Diva Challenge #308

Diva Challenge #308

 

Again, I have been away for a long time from tangling.  Beset by challenges and problems, I am still trying to fight my way back up.  A few false starts, I pray for a continued ascent from the bottom that I have found myself in.  This is Diva Challenge #308 - a call to go back to your Mac N Cheese tangles.  So that's what I'm doing - gathering the courage to post to the site.  Here's to better days with lots of sunshine!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #263 - Again

Diva Challenge #263 again

Here's take 2.  I really liked this challenge and felt compelled to expand.  Thank you, Diva, for your time and inspiration.

Diva Challenge#263

Diva Challenge #263 - Global grid

And so I return to the real world.  I have not been tangling much - too busy licking wounds.  While chaos closes in on my life, I had for a while abandoned my tangling.  Was feeling like I'd lost all muse.  Picked up my pens again  and ten tons lifted from my shoulders.  Still wasn't brave enough to post for anyone in the world today.  Mary says I'm "braver than I believe, stronger than I seem and smarter than I think."  I'm putting my trust in you, Mary, that you see me as I am.  Happy Days are here again.  Thank you, Zentangle world.  

Diva Challenge #259 A Touch of Irish

 

A Touch of Irish

 

Happy St. Patty's day to all.  On this glorious day, we are all Irish.  After a long hiatus from tangling, I am back.  Projects for Mary's wedding - stamped Thank you cards and hand made envelopes, Wine bottle labels, wrapped Jordan Almonds - a traditional Italian wedding favor, various signage and a few other decorative accents - swallowed all of my free time in the last month.  All are done, including the wedding.  My only daughter has whisked away for a road trip type travel Honeymoon that will span the continent and last for 2 weeks.   So back I fly to tangling!!  Sorry to have abandoned you but never fear, my creative juices have been flowing.  Here is my slightly rusty first tangle in several weeks.  A St. Patty's day tribute of Zentangle gems. (Technique is still very much a work in progress)  Per l'amaro e il dolce - for the bitter and the sweet.

 

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #255 Tangle Journey

Diva Challenge #255

The challenge from the Diva this week was to go back to a tile from your past and see what you make of it now.  Quite the poignant challenge!  The challenge brings to mind a day when I had been looking at pictures of Matt  and then seeing him in the now.  He had been traveling in Australia for several months when I unearthed pictures of him in grade school.  I just missed him so much and spent a few days rooting around, looking at pictures and thinking about him. Out of the blue, he messaged me and we skyped.  When I saw his face come onto the screen with the magic of the world wide inter-web and heard his voice, it occurred to me in a sudden flash, that he was no longer that little boy I had been wistfully looking at a few hours earlier.  When had he changed that much ?
Seems sometimes you have to look at things from a distance to realize the change.

So anyways, on the left,  a tile that I signed on 3/19/15 -roughly a year ago, early in my Zentangle journey.  I did my best to duplicate the string from the original tile - using the light pencil line and tangles for clues.  On the original, I used Mookah, Chillon, Crescent Moon and Eke. 
The second tile, I left out Eke - didn't feel the need to fill every empty space.  Looking at both, I believe I have grown a little.  Not as much as I had hoped when I picked up my first Micron pen.
I had this vision of being Grandma Moses, starting an art career in my old age.  Not there yet, but who knows? Right now, I am satisfied with the peace that tangling brings me, those wistful Zen moments. 

"Whether you think you can or you can't, you are right."

For right now, I think I can.

Diva Challenge #252

Diva Challenge #252 - Tangle in a tangle.

 

The challenge this week was to use a tangle as a string.  I chose Barney, a tangle by CZT Sadelle Wiltshire. I used Printemps, Tipple, Paradox and Static - some of my go to tangles.  Since the getting back to basics challenge, I've been trying to stay true to the concepts that Zentangle was started with.  I have to confess I had gotten caught up in worrying about the end results, planning which tangles to use and really straying from the form that excited me so much when I first started the practice.  Think I have my groove back again and found that this challenge really brought me to that place.  Thanks as always for the challenge, Diva. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #251 - Moebius Syndrome

Diva Challenge #251

This week's challenge  spotlights Moebius Syndrome.  Artoo, the Diva's youngest son, has this medical syndrome and this challenge is taking place during an awareness week for the syndrome.  I feel, from her posts, that I know him even though we have never met.  Being a mother, myself, I know how challenging it is when your child is sick - just the common everyday illnesses are hard, I can't even begin to imagine the challenges that Laura and her family face and overcome.  This is a montangle of  Heart Rope.  The logo was freehanded by me - a little awkward, but it's the thoughts and kind wishes that make the tangle. With every stroke, I wished the Diva and her family good health and happiness.  There seems to be so much joy in their home - that will make the heaviest hardships light.   

 

 

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #250 - back to basics

Challenge this week was to go back to basics. Skip color and other fancy stuff - just a white tile, 01 microm pen, and some graphite. Great challenge. I  used a simple string, some of my mac & cheese tangles and let the zen take me.  Best 20ish minutes I've had in the last 6 weeks...at least. Thanks, Diva -your challenge is also a life lesson/challenge. Live in the now and enjoy this moment...now....it won't come back again.

Diva Challenge #249

This week's challenge - A duotangle using Auraknot and Diva Dance.  I hadn't tried Auroknow yet so I took some time to study it and it appeared to be pretty difficult.  Then, I took some time to watch Maria' tutorial on Tanglepatterns.com.  An Ah- hah moment.  Practised a bit and I think I'm going to like this tangle.  So here is my first tile using Auroknot and of course, Diva Dance .... in homage to the Diva!  Thanks Laura for the challenges you put out there- 5 years now .  I've only been tangling a very short time of those 5 years, maybe about a year, but can't imagine going  on without it.  When I started this Zentangle journey, yours was the first blog that I found. I think they may be wrong when they say - Save the best for last!!.  Enjoy your week. 

Diva Challenge #244

 Diva Challenge #244

 

The challenge this week was to use Tripoli.  I didn't intend it to be but it turned out to be a monotangle.  I love this tangle - there are so many variations that present themselves.  Thanks Diva for your time and talent.  You are an inspiration to us all.  Happy Wednesday!

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #243

Diva Challenge #243

Leaving lots of white space is not an easy challenge.  My pen, so wants to fill the space.  Not one but two - think I like the 2nd one better.  For today, less may be better.  Thank you Diva for posting this challenge.  Sending you and your family many hugs!! 

 

 

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #242

This was a fun challenging tangle.  Thinking I want to work with this one a bit more - not real satisfied with the way my gourd's ended.  But since there are no mistakes in tangling,  I thought I would offer this one up for the challenge.  My thanks to you, Diva, for posting this challenge.  I especially love  that you share your family with us.  Enjoy every moment of your life - every one of them goes by in the blink of an eye - not to return again.  Happy Thursday!

Diva challenge #241

Diva Challenge #241

Looking over my blog, it has been a while since my last post. I am surprised that I missed 3 challenges, since I am, for now, unemployed  and living the good life of applying for jobs, catching up on projects at home and just living in general.  I really enjoyed this challenge.  Thanks to the Diva, as always for her time.  I am delighted that Artoo is doing well and back to school.  Also, happy to know that there are Moms out there who are still at home occupied with the most important job in the world - raising our children.  I, also, was part of that small minority who are lucky enough to spend those challenging years at home.  Many thanks to my husband, who brought home the bacon during that time.  So on to the challenge -  I loved it  as I am a huge fan of rocks and stones in general. I have read up on cairns, long before this challenge, after encountering many of them on my trails through Boy Scouting and other hikes.  This is my offering for this challenge.  I am thrilled that I have completed it early in the week - That means I will have the pleasure of looking at everyone else's challenge tiles.  (I try not to look at other tiles until after  I have completed mine!)  Many thanks again to both Paula, guest blogger and Laura for sharing your life with us.  Carpe Diem!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #238

Diva Challenge *238 - Tri-Bee

 

I just love organic tangles - love the way they grow and take on a life of their own.  Since I was released from my current contract,  I have a lot more time to tangle, so I'm hitting this challenge early on in the week.  I used just two tangles - Tri-Bee and Tropicana. We are having beautiful fall days here in Wisconsin - It's a great time to be alive!  Since I am accumulating so many tangle tiles, I decided this is a good time to start a journal-type tangle collection.  This is my first entry.  Thank you, Diva, for the challenge and your time.  Enjoy these colorful days before the snow flies.

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #237

Diva Challenge #237

 

I used one of my kid's Tupperware stencils for this.  Can you tell it's pumpkins?  This was a fun challenge.  I used a little salt with the watercolor - gave it a really nice texture.  It is a little hard to tell from this picture, though.  We have had some beautiful fall days here this week so I borrowed some of the colors from changing leaves.  It's my favorite time of year even though I know that soon, very soon, the snow will fly!  Happy Autumn. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Diva challenge #235

Diva Challenge # 235

 

The Diva challenge was to use straight lines as a string.  I'm not the biggest fan of straight lines - not sure why, they just aren't my usual go to for strings or for tangles.  Since I haven't had very much time to tangle lately,  I accepted the challenge.  Here's my results.  As my own best (or worst) critic,  I debated on whether I'd post this.  And  then I thought about it - there's no mistakes and a tile should be unplanned, unexpected pleasant surprise.  This one sure is!  And happily, for a bit, while I was consumed with this process,  the funk I've been in lifted.  Reminder to me that the Universe is unfolding exactly as it should - best to let go and let it unfold!

 

 

  

Diva Challenge #233

 

The Diva Challenge #233

Welcome back, Diva and yes, you were missed.  Thanks for scheduling such wonderful guests during your summer.  I'm so glad the time was great for you.  Love seeing the photos of your family and hope all is as well as it appears.  For this week's challenge, I had a 6 by 6 tile floating around from some weeks back, already had a string on it and it jumped out to me when I was contemplating the Zenith challenge - Pick me, Pick me. So I did and lo and behold a monotangle emerged from that tile.  Wishing you and all of yours a happy return to the school year!  As is usual, in Wisconsin, the first day of school for kids in our neighborhood was uncommonly hot.    Cheers to a happy Autumn!

 

 

 

 

Diva Challenge#232 Audio #1

 

Thank you Holly Atwater! I accepted your challenge and did the Audio #1.  It was wonderful.  Time flew and I hit that Zen space.  I will be doing the other Audio's as well, when I have the time to just be in the moment.  I loved, loved , loved this. 

 

 

 

Diva Challenge #231

 

 

 

 The Diva Challenge, posted by guest blogger, Sharla Hicks,  Undulating tangles.  What a fun challenge.  Especially challenging for me, I tend to tangle in symmetry.  While I do very much admire and love the many free flowing tangles and try to let go to achieve that free and natural syle, I fear I am still a little too rigid.  Metaphor for my life, maybe?  Anyways, I truly tried to let go and let the muse take over.  Getting better - but still have a bunch of letting go to do.  Thanks for the challenge -  appreciate the way Zentangling releases me to live life. 

Diva Challenge#230

 

 

 

Home again from a glorious week of camping at my favorite Scout camp.  Had a chance to check out last week's challenge but due to challenges raised by camping for a week with 22 scouts and a handful of parents needing to learn the ropes of stepping back, I only viewed results - no submissions from me. It was an awesome week and I did take some time every day to tangle in between rain, cooking on a campfire, fielding questions and making suggestions.  Love it, love it!  So, this is my very first Zendala - never been brave enough to try one yet.  Breaking in some new gel pens - loved it.  Thanks to Erin for being guest blogger and posting an awesome challenge! Carpe Diem!!