Zentangle Challenge #182 - Stripes

I LOVE stripes! Especially when they twine or knot. This is my entry (two tiles) for this week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivazct.blogspot.ca. I haven't blogged my entries for the past while, though I have been doing them. Maybe it's the end of summer blues, but this week I have been back in the zone, catching up on missed new tangles, updating my notes and illustrations of "how to's", and trying tangles that I either haven't used before, or haven't used in a while. (I've also started an exercise program that includes yoga, Zumba, and Pilates… and that helps!)

Zentangle Challenge, #176 - B.Y.O.B. (Bring your own Beverage)

Love this week's Zentangle Challenge to use something Beverage related… Well, I had ordered a beer in an outside patio and it came with a nearly blank coaster (just the Stella glass with beer pouring into it), just calling out for tangles! It was so much fun to tangle on a beautiful afternoon in an outside patio! I picked up a e few more coasters for another day thinking that my husband and I, and some friends could tangle in the back yard while we have a beer! (Now I'm on the hunt for different coasters to tangle, unfortunately most seem too dark or filled with brand detail.) Cheers!

Zendala Dare #94 - Happy

Welcome back! After a break, Erin is back with her weekly Zendala Dare (www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com), and I'm really really HAPPY about this! I've had a bit of a lost mojo for Zentangle in the past few months myself. Not feeling the Zen, not feeling the motivation… And yet, when I talk about or teach Zentangle, I feel just as enthused, just not satisfied with any of my own work. When I first saw this template, I thought it looked too busy, but as soon as I transferred it onto paper, I kept getting ideas. My first attempt is using favourite tangles, simple design, and on a 9x10 sheet. Big and not too complicated, and I'm HAPPY with it. (The scanner brought out some extra smudges that I don't notice on the original, so try to ignore those.) I'd like to do another regular tile size using tangles with the letters in the word HAPPY, so maybe there will be another entry from me. But first I want to do the weekly Zentangle Dare which came out today and hopefully Erin's coming back will also facilitate my returned mojo! Cheers everyone!

Zentangle Challenge #157 - UMT - Charlie

This weeks Zentangle Challenge from Laura at iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com is to use the Tangle: Charlie. I like this tangle - I like the boldness. I decided to pair it with other bold tangles and came up with this. I haven't used Charlie much, but am going to use it again today in my Tangle a Day Calendar. It's a fun one!

Zentangle Challenge #155 - "A Little White Space"

This week's challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to do a tile or ZIA and leave white space. When I do a ZIA I often leave white… but when I do a tile, for some reason, I always want to fill it up. There are so many wonderful Tangles to work with - it seems to be getting more and more difficult for me to limit the number of tangles and I think my tiles are starting to feel too cluttered. This is a wonderful challenge that will help me refocus. This one is done in my journal so maybe about 6" x 10". Not what I intended, but that's the way it goes. If I have time over the next couple of days, I'll try doing a tile and see if I can leave a space alone! Great challenge, as always!

Zendala Dare #92

I really like the template from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.ca this week. But when I started to transfer it into the lovely journal we got at CZT training, I felt the page was calling out for a bit more… this is the result, and I'm quite happy with it. I haven't used Fengle in a long time, nor Blooming-butter.

Zentangle Challenge #153 - UMT - Jailed Johnny

This week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com is to "Use My Tangle" Jailed Johnny. I've done a couple of tiles using this one so far this week and have to say it sure looks different when used in a longer line with more "petals", or with duplicate rows. I had a bit of time this afternoon and decided to try the renaissance tiles again, and include the new Jailed Johnny. I love the renaissance tiles, but would love to take a class in just working with them - they are so different! I have a question - does anyone out there know the best sharpener or way to keep a white charcoal pencil sharpened? I have three different sharpeners, but the chalk lead keeps breaking off ...