Diva Challenge #219 - Straight Stuff, the Purks of Coffee Time and Tangling On "Not Tiles"

This week the Diva challenged us to use only straight lines.  I had an idea in my head, but as sometimes happens, it didn't translate very well on to the tile.  Sometimes that's just how it goes.  I finished two tiles, and although not so satisfied, figured time to accept and move on.  That's the Straight Stuff!

For Square One: Purely Zentangle, the focus tangle is Purk.  What could be more fun?  I love making all those rows of ovals and then getting a jewel-like "thing" at the end.  But this time, I must have been smelling the coffee in the morning, because this is what came out of that process.  My happy moment!

Purk-olator!
 

I know I have shared my irrational aversion to things not 3-1/2 X 3-1/2.  I want to break out - really!  So I first did my CZT-bound duty and tangled the pencil box provided at CZT 19.  All the while working on it, I kept thinking "this isn't very good", but I vowed to complete the project.  Imagine my surprise when, when fully tangled and shaded, I must say I love it!  See?  It takes one step to start, then you are on your way!

And finally, once I finished this pencil case, I thought - MUST TACKLE THAT WOODEN BOX.  You know, the one that has been sitting on the counter, reproachfully eyeing me as I tangle in my sketchbook, on standard white tiles, on Renaissance and black tiles, and as I mull over my options.  I chose an Identipen, because it is very non-threatening (still the idea that I can't break too far out...), and began.  I am not finished, but thought I would give you a progress report.  It's coming... Tangled with all the usual suspects and thinking I will use a gray marker for shading.  I have a set with different values that should work.  Onward and upward!

 

 So thank you all for stopping by, the coffee is always on around here (hehe), and I appreciate all your thoughts and comments.

Namaste,
Antonine

Diva Challenge 218, TNTM 20, and SQ1 Zingers - plus one for fun

While most of North America is aching for warmer weather to FINALLY get going, we in the Phoenix area face the prospect with a bit of dread.  This year, however, we have been blessed with a very mild spring.  Daytime highs have been in the 80s, which is absolutely perfect here, and some days only in the 70s, which in May is pretty much unheard of.  Yay!  We'll take it.  We planted some new flowers in patio pots and are grateful that they have had some time to get established in the moderate weather before the blast furnace fires up.


Looks like the 90s and above are set to slide in by the end of next week, but I say thank you for taking your time about it and we'll just console ourselves with a dip in the pool and crank up the patio misting system.  No problem!

This week, our Diva challenged us to tangle on Black or on a found object.  My daughter just sent me a gift in a little wooden box like an old-time recipe box.  It is begging to be tangled!  But...as with journals, I have this fear of breaching the pristine emptiness, so I don't start.  I tell myself there are no mistakes in Zentangle - really, just start and it will be beautiful - but then I don't.  So, here I am, an official CZT, sending myself the "why I can't" messages!  Note to self:  Get Over It! 

But, this week I chose to do the black tile instead, and since I ran out of the square ones, I grabbed a black Zendala tile.  I have been itching to try my new Crestfallen on black, and I was not disappointed!  I have been wanting to try out some techniques for creating depth and "substance" by varying the pressure and thickness of my white Gelly Roll pen lines rather than using shading.  Last week I fiddled around with some Printemps and was happy with the result.  Now I applied the same idea to Crestfallen, and I love it!  I added in some tangles that I spotted in some of the posts on Facebook Square One pages (yes, I stole your ideas...), but since those were black on white, I guess it is not exactly stolen, right?

Next, SuzyMosh picked the letter "X" for That's New To Me 20, and since it was a repeat, she added the idea of incorporating a tangle from Sue Jacobs (she has such fun ones!)  I took Suzy's advice and visited her Pinterest page for X tangles, and selected Xplo-zen.  This one plays out kind of like an inside-out N'Zepple, and is quite fun to draw.  I love the sort of mid-century modern look of it.  Then I chose Sue's tangle "Ace".  I figured while we were on the Zen trend, I would pick the one that has a Yin-Yang feel.  This one was totally new to me, so I thought it was a good choice.  I continued the Zendala tile theme, in this case because it seemed like the proper format, and "biggified" the tangle, using only one unit of it.  I drew the Xplo-Zen inside of it.   I am pretty happy with this one.

I also responded to the Square One: Purely Zentangle focus on Zinger this week.  Always a winner in my opinion.  I must be on a round kick because I chose to do this one in a circular format, although I used a square tile.  I call this "Ring-O-Zing".  Fun!

Finally, I did a tile just for fun.  I should post it to the Square One: Purely Fun page, but haven't gotten that far yet.  I did this tile in black and white, but then decided the pearls needed to become rubies.  Somehow, I ran out of rubies or some of them fell out of the mountings (like all my jewelry lately!), so there are some empties here.  Not a masterpiece, but I do like this one.  Maybe the imperfection attracts me.

Take time this weekend to remember our fallen veterans and thank them for paying the ultimate sacrifice for our blessed lives.  May they all share eternal rest and have knowledge of our gratitude. 

Thank you for stopping by and for sharing your thoughts.

Namaste
Antonine

Diva Challenge #217 - Bunzo and Dex, And a New Tangle - "Crestfallen"

This week the Diva challenged us to use Bunzo and Dex together.  I love Bunzo, but Dex?  It's OK when you need a nice grid type fill someplace, but as a feature?  Hmmmm...  So, I, being the literal type that I am, married them and gave them a baby.  It's a BunDexZo.  Sorta like those Ligers - half lion, half tiger. 

 

Moving on... :-)

 

I have been working on a new tangle that I thought I would share.  

 

I was flipping through a home décor magazine when I spotted the most fantastic wallpaper ever.  It is straight out of Zentangle-land, and would be ever so gorgeous on a black tile.  The pattern is by Kelly Wearstler, and she calls it "Crescent".  Really?  It doesn't look anything like OUR Crescents!  I think it looks like falling water.

 

I worked on deconstructing it, and here is what I came up with.  I call it CRESTFALLEN.  Hope you like it!

 

 



 

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts and comments with me.

 

Namaste -

Antonine

May The Fourth Be With You - Diva Challenge #216 and TNTM Week 15 - oops - is it 18?

It is 1977, the hubby and I have managed to get a babysitter and are out for a rare date night at the movies.  We rarely do so, and it is partly because moviegoing has become so depressing.  Everything is Rated "R" or nearly "X", even the comedies.  "Family" films are animated or just plain silly boring claptrap.  Off we went to see the latest and greatest, expecting maybe a smutty Sci-Fi.  Whatever, we just needed a movie - NOW!!

Star Wars had us spellbound, mouths hanging open in surprise, wholly entertained and delighted. What?  This was a movie a grade school kid could enjoy, but mom and dad would love it too! Intelligent, exciting (Remember the flight into the mothership?  Whoa!), and funny - what more could you ask?  It was the beginning of a new era in moviemaking, and high time, indeed.  Can you believe it is 38 years later and the franchise is still going strong?

In the ultimate testament to the place Star Wars holds in all our lives, we find that the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. has as one of its gargoyles the head of Darth Vader.  Yes, the Cathedral is a real operating church, not a set or theme park.  It is the place that welcomes distinguished religious figures from around the world,  where memorials are held for public figures, and the place where Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his final sermon.  Yes, this venerable place of worship, that features tributes to our Nation's Founding Fathers, includes in its design a character that has become deeply rooted in our culture.  Don't you love it?

So, here is my take on this challenge.  We are to include the UMT 'Brella, a fairly new Tangle that I just love!  We have the option of bringing in the Star Wars theme (why wouldn't you want to?)  I don't know if mine is exactly Star Wars or Pigs in Space with umbrellas, but here it is.  I used a black Zendala tile with 'Brella, Star Map and Starwarn.

I also did a take on "That's New To Me"  Week 15.  We were to choose tangles beginning with "W", and also include any pattern by Tangler Anne Marks.  I chose her pattern "Camelia", but set it free from its grid.  I added the pattern "Wired" by Suzanne McNeill. Wired Camelias - like a prom corsage! I think the two were enough for one tile!

My scanner is down, so the photos are from my phone - hope they show well enough.

Thank you for stopping by and for your comments.

Antonine