Zentangle Challenge #104 - String Theory - 003

This week's Zentangle Challenge (from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt@blogspot.ca) is to use the string #003 which can be found on the tanglepatterns website. I decided to oversize it (8 X 11), and initially I thought I'd keep it simple with just a few new to me tangles... well, you know how it goes. It got more complicated when I decided I wanted each section to have a connection of some sort with the one(s) beside it. I got to try 9 new to me tangles and a couple of nearly new ones. Fun! Thank you for taking the time to look, and make a comment if you feel like it. Have a good week.

Zendala Dare #42

I wanted to keep this week's Zendala Dare simple (from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca) - that is, using 2 or 3 tangles. I like this template because it can be soft or very structured, and I've copied out a couple more tiles that I might get to later in the week. Thanks again Erin, and to everyone, have a wonderful week.

Zentangle Challenge #103 - Moebius String

The Diva Zentangle Challenge this week is to use the Moebius string. I had an idea to make it into a pathway - good idea, right? Hummm, but things got out of hand and two days (and nights) later I was adding more, and more.... It's fussy, but I got to try some tangles I hadn't used before, and the concept of a journey, meditative gardens, and Zentangle just seemed to flow. Don't love it, but it's the thought that counts. My thoughts go out to Laura and Artoo and family, and everyone else else dealing with Moebius Syndrome.

Zendala Dare #41

Nice template for this week's Zendala Dare #41 from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. I LOVE Scrolled Feathers, but have a lot of trouble with it, so I'm going to try to use it more often and see if I can get a bit more relaxed doing it. Two "new to me" tangles, Girlande, and Heartrope are used in this ZIA. I made 'mistakes' in every tangle while doing this template but once it was finished and shaded, they didn't jump out at me the way they annoyed me as I was working. I shaded behind Scrolled Feathers and in the original it looks like they rest on a rounded surface - it doesn't look like that in the scan. Oh well. I really like how the Zedbra looks divided and colored alternately. Thanks for stopping by, and have a good week!

Zendala Dare #40 - second entry

I had to try this Zendala Dare template again, and yet again.... I started this tile intending to use Pia, but didn't look at the instructions and of course did it wrong... so I guess it's sort of "rain" but rounded. After that, I just kept on tangling. I wasn't going to post this one but here it is anyway.

My last try of this template and I decided to use Pia (the way I originally intended, and two other tangles I haven't used before: Zin and Boties. Perhaps because the template is quite complex, all three of my tiles took a long time to do - much of it in thought about how to start and what to do next... then especially with the last one, trying to keep lines straight and even. Because I spent so much time on the tiles, I haven't had time to look at every entry yet - I'll try to get them, but may not have time to comment on as many as I like to.

Zentangle Challenge #102 - Duotangle Auraknot/Bunzo

Quick entry for this week's Zentangle Challenge #102 from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca. We are to use only the two tangles Auraknot and Bunzo. I LOVE Auraknot, but just like Bunzo - but together? Well.... I'll be very interested in seeing how others have combined these two - quite a challenge Laura! I got my first iphone this week so instead of reading, walking and doing the creative tangling, and sewing that usually takes up a lot of my time, I'm entering and updating my contacts and exploring this new i world. Fun, but initially it sure takes up a lot of time :)

Zendala Dare #40

This is the Zendala template for this week's Zendala Dare #40 from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca

I removed a few lines and voila - a pinwheel! This is my first entry - I'm working on another using the original template - I really like this one!

Zentangle Challenge #101 - second entry

I couldn't sleep last night, and didn't feel like reading or sewing, and the internet was down... so I took out the Zentangle stuff and started experimenting with Phicops. The more I drew it, the more I liked it... but I couldn't let it stand alone so Hollibaugh went into the background. When I got up this a.m. it looked pretty stark so I added bits and pieces of embellishments, and other tangles to the hollibaugh lines, then shading. May favorite part is the Phicops behind Flez - I love the wavy edge. I still want to play around with Phicops some more because I can't seem to get it sort of stubby and round. I haven't checked out many of the other entries this week (because internet has been a pain), but it's up again so that's what I'm going to do now.

Zentangle Challenge #101 - Phicops

This week's Zentangle Challenge (#101), from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca, is a UMT (use my tangle). Her husband B-rad has developed the tangle we are to use - Phicops (pronounced f-eye-cops). I had already started a small ZIA using a string made from the beginning of my name "S" (turn the page), and a "U". I still had several sections to fill in, so I put Phicops in two of them - shaded with green but that doesn't show up very well with the scan. I've used 4 "new to me" tangles in this ZIA. I haven't looked at any other entries but I'm guessing there will be lots of very interesting and beautiful variations... I learn so much from looking at all the other entries, and being pushed to try something new and often out of my comfort zone with each challenge (and dare). Thank you Laura for these challenges each week, and thank you everyone who takes the time to comment and/or look.

Zendala Dare #39 - ZenDon't

This week's Zendala Dare (#39) from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com is a brilliant way to start the new year challenges! I love that she has challenged us to further step out of our comfort zone by NOT doing the processes we usually do. For example is we usually do our zendala in black and white - Don't - use color; if we use favorite tangles - Don't - try something different... and so on. So for this first Zendala, I used lots of color (staedtler pens, and watercolor pencils) (which I don't usually because color intimidates me). And the big thing for me on this Zendala was to not follow the exact template, so I adapted it, even if it was just a bit. I'm also a stickler for using official tangles but when I saw all the diamonds in this template, I really, really wanted to do "gems". I found a deconstruction of a gem on google images (no name given that I can give credit to, sorry).

This second Zendala was also stepping out of my comfort zone because: 1. as soon as I see 12 obvious sections, I want to do a clock to add to my Tangled Time series (because time seems to take on another dimension when tangling...). Because Erin mentioned the 12 months in her blog, I realized that I have been Zentangling for just over a year, so it was time to acknowledge the 12 months. 2. I usually try to do a new tangle or two... Don't - so I used one I'm familiar with but haven't used much lately. 3. I usually do black and white - Don't - so I added the sepia which I love when I see it, though rarely use. 4. And I never put in words - so the rhyme about the number of days in each month was appropriate here. Great Dare Erin, thanks for making those New Year Resolutions more approachable by looking at it from a different perspective. (I may still have to use this template do a clock for my Tangled Time series though - 12 sections don't happen that often!)