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

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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

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Diva Challenge #243 Just a Tiny Taste, SQ1 Cyme, and Throwback Thursday #6

THROWBACK THURSDAY #6 - ALL ABOUT REFLECTING - DID YOU FEEL GOOD?

This is the 6th Throwback I'm posting (a day early, even!), and I want to share why I am offering this to participants.  One of the things we are asked to do in Zentangle is to reflect on the work we have done and how it made us feel.  It is not a contest or really even a challenge.  It is an invitation to reflect on not just the last tile we had in hand, but on some we did some time back.  Today, I wanted to look back at something that made me feel good when I finished.  It was not because I completed a "challenge" (although in this case my entry was for a challenge), but because I was just pleased with both the process of creating this piece and the final result.  I recall that I was very relaxed as I added each simple element and then took my time with the shading.

I did this in the spring, hence the Easter egg look.  I love the look of brown eggs, and was happy to include some in my design. Reflecting on it now, I also see that I put in some bread.  Not exactly Italian Easter Bread, but close enough.   I love the tan paper.  This was done in my sketchbook, which is a slightly different color than the Renaissance tiles, but which I may actually like a bit better.  I just had fun doing this and was really gratified when I had it finished.  So here is my Zendala.  I rarely do them, and I felt so good when I did this!

So I invite you to click on the link at the bottom of this post and show some Zentangle work that you remember made you feel good.  That's what it's all about, really. 
 

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Diva Challenge #243 - Just a Tiny Taste

This was a very enjoyable challenge for me.  I tend to get carried away, not only with Zentangle, but in most areas of life.  I have long conversations with friends just when it is time to go home.  I always cook way too much - Honey, we really do need eight different appetizers!  If one Fannie May chocolate is good, then five must be better, right? 

So here we have been asked to use restraint.  This time we just want that one perfect jelly bean.  This is a life lesson for me.  True to my form, I didn't stop at one, though. So much for lessons learned...  Here are three that I did, the good Jelly Bellies, and maybe the booger flavored one as well.

First one I did - maybe not the best...

 

 

Are those root beer jelly beans?  Yum!  I like that tiny taste!

 

 

Maybe a taste of licorice in this one!

Speaking of taste, I thought I would put in an update on last week's tasty prospect - that Gourdgeous giant squash I had.  I did cook it, but the best part was the beautiful butterfly that grotesque thing became when I cut it open.  Another life lesson in there, I believe...

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Square One - Focus Cyme

What to do with those precious tiles you screw up?  The ones that you can't turn into "opportunities".  Well, you can cover the wrong turn with black ink and use it as part of your string!  That's what I did here.  Cyme is one of those "focus" tangles that I rarely use unless forced...er, directed to do so.  It turned out OK, and I did have fun with the pen switching.

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So that's all I have this week.  Short and simple, and hopefully sweet!

Know that I cherish all your thoughts and comments, and especially your Throwback participation.

Namaste,

Antonine

 

Diva Challenge #242 Gourdgeous; TNTM #44 "M", SQ1 Verve and THROWBACK THURSDAY #5: MOST UNUSUAL

Welcome Gentle Readers,

It's not even Thanksgiving yet and I'm already working on my Christmas dinner menu.  That's because, for ONCE in many years, I'm not hosting Thanksgiving! Don't get me wrong, I love that turkey dinner.  I've got it pretty well in hand, although when we moved to this home I had a bit of an adjustment just getting used to the new oven, new refrigerator space, new grocery stores, etc.  But this year we are to be guests of relatives, so my thoughts are drifting to that other big day!  I'm switching from the big bird to the little ones...Cornish hens.  I'd like to think about quail but I'm a bit chicken (harharhar).

Once you have the main course in mind, then there is the big question of the sides.  I have been wanting to make my old famous mushroom lasagna with the homemade pasta and five pounds of (expensive) specialty mushrooms.  But 1.) I don't have access to the local farm in Illinois where I used to buy big sacks of mushrooms for a cheap price, and 2.) the Mr. is not a lasagna fan.  To make a dish that takes two days of preparation and then have him not love it is a waste. 

This brings me to the Diva's challenge...Gourdgeous!  I am going ahead with my lasagna with a twist this year.  I'm going to use mushrooms, some toasted ground hazelnuts (from our trip to Oregon this summer), a nice Béchamel sauce with nutmeg and....THIS bad boy:

Whoa! This is some kind of Italian variety squash that is supposed to have a drier flesh, making it especially good for pasta fillings.  I'm going to cook it this week and freeze it for my new version of lasagna. 

Which, of course, brings me to the Diva challenge.  This little image seems a dim reference to the glorious real thing, but I love this new pattern anyway!

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Suzy Mosh has asked us to use the letter "M" and patterns by Kathy Barringer.  I chose Margaret Bremner's Moving Day, Carla Jennings' Maise and Kathy Barringer's Antique. 

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The Square One: Purely Zentangle focus was Verve.  I have never used this before, but I sat there on Halloween and started playing with it.  Things got a little spooky...



Something is watching you!



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THROWBACK THURSDAY #5 - MOST UNUSUAL

As I go back over a couple of years worth of Zentangle drawings that I have done, I wondered what was the most unusual thing I have done.  When I first got the Renaissance tiles, I was very taken by their aged appearance, and I started thinking about the old drawings done in the various natural sciences.  Even the most distasteful examples of life on this planet look beautiful in the hands of these artists of old.  So I decided to draw my take on some life forms.  Looking back, I see that my techniques were rudimentary, but oh, I had fun!  I'm planning a new series using some new enhancements such as colored pencil or watercolor and marker shading, but didn't feel the need to wait for that eventuality.  Here is what I did back a while ago.  My favorite part is the high heels and high top sneakers on the grasshopper!




What have you done that is unusual?  I'd love to see it, so click on the Mr. Linky and post it here!

 

Thank you for stopping by today, and know that I cherish all your thoughts and comments, and especially your participation in Throwback Thursday.

 

Namaste,

Antonine