Diva Challenge #130

This week's Diva Challenge asked us to work with a tangle that I've seen and really wanted to try - Henna Drum.  I will definitely be experimenting more with this tangle, as I love it, however my tile seems too busy.  I'm thinking an aura around the henna drum pattern might help to break it up a bit.  Next time! 

Henna Drum, Flux

Beads, Beads, and More Beads!

Update:  I'm adding in my Diva Challenge for this week - it's the first Zentangle anything I've completed in months!  It felt great :)

Nipa, Shattuck, Hibred, Tipple

Last night was another fun night of beading with friends that turned into quite the little home project.  Thought I'd post some pics of the necklace charms that I made last night and today - my boyfriend's mom mentioned possibly selling them at her bed & breakfast (Heathcote Haven, if you happen to be in the Collingwood, Ontario area!).  Pretty exciting! I'll write another post once I have pictures of the earrings that I'm working on. Thanks for stopping by :)

Diva Challenge #116

I loved this week's Diva Challenge!  The blind string - one of my favourites.  My string ended up being a really closely drawn circle/loop.  I wasn't sure what to do with it, but it ended up kind of creating itself.  I think it has an underwater-type feel.

Striping, Flux, Dragonair, Nipa, Verdigogh, Tipple

Something else that I had wanted to share was my new found love of beading.  I went to a "beginner" workshop last Monday, and began working on a bracelet that required several different bead types, fireline, and A LOT of skill!  I'd never beaded before, and was completely overwhelmed, but when I finished it yesterday, I was so happy with the result, that I'm planning another visit to this little bead store soon (tomorrow or Wednesday, perhaps!). Great - another hobby that prevents me from marking! 

My first-ever beading adventure!  More to come - I've already signed up for another beading workshop!

Diva Challenge #109

I can't remember the last time I participated in a Diva Challenge - thank goodness for March Break!  This week's challenge saw us creating a 3-D effect using parallel lines.  I felt my tile was very busy, because I think I tried to put too much into a small space.  No worries, though - I really liked the end result.  In contrast, I've included a tile that I did on the weekend with a group of ladies who also enjoy tangling!  My weekend tile was quite simple and reminded me a bit of Laura's "Biggify" challenge (which I loved!). 

Feels good to be back in the tangling saddle! I think I'll be busy with it this week :)

Opus, Flux, Tipple, Ahh, Onomato, Shattuck, Hibred, Sanibelle

Web, 'NZeppel, Nightsbridge, Ennies, Opus

Zendala Dare #29

Didn't make it to the Zendala Dare on Saturday this weekend.... report card mania has taken over!  Fortunately, I'm actually somewhat on top of things this year, so it hasn't been too bad (and I had a marking date with a friend at Starbucks this morning, so that made for a fun day!).  This is the result - it's a little busy, but there are some new-ish (to me) tangles in there, so it's fun and a bit different!

Coaster, Web, Nipa, Paradox, Ibex, Flux

I'm also including a mandala that I not only filled with tangles, but that I designed.  If you want to see the original, click on "Mandala Designs" here or above.  It's the star one :)

Gneiss, Paradox

 I'm also including my entry to this week's Diva Challenge (really late, though!).  Positive thoughts to Laura, while her little Artoo is recovering in the hospital. 

Coaster, Hibred, Nipa, Onomato

Diva Challenge #91 - Beads of Courage

This week, Laura's Diva Challenge was to incorporate "Beads of Courage" into our tile.  "Beads of Courage" is an organization that helps children who have chronic illnesses to tell their stories of courage.  Happy birthday to Artoo, who turned 2 yesterday!

The idea of being courageous was a theme at our school today, too - many classes participated in "Dignity Day", and one of my students was brave enough to share her story with a thousand people via webcam.  I was really proud of her :)  Click here to see her reflection of the day (and to check out her awesome tangles)!

This is my contribution to the Beads of Courage challenge - I was planning to leave the background blank, so that the beads would stand out, but I felt it was very stark and missing something.  I decided to go with a  lightweight tangle, and I'm really happy that I did, because Florz was perfect for what I envisioned.  Happy tangling!

Florz, Flux, Jetties, Striping, Echoism, Betweed, Tipple, Zedbra, Fricle, Hollibaugh

Diva Challenge #90 - String 01

Short post tonight - have to go to bed!  I've been itching to do the challenge this week, but just haven't gotten around to it - started at around 10:30 (it's now 11:07)..... kind of rushed, but fairly happy with the result. Happy tangling!

Crescent Moon, Flux, Sanibelle, Florz, Hi-C, Dragonair

Diva Challenge #88 - IX

Wow - I'm WAY later than usual on this week's Diva challenge!!  I'll explain in a moment.... :)

I made an attempt at IX tonight.  I have to admit, I'm not too fussy on this pattern, however perhaps that's because I haven't had much of a chance to "ix-periment" with it.  Here's what happened:

IX, Flux

This week at school was a little chaotic.  We had Meet-the-Teacher night, many ETFO meetings, a PD Day (lots of developing professionally), and just generally a busy week!  I held my first "Zentangle club" meeting and was thrilled to have about 25 kids sign up.  I've placed my order with Chari-Lynn for materials, and am hoping to receive my Apprentice Kit early next week :) Our club will begin once I have all my supplies, and I absolutely can't wait! 

I hope she's okay with this, but I wanted to share a touching story.  I have a student who is in my Grade 8 class who has taken to Zentangle like no other student I've had.  She has created her own blog so that she can participate in (and submit!) Zendala Dares.  I'm so proud of her - her work is beautiful!  I'm posting her link here, so that you may see some of her outstanding work.... please go on and let her know what you think! (Thanks!!)
http://girinlovespeace.blogspot.ca/

Happy weekend-ing!  I'll likely have another post tomorrow for the Zendala Dare :)

Diva Challenge #84 - Blind-sighted

Yay!  Laura's back and there's a new Monday challenge!  This week, we had to draw the string blind - yep, no peeking!  I really liked my string, but when I prepared to put pen to tile, I found myself at a loss.... I did the tile, and I think it looks alright, but I think I'll try this again later this week.  Here is my tile, before and after :)

(I used my new tangle "Deelish" - please check it out & let me know what you think.... your opinions mean a lot!)

Ahh, Shattuck, Nipa, Hollibaugh, Paradox, Deelish

The original string (edited so you can see it - that's why it's so dark!)

Deelish

I've been playing with this pattern for a little while, but haven't committed it to any of my tiles yet.  I call it "Deelish".... had considered "Licious", but it looked too much like the word "lice", and I don't want that association! 

It's a pretty basic pattern that leaves itself open for all kinds of additions, embellishments, and shading options. 

Let me know what you think!

Deelish

Diva Challenge #83 - Mooka and Assunta

Oh, Laura - challenge indeed!!  I love mooka, but have had real difficulty with assunta.  I'd decided to "skip" this week's challenge, but it's been niggling in the back of my mind all week. Of course, in seeing other people rise to the challenge (quite literally), I realized my reservations about assunta were fairly common.  So, my goal today was to power through it.... after going to buy some new school supplies, checking in at Michaels to get new Sakura pens, visiting a dollar store, enjoying the Teacher Appreciation Day at Staples, making lunch, doing laundry, playing FarmVille.... basically anything to help me avoid it!  I finally sat down and made myself do it.  I must say, I didn't find it as frustrating as I'd expected.  Just like usual, procrastinate, build it up in my mind, only to find out that it's not as bad as I thought :)  Challenge complete!

Mooka and Assunta

Diva Challenge #82 - Brayd

The challenge this week is a UMT (Use My Tangle) and the tangle to use is Brayd, by Michele Beauchamp.  In honour of the "use my tangle" theme, I also included my tangle Flourish in the background.  Kept it pretty simple this week - not feeling tangle-icious today.  Perhaps I'll try another one later on this week :)

Brayd, Flourish

Diva Challenge #80 - Mi2!

I'm posting a day later this week because I spent a lovely couple of days visiting my family in Collingwood.  Had a great visit, terrific barbecue, and delightful pedi (just with mom)!

This week's Diva challenge is to use Mi2 - this is a tangle I've seen, but have never thought to use.  Some of them are like that - I think they look nice, but for some reason I never get around to trying them.  Once I tried this one, I realized that I really like the outcome!  Makes me think I need to check out a few other tangles, too, and experiment a little!

Nipa, 'NZeppel, Mi2, and Betweed

Diva Challenge #79 - Citius, Altius, Fortius

This weekend I was lucky enough to enjoy a full day of tangling!  My post, Haliburton Treasures, outlines some of the fun we had.

This week's Diva Challenge was issued by a guest challenger, Rho Densmore.  Inspired by the Olympics, the challenge was to use the Olympic Rings to create a tangle.  I feel like I kind of cheated with this one - I used a toonie to draw the circles (cheat #1) and I used an idea that I incorporated into the Moebius challenge from a few months ago by putting Gneiss into the background (cheat #2). I used Staedtler Ergo Soft pencil crayons to colour.

Here it is - I may add another one throughout the week...

Haliburton Treasures

What a day today!  Spent the whole day hanging out with friends at Chari-Lynn's amazing Zentangle workshop at the Haliburton School of the Arts. We did more tangling in one day than I thought possible! I thought I'd share some of the resulting fun :)

First tile of the morning - Printemps, Bales (which I turned into Puf b/c I love it!), Ahh, and Nipa

Second tile of the morning - Knightsbridge, Hollibaugh, Tidings, and Pokeleaf

Black tile with white gelly roller Sakura pen - Mooka, Flux, and Fescu

Black tile with white and pink gelly roller from Sakura - Echoism, Flux, Fescu, and Shattuck

Playing with Pendrills - watercolour pencil crayon (which does not translate well with a scanner)

Using a stencil and sponges & stamp pad to get the background; tangles Verdigogh, Dragonair, Jonqal, Opus, Finery, and 'NZeppel

Thanks for popping in to see what we did!  I'm re-inspired, so I'll have a few new ones to post soon :)

Angel Fish

So I've skipped the Diva Challenge this week because I can't seem to get the UMT design down pat!  I've tried another new one though - I attempted to use Angel Fish (as posted on tanglepatterns.com) a Fescu/Dragonair-inspired design from Marizaan van Beek.  In her steps for the design, she showed how she infused Sanibelle with it, and of course, I love Sanibelle... so I had to try it too!  Turns out, I love how the tile turned out and had to share!

Diva Challenge #75 - Cadent

Has it really been 5 weeks since my last post?!  It's hard to believe, but this is my first Zentangle tile in weeks.  School's winding down, and being a Grade 8 teacher, this is when things really start to wind up!  Still have a busy 7 days with the kids to go.  I made time to do this tile tonight because I LOVE Cadent - it's one of my favourite tangles, and I haven't used it in a while, so it was nice to reunite myself with it!  I couldn't resist when Laura presented it as this week's "Tanglation Nation" challenge :)

I have to admit, I love the bottom right corner - it reminds me of dragon scales.

I've added another "new" tangle submission - with any luck, this one is ACTUALLY new!!  Check it out!!  Flourish

Challenge #69 - Use My Tangle

Yay!  I actually got to the Diva challenge on time this week!  We were to use the tangle Groovy this week - a really fun tangle to use.... loved it! I was really happy with the tile that emerged from this week (from the blog post with the instructions, I was also inspired to use Sanibelle again - a bit of a revisit!).

Sadly, I've had to take down my pattern "Starburst" because it's an already published pattern ("Hemp" in Totally Tangled).  Thanks so much to Linda at tanglepatterns for entertaining it and to Karen Lynn for identifying it.  I'll keep working on a new pattern to be submitted soon!