm quite happy with the way it turned out (except for the shadow of the upper edge of the paper that only shows on scanning) Another pleasant evening tangling!

Zentangle Challenge #85 - Copada

I wanted to experiment with Copada and I already had a "string" of interlocking circles waiting for the right inspiration, so here is my contribution to Zentangle Weekly Challenge #85 - UMT (Use my Tangle) #85 - Copada (Iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca). Originally it was going to be the traditional black/white/shading... but it was calling out for a bit of color. I'm afraid of using color as I don't have an art background and very little experience, but I guess you learn some by trying - so here it is. After seeing everyone put their "blind" string before and after online, I thought that was a good idea - especially when I'm trying something sort of new or experimental; so I've also included my uncolored ZIA. Am I happy with it? Sort of - though the colors are a bit washed out (I was going for subtle), and next time I try color, I'll go a bit bolder. Also, much of the shading doesn't show up on scanning, but if I darken the original, it looks too dark for my liking.

Zendala Dare #21

Here is my contribution to Erin's Zendala Challenge which can be found at http://thebrightowl.blogspot.ca/ I haven't been doing much Zentangle over the past few weeks, other than just trying to keep up with new tangles being posted and adding them to my workbook. It's been a fabulous summer filled with travels, gardening, crafting, reading, and spending lots and lots of time with friends and family. I don't know how I managed when I worked, but now that I'm retired, I'm busier than ever (in a good way)! In this dare I used one new to me tangle (Keenies), and a new to me variation of Bilt, and Ixorus. I would have liked a bit of color in this, but couldn't figure out how to add a touch without potentially ruining it, so I just shaded. Shading shows up better in the original than when it's scanned.