Zendala Dare #116

I did two Zendala's for this week's Dare from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com. Though it doesn't show, the first one was done on a regular Zendala tile, and the second on an 8.5 inch circle. I like the second better because it gave me the opportunity to showcase some tangles that work well in circular spaces. I wanted something to balance the detail of the central orbs and I think Zplode works well. I'm happy with both of these!

Zentangle Challenge #144 - A Bug's Life

Well, here is my entry for this week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca. I wasn't going to do this week's challenge because I'm really busy sewing owls for the CBC Christmas Charity Craft Show, and getting ready to give my first Zentangle class. However, I was going through some tiles that I started during the CZT12 training, and found an incomplete Zendala on which I had started practicing Tripoli and Peanuckle. Both of these tangles drive me nuts because I know I should be able to "get" them, but I find them really difficult. Molly showed us, and of course it looks so simple when she does it, and is much simpler when she is standing right there going over step by step with you…. But on my own - it's not pretty (or very zen since I get all worked up). So anyway - there was this incomplete tile just begging for more attention so I picked up my pen and filled in the spots. Then added some ants…. Don't love or even really like this, but I have to admit, it looks better than the incomplete tile I started with (and almost threw out).

Zentangle Challenge #122 - Grid (Un) Locked

I went through a lot of conflict with this week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca. And I'm still not so sure I "get" it. The challenge was based on the newsletter from Rick and Maria where they used grid "seeds" to create grid patterns. Maybe it's the way I think, but I thought that's in essence what we were doing all along? The other conflict I've been mulling over is: when does a tangelation become a new tangle? Sigh.... maybe you can answer, or maybe I'll find out more when I go to the CZT seminars in the fall... What I did in the end was just let the pen go to paper and see where it went (which often works out in surprising ways). I started by using a scrap of watercolor paper that I've been saving for bookmarks. I used I1 from the grid Rick and Maria posted and when I had drawn the main stream, didn't like it at all! I had also tried their neat "trick" of doing a line of grids on the outer edge 1/2 width to emphasize curves... so I started to fill in alternate lines, shaded it, and wow, what a change! Then I added a stream of Hi-C's (because I love what this tangle does when it's flipped). The bookmark was too empty, so I added another stream of the original I1 pattern, but alternated thicker and thinner lines in each grid and filled in the triangles (diamonds) instead. Totally different look. I loved this exercise which really showed me how grid patterns can change with fills, direction etc. I'm quite happy with it. My second tile was done with a lot less worry and planning - I divided it up into 4 sections and chose 4 tangles. Crescent Moon and Ving look really neat when they are flipped from grid to grid. I've loved Moving Day since I first saw it and though I tried on scrap to flip it around, it wasn't nearly so effective, so I just did it as it's "supposed" to be. Verve wasn't quite the effect I expected either, but... So, here they are, and now I can go look at what others have done, and maybe I'll find I wasn't the only one having a bit of difficulty with this one. (But in the end, when I push myself, I always learn and am astounded by the results, so thank you Laura! and Rick and Maria!)

Zendala Dare #49

This is my entry for Erin's Zendala Dare #49 which can be found at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca. I'm stuck inside with a cold and there is freezing rain/snow outside. Hopefully the last of both for this winter. Thank you to Erin and Laura for their dares and challenges as it gives me something to look forward to, and something to motive me when I'm feeling lazy or at loose ends. I'm so looking forward to spring - getting out and enjoying the garden and sun, and going for walks!

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.

Zentangle Challenge #91 - Beads of Courage

This week's Zentangle Challenge (from www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca) is for the charity Beads for Courage. Children collect beads that they get for getting through things like doctor's appointments, needles, tests, achievements... What a wonderful visual way of seeing how much they've been through. This challenge reminded that at one time (actually, 3-4 decades ago) I had wanted to create a wall - hanging that was made with macrame and would be a sort of a diary. I had envisioned that each string would be a day, each knot would represent something like weather or how I was feeling, and I would also add beads to represent events such as a date or an outing with friends. The wall hanging never got done, and I had forgotten all about it until I read Diva's post. That was the inspiration for my design using "Beads of Courage".

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.

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 #72 - Crescent Moon

This week's Zentangle Challenge from "I am the diva" (www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca), is to create a monotangle tile or ZIA using the tangle Crescent Moon. I used the template from week 3 of Erin's Zendala Dare (see www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca), and got carried away... I originally thought I'd keep it simple but .... (Note: I couldn't bring myself to submit for last week's challenge which was to use the tangle "pea-knuckle". I tried for several hours but could not get that tangle to work for me. I loved many of the versions that were posted, but it seems I've found one of those tangles that just confounds me. I may give it another try but I'm reminding myself that, like books, you don't have to love every one and it's ok to just move on! Right?)

Zentangle Challenge #66 - Laura's Auras

I'm glad to have another challenge to do as I've been working on a ZIA that I'm not too happy with, so wasn't feeling very motivated. This week's zentangle challenge is to use aura's. Not easy for me as I haven't done much of this, and I do love my "white spaces". But I'm quite happy with this one, it has some auras, and still lots of white space. Good challenge - again taking me out of my comfort zone!

Zentangle Weekly Challenge #64 String Theory - Fortuneteller

This week's Zentangle challenge was for everyone to use the same string - dividing the tile into 8 pie shapes. I've had a busy week so far - picketing with striking library workers (even though I'm retired, I still want to support them), gardening, and making some more owls. I've started some special editions, which will be shown on this blog later in the week. So, I dabbled on this tile - a few minutes here and there. I'd like to try another using curly tangles, but may not have time this week.