" Auraknot " - Weekly Challenge #78

Back at Camp Zentangle, Rick and Maria have been busy creating this fabulous new tangle, and they are demonstrating the tangle in a great new YouTube video.   They challenged us to: (1) name the new tangle, and (2) deconstruct it and write the step-out instructions.  The Diva has more information about Auraknot on her award-winning website.

This is definitely a fun tangle with lots of possibilities and variations.  But it does require a good amount of focus and consistency..... with regards to direction when rotating the tile.  But, somehow, the result is an intricate, complicated-looking design that sorta resembles a Celtic knot. 


Traditional Zentangle - Sakura Micron Black #01



Traditional Zentangle - Sakura Micron Black #01 and graphite shading.

Thank you Rick and Maria... and Molly and Sue & Nancy.

Happy tangling.....
... and thanks for visiting.

ps: this entry is a dedicated to and a celebration of two birthdays that need to be acknowledged, as they happened since my last post... Happy Birthday, Susan ~ Happy Birthday, Christopher... love you very much.

" Bridgen " - a UMT - Weekly Challenge #73

This week we are using the tangle 'Bridgen', created by Daved Ohl.  It's an interesting story about how this tangle pattern was created in Daved's mind.  The challenge is to use Bridgen in a Zentangle or ZIA.

This challenge was "work" for me.  The design idea/string did not happen easily.  Blocked.  But I'll do another one and try to loosen-up.  Using a familiar spiral string gave me a good start. 

Traditional Zentangle - Sakura Microns,  Black #01 and Green #05; graphite shading

Thank you, Daved, for creating and sharing this tangle pattern.

Happy tangling.....
.... and thank you for visiting.

~ Special thanks for taking time to write your thoughts in the comment section. ~ 

" Crescent Moon " - Challenge #72

Crescent Moon is the first official Zentangle tangle that I learned in an Introductory Zentangle Class given by Maria & Rick in Whittinsville, MA.  (Awesome experience.)  This has always been the first tangle that I taught in my introductory classes, too.  It sort of indicated a "right of passage" for me.... from student to teacher.  A bit spiritual.  I felt like I had to start my classes with Crescent Moon in order to allow the zen-like aura to take hold and permiate the room.

But I'm a big girl now.  And during my big-girl-growth-spurt, I recognized my ability to communicate with my students by teaching them as I was taught.  Breathe, relax, enjoy.  Dots, lines, string.  One.  Stroke.  At.  A.  Time.

Here is my contribution to this week's Crescent Moon Challenge.  Grids, crescents, spheres, loops.

My faux pas this week is that I mis-read the Diva's instructions.  M-o-n-o-tangle.  Oops.

ZIA - 5" x 7" bristol; Sakura Micron Black #'s 005, 01, 08; graphite shading

 ~ Remembering our men and women in uniform, with love and prayers. ~

Happy tangling.....
... and thank you for visiting.

" Pea-Nuckle " - Challenge #71

This week's Zentangle challenge from the Diva is to use Molly Hollibaugh's new tangle, Pea-Nuckle, in a ZIA or Zentangle tile.

At first, as is my experience with many new tangle patterns, it was difficult to understand the flow of this tangle.  So I avoided it.  But my right brain finally conceded to the fact that ANY pattern is more easily accomplished as the strokes are repeated.  Repetition.  Repetition.  Repetition.

And I got so tangled-up in this concept of repetition, that some of my stroke directions went north instead of south!  I almost threw the tile into the circular file, but decided to just accept what was appearing before me and finish it ! 

Feeling of accomplishment.  Grateful for inviting patience.  Persistant.  Zentangle.

Traditional Zentangle - Sakura Micron Black #01 & Sepia #01; graphite shading

Thanks for the challenge, Laura. 

Happy tangling...
...and thanks for visiting.

PS:  Happy Birthday David and Tehya!!  Love you lots and lots.....

" Color Me Sepia " - Weekly Challenge #70

As our balmy breezes blow and we prepare for a bit of rain on this Monday morning, we are surrounded by the color gray.  The Diva's Challenge theme also calls for a color variance within our tangles.  Very nice change of direction.  No stress.  Just use the traditional black ink - and add sepia ink at any point in your ZIA or Zentangle design.  Little changes can sometimes make a bold statement.  See Laura's expanded comments and instructions here.

 My contribution to this challenge is part of a ZIA that I started a few days ago.  It's a collage-type design, somewhat similar to Zentangle's 'Ensembles'.  I randomly cut apart (sorta like puzzle pieces) an 8.5" x 11" piece of heavy off-white card stock... and will treat each piece as an individually designed tile/piece, with no special intention to have the 'strings' flow from one piece to another.  When each puzzle piece is finished, my plan is to reassemble the puzzle (on a colored piece of paper), leaving a space between each piece. 

This first piece, done with sepia and black inks, is the right-lower design segment of the collage.

ZIA - approx. 5.75"h x 3.5"w; Sakura Micron #01's black and sepia; graphite shading

Happy tangling...
..... and thank you for visiting!

PS:  Happy Birthday, Ero!  Love you lots.....

" Groovy " - Weekly Challenge #69

This is UMT week on the Diva's Weekly Challenge scene.  The tangle is called "Groovy" - created by Eden Hunt from Cut'n It Up.   We are challenged to use this new tangle in a traditional ZentangleR or a ZIA.

"Groovy" is a beautiful and flowing pattern of gracefully curved strokes.  I have always liked this pattern, but shyed away from it because it was too difficult challenging for me to understand it's ebb and flow.  Now I understand it a little better..... and will add it to my 'favorites' list of tangles.

Traditional Zentangle - Sakura Micron Black #01; graphite shading

ZIA - 3.5" sq.; Sakura Micron Black #01; ColorBox Stamp Petals; Prismacolor Premiere Pencils; graphite shading

Thank you, Eden, for creating and sharing this beautiful tangle.  And, as always, thank you to our amazing Diva, Laura!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy tangling....
.....and thank you for visiting.

" Hybrid & Strircles " - Challenge #68

The Zentangle challenge this week is a Duo-Tangle.  Create a tile or ZIA using only two tangles, 'Hybrid' and 'Strircles'.  (These are two official Zentangle patterns.)  The Diva says:  "This is another one of those instances of finding the elegance of limitation."  I love these duo-tangles.

I think I had too much fun with this challenge.....

Traditional Zentangle - Sakura Micron Black #01; graphite shading

...and this one was done at 3am during a brief attack of insomnia!

Traditional Zentangle - Sakura Micron Black #'s 01, 005; graphite shading

Happy tangling...

... and thank you for visiting.

   

ps:  Happy Birthday, Tina!  luv you...

" Earth Day " - Weekly Challenge #67

April 22 was World Earth Day, so, as you may have guessed, the Diva has suggested this week's theme to be...... Earth Day.  Please see Laura's commentary here. 

Wouldn't it be nice if we, each individual human person living on planet Earth, would honor our planet every day by being more conscoius of recycling, water preservation, air purity, trees, plants, rivers, streams, oceans, etc etc etc........... 

Here is my challenge/contribution to thoughts of Earth Day.....
  


ZIA - 5" x 7" sketch book; Sakura Micron Black #01; Prismacolor Pencils; graphite shading.

Happy tangling...
..... and thank you for visiting.

ps:  Happy Birthday, Mary!  luv you lots
 

" Auras " - Weekly Challenge #66

This week, the challenge theme is to draw a Zentangle or ZIA and add an 'aura' to the tangles.


I love echo quilting.... and echo drawing.  And auras add a unique dimension to a tangle.  They can be numerous, or 'just a few'.  For this challenge, I was feeling that I wanted this tile to be soft - and 'quiet' - as my mind needed to be clear and uncluttered, so I chose a simple and limited succession of echos/auras around my tangles. 


The results.... made me feel good.  (My typical Zentangle response.......)

Traditional Zentangle - 3.5" sq tile; Sakura Micron Black #01; graphite shading.

Thank you, Laura.


Happy tangling...
..... and thank you for visiting.

" Huggy Bear " - Weekly Challenge #65

This is UMT week, which features a versatile tangle created by JJ LaBarbera.  Her tangle instructions are here.  The Diva has challenged us to learn "Huggy Bear" and use it in a Zentangle or ZIA.

Huggy Bear can be taken to so many levels and in so many directions.   Before I view the other entries of any Weekly Challenge, I complete mine.  After my tile is finished, I check-out everyone's little work of art, and I'm always amazed at the different expressions of creativity!  The variations of Huggy Bear are just fabulous.

This is my first attempt at drawing Huggy Bear, and I'm adding it to my little book of FDP  (frequently drawn patterns).  Another fun challenge.

Traditional Zentangle - Sakura Micron Black #01; graphite shading; Prismacolor Premier pencils; chalks

Thank you, JJ and Laura.

Happy tangling...

..... and thanks for visiting.

P.S.  Happy Birthday, Kai!  Love you lots...