Diva Challenge 206. Tools/Trade

Another week, another challenge. This week, Laura turned an accident into an opportunity - she's good, you know - and as a result of slicing into her thumb, she decided to use a different pen to usual. And although it didn't work out quite as she expected - lovely nevertheless -  it inspired her to challenge us to do our tangles this week using tools or material that we don't usually use or have been tempted to try.

I didn't have to think for long! Before Christmas, I ordered some laser-cut wooden trees and some hearts that I had intended to decorate and give as gifts for Christmas. However, the order took ages to arrive and in the end, I only had time to try a couple and they ended up on our tree at home.

I had a recent trip to Scotland to visit friends and decided to send myself a big parcel of more laser-cut wooden shapes, including lots of hearts for Valentine's Day. (Finding these things is Spain is difficult and if you do, it's three times more expensive than in the UK!) Yet again, my timing was really bad and I didn't have much time to carry out my plan. (That of selling them at a local market...I only managed to complete about eight....)

So Laura's challenge has arrived at the perfect moment for me - getting started on the wooden shapes!! The first is a heart that I tangled before the challenge was issued that I did for a friend's birthday, but it was a first for me as I used some new Jelly Roll sparkly pens. (I posted some of my trees and hearts on my blog already) but I didn't post this one so that she wouldn't see it before it arrived at her house for her birthday - she was very pleased with it, I'm glad to say! The hearts are about 11cms tall so it is quite a nice size for a gift.

What I did specifically for the challenge was another wooden shape - a star this time - and filled the pattern with my sparkly pens, which sadly don't show up on the scan.... but which looks really nice in real life! Obvious, I know, but the star shape lends itself perfectly to Auraknot and I really just couldn't resist. Filling the centre with Tipple was also another irresistible for me...they really are the perfect combination! I ran the scan through a photo editing programme and enhanced the colours a bit, in the hope that the 'sparkle' might show - which it doesn't but the colours are a bit more vibrant than they looked in the scan. I love the depth that Auraknot gives!

And finally, I did a little 'plaque' with the work 'Zen' on it, which I might hang around my neck to indicate that I may seem a little vague as to the plot of a film...I like to tangle sitting with the family or my husband when we sit down for the evening. I confess I prefer the tangling to watching the tv and usually have no idea at all what's going on, but at least we're sitting all together!!
With hindsight, I would have made my first 'Z' fit the more elegant style of the 'e' and the 'n' but I'm not an artist and often wish I'd done at least one thing different. NEXT time!!  I also had another go at a new tangle (new to me) called Inaura, which formed part of the String Thing Challenge last week and to which I have become a bit addicted! The size of the plaque is about 10x6cms.

You do see what I mean about the 'Z'......
Keekoo makes a great border though!

Great challenge, Laura - I do hope your thumb is better now. Check out all the great entries on her blog -which is what I'm going to do now -  and have a go yourself if you haven't yet!

Axxx

Diva Challenge 205 - Year of the Goat!

Laura shared some great photos this week on her Challenge. It's good to see Artoo doing so well after his recent operations. It was with some dismay that I read her challenge though, number 203, as she chose the Chinese Year of the Goat, it being B-rad's birthday this month.

How on earth could I do this? One line at a time, of course.

I can't say I'm happy with my attempt or that it demonstrates any artistic ability or imagination....but as a comical and slightly unusual drawing, then I admit I'm rather fond of my 'Jittery', Diva-dancing friend. (I did the Printemps background first and was tempted to leave my goat silhouette white but my pen got the better of me!)

In my opinion, goats are either comical and amusing or devilish and a bit scary. Mine is in the former category, without doubt.  It will be a very interesting selection of entries this week, I think! Don't forget to check them out on the Diva's blog.

Say 'Hi' to Brogue...(random goat name.)

Zendala Dares again!!

I only just noticed that Erin, over The Bright Owl, has begun producing her fantastic Zendala Dares again and I am delighted.

However, I noticed a bit late this week and as I publish my version of number 96, I notice that number 97 is already available to do. Never mind. I had such fun doing this one that I'm going to share it anyway!


Thank you Erin. Great to have you back!

The tangles I have used here are, from the centre:

A variation on ArcFlower; Curled Feathers; Echoism; Copada; Nu Wave and Birds on A Wire (which I insist on spoiling every time, by making the 'bird' face the wrong way!!) Never mind - no mistakes.

Diva Challenge 203 UMT

It was a lovely family post from Laura this week, introducing the UMT challenge. This month we have the super simple and flexible 'Athitzi' by Eleanor Holt. Little lines - draw 'em straight, make 'em curve but keep 'em little!

Having missed a few challenges recently, I was initially rather disappointed that our challenge seemed so....well, EASY! However, when I tried it, I really enjoyed the process and ended up with a monotangle...(although the border is really Keeko, isn't it?) - something I seem to be doing a lot these days.

Thank you Laura, thank you Eleanor - a pleasurable and very Zen hour to produce my tile for the challenge this week.

And whilst I'm here, I am going to post a couple of the Square One challenges on my blog as I'm rather pleased with one of them and the other is one of my favourite ever tangles.

First up is Rixty - I felt inspired and this is possibly one of my favourite ever tiles! And I have no idea why except I thought I couldn't really do a good Rixty and so was pleasantly surprised...and it was also my first attempt at Akoya which I now adore!

And lastly, the challenge this week is 'Quandary' which many people seem to have a problem with. I suspect they are the perfectionists...for me, I love the tangle and haven't the slightest problem if my petals are out of kilter or I unexpectedly end up with 5 or 7 of them. I just love it! Here is my monotangle....

Thank you so much for popping by - hope you'll let me know what you think. I have been SOOO busy recently that I haven't had the chance to check out recent Diva Challenges and am missing visiting some of my favourite blogs. Hope to put that right very soon.

Axxx