Diva Challenge #202 : " Duo-Tangle :Chebucto vs. Copada"

This week's Diva Challenge is a Duo-Tangle using two tangles from Margaret Bremner, Chebucto and Copada. I really enjoy seeing her work, even though I have not used a lot of her tangles regularly.  I have used Copada before but I have not used Chebucto. I tend to rely on my Zenthology and Tangle Patterns. I may have to seriously look at taking the leap into using Evernote just to have more options. There is not real reason I have not used it other than it is not one that has stayed in my memory. There are some things I would like to try with it but did not have enough time to play with it. I had thought about trying to do a circle. Made a few attempts in my journal which did not turn out. Some time I hope I have the time to go back and play with it a little more to see what I can do. It does make a nice border or frame. As with a lot of the tiles, shading was the biggest challenge. I am experimenting using different pencils. The problem is I may have to look at using a fixative as the darker ones tend to smudge with little handling of them. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Chebucto, Copada

Pencils used: 2B, 4B, 4H, & 6B

I have not had a chance to look at many of the things posted. I have seen a few that have shown up in my blog reader. Hope to have more time to explore the different tiles. Am looking forward to seeing what different things people have done. If you have not all ready, would encourage you to go to I am the Diva and look at the great art. 

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !! 

Square One : Rixty

The focus tangle for this week at Square One is Rixty. This was developed by Maria as a birthday present for Rick when he turned sixty. I have used this before, but have tended to use it on Renaissance tiles. Not sure but this may have been the first time that I did it in black and white. I wanted to try something different with it also. One thing I did was to biggify it a little. I also tried to do a "tango". I think I used that word correctly. It is combining two tangles. The shading was a big thing on this. It is okay but I have to admit the idea that I had in my head looked a whole lot better. This is something that I have to work on continuously. Some day I hope to be able to shade like some of the other artists I see. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Rixty, Tierso, Florz

The shading was done with 2B, 4B & 6B pencils 

Thanks for visiting.  As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Square One: BB

The focus tangle for  Square One this week is BB. I have never used this tangle before. I have to be honest, it is one that just never attracted me. There is not really anything wrong with it, I just did not think of using in any tiles. When it was selected as the focus tangle I almost decided to forgo trying to do a tile. Honestly I was not sure what to do. I did not start out to do a monotangle. It just kind of emerged as I was doing it. O guess it is best to describe it as a Hollibaughesque BB.

This is also one of those tiles that I have mixed feelings about. There is not anything really wrong with it There is just not much about it that attracts me. I will do what i usually do with tiles like this. I will put it aside and go back to it later. Sometimes my perspective does change.  I will probably use BB a little more, but not in this way.  Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tried to accent this using stippling and some shading. It was difficult deciding what to do.

Thanks for visiting. As usual comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated. 

Go Tangle !! 

Diva Challenge #201: "Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day 2015:

This week's Diva Challenge is a yearly one for the Diva. For those that are not aware, her youngest son was diagnosed with Moebius Syndrome which is a congenital nerve disorder. It is rare and his latest surgery was to deal with some of the effects of this disorder. You can learn a little more about it at I am the Diva . You can also search the web for information. I was not sure that I was going to get a tile done for this challenge, even though I had participated in the last two. I happen to have some time at work, I had my supplies with me and I did not have the materials with me to work on my taxes so I decided to give it a go. The string is the logo for the Moebius Syndrome Foundation. Purple is their official color.

Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Diva Dance, Shattuck, Knightsbridge(wonky version)

I have to admit that I did not set out with the intent of doing a tricolor tile. When I started I thought I was pulling out my black micron.  I obviously was not paying that close of  attention as it was the brown micron. I intended to use black and purple. Instead of starting over, in true Zentangle® fashion of no mistake, I just decided to go with it. It is a little unusual. Not real thrilled with the way the shading turned out on the Shattuck. Did not have much I could do as I was trying a few new things. Needless to say, I will not try them again. 

I have not had a chance to look at any of the other tiles posted yet. Hopefully in between other things I can get to I am the Diva and  look at least a few. If I am really lucky, I may even have a chance to comment on a few.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !! 

First Pyrography Attempt

Not too long ago I received a surprise package from my sister. I had tried my hand at wood burning a couple of years ago. I had some wood boxes that I was doing for the oldest granddaughters. I do not think I had even started tangling then. I had a simple tool that I had purchased at Hobby Lobby. My sister has been burning for a while. She originally started on gourds. After she stopped doing gourds, she transferred this to her tangling work. She has done some really stunning pieces. If you want to look at some good burning, can see some examples at her blog Tinkered Art Studio. She has pictures in her Galleries. She has things in every one except her Zentangle® Gallery. Well, what was in the package was her older Razertip burner with about 5 different pens. I had been wanting to try different things but with the holidays and a couple of venues where I was selling, I did not have a chance to try them out. I finally just decided to do go ahead and do it. Although I probably should have been working on things to file my taxes. It is nothing special, but it is a start. Hope to get to some other things later. Really need to get some information/instruction on this.

Here is what I did. You cannot tell from the picture but this piece of wood is about the size of a business card. It is not very thick. I stuck to very simple tangles. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Paradox, Msst, Ahh

I guess the word is apropos since I was not sure how this was going to turn out.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated. 

Go Tangle !! 

Diva Challenge #200: Surprise giveaway !!!

As part of this special challenge, the Diva is having surprise giveaway. She did not identify what it was just that there are 3 secret prize packages that she is giving away. You only have a few hours to go to her blog and enter. Can find out what you need to enter and the links for the different things submitted for this challenge HERE.

Thanks for visiting.

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #200!!: "Bi-Zen-Tennial Celebration!"

This week's Diva Challenge is her 200th weekly challenge. To celebrate she wants people to use their "Mac & Cheese tangle in a monotangle. The other guidelines were to fill the whole tile and somewhere include the number 200 in the tile. A big part of this challenge was deciding what tangle I would use. It would seem easy as a Mac 'N' Cheese tangle is one that you go to when you need a tangle. I think at first I was getting this confused with tangles that I like. When I thought about it, the one tangle that I have used the most, and for a while particularly when the Zendala Dare was active, I used one tangle in almost anything. At one point I found myself using it so much that a set a challenge for myself to not use this tangle at all for a couple of months. The tangle that I am referring to is Shattuck. I am not sure why this became so popular with me but it just seem to fit in so many places. I also like it a lot. The next part of the challenge was deciding how I would do this as a monotangle. That was a little more challenging, but once I started it came together fairly quickly. It just took a while to get it done. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Used 2B and 4B pencils for the shading.

As usual things have been hectic and I have not seen very many things that have been posted. I am on my way now to look at a few of them. If you have not go to I am the Diva and check it out. Try it yourself, even if you do not post. But I would encourage you to put away that inner critic and go ahead and post what you have done.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !! 

Rémy Métailler - Gopro Face shot Whistler - Gopro POV - DH MTB

Have not posted a lot of non-Zentangle items in a while. Saw this video and thought it was a great video. I do not do any off road or mountain trail riding. At the point in my life that I enjoy a more leisurely ride. It is fun to watch others go down these trails. I hope you enjoy it.

Square One : 'Nzeppel

The Square One focus tangle this week is 'Nzeppel. This is one of my favorite tangles. I wish I had a series of photos I could show that show the progression of how I do this tangle. The difference is more in how I finish this tangle. It is one that I have probably experimented with more than others. Originally, I did little shading. I remember Maria making the comment at CZT 10 that she liked the way this looked just drawn and did not think much about shading it. I tended to agree with her. Over the years though I have seen some creative and really great ways of shading this tangle. I think I began to see it differently as I began to see it less as an organic tangle and more like stone. This tile is another newer way of shading. It is darker than what I usually do. I have been getting bolder and I do like the way this looks. Don't know that it will be the only way I will shade this tangle as a lot of what I decide to do is just how it looks on the tile. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used : 'Nzeppel, Nymph ( a 'Nzeppel tangleation), Purk, and Betweed.

I have been busy with a number of things so have not had a lot of time to really look at many of the things posted so far. Hopefully can get to see a few more. What I have seen so far, I really like the variety.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Diva Challenge #199: "UMT- Hitch by HeidiSue"

Was not sure that I was going to get anything done for the first Diva Challenge of the New Year. Came together rather quickly. Maybe because I did not do a lot of tangles. This was a Use my Tangle (UMT) challenge. The one chosen was Hitch by Heidi Sue. You can see the step out for this tangle by clicking here. The picture is not large and it does not enlarge when you click on it. I remember someone telling me something to increase the size of a picture if this did not work, but unfortunately I do not remember what it was. Don't have a lot to say about this one. I did want to use other tangle(s) that I had not done before. I chose one that I have seen Michelle Beauchamp use very well but I have not used it much. Usually when I see something that she has done using it the thought to myself is, that is so neat, I have to try using it. The reality is that I just have not done it.

The shading on this is a little different than what I normally do, but I am pleased with the way it turned out. For any one who has followed my blog for any time, you realize how big a statement that is for me. I am willing to take a few more risk. There are still things I want to work on. I have Cris Letourneau's Made in the Shade and would really like to have some time to just sit down and work through some of it. I guess like most things, it is some thing I am just going to have to do, even if it means some other things not getting done. But I digress. Here is the tile that I came up with for the challenge. I hope you enjoy it.

Tangles used: Hitch, Squill

I have only seen a few of the things posted. These are the ones that show up on my blog reader. If you have not been to I am the Diva, strongly encourage you to go look at all the great pieces of art. I also encourage you to give it a try your self even if you are the only one that sees it. The main focus of Zentangle® is about the process, not the end product. Get rid of that inner critic and enjoy the journey.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Trim-A-Rim: Final Versions

Finally was able to complete this. This comes in two sizes and I worked on the smaller one first. Don't have the exact dimensions but can find it by going to their web site by clicking here on Trim-A-Rim. I think the smaller one is about 7" and the larger one is about 10".  I posted the color version before. Here is the black/white version with shading. Not sure how well the shading shows up in the picture.

They come with some ready made rings, a stencil with shapes to create you own and two blank templates, which is what I used. It also includes a small black dry erase marker and some magnets that can be used to attach a message to it.  Here are pictures of it in the unit. First the B/W version.

Did not take all the packaging off as I am not sure whether these will be gifts or they will end up as sales items. 

Here is the color version. First with the mirror.

And now with the Dry erase board side

Forgot to mention that on the back of the ring there are about 5 magnets so that it can be attached to the inside of a locker. There is also a molded key hole that can hang it on a wooden door or wall with a nail. 

The color one was pretty labor intensive. not sure what I will do with the larger one. Right now am thinking more of a monotangle or duotangle just to keep it simple. If it is not too long before I get it completed will probably post it. 

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Square One : XYP

This week's focus tangle in the Square One FB page is XYP. I have used this tangle before but not a lot. I have usually used it as a string. That is the way that I used it here. I coupled it with a another tangle, batch. This is one of those tiles that I felt a little disconnected doing, mostly because it took me so long to complete. It did not take long because it was hard, it was more the time I had to work on it. Also was not really sure how to shade it. I went to something It is what it is. I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!

Trim-A-Rim : First version

I posted a plain tangled version of this previously. I asked for some responses about whether to use color or traditional black and white. Did not receive a lot of responses either way. Think that part of the problem is that people were too busy celebrating the New Year. At least it is the position that I am going with. I really was undecided. I wanted to try color, not so much because I like using color but mostly because I have a new set of Prismacolor pencils that I had not tried out yet. Even had a blending pencil, which I have never used before. My only art training is Zentangle® so anything else I do is a combination of experimentation and remembering a few things I have heard other people mention. I took some pictures of the process along the way. Did not photograph everything. Were more at the end as I was getting a little more comfortable with the blender and it also was the most dramatic change from beginning to end. I plan on doing one in black and white later. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it. I will post a picture of it in the frame after I have the other one done.  If interested in seeing the product itself click on Trim-A-Rim here.

Just as a reminder, here what it looked like when I started.

The first color I added was a blue that I then layered white on top to lighten it. 

Next I did the stem, which was again a two layer process, but this time the lighter color was used first.

(goldenrod & light umber)

The next step was the leaves. This was a harder one as I wanted to add some shading so I layered 3 colors. 

Again this was the lighter color first.

(apple green, spring green, and grass green for the center vein)

The Poke Root was the hardest. I experimented with a number of things and at one point was going to do another 3 layer technique. I decided against it after some more experimenting and only did 2 and did more with the blender. 

This first layer is blush pink

This next layer is the second layer before blending.

crimson red

Here is the ring after blending the blush pink and crimson red. 

This was a lot of work. Took me most of the day. Have a new appreciation both for those that do colored pencil art all the time but also some appreciation for the Zentangle® method that just uses black and white.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments are welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated.

Go Tangle !!