Zendala Dare #100 !! Wow, 100 Zendala's - so wonderful!

This is my celebratory contribution to the 100th zendala template from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com. I haven't done every zendala, but pretty close, and many I've used several times. I love playing with the templates. Sometimes Erin adds in a twist, and she was subtle about this one - encouraging us to celebrate. So with Easter coming up next weekend, I decided that this template was great for easter eggs, and jelly beans in a sort of basket. I had intended to do something more with the 5 Copada-like things on the outside, but they weren't speaking to me so I left them as is… Happy Easter everyone, and happy spring!

Zentangle Challenge #210 - Spiralstring - that's the thing

This week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to use a spiral as our string. Challenging! I used Michelle Beauchamp's spiral guide to do the string for the second tile. Love it, and want to play around with her way of doing it a bit more! I started both of these tiles while waiting in the hospital for a family member's minor procedure. Hospitals are stressful, and I can't think of a better way to change focus, keep relatively calm, and pass the time while waiting there! Thanks again Laura for another wonderful challenge!

Zendala Dare #99

My entry for this week's Zendala Dare from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com. I'm down with a cold after spending a fabulous week in Cuba, but really wanted to participate in this week's Dare. Why is it that I often get sick after a week in the sun? Could it be coming back to colder weather? Or maybe airport germs? Oh well. So I decided to keep it simple, and to choose tangles that are in my comfort zone. I think it needs a bit of something else… maybe colour? I'm going to leave it as it is because I don't have the energy right now to carry on, but maybe I'll look at it again tomorrow.

Zentangle Challenge #205 - Year of the Goat

Happy Chinese New Year! This week's Diva challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to bring some Chinese New Year to our tile. It's the year of the goat - no one in my immediate family is a goat according to the Chinese Horoscope, so I decided to use tangles that represented other Chinese symbols typical of this celebration - part of a dragon, lanterns, and firecrackers! On another note - here in Toronto it is frustratingly cold! This is looking to possibly be the coldest month of Feb. ever! I've been able to get out and do a bit of walking - totally bundled up - and we have had a lot of sun, but I'm really looking forward to spring now! I'm off to Vancouver (White Rock) for a few days and it's considerably warmer and spring-like there. Then back to Toronto for 4 days, and off to Cuba for a week! Oh, I'm so looking forward to being able to go outside without boots, hats, several layers, mega gloves…. I'm blessed to have a wonderful step-daughter who will come stay and care for our house and kitties while we're gone. It will likely be at least a couple of weeks before I post again, but I'm going to tangle while in cafe's and on beaches!

Zendala Dare #97

This is my Zendala for this week's Zendala Dare from Erin at www.thebrightowl.blogspot.com. Another challenging zendala… what to do with all those tear-drop shapes? Take a look at her blog to see the template. I'm really trying hard not to pre-plan to use certain tangles, and trying not to anticipate which tangle "goes with" another tangle. I also trying to get back to leaving white space - I used to be more comfortable with it, but seem to be getting into the habit of trying to fill everything in… In this Zendala I used the first and next tangles that crossed my mind, stopped before I really wanted to, but am glad I did, - and so, here you go!

Zendala Dare #96

This week's Zendala Dare was a challenging one, I thought. Love these dares and challenges though - they make me a bit uncomfortable, yet stimulated. I did the outside bits first, got stuck and was just about to set this particular dare aside when an inspiration came to me during a yoga class (yeah, I know I'm not supposed to let my mind wander…). And so again I'm reminded that it is best to just let the tangles just happen rather to try to plan it all out and try to find new or perfectly complimentary tangles… It doesn't show well in the scan, but the colours are a bit more intense, the printemps has a sepia tone, and there is blue between the flowers and the border. I'm quite happy with this one, and to me it feels like a bit of a rock garden….

Zentangle Challenge #204 - Valentangle

This week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to incorporate a valentine theme. I started out with a heart string in the middle… then picked up a red micron and drew a grid with some hearts in corners, then randomly selected 4 tangles from my workbooks. Like it, yes, but am not feeling the "love". So, maybe I'll have to do another!