Diva Challenge 213, Artful Creation String 004 and String Thing 88

I was determined to do more tangling this week. I've had a few weeks where I haven't made enough 'me' time and I've been getting tangle withdrawal symptoms.

SO, as well as any practice I might do, I've made sure I've done three challenges to keep me in my groove (do people still say this? Perhaps not....showing my age.)

First was the Diva's lovely challenge - pick anything as your string. I may have taken this a bit too literally as I chose scissors...and they didn't disappear into the background the way a string should. But I enjoyed the process. I've used Keeko for the border and then Printemps, Birds on a Wire, Pippin, Ennis, Diva Dance and a tangle I know I copied from Michele Beauchamp, but I don't know its name....

I would probably use scissors as a string again but make sure I didn't emphasise them quite as much.

* Not a 'STOP PRESS' announcement, but I suddenly remembered another stencil I used to nice effect. The town I live in has a wonderful hilltop castle which creates an iconic silhouette on the landscape. I have used this a couple of times as a string and thought I'd share one of them here - maybe you live near something similar. I made mine into postcards and they sold in a flash!

It's been a while since I did Cheryl's challenge too. In the past, we've tangled through the alphabet and now the challenge is to tangle through the strings found on Linda's invaluable TanglePattern's site.  This week it's String 004 - a nice simple couple of loops. I have been practising 'Narwal' by Samantha Taylor which is just beautiful and a pleasure to draw. This is my very simple version.

And I've cheated a bit with this post because I haven't yet done Adele's String Thing Challenge - BUT I WILL! And when I have, I will post it here. Adele puts all the tiles submitted to her challenge on her website on Mondays, so it's slightly different to the other two, which require a blog link in order to see people's tiles. I am going to do this challenge this evening when I finish work. Definitely. For sure. Really.

This is the string..

And the tangles this week are 8s; Pia and Tipz...great choices!

And here is my finished tangle. Thanks for looking and don't forget to check Adele's blog next week to see all the other great entries.

Diva Challenge 188 - Coming Out and 'Tackle it Tuesday' tangles

I had no idea that 11th October was National Coming Out Day but can't think of a better way to offer my support to anyone who wants to be accepted for who they are, than to submit a tile to the Diva for this week's Challenge. Laura was moved to receive a suggestion by a young boy and it's worth reading what he had to say that prompted her to issue the challenge.

I have just read Maggiebee's blog, where as well as a great tile, she gave us the origin of the word 'GAY' when used in this context - Good As You - and coming from the revolutionary 1960s when concern for Civil and Human Rights were at the forefront of many minds. In the intervening 50 years of so, I think we have moved a little way from the bigotry and prejudice that was prevalent then but still not far enough. There is often great joy and colour in the movement to support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people - hence the links with rainbow colours and pink parades - but still a lot of barriers to everyone understanding the problems and the lack of understanding often handed out to this section of society.

We are all our own unique mixture of genes, hormones, chemicals and complexities and to show some solidarity and support, my tile is based on a rainbow string, has a little rainbow colour in each of the tangles and the tangles I have chosen all begin the letters L,G,B and T and include Laced, Linked, Golvern, Groovy (which went its own way..as it should!) BB, Beadlines, Trio and Trumpits.

Check out the Diva's blog to see all the other great contributions,


Another tangle I've done this week is for Cheryl's Artful Creation blog, where this week, she's challenged us to do a tile using three specific tangles that spell 'SUN' - and the tangles are SeZ, a Zentangle original that I have never, ever used; Up and Across by Suzanne McNeil, which I have used just once, and the new tangle based on Nzepple, called 'Nymph' by Melinda Barlow. I wasn't sure I would like SeZ as it seems so incredibly simplistic, but as always with Zentangle, I was very pleasantly surprised. So, without further ado, here is my 'Tackle it Tuesday' tile and rather in keeping with the above challenge, I can imagine someone wearing this combination during a 1960s protest march!!

Tackle it Tuesday - on Sunday!

Cheryl's Artful Creations offers a challenge each week and, as the title suggests, this is on Tuesdays! This week, we've been challenged to use tangles that begin with the letters - *  W, R, E, and B - one or all of them.

I selected one that I know but rarely use, Rouche, which is pretty and delicate and lantern-like. I also chose 'Wud' as I am totally besotted with this tangle at the moment. And two tangles that are new to me - Barney, which has a round variation as well as the original hexagonal version. Nice. And I have loved using Euca - a delicate, leafy pattern that I think could have a lot of use in the future. So thank you Cheryl, for keeping the inspiration coming!

* Ha, ha!! Just discovered on Cheryl's blog that she had intended us to just use B E and R - the 'w' stood for 'with'!! Oh well, as she says, no mistakes in Zentangle.

String Thing 59, Cheryl's Artful Creations, Square One and a Wacky Tangle!

These are four 'challenges' that appear on a weekly basis, in addition to the Diva's, which is still one of the most popular. However, it's lovely to have so much inspiration to create Zentangle.

Adele Bruno's challenge is 'String Thing' and based on a new string and a defined set of tangles - although Adele is never 100% prescriptive and welcomes the 'Frayed Knot' (sorry, this relates to a joke I am fond of, but I'm hopeless at telling jokes. You may know it and if you don't, the answer is 'I'm afraid not...' Never mind!) And this week, we were given this string and the tangles 'Oke' and 'Meringue'.

As the string is based on 'Oke', rather predictably, I used this as the beginning of my tangle and just continued from there. I can't wait to see what everyone else has done with it this week! Here is mine.

It's a little while since I did Cheryl's Artful Creations challenge. We were working through the alphabet, which was great fun - and now, she is suggesting we choose tangles based on a different selection of three letters each week. This week, the letters are T, E and M. And there are some lovely ones! Lots and lots and lots! It was a challenge to pick just a few, but here are mine: Eyfylis, Meer, a little Meringue(ish), Twile and a wave to TwentyOne. I really enjoyed this one - Twile (Stoic) is a new one for me and wow, did it hit the Zen spot!!

Then, the weekly challenge posted on Facebook, Square One, Purely Zentangle, which is great for doing a tile-sized tangle using only pen and pencil. It really helps focus the mind and this week, the tangle chosen is 'Betweed' - the very first tangle that set me off on the Zentangle path. And I was in love immediately! I did this one last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Tipple is the perfect partner for it and I thought 'Aah' added just the right amount of 'awe' in the background. I'm happy with this one, can you tell? Aw! 

And finally, another Facebook challenge - the Wacky one! This group encourages ZIAs and wider expressions in Zentangle but also to push the boundaries of individual tangles. A while ago, we were issued with 'Crusade' and I did a tangle but wasn't sure if I liked it enough to post. However, a revisit has made me feel differently about it - does this every happen to you? I rather like it now and thought it should make an appearance here, if only for posterity!

Crusade: a very lovely tangle. 

Well, that about sums it up!! Hope you've enjoyed taking part in the challenges. Axxx

U Tangles for Tackle it Tuesday.

I wasn't sure about 'U' tangles. I couldn't remember ever doing any before but was very pleasantly surprised to find quite a few that I really enjoyed tackling! The challenge on Cheryl's Artistic Creations has reached the letter 'U' now and, having been away for a while, I thought I'd better give it a go. Really enjoyed it - thanks Cheryl!

I particularly enjoyed 'Unme' and used that, plus Undling, Unyan and Up 'n' Down.

...and in great haste, here too is my entry to the String Thing challenge that Adele Bruno issues each week. I might be a bit late with this one but here it is - it was good fun and I used Facet, Fancy Nancy and Fandango.

String Thing 48, Tackle it Tuesday and some special tangles..

Why is it that some days, the tangles just flow out and others, it feels like I don't know where to begin?

This week's String Thing Challenge by Adele Bruno was one of the former. Most definitely. I LOVED doing this one.

This week's Tackle it Tuesday, posted by Cheryl on Artful Creations, has reached the letter 'R' in the alphabet of tangles. I've started doing the Derwent Art Academy course - an online set of classes - and so far, we've concentrated on shading and perspective....you may see the influence of this in my tile here!

Rouche, Rixty, Raindotty, Rosé, Reticulated, and Rags

I held my regular 'Zentangle' class with a small and dedicated group of people, here in my home town, Alcala la Real in Spain - a long, long way from Rhode Island and with little chance of me every becoming a CZT - but where I have to say, my group produce some wonderful tiles!! This week, I included the four tangles used for the String Thing - plus one or two others - and even on my rubbish phone camera, you have to agree that there are some great pieces here! Well done my group - you know who you are!

'O' and 'P' tangles and String Thing 46

I got a bit behind with the tangles starting with letters of the alphabet - a challenge put out by Cheryl on Artful Creations - so decided to join in at letter 'O'. This week, we are doing 'P' but I haven't quite finished that one yet...a work in progress as I think all my favourite tangles begin with 'P'......(all done now - see below!!)

Opus, Onamato, Organza and Olé

I'm also still working on the Diva Challenge this week - more of that to come!

And I finished my String Thing for Adele Bruno's weekly challenge too. This week, we had to use tangles created by Sue Jacobs and I enjoyed this one very much. The only thing is I forgot that 'Ditto' - one of my favourites (that doesn't begin with a 'P', of course!) is also one of Sue's - and I didn't include it!! Never mind...I will use it somewhere else very soon, no doubt.

Sue´s tangles - Vigne, Coil, LaBel and Bumps

And finished my 'P's just now!! What fun - I had to limit my choices as there are so many 'p' tangles that I love. Here I've included Paradox, Purk, Pokeroot, Pendrils, Printemps and a variation on Potsn'Pans for a border. I could have gone on and on!

Thanks for popping by! Let me know you were here.
Axxx

Diva Challenge 172 - Duotangle with Mooka and Auraknot

What a gorgeous couple! Mooka and Auraknot. Laura, on I am the Diva, says she has a love/hate relationship with Mooka. How could she? Mooka is delightful, flowing, smooth and elegant. Auraknot on the other hand leaves me looking like a small child - hunched over, tongue out, far too close to the page....and it never, ever looks as I want it to look.

So, I tried to do something a little different. I have used a Renaissance tile and drew my Auraknot in a sepia tone, (so you can't see it too well....) with a black Mooka behind it. I have gone to town on shading this week - again, shading can hide a multitude of little errors! Then I've highlighted with abandon with my fine white pen. It's not perfect but I quite like it.

I've already had a peek at some of the other entries to this week's challenge and there are some amazing contributions. I was quite bowled over by Debra Castaldi's gorgeous tile - wish I could do Auraknot with this amount of confidence.

Enjoy checking out all the others.

Axxx

String Thing 42, 'N' tangles and a Wacky Challenge

This week's String Thing from Adele Bruno on 'Tickled to Tangle' gave us a loopy string to work on, using just the versatile Knightsbridge tangle.

 The string is by Barbara Finwall.

I'd used Knightsbridge earlier in the week in one of my circles - part of the challenge by 'I am the Diva' - and it reminded me what a great pattern it is and how very versatile. I enjoyed doing the challenge but in the end, stuck to fairly simple tanglations....I know others will have taken the pattern to much greater levels and can't wait to see them on Monday evening.

Here's mine - I quite like the 'cleanness' of the this tangle but struggled as nearly all my pens are running out!! Aaargh!

I did buy a replacement yesterday but couldn't find a very fine one - I will have to order one (or more!) online. Still, I enjoyed doing the 'N' tangles for Cheryl's Artful Creations weekly challenge. I used Nzepple, which I always love; Nipa, Navaho, Netting and Nvelope. All a bit 'griddy' but I'm quite pleased with the depth I managed in Nzepple. 

And finally, this week, on the Wacky Zentangle Challenge on Facebook,. we were invited to give Shoshi's 'Y-ful power' tangle a go. It's one of those that seems tricky at first but has a great rhythm to it and the effect is great just on its own. Here's my take - again, on a tan tile.

Thanks for popping by - do leave me a comment if you can. I do appreciate it! 

Axxx

String Thing 41 and 'M' Tangles

Another busy week for me but I have managed to complete Adele Bruno's String Thing 41, which is posted on her blog, Tickled to Tangle on Tuesdays. This week, using String 026 by Margaret Bremner, we were given tangles beginning with 'R' :


River  by Suzanne McNeill, CZT
River Stones  by Lori Howe
Rixty  an official Zentangle® pattern
and to add a grid based pattern to the mix,  Ripples by Helen Williams

I completed mine just after lunch today in a quiet moment and added a little colour as I thought my Rixty looked a little lost against the 'busyness' the lovely Ripple pattern by Helen Williams. I am quite pleased with how it turned out and enjoyed doing it very much.

And late last night, under the fascinated gaze of my eldest son, I did my tile for Cheryl over on Artful Creations. The 'Tackle it Tuesday' challenge has reached the letter 'M'. There's been a lot of overlap of ideas, if not tangles in the challenges this week. We had 'Rain' from the Diva, Rivers from Adele...and don't you think the string above looks like the letter 'M'??

I learnt a new tangle for the 'M' challenge and fell in love with it! Mi2 is definitely 'my' sort of tangle - and it was this that my son found absorbing to watch. I teamed it with Meer, Meo and a little touch of Mak-rah-mee.

Hope you like them - do let me know! Thanks for looking. 

Axxx

Diva Challenge #166 (UMT), Wacky Zentangle Challenge and K Tangles

It's been a busy week but I've managed to find the time to do my usual set of challenges - must get my priorities right - (started a new job too...!)

For the Diva this week, as it's the first of the month, and the month is May, and May is when it's Laura's birthday, she asked us to Use My Tangle...and she really did mean HER tangle! Interestingly, it's a tangle without a name thus far. Hmmm....so tempting to try and find the perfect one...

It's a very simple tangle with circles and connecting lines and I chose a tan tile to tangle on. I immediately thought of planets and a sort of interstellar highway. I kept it very simple and added a couple or three 'Aahs' to the whole and the job was done. Thank you Laura - and here's wishing you a very Happy Birthday when the day comes.

The Wacky Challenge was 'Spring Flowers' inspired and we were challenged to tangle a version based on this concept. I decided to use all the tangles I could immediately think of that were vaguely flower-related whilst not actually BEING flowers. I really enjoyed it and am pleased with the final version.

Includes: Pokeleaf, Vigne, Wyst, Treadwith, Fungee, Pendrils, Zinger, Fern, Fescu, Clove, Buttercup and Verdigogh

Also a lovely one to do this week was Cheryl's Artful Creations - as we work our way through the alphabet, we have reached the letter 'K' and I discovered the wonderful 'Knyt'....I love knitting anyway but was ridiculously delighted to be tangling knitting!! Loved doing this one, Cheryl - thank you!

Includes: Kuke, Knyt, Krly-Qs, Knot Rickz and Kofeforn

I still have 'A String Thing' to complete but having seen Lily Moon's glorious composition already, I'm not sure I can do anything that I will like even half as much....she's done exactly what I had in mind, only better. If I get the time, I will do it as Adele's challenge is great fun each week and it's great to see the final tiles and how different they all are.

Happy tangling and thanks for popping by.
Axxx

String Thing #38, Wacky Tangle and J Tangles

Another trio of challenges which I have enjoyed doing this week.

The first one I did was for the Facebook, Wacky Zentangle Challenge, which this week suggested trying a monotangle. I wasn't sure what to choose but Knightsbridge sort of chose itself. I enjoyed it in a very simplistic sort of way....

Then there was Cheryl's Artful Creation challenge of tangling our way through the alphabet. This week, we're up to 'J' and I chose to use a couple of new to me ones, Jonquil and Jalousie - always good to learn new tangles!

Finally, for Adele Bruno's String Thing Challenge, we are celebrating four years of Linda Farmer's 'Tangle Patterns', the invaluable blog that contains so many Zentangle patterns and Strings and other wonderful information...what would we do without it?? Thank you Linda!

We were given 'A' tangles, including Aquafleur, Aura-Leah, both of which I know and love - plus two more new ones for me, Axlexa and AAs. We used Adele's own string which is a bit like a sideways '4' and so very appropriate. I let my pen do just as it wished and ended up with a rather strange piece! To me, it looks like three rather nosy Aquafleurs looking over a wall!

Check out the links to see what others have done - that's really the best bit of these challenges!
Thanks for popping by.
Ax

Tackle it Tuesday, Wacky Tangle Challenge and A String Thing!

My very first Renaissance tile!! How I have longed to do one of these. My mum is visiting from the UK and brought me a big pack of them along with some gorgeous Copic pens - a Sepia one and two 0.05 fineliners. Oh frabjous day!

This is my tile for the 'I' tangles on Cheryl's Artful Creations blog - I used a variation on Ixorus, Ilana and Inapod...some of my peas escaped!

I so love the blend of colours but I am still a complete novice, especially when it comes to adding highlights and shadows! So off to do another one just now for the Wacky Challenge, which is looking at Initials.

I chose an 'S' as this is for my friend, Sam, who is leaving our beautiful town of Alcala la Real today to go back to Scotland. Not through a 'heart' choice, but a financial head one. I shall miss her very, very much. Bon voyage and good luck, Sam. 

I missed Adele Bruno's 'String Thing' last week simply because I forgot to send her my tile - but I've sent it this week.

This is the original string, 031, by Pat Ferguson/



and our tangles were:
Paushalöv by CZT Amy Brody
Pavonia by Angie Shade
Paizel by CZT Angie Vangalis
Palvero by Karry Heun








I could possibly have copied the string a little better - I made the central loop too 'square' on - but it was a good opportunity to learn some new tangles and practice on the tan tile....

Do check out the amazing variety of tiles sent in for Adele's lovely challenge - it's always so interesting to see how different people interpret the same instructions! The tangles are usually posted on Monday evening (for me here in Spain).

Wacky Tangle Challenge, A String Thing 36 and Artful Creation Challenge...'H'

Another great set of challenges to take part in this week.

Via Facebook, I take part in the Wacky Tangle Challenge and this week, it was suggested we tangle a favourite quote. Well, I don't really have one but it occurred to me that 'O, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive' might be rather a good one to choose. I had always thought this was something Shakespeare had written....and I was wrong! Apparently, it is by Walter Scott! I was very glad to know this in case I ever have the chance to share this knowledge in the future...

I only used the first part of the quote and wish that I'd thought to aura all the words so that they stand out as well as 'weave' does....but never mind, I quite like it.

Tangles used: Cadent, Huggins, Verdigogh, Mist, Florz, Diva Dance, Worms, Ornamato, Quandary, Trumpits, Shattuck and Ditto ..oh, and a little bit of Agua!

Next came the challenge from Cheryl on her Artful Creations blog, Tackle it Tuesday. This week, it's all H tangles. I chose a new one for me called HiCs, which I LOVE! Plus Hurry, Henna Drum and Hollibaugh.

And finally, Adele's regular String Thing Challenge! A very 's' shape but the tangles were all to begin with 'Bu' in honour of the String's creator, Bunny Wright.


Bucky and 
Bunzo - official Zentangle® patterns
Bubbles by CZT Suzanne McNeill
Buttercup by CZT Sandy Bartholomew

Bucky was a tricky one and new to me, but I gave it my best shot and gave it a bit more space that the string really offered..... I think this tile is quite strange but I don't dislike it.

Thanks for popping by - do let me know what you think! Axxx

Artful Creation challenges

I am very happy to have found another lovely lady, Cheryl, who is issuing weekly challenges to those of us who enjoy them. Indulging in my Zentangle hobby is one thing, but sharing ideas and images with like-minded others is what I really love about it all. So thank you Cheryl and your Artful Creations blog - I am so glad to have found you!

I join when the challenge has reached the letter 'F'. There are lots and lots of tangles that I love that begin with this letter. I have chosen just a few - and in the end, I did this very quickly and it didn't come out quite as well as I'd hoped - but I'm going with it. Maybe next week, when I assume we'll be doing 'G', I can make a little more time available. Looking forward to that already.

I used Fengle, Fassett, Florz, Fife and Flux. Fabulous five!!

I have seen some familiar names in the submission for this week so will be off to check out what they've done. Please do the same and let us know what you think!