Zendala Dare #54

The Zendala Dare from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca feels very different this week, and I had a bit of trouble finding the tangles that I felt it called for. Actually z-trik is one of my new favorites so that was one easy to choose. Daggerly is a tangle that I haven't used often, and not for quite a while, though I really like it. The third tangle came to my attention through a Pinterest notification. There are lots of quite interesting tangles on Pinterest, but for the most part I don't use them for the dares (or challenges) unless they are also part of Linda Farmers Tangle Patterns (TanglePatterns.com). I don't think I did "Crest" by Suzanne Davis justice, but it really is a neat tangle.

Zentangle Challenge #114 - You with the stars in your eyes

This week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to go with the theme of stars. Laura writes such inspiring blogs and this week has included a video, and told us about her singing! I would LOVE to hear her sing! Anyway, this is a quick entry - my plan is to tangle a wooden acadian star for the front of the house, but I doubt I'll get it done this week. However, if this awful spring weather keeps on keeping on, I just might. This is a paper star that is folded on all the creases (someone posted a template last year, and I seem to have lost it :( My scanner only does flat, so you can't see the 3D. I like this star, but though it was started as a template for the bigger project, I'm not going to use it - maybe not any of it. So, I may be posting more as I try to decide which tangles to use, and to practice them on other paper projects.

Zendala Dare #53

Another wonderful Zendala template from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca! With the last few templates she's posted, I've either removed or changed some of the lines. This time I decided to go with the pattern. I didn't have trouble choosing the tangles for this zendala = they just flowed from the pen so this was a very easy, very zen project. Thanks Erin, and thanks to everyone who takes a look!

Zendala Dare #52 - Holy Hollibaugh (second try)

I had such fun with this template! Thanks Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. This is my second entry and is done with the twist that I used the whole Zendala Circle for the Hollibaugh string, but layered part of the template so it sort of looks like it's laid on top of the background. It was fun; I tried filling the spaces in between the holibaugh strands in a way I've never done before, and added a bit of color, trying not to have too much. I'm quite happy with this though the color in the original is much brighter. Thanks for taking the time to look and comment if you are so inclined.

Zentangle Challenge #113 - String Theory - Hip to be Square

This week's challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to use squares within squares as the string. Last year I started a series of postcards on which I post a small photo printed from my pogo printer, then decorated with Zentangles. I only got three done last year, but this challenge reminded me of them so here is my entry for this challenge. I took a photo last summer of my rock garden which is overseen by my wood carving "Merlin", and his statuary companions, a Mexican gecko, and fisherman frog. That's what's in the center of this postcard. Chordin is one of my favorite tangles, though it's much darker here than I usually do it. This is the first time I've used Z-trik - LOVE the way this tangle looks! I'm happy with this postcard!

Zendala Dare #52 (Hollibaugh)

I love this dare from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. Every week Erin posts a blog and a template that challenges us. This week, in addition to a template that has circles, she dares us to use it and incorporate it the tangle "hollibaugh". Ok, right away I had an idea, and spent ages trying to figure out how to do it. Got the general outline done and transferred, and was happily working on it when a couple of friends arrived on their bikes with a couple of bottles of wine.... Well, by the time they left I thought better than to continue. However, it's still fairly early so I took a look at what had been submitted so far - and that is NEVER a good idea. Ok, so my original idea of making the given template "the string" wasn't so original, but they way I did was still different from anyone else's. So I decided to finish and post it - no matter how much wine I'd had. Actually, I'm pretty happy with this! Tomorrow, when I take a second look, I might be a bit embarrassed but I hope not. I have drawn out a second template and have another idea of how to tackle it, so we'll see if I have a second entry......... Thanks Erin for another great dare, and thanks to everyone for looking, and commenting if you have the time. Isn't this just the BEST way to spend time?

Zentangle Challenge #112- UMT - Tuxedo

For this week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca, we are asked to "use my tangle" - Tuxedo. I LOVE this tangle! It looks so complicated, but really isn't; and there could be oh so many variations. Once I had done a string using a triangle, a circle, and part of a larger circle, I decided to only use tangles that I'd never used before. What fun! Bumps was a challenge and I lost my way lots of times, but oh what a forgiving tangle! And boomerangs also has lots of variations - I used three. Thoroughly enjoyed this challenge (as usual)!

Zendala Dare #51

This is my entry for this week's Zendala Dare #51 from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. I really like using her templates, and try to challenge myself with each one, attempting something new to me or something I find difficult. In this one, I used three "new to me" tangles: Knase, Gneiss, and Snugz. I don't often play with color either, but Snugz was calling out for sepia ... and then the rest was history. I think Snugz is my new favorite tangle!