Zendala Dare #75

Here is my entry for this week's Zendala Dare from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. I don't often use paradox because I rush and mess it up... No excuse, I know, so today I challenged myself to play with it a bit. I like it! Riki Tiki is new to me and I like the way it comes together as you follow the steps. Ornamato is one of my favorites, but here it looks a lot like Tipple. This is busier than I would like, but I kind of like the flow.

Zentangle Challenge #137 - Duotangle - Knights over Tipple

This was indeed an interesting challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca! In some ways a simple challenge - to use the two tangles Knightsbridge and Tipple. Ha - nothing is ever "simple". I tried to add some "shine" to Knightsbridge and that was not at all successful so ended up smudging it over so I'm hoping someone else has done this so I can see how it's done! I don't often add aura's, but it seems the best way to fill the empty space here. The end result, as usual, looks very different from the string and ideas I started out with, and I'm not unhappy with this though I'm looking forward to seeing what others have done to add more interest.

Zendala Dare #74

I've been ever so busy lately and have missed the last three Zendala Dare's (www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca)! I don't like missing them, but in a way it's been good for me because I was starting to get almost obsessive about getting every dare and challenge done, and comment on as many of other's works as I could, at the expense of other interests and obligations. It's made me realize that I can step back and prioritize and forgive myself if I can't do everything. I bet there are others out there who feel the same way? Anyway, it is a great template and I had fun with it. Ripples, new to me, caused some problems but a black fill for the background disguises the "mistakes". Also new to me is Quare, and I actually like the original squares better than the circles, but it's a cool tangle. Now I'm off to look at other entries and start on the weekly Zentangle challenge!

Zentangle Challenge #132 - Non-Domontangle - Bales

When I first saw this challenge I thought - yuck, I'm too busy this week to this one anyway. Of course when I expressed that to my husband, he gently reminded me that part of the challenges is to do them - even the ones we don't like. Well, as usually happens, I learned A LOT by doing this challenge. I'm particularly interested in the therapeutic applications of Zentangle. About 6 months ago I visited my cousin in Vancouver who has lost the use of her dominant hand because of a stroke. Her therapist was trying to get her to practice writing with her left hand but she was resisting. I tried to show her a couple of tangles, Bales being the first, and both of us ended up being frustrated. What I learned from this exercise is that I should have shown her how to do it, using my own non-dominant hand! Yes, the lines are wobbly and uneven. But I learned that pulling the pen toward me was easier than pushing away, and that if I went too slowly and thoughtfully, my lines were more crooked than if I drew firmly but steadily. And, the more I did, the "easier" it got - not that it was ever "easy". And then I did a bit of shading with my non-dominant hand. It's far from perfect, but I actually quite like what I ended up with. It reminds me an awful lot of when I first tried macrame, and macrame with beads! (It also occurred to me that I probably shouldn't have pushed her to try Zentangle - she has never had any interest in doing any form of art, and was only trying it to please me. This was another gentle reminder (in hindsight) that not everyone will be as interested in learning to tangle as I am...)

Zendala Dare # 70

This my entry for this week's Zendala Dare from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. Another great template and I was able to try the new tangle Ciceron - not all together successfully, but definitely a learning experience. Last week several people mentioned that there had been a tutorial or "how to" on how to do balls or orbs and really make them appear 3D. I think it was supposed to have been something from Margaret Bremner... but search as I might, I can't find it. I would really appreciate it if someone could send me a link or prompt me how to find it.... Thanks for viewing, and your comments are always appreciated!

Zentangle Challenge #131 - Monotangle - DEX-teria

This weeks Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthediva.blogspot.ca is to use the tangle Dex in a monotangle. That's using this tangle and perhaps variations, and only this tangle, in our tile. I like Dex and have used it several times, but as a mono tangle.... not so much. But these challenges are to make us step out of our comfort zone. Actually, I did discover that I had been doing dex wrong anyway, so another plus from this challenge is that I think I have the steps firmly in my mind now. I couldn't decide what to do so ended up with a window into a futuristic Dex city. Don't love this, but there you are. I look carefully at the other entries because I found this one quite a tough challenge. Thanks Laura!

Zendala Dare #69

Another intriguing template from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com. Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition starts this coming weekend, and portends the ending of the summer. Other signs are the slowing of grass and plant growth in the garden, but also a bounty of vegetables, peaches and corn on the cob. And that is the inspiration for my choice of tangles - purk sort of looks like corn, kuke for the lovely cucumbers, and pepper forms the husks for the corn. Ok, so I'm stretching it, but it was fun doing this dare, as usual. Thanks Erin, and thanks to those of you who look, and extra thanks for those who comment - it's always appreciated.