Celtic Knot challenge 8

Not sure I should have colored this.....but it seemed to look exotic Indian to me and needed jewel colors.  I meant to look flowery but it took off with a mind of its own!

Back to black and white

After all that coloring, I went back to basics the last couple days.  Drew a simple snail and put him in a magical garden.

Then I tackled another fun zendala, and called it lacy.

Last I did a true zentangle, with the pencil string to get me started. I wanted to go somewhat industrial to get away from the flowery fun I have done on the last few. 

I just realized after this uploaded it came thru the scanner upside down.  But they are supposed to be viewed in any direction, so we'll see if this flies.

Challenge 88 number 2

I was so intrigued with the IX challengers who turned it into Initials, so I just had to give it a try.

Zentangle challenge #88

Wow this one came together quickly.  That's a fun patter to work with, that IX.  I had a red pen for color so I decided to work it in with the usual black.  The red ribbon seemed necessary to soften it.

Zendala in color

Went to work on a neat Zendala template that looked enough like a flower that I went with Autumn flowers and leaves.  It just so happens that the color scheme works great in my kitchen also.  I took a lot more time to do this, as the coloring was just as long and the linework.  But I liked the results and hope to do some more like this.

This is the template I used, and I give thanks to Genevieve Crabe for making it possible.


I also had a chance to finish my last dish in the set I was working on.  It was also a Zendala, but with no color---the pencils don't adhere to the ceramic....lol

And here are the three of them on the wall.  The bottom is getting a lot of window shine coming thru, so you would have to go back in the archives a few days to see the details of that one.

I also took a camera picture of the piece I did the other day when I realized the scanner pic took off the edges of the work.  I'll have to remember to use the camera on larger pieces. Now my work is done and it is time for a good night's sleep so I 'll be ready for the next inspiration.  Oh and yeah, I better do some laundry, as my husband says he is running out of t-shirts.....lol

Zendala dare 24

I wasn't sure how to handle this one.  I started with my micron 1 in purple and realized it didn't work well on this paper.  I had used Photo paper in matte finish because it fit in the printer and is really, really white!  But it won't work with the micron pens, only with the fine tip sharpies. 
So I shifted over to the sharpie and continued on.  The ultra fine tip is about equal to a micron 5 so it is darker and thicker.  I like it with the larger pictures.  On a true tangle tile I need the finer micron 1. 

 By the time I got the zendala pretty much filled in, it seemed to be tooooo dark and solid.  So I thought why not go 'outside the box' literally,.  I hoped it would loosen up the look. I made those last four corners into a skinny purple frame to pick up that little bit of purple pen I started with.   What do you all think?

Tangling Letters

Got that next set of letters done, as I did get an immediate request to do my granddaughter's initials.

I wanted to put a little spider on top of the A, but feel I better wait til she pops in to visit so that I don't spoil it for her if she doesn't want an icky spider in her pic.  I hope she might consider it a cute addition, but we'll see!

Today I wanted to try something on my own, - no challenge or directions given- and decided to try using my cookie cutter hearts and a butterfly to put together my own 'string'   I wanted a little structure involved but still the freedom of the Zentangle in general.   So here it is...

I loved doing this and hope to get more ideas to play with 'free-style'.  This piece is a 9 x 12" on Bristol smooth, using a micron 5 in black.  I toyed with the idea of adding color, but there was so much going on, I didn't know where to start or what color to go with.  So I decided to be smart and leave it alone.

Pinwheel Challenge

This time I went to see what a whole bunch of folks did with their pinwheels before I tried to do mine.  I was kinda stuck on ideas.  It was such a simple form, and I knew there was more to it, but needed inspiration. WOW did I get it!!!!  I love how people can create such beauty in sooooooo many different ways.  So I borrowed some aspects of the ones I really fell in love with and tried to use the ideas to make mine unique.  Hopefully I did, and no one feels I 'copied' them.  That was not my intention.  Unless you consider copying the highest form of praise......lol

And just for fun, I tried working with Initials.  Had some letters already cut out from a project years ago.  So I picked my granddaughter's initials and went to work.  It was great fun and now I have to hurry up and do her sisters as well, or there will be fireworks!!!

The top right of the 'w' got messed up so I did the best I could to rescue the design rather than start alllllll over again.  The 'flying flowers' were a recent discovery and I thought they looked better floating than down in the grass.  At the last minute I decided on the little touch of red in the ladybug as Sierra will love having something alive in her pic.

My Beverage Bar Decor

Almost forgot to post this.  The individual pics are on my Flickr but this is a full shot of the whole gang.  I found nice pics of them on their various facebook pages and cropped a really close shot of their faces.  Then I printed out on full size matte photo paper but kept their pic at a 4 x 6 size.  That gave me room to cut a one inch edge on all sides to do my zentangle.  I used black paper a half inch larger on all sides and this neat sticky stuff to put them all together on the wall.  LOVE looking at all their smiley faces whenever I make a cup of tea!!!

Revised Zendala and plates

Wasn't totally pleased with the outer edge of my zendala so I added another edge all the way around it.  I wanted a more finished ending to pull it all together. 

 I also decided to do edge on my plates.  So now I have a pair that have a similar theme and a nice repeated edge on both to make them a set. 

My granddaughter loved this plate without the butterfly and the edging.  I hope she likes it even better now, and the partner plate as well.  I can't seem to get a better pic of the plates because of the shape, I assume.  The light insists on glaring off them and I can't find a place that doesn't make the glare. 

Zendala Challenge #23

I'm not sure if I can keep up with a bunch of weekly challenges, but for now they are great fun and a super way to stretch what I am learning.

Zendala with color

Here is my first Zendala, and my first try with color. I found a challenge for this but then I lost it.  My mind is a blur with all that I am seeing in the other blogs and websites that enjoy zentangle and zendalas and doodling in art form.  I might just add to this one as I see that there are rules that can be broken in the advance of the design of it.  I want to be more free in my use of these wonderful patterns and I am seeing how it is done, especially in these challenges.  I don't want to copy, but I do need the ideas to expand my own imagination. 

Diva Challenge #86

Diva Challenge #86

My first try at doing a challenge.  I have only been tangleing about a month, so I hope the judge is kind...lol

And now, if I understand what I read in the tutorial, I have to go back and give this specific page URL so that the Diva can find my pic. 

Well I sent that mug through the dishwasher and the strong soap did take some of the ink off the cup.

So now came the time to decide...do I fix the design and keep on going all the way around the cup???  That means I will have to hand wash and even then it may fade slowly. 

YEAH, I'm dying to see how it will work and how it will look.  These mugs are that good Pfalstaff  (spell?) stuff that I got bored with.  So now I can make them pretty again and maybe hang them right out in the open under a cabinet????   Hmmm

I love them again!!!

This takes a bit of time and dexterity to get the design on, as you have to turn the cup in all directions to get the pen in a good position for drawing.  But so far it was worth it.  Now for THREE more of them.  The pic above is just ONE in three poses, as I wrapped the design all the way around.


I also finished the 'bag' clips, and decided to make each a single design as opposed to the first one that I tried to squeeze three designs into.  The one strong one is more impressive than the three little ones squished together.

And I had a busy day and actually got a plate decorated!  I loved the idea of putting the designs together to make a picture.  So I used all the tangles that resembled plants in my mind and put together a flower garden.  Again this was a 'dollar' plate so I wouldn't be wasting too much money in my attempts. 

So I think this is my first ZIA ...cool!!

It's a new morning and the paint dried on my glass cutting board project.  Here is the board on a white piece of paper so the pattern will show.

There is also one of the bag clips I mentioned.  Here is a closer shot and the other side of the bag clip

And now for the finished cutting board!!!

I think it looks great, and am encouraged to keep going on with the 'tangle everything' projects!!!


Just for the quilters who might be reading...I have not given that up.  Here is my first ZIA inspired quilt.

I followed a blog idea I found on Pinterest and used fall colors.  I had some silk leaves hanging around that I thought would just finish it off nicely.  I carefully peeled off the plastic 'stem' part and did my own free motion machine embroidery stems to hold them in place and yet leave them somewhat 3 dimensional.  Have to get it posted up to my Etsy account and see what happens.

Months later a a few postcards, wall hangings etc. have been done and I am off on an other exciting adventure in crafts--or art--depending on how one looks at it. I am newly addicted to ZENTANGLES.

 Yup, I caught a pinterest zentangle quilt and wondered what that was all about. Weeks later I am in full swing making all the patterns I can possible do on my new tangle cards from the Zentangle website order. Have dried out TWO micron pens and a few of my husband's fine point Sharpies doing patterns on everything I can get my hands on.

You see the pic above??? Had these used but not abused white 'nursey-looking' shoes that just begged to be 'tangled' Here are some more shots of the fun I had with them. Took only a couple days once I got going. And I had about three days of practice on paper before I tackled the shoes.

 Then I went to one of those stores where everything costs ONE dollar and searched for white anythings to tangle on. Found some bag clips like you use to hold your chip bag together and tried the micron pen. It smudged!!! But the Sharpie seems to be holding.

 And I got a glass cutting board that I am tangleing from the back and hope to spray white after, so the black will show. Don't know if that will work..... still in progress.
 Then I tried on a white ceramic mug, and put it in the dishwasher to see if the design will hold, as -heaven forbid- I don't want to HAND wash it after I design it!!!

 I'm one of those folks that loves crafts that decorate my world around me, and especially love it when it works on USEABLE stuff. So stay tuned and watch with me to see what works and what fails in the world of Zentangle for the home and office and yard and anywhere you spend time...lol