Zentangle Challenge #260 - Shattuck monotangle

This week's Diva challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca is to use the tangle Shattuck as a mono tangle. I like Shattuck but haven't used it much - I don't know why. I expect that I will be using it more now. With these two tiles I was playing with making Shattuck grow more layers… it sort of worked the way I thought it would, but if I make the time, I think I'll play around with this a bit more.

Zentangle Challenge #258 - UMT - Rautyflex by Kathrin Bendel

It's been a while since I posted for Laura's Diva Challenge (www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca), because… well, life just sometimes gets in the way, and lately I'm just not feeling inspired. This week's challenge is to use Kathrin Bendel's tangle: Rautyflex. It's a tangle that requires lots of concentration, but also has opportunity for lots of variations. I used two variations in this tile, and am quite happy with it. Thank you Laura, for making me stretch and giving the motivation to tangle!

Zentangle Challenge #250 -Bringing it back to the Old School

So many new techniques to see and play with, so many posts, so many tangles… It's with relief that each week I do the Square One: Purely Zentangle prompt, and now is the much appreciated challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca to go back to basics with a 3.5" square tile, black micron, and pencil and tortillion, and no planning… just letting the Zen in Zentangle be. So with little thought, I got out my supplies and went to the first 4 tangles that I put in my workbook after taking the basics course in Oct. 2011. I used the basic "Z" string. These are the first tangles that jumped out at me that I wanted to learn. I probably haven't used Flutter Tile more than a couple of times since, and though I love it, it's much easier to do on a page with a grid like my workbook. I also rarely use the basic chaining, and usually take it further to Punzel. This was a good exercise and I might just do another tile with the next 3 or 4 tangles!

Zentangle Challenge #249 - Duotangle Auraknot and Diva Dance

These are two tiles I did for this week's Zentangle Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca. The challenge this week is a duo tangle - to use Auraknot and Diva Dance. I started out just fooling around with some scratch tiles I have and liked what happened (other than I mucked up Auraknot a bit). I was also able to fit in a ribbon forming a 5 because this is the 5th anniversary of her posting challenges! My other tile is on a blank coaster. As always, another wonderful challenge!

Art Journal - AWE(some)

It's almost Christmas, 2015. Up until now, I've used this blog mostly for Zentangle dare and challenge entries, but I want to begin writing about the rest of the art and creative journeys I'm experiencing. Who would have thought that at 60+ I would be spending so much time enjoying and exploring various artistic venues? and meeting so many new and wonderful people! First a quick summary. In 2011 I discovered Zentangle inadvertently at a quilting show. Long story short, I fell in love with it and got Certified as a Zentangle Teacher in Rhode Island in 2012. I've taught a bit, mostly small groups or individuals (and friends) who reach out to me. I'm retired and so this for love (and pocket money), not as a business. The best part of being Certified though is that it allows me to join in with other CZT's at meetings, get-togethers, focus groups, and conferences. I've met an amazing number of absolutely wonderful people! This is a truly wonderful, creative, supportive, interesting community. I wish I had been blogging about my experiences much earlier. This year alone, I went to a "Tropical Tangled Garden" workshop in Elora, Ontario, hosted by Brenda Shaver-Shahin, and taught by Cherryl Moote; "CanTangle: in Regina, hosted by Lisa Heron, with numerous teachers including Margaret Bremner, Laura Harms, Bette Abdu, Cris Letourneau, Molly Hollibaugh, Lisa Heron, and Brenda Shaver-Shahin; and "Camerida", hosted by Chris Titus and taught by Patti Shaffner, Sonya Yencer, Cherryl Moote, Chris Titus… This workshops were awesome and inspiring, but the people, the swag, the food and accommodation, the energy… that's what makes these experiences life changing. So in 2016 I'm planning on taking this journey a bit further. To start with, I've joined the FB group "Our Tangled Lives 2016" and will be doing my first art journal. There was a pre-prompt for those of us who are anxious to start, to choose a word as an intention for 2016. My word is AWE(some). Awe is a reverential fear or wonder. It's a word I picked painted on a pebble at CanTangle (that pebble travels with me in my Zentangle kit); it's a word that has applied to this years experiences, and it's a word I'm carrying into next year. I'm in AWE of Rick and Maria and the Zentangle world they have introduced and nurtured. I'm in AWE of all the truly wonderful people in the Zentangle Community who keep sharing and giving encouragement! I'm in AWE of the fabulous Zentangle art I see every day! But most, I am in AWE of what I am able to create and open my heart to!

Zentangle Challenge #246 - Guest, Dilip Patel; Monotangle Trees

This week's Zentangle Challenge (www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.ca) is a guest challenge from Dilip Patel. We are to use one tangle to depict a tree. I chose Kuziem by Diana Schreur, which is one of most recent favourite finds. This does look like I also used Flux, but I'm justifying it because it's an "embellishment", and is used in her step-outs. I quite like my tree!

Zentangle Challenge #244 - Tripoli

Tripoli is an acquaintance that I admire, and am actively trying to make my friend… But I find it difficult, and I stress when dealing with it - not at all Zen-like! As with some friendships, sometimes you have to work at it more than others, and I will be friends with Tripoli… someday. This week's Diva Challenge from Laura at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com is to use the Tangle Tripoli. I'm glad for this "opportunity" to push myself. My most recent tile, which I quite like, is with the word "Awe", which has become my spirit word in Zentangle. I chose a stone with Awe written on it at CanTangle and it travels with me in my pencil case, and I wrote the word on my arrow project from Camerida. I am in AWE of Rick and Maria and the Zentangle world they have introduced and nurtured. I am in AWE of all the truly wonderful people in the Zentangle Community who just keep on sharing and giving. I am in AWE of the fabulous Zentangle art I see every day. But also, I am in AWE of what I have been able to create and open my heart to! This picture with three tiles on it is of my first three attempts - all have aspects I like, and other aspects… not so much.