Diva Challenge #258 Rautyflex, SQ1 Yuma and Zonked, Zentangle Primer, and Spring has come to the Valley!

Gentle Readers,

I am reminded this week that good things do take some time.  We must begin with a good foundation, provide some nurture and have patience.  Just when you think things are stuck at a certain level, you can get a surprise. 

Five years ago we moved to the Phoenix area after living our lives in the Midwest climate of the Chicago area.  We knew there that if you plant bulbs in the fall, you get tulips in the spring.  If you sow grass seed or lay sod, your lawn will be green and lush by May (barring any nasty surprises like grubs, etc.)  The leaves on your maple tree are green all summer, turn red in the fall, drop in winter and reappear in the spring.   All these things work on an annual cycle, and you can pretty much count on that.

Here in this desert climate, nature works a bit differently.  You plant something and then, with reliable irrigation systems, you hope it takes hold.  Sometimes it does, sometimes you get a withered stump of whatever it was no matter how nicely you talk to it, pamper it or pray over it!  Sometimes the rabbits get your lovely baby shrub and decimate it in one night.  Once in a while, it can even be a Javelina who chomps away at your fresh little yucca that you bought because it was rabbit-proof.  A big fat one - likely over 70 pounds - was casually strolling through our back yard two days ago!  He looked pretty much like this but maybe a bit more burley.  Yikes!  I would have taken my own photo, but hubby wouldn't let me open the back door.  Spoil sport!

If your beloved plant does take hold, it can look the same for years before anything exciting happens.
Our little Mexican lime tree FINALLY seems to be filling in and is blooming like nobody's business.  After five years, perhaps we will get more than the handful of pitiful looking, olive sized limes we have had so far.  Our olive tree and pigmy date palm (non fruit bearing per municipal regulations!) are lush and full.  Our cacti are expanding nicely and have produced a few blossoms from time to time.  Yay!

Today, however, I got such a surprise!  These things pop up overnight like some fairy-tale beanstalk.  Our blue yucca is blooming!  Big time!  When I see things like this, I feel like I am on some other planet.  This is no petunia, folks!  It's HUGE!

The first Hibiscus blossom of the season has made an appearance.

Our bougainvillea, which was looking decidedly peaked over the winter has surged back in full, living color.

So, spring has sprung in the Valley.  We must enjoy now, as soon it will be blast furnace time!

ZENTANGLE PRIMER
I received my new Zentangle Primer yesterday, and was reminded again, through the gentle guidance from Rick and Maria, that we must learn to slow down, to not compare our progress to that of others, to be patient and just see what happens.  "Start at the very beginning - a very good place to start..."  Surprises in Zentangle happen all the time!  You look back at what you did a year ago, and find that your line work is much more steady.  You realize that instead of just filling in the spaces of your string with separate tangles, you now can connect and morph your tangles, or maybe you finally understand how to finish off  the edges without them just ending unceremoniously at your pencil border.  You fill one tangle with another one or combine variations to add interest to your design.  You try a few tricks, such as tracing one tile on top of another to make your string, or draw a little "slit" in the tile and tuck your tangle into it.  In this new book, Rick and Maria introduce the concept of Reticula and Fragment.  They call the grid form, whether squares, triangles, circles or whatever, the "Reticula" and the filler designs - often a portion of a named tangle - are called "Fragments".  Placing these Fragments within the Reticula in varying directions can produce what they call a "Metadesign", which offers up the surprise!  Oh, my sketchbook is already getting a workout with all these new (and reminder) ideas!

DIVA #258 - RAUTYFLEX
This was a new tangle for me, and one that I found somewhat challenging.  I was tempted to stop at step four of the stepout, as I liked the lightning look to it, but decided to persevere and do the thing right.  I wasn't comfortable enough to get crazy with curving the grid or making up some "fantasy" version of it, so I just drew the pattern on a straightforward, evenly spaced grid on top of my simple V-string.  Then I drew the pattern variations to change right at the string line.  I shaded the edges in the hopes that it would look as though each version overlapped the next one.  Successful or not, I am pretty happy with how this turned out.  It reminds me of straw, metal and paper.  Perhaps I could have used some heavier black in the center section to give it some drama, but you know what they say about hindsight...

SQUARE ONE: PURELY ZENTANGLE - FOCUS ZONKED AND YUMA
I haven't been up to date over the last few weeks, so I am including entries for two focus tangles.  For Zonked, I immediately started sketching Mooka with it.  I saw on Facebook that others made that same connection.  What is it about those two?  At any rate, here is my version.

Yuma is one of those tangles that can play many rolls.  It can carry bold stripes, hold gems in its center, curve into petal shapes or take on any number of looks and play with other tangles.  I approached it with simplicity.  Each of my tiles is a monotangle, although the second one maybe evolves into Steps. In the first one, as I filled in lines, I found I liked the look of the white spaces.  Negative can be very positive, as it were.  At any rate, they have very different looks.  I like Yuma!

MORE STUFF - STACKED AND TUCKED
Here is one I did just for fun - different than my usual style, but I enjoyed this.  I always admire when others use a mix of brown and black, and here I added a thick black border with white ink on top.  This was a good reminder of why I love Zentangle - no challenge requirements, no strict guidelines about color or which tangles to use, just having fun!

So, Dear Readers, I hope you are seeing signs of spring where you live, or if it is autumn in your part of the world, I hope you are enjoying the ripeness of that golden time of year.  Whichever it is, please enjoy the changing that it brings.  Always look forward to your own changes, and enjoy looking back to see how far you have come.  Then focus on the present moment and be one with it. 

Thank you for stopping by, listening to my ramblings, and taking a look at my own humble offerings.  Know that I cherish all your thoughts and look forward to your comments.

Namaste,
Antonine

Diva Challenge #257 - Shiny! and Bugtangles

Hello Gentle Readers,

I disappoint myself sometimes by my flagging commitment to this blog and to the Zentangle challenges that have engaged my energy and attention over the last two years. Apologies to my readers.  Sometimes our hearts and bodies tell us what our minds cannot.  But all is well, and I am still lurking around the edges, putting in my two cents on Facebook and other places.

One thing I want to say to those I admire on the various blogs is that I have found it impossible in quite a few cases to leave comments.  I don't know why.  I use my Google profile or my website link, or I sign into one of the other website accounts if I have it.  Still problems.  I click on the links on the Diva challenge board and once on the contributor's blog, I can admire all I see but am unable to post a comment.  Guys, I still love you!  Has anyone else had this problem?

That said, I think perhaps I am in a shifting mode.  Where I have been dedicated to the most basic forms of Zentangle - tile with border, string, pattern, shading and sign - I am dipping my toe into some other expressions of this art form.  I am trying to branch into some calligraphy, although my dedication there leaves something to be desired as well.  I have slipped into my toddler span of attention in many cases.  I have fallen in love with the ZenGems, so named by Eni Oken, the master of shading.  My tools of choice for these gems is colored pencil and gray markers.  You can see them used in my latest large work posted in this blog.  And my brain is working overtime on cooking tools and techniques.  My Amazon account is ready to explode with all the pans, utensils, specialty grocery items and cookbooks I have ordered or at least "wish-listed".  I have been much more faithful with my yoga exercises than ever before, and am actually seeing results!  What?  Me, whose body has NEVER been my friend?  I actually look forward to my yoga routine, no matter how baby beginner it is.  That is a FIRST in my lifetime.   How much can one old lady do?

Beyond that, my loving husband is on a travel kick.  He feels (perhaps rightly so) that we should not let the grass grow under our feet at this stage, since in five or ten years we may not be able to pick up and go as we do now.  The suitcases are dust-free these days, to say the least.  I certainly can't complain about that, as we are having a ball!  Just unpacked from a lovely trip to Tucson and ready to re-pack for Las Vegas.  More trips in the hopper beyond that, too.

So, here I am after a month of neglect and really wanting to get a little traction back on the blog scene. 

BUGTANGLE
Starting a couple years ago I did a series of insect ZIAs on Renaissance tiles.  The were a pleasure to do and a minor hit with my vast fan club!   ;-D  I have been experimenting with new types of pens and paper, and bought a few precious sheets of papyrus.  I decided to continue that theme of antiquity and design a bejeweled scarab.  This was a major project, and has left me limp as a dishrag after all the preliminary sketches, trials of various techniques and media on the paper, and the effort itself of working on this delicate textured paper. I used some distress inks to give the paper an aged look.  I used a dip pen with calligraphy ink to draw and did shading with alcohol based markers in shades of gray.  I used colored pencil for the gems.   C'est finit!  This guy is on a sheet of paper 25x17 inches, and is now hanging in our front entry.  I'm in love with a bug!!



SHINY

This week's guest blogger on the Diva website has challenged us to do something shiny, specifically  metallic.  I like how the metallic pens look on black, but since I am still hooked on Gems, I decided to combine the two.  This tile has both gold and silver ink.  I did some highlighting with white chalk pencil and shading with a black colored pencil.  So far, that has been the least messy option I have tried using the metallic gel pens.  Some markers work on the white pens without dissolving the ink, but on the metallic ink, I still find problems there. 

 

I have been struggling to bridge the difference between the transparent looking cabochon type gems with the solid stones like lapis and turquoise.  Here I have attempted some turquoise stones, but am not fully satisfied yet.  They are better than my previous attempts, and I do like how the black tile paper works with these gems.  The black gives you ready-made shadow edges and you just build up from there.  It also leaves some bits of texture showing through, which is easy to convert into little fissures in the stones.  There is much to be said here.  I am still not sure of my color choices, though, and will keep working at this.  

So, Gentle Readers, thank you for stopping by today.  Know that I cherish all  your thoughts and comments and would love to hear from you.  Until next time...

Namaste,
Antonine

Diva Challenge #253 - Molygon, Busy Days and Kitchen Adventures

Greetings Gentle Readers,

Last week was very busy, as my sweet husband and I are doing our best to see and do pretty much everything!  OK, I exaggerate, but we have been packing in a bunch of little trips and events.  We attended a huge wine event where we tasted upwards of 80 Bordeaux wines direct from the wineries. (yes, we did dump!) Sometimes American perception of French people is not always so positive, but I can say these people were truly gracious and friendly.  They took time to explain the wines to us, tell us about their harvesting and wine making process and made us - who have never been to France and speak ZERO French - feel very welcome.  We loved it! 

No throwback this week, as I didn't pull my thoughts together, but I may do that again soon.

IN THE KITCHEN
The big deal for me last week was hosting my book club.  Known as "Wine, Women and Wisdom", our group is generally greeted by that month's hostess with wine and nibbles and we laugh, discuss the book and whatever else comes to mind and enjoy a couple of hours of fun.  My chosen book was Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton.  Besides being an entertaining read, this book speaks of the author's relationship with food and cooking on a very personal level.  I bought her cookbook, Prune, which features recipes from her restaurant of that name, and made a variety of goodies (the easy ones) to feed my guests.

The one I wanted to make from the moment I opened the cookbook was Lamb Manti.

 These little suckers had very few ingredients, but oh, what a bugger to make!  You take ground lamb - no seasoning, no fillers - and make teeny-tiny meatballs the size of a level 1/4 teaspoon.  No bigger or they won't fit!  Then take wonton wrappers and cut them into four equal squares.  Moisten the edges and press them into little purse shapes.  For-ever.....this is when I wish I had a couple of pre-teen grandchildren on hand to help!  It took me a couple hours to make these babies, but YUM!  You freeze them, and then bake them for about 13 minutes, then when ready to serve, simmer them in regular canned beef broth (not a fancy dish).  Served with a garlic infused yogurt and drizzled with cayenne butter, these were killer! 

I made little bacon and marmalade sandwiches, deviled eggs, avocado and tomato topped lemon ricotta toasts and corn pound cake with Riesling and rosemary poached pears.  Hungry yet?

But the showstopper was the ICE CREAM!  A basic custard base made with cream, eggs and brown sugar, then enhanced with a balsamic reduction swirl.  OMG, OMG!  Sounds weird, I know.  It makes you think at first it must be raspberry, but then...wait a minute...what is this?  One lady had to leave the meeting to attend to something else, but returned to try the dessert.  She definitely had the happy face when she tasted that ice cream.  My husband finished it off that evening.  Glad I got a couple bites!


DIVA CHALLENGE #253 - MOLYGON

The new recently released official tangle is called Molygon.  I used it once before but revisited it again for this challenge. I love the story of how they got the name for this.  What serendipity!  I wanted to somehow enhance the spaces between the shapes, so here is what I did.   A little gold on the edge, nest them on a bed of Tipple.  Are they mushrooms or metal domes or...who knows?  This was fun!

 

 

So, short and sweet, this is all I have this week.  Slacking..... but I have still followed the boards and love the new Mosaic app on my phone.  Not sure it is offered to the public yet, but as a CZT, I've had an opportunity to test drive it.  Fun!

 

Thank you for the pleasure of your visit, and know that I treasure your thoughts and comments.

 

Namaste,

Antonine

Diva Challenge #251 and a Big, Big Throwback

Gentle Readers,


BIG, BIG THROWBACK!
Yesterday I was privileged to visit the Phoenix Art Museum where they have on display 26 of Michelangelo's drawings - they refer to them as "sacred and profane", as some have to do with religious themes and others with mythology, architecture and even weaponry.  What a thrill to be nose to nose with Michelangelo! 

We learned that he worked with black ink made from what is called oak gall, and that it has faded to brown over time.  Also he used black and reddish charcoal for shading and white chalk for highlighting.  (hello Renaissance tiles) In the drawing below, you can faintly see that originally Mary's face was looking down towards her child, but he changed the image to show her gazing away as if pondering the future. 

A Madonna and Child Image

Study for Leda and the Swan - the model was male, as were all artists' models then
 (The final painting was stolen so the only way we know what it)looked like is from a recreation of it by Rubens, I believe.

Study for a Pieta

Plans for a library of sacred texts

Battlement Plans - so effective, the enemy gave up and went home without fighting!

So here's the Throwback part...guess what paper Michelangelo used (when it wasn't the back of an envelope or some other scrap)?  You got it - it was Fabriano paper!  The tour guide said you could even see their watermark on some of the sketches but I couldn't make that out.  I did think it was interesting that the first drawing shown here was done with two pieces of paper glued together in the middle.  So, fellow Tanglers, every time you pick up one of your exquisite Zentangle tiles made from the Fabriano Tiepolo stock, think about Michelangelo using paper from the same source.  That just makes me tremble a little bit!

ZENTANGLE INSPIRED
At the museum, we had lunch in a little room with very interesting walls, fellow tanglers.  It appears to me as if the large round orbs were done by an artist, and then a group of children were given black markers and set free to add their own work.  I can tell that some of these young artists were very familiar with Zentangle, since familiar patterns pop up here and there.  Check out the Paradox in the right side of this first photo and the Printemps ice cream cone in the third one. This was so fun!

DIVA CHALLENGE #251 - MOEBIUS SYNDROME AWARENESS
It's that time again, when we create Zentangle images and Zentangle Inspired Art to highlight awareness of the syndrome with which Laura Harm's son was born.  Laura has been a tireless advocate of research and treatment for this syndrome, and we honor her efforts this week.  Last year, I made a rare foray into the land of color when I used a purple wash to highlight my design.  This year - well, it's a whole new world of color out there!  We have gems, and I'm totally hooked!  I can do this!  So here is my entry for the challenge this week. I used a Renaissance tile (hello, Michelangelo!) with black ink, white chalk pencil and colored pencil for the gems.

 

 

So, Gentle Readers, that is all I have for this week.  I have been working on a larger project, which I will unveil in good time.  I have been following what our friends on Facebook and on the Mosaic app are doing, and it is all inspiring.  I have no special throwback challenge for you, but hope that you will reflect on the artistry of those who have gone before and who have depicted the world in ways that for us seem obvious, but for them were revolutionary.  Make your own artistic revolution!

 

Thank you for stopping by, and know that I cherish all your visits and your comments.

 

Namaste,

 

Antonine

Diva Challenge #250 - Back to the Old School - Hey, It's a Throwback! , and SQ1 Henna Drum

Hello Gentle Readers,

Now that the holiday frenzy is over and we are past the sumptuous feasts with all manner of delicacies, champagne, cocktails to delight any number of your senses, it is time to settle down and begin again.  Put on the pot of soup bones, chop up those old standby carrots, onions and celery and prepare for another kind of pleasure - the Old School kind!

When the house fills with the aroma of soup simmering on the back burner, you may do as I do and put the other kettle on for a lovely cup of tea.  As confirmed coffee lover,  I nevertheless adore the fragrance of Earl Gray or some of the spiced and orange infused herbal varieties.  These piping hot sippers take me to a place of contentment and peace.

So it is with Zentangle.  We rightly enjoy taking our practice of this beautiful art form in as many directions as our imagination will stretch.  Color washes, 3D fold-up ornaments, vivid gems and luscious marker-colored masterpieces.  But this week, we are brought back to our original story of simplicity.  We focus on a small square of beautiful paper, set our boundaries with a pencil, and begin our journey with a fine line of black ink.  We finish with some magic tricks with the pencil, and after a rather short time, we have a tiny masterpiece on which to reflect.  We feel satisfaction and pleasure in our accomplishment, though only a small work.

DIVA CHALLENGE #250 - OLD SCHOOL - IT'S A THROWBACK!

I feel like our Diva keyed in on our Throwback idea this week!  So, guess what?  I will use this as my throwback theme and not bother with recreating the wheel!  I started the first tile with original tangles and the original four corners, border and string.  This is not a masterpiece, but a pleasurable process and outcome.  I included Peanuckle, which has provoked all kinds of "ugh, I don't like this one..." reactions on the various Facebook and online groups.  I must disagree - it was one of my first loves!  I think it is fun to draw and is such a surprise when you move from initial construction to the finished pattern.  Our old friends Mooka, Tipple, Fescu, Cadent and Huggins join the party.

 

 

 

The second one uses Margaret Bremner's rope string (my humble version of it, anyway).  Again, I used original tangles, but the wonderful wrap of the string makes it look unusual.  I had fun with this one.  I used Enyshou, Vega, Punzel, Shattuck, and Jonqual. 

 

 

SQUARE ONE: PURELY ZENTANGLE - HENNA DRUM

 

The focus this week was Henna Drum, which is one I rarely use.  I don't seem to connect well with the organic, flowy garden patterns.  (I don't do well with real gardens, either...)  I had some vague idea in mind using Mooka, but I didn't envision the way this turned out.  Somehow, these are like lady creatures bowing and curtseying to each other in some alien minuet.  I kind of like it!

 

 

 

So, Gentle Readers, this is all I have for this week.  Simple, straightforward, no stress.  Just what I needed!  I hope you are all finding rest, refreshment and new purpose in this new year.  Thank you for stopping by and know that I cherish your reflections and your comments.

 

If you would like to share your throwback - of any Zentangle kind - click on the Mr. Linky below and attach your link.

 

Namaste,

Antonine

 

 



 

 

A New Year - Plus Diva Challenge #249, Gemstruck, Molygon and Real Throwback Moment (#8)

Many Blessings of the New Year to my Gentle Readers!

We start with Trumpits heralding the news for the Square One focus.  I did this in a tan sketchbook and used two different gold pens with black and white ink. I love how the dew drop/bubbles look on this paper.

 

And then I pulled out an old black tile with something on the other side and just had fun with the gold pen.  Why not?

 

Our holiday decorations and celebrations took on a new minimalist look this year.  No ebullient bows and boughs, no garland sparkling (and shedding) all over the house.  No, we did a woodland look evoking those clear crisp nights after the leaves have fallen and all is quiet and peaceful.  My husband especially really enjoyed this sort of Scandinavian look - it's the Swedish half of him, I think!   Our table was set with ticking stripe linens and a rather austere Santa to preside over the feast. (and it WAS a feast!)  I realized after I snapped the photo that I forgot to put the wine glasses on the table for the picture - sacrilege!! My challenge was to prepare everything gluten free to meet the needs of a beloved guest, and I must say it was all fabulous (polishing my nails on my lapel...).  Our starter was a special cocktail made with Vodka, Maraschino liquor, Lilet, fresh Meyer lemon juice from our own tree,  and champagne.  So festive!  We dined on Cornish hens stuffed with rice, a mushroom and winter squash lasagna  (remember that weirdo gnarly squash I featured a few weeks ago?  I froze the roasted flesh just for this dish) made with a hand made gluten free pasta and a silky Béchamel sauce, peas with prosciutto and a pear and hazelnut tart for dessert. Good thing we only do that once a year or I'd look like that guy in Big Trouble in Little China!

THROWBACK
I was washing my trusty circa 1973 saucepan when I realized the little nicks all over the bottom were from my baby Alison (now age 39) sitting on the kitchen floor banging out a tune on it with a spoon. That was a throwback moment - maybe a couple of tears to go with it! Love you, Alison!

 

Which brings me to the Throwback part of this post!  Here is a quick sketchbook version of Pots and Pans to commemorate my sweet memory.  Check out the link at the bottom of this post to add your own throwback!

 

 



DIVA CHALLENG #249
For this week's Diva challenge, we were to combine Diva Dance and Auraknot.  (Some are calling these "Lauraknots", which is apt, I'm sure!)  I just can't quit these gems, so here is mine.

 

 

GEMSTRUCK
Speaking of gems, I have been practicing on some scraps of papyrus for a larger ZIA I'm working on.  The first one I like, and the second one was great until I tried to put in a "soft focus" background with gray markers.  Scratch that idea, but the gems are good.  I utilized the brand new Molygon for some of the bezel settings for the gems.  Then I did a bug.  Stay tuned for the bugs on papyrus. Having way too much fun here...

 

 

MOLYGON
Finally, I tried out the latest and greatest, Molygon, which is a lot of fun!  Here I have flying spearmint and what was meant to be a Zenith-like thing that looks more like angry birds!

So, Gentle Readers, I wish you all the best as we begin the journey that is 2016.  May it be happy, healthy and prosperous for all of you, and may all your tangles be infused with the very best Zen!

Namaste,
Antonine

Diva Challenge #248 - Gift of Zentangle, and Throwback Thursday #7 - Finally after a month off!

 

 

 

Gentle Readers,

 

I finally returned to this venue after a month-long break, a "just because" gift of down time to myself.  When your passion starts to feel like work, it is time to hibernate for a while and then come back. 

 

Two happy things prompted this return, even though I am in the throes of cookie baking, card writing and party planning (and attending - nice!) 

 

First, Linda Farmer posted my tangle "Oybay" on the Tanglepatterns.com website.  Lots of people visited my blog as a result of that, so I figured I should at least let folks know I am still alive and kicking.  One of the things included in the post with the tangle step outs was the tile shown below.  I did this right BEFORE the ZenGem craze started.  I have no idea if anyone saw it and knew they could absolutely do better!  But they certainly started posting gorgeous gems and (thank you dear artists) tutorials on how they drew the gems. 

 

This was a perfect segue into a Throwback Thursday #7.  Here I have taken my original tile and reworked the gems in the second version.  I also added some amped-up shading.  I don't think these are actually the best gems I have done (I'm still practicing like crazy - literally crazy!), but they are certainly improved in the second tile. I added regular Prismacolor pencil on top of the Inktense originals and topped them off with Gelly Roll highlights. What a difference! 

 

If you have a throwback you would like to add, I'd love to see it.  Click on the link at the bottom and enter your URL.



 

original version

new and improved

_______________________________________________________________________

Diva Challenge - Gift of Zentangle

I am so grateful to have someone poke me in the butt sometimes and make me get something done.  Usually, that someone is my husband (thank you, darling...) but this time it was our Diva.  I have been wanting to make something for my granddaughter, but somehow there is always something going on.  I have been taking instruction in calligraphy from a great lady in my community, Desiree Mansell.  She has been working with me on the Uncial alphabet, and I really love it.  I am still at the kindergarten stage, but I thought I would try something fun.  I took a paper and aged it with distress inks, then used a fat pen point and lettered her name "Pemba".  Unfortunately, the ink bled a bit on the paper I chose, but I forged ahead anyway.  I tangled around the lettering, actually in a random sort of way, and I am pretty pleased with the result.  So here is my entry for this week's Diva Challenge.  I show it scanned in and then framed.

 

So that's all I have this week.  I probably will not post again next week, so I will take this opportunity to wish all my dear readers the most Blessed Holidays and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

 

Antonine

+++