Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #193: "THX"

A guest blogger challenge this week to use the following tangles: Trio (Hanny Waldburger), Huggins, and Xyp. I decided to use Tanglepatterns String 125 as my base. Trio was new to me, it took some practice (and needs more), but I really like it!

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #191: "Monotangle - Betweed"

I loved this challenge! For some reason I have been a little intimidated by Betweed, although I did use it some at the class I took with Dani O'Brien. At any rate, this was a great way to conquer my fear! I used a prestrung Zendala (another thing I've been leery of) and I'm super happy with not only how much fun it was, but how it turned out. 

Here is another recent Zendala, this one with no string. I used several of Adele Bruno's tangles and a couple official ones.

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #190: "Pink for Ardath"

This week Laura asked us to use pink for breast cancer awareness and in honor of her grandmother, Ardath. Like so many amazing women, she passed last year from this disease. I decided to go quite literal with this challenge and use the familiar pink ribbon as my string. I am really pleased with the way it turned out, although it is hard to capture the sparkle of the gellyroll pens I used for part of it in photos. 

Diva & It's A String Thing Challenges Combined: UMT Yuma & String 62 plus Uncorked

This week at our Tangler's Meetup we decided to combine both the Diva CZT's challenge to use Tina-akua Hunziker's tangle, Yuma and Tickled to Tangle's Its A String a Thing Challenge to use Tanglepatterns.com String #62 and her own tangle, Uncorked (which I keep called unoaked for some reason).  Here are the two we created:

Made by Joey Weekly Challenge #30: Canadian Thanksgiving.

As today is Thanksgiving in Canada, Joey picked a selection of tangles that represent things you might see at a Thanksgiving celebration. I selected 4 of the 6 she listed: Kukes (Katy Abbott), Sunflower (Anne Marks), Half Onions (Livia Chua, and Nvelope (Alyss Amster). Nvelope and Sunflower were new ones for me. 

Drawlloween so far....

Made by Joey Weekly Challenge #29: Tanglepatterns String 10 and "O" tangles

I haven't had a chance to do one of Joey's challenges in a few weeks, but I managed this one. It was a fun one! She asked us to use Tanglepatterns String #10 and any tangle starting with the letter O. Here, I used Organza (Ruth Howell) and (O) (Mei Hua Teng). 

It's a String Thing challenge #61

This was a tough one! The string alone was hard for me, not sure why. It was Tanglepatterns String 060 and Adele asked us to use the following tangles: Moonpie (Joan Delong), Aquafleur, River (Suzanne McNeill), and Gutz (Patricia Cosiano). It's a tad busy, but I still am happy with it.

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #188: National Coming Out Day

What an inspiring challenge issued by the 12-year-old guest blogger this week. I know many an adult that could learn a thing or two from this kid. The challenge was to incorporate an LGBT theme into our work this week. 

Here, I used Lightening Bolt (Suzanne McNeill), Groovy (Eden Hunt), Beadlines (Margaret Bremner), and Tripoli. 

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #187: String Theory - blind string

This was a real difficult, but very rewarding challenge. Draw your string with your eyes closed! Mine ended up with lots of tiny spots to tangle. 

Inktober & Drawlloween

There are 2 major drawing challenges floating around in cyberspace for the month of October. Inktober asks you to do an ink drawing each day of the month...ok, I'm on it. I'll post them on Instagram and perhaps they'll get a page here.

Drawlloween is much harder, a specific Halloween themed drawing each day. I'm not even sure what some of them are (e.g., an 8-bit zombie?).

Meetup & "It's a String Thing" Challenge #60

There was a nice group of ladies who came over to tangle last night! We all attempted this week's "It's a String Thing" challenge. Which asked us to use Tanglepatterns string 061 with any, or all, of the following tangles: X, Xplode, Xavier, and Xeni. It was the first challenge for everyone else, so I hope they start doing them. I have found them so helpful!

3 of us completed them during our meetup (mine is top right):

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #186: String Theory - leaves, leaves, leaves

This week we were challenged to use a leaf or leaves as a string. I used one from the wisteria vine that covers our back deck. It took quite a few tangles to complete it, but I am happy with it. I used 4 Corners (Barbara Finwall), Bask-it (Anna Houston), Crescent Moon, Dragonair (Norma Burnell), Garlic Cloves (Fru Billedkunst), Hi-Cs (Anita Roby-Lavery), Inapod (Carole Ohl), and Sprigs (Michele Beauchamp).

It's a String Thing challenge #58

This challenge was to use Tanglepatterns String 058 with one or all of the following tangles: Gingham (Margaret Bremner), Girdy (Karl Stewart), Gothic (Mariet Lustenhouwer), Girlande (Simone Bischoff). I ended up only using Girdy and Girlande. 

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #185: Duotangle of Phicops vs. Diva Dance

This week we were challenged to use two tangles only, a Duotangle. The two tangles are Phicops (Brad Harms) and Diva Dance. I did them in traditional black and white at first, but the Phicops sort of got lost in the Diva Dances, so a little color to the rescue! I actually really like the way it turned out. 

And a few monotangles for good measure:

More Monotangles

I am really enjoying doing monotangles on Bijou tiles. I have been doing 2 to 4 every time I sit down to tangle. I have built up almost an entire tin of them! I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, if anything, but Sheryl Lamarand, CZT suggested at our Meetup that I could use them as cards to randomly draw tangles. Brilliant!  Tonight's quartet: Z-trick (Yamit Fridman), Zonked (Barbara Finwall), Zinger, Zenplosion Folds (Danni O'Brien). 

It's a String Thing challenges #57

Challenge 57 asked us to use Tanglepatterns string 056 along with the following tangles: Drip Drop (Debbie Perdue), DeKore (Kari Shultz), Dust Bunny (Margaret Bremner), and Drupe. Drupe has always been one of my favorites, but the other 3 were new! 

Made by Joey Weekly Challenge #25: Leaflet by Helen Williams

This week Joey asked us to use the tangle Leaflet. I went with a Renaissance tile and added Euca (Anne Marks) and Dragonair (Norma Burnell). I used a rounded version of Tanglepatterns String 120.

I also did a monotangle of it along with a few others to add to my Bijou monotangle collection. 

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #184: "Ing"

This week's challenge was to use the new official tangle "Ing". I had to practice it a bit before I felt ready to put it on a tile. I found that turning the tile was really helpful on this one. Here, I used Ing as my frame and string. I added some Crescent Moon and Drupe for some softer edges.

Zentangle® Meetup!

I started a meetup group to get some tanglers together a couple times per month to share, learn, and tangle! We had our first meetup last night and I had a great time! We were lucky enough to be joined by Sheryl Lamarand, CZT. We had 2 folks completely new to tangling, it seems like it spoke to them. We were going to do this week's Diva challenge together, but the tangle was quite complicated, so Sheryl  suggested playing with Bales. 

I was quite inspired so I tangled some more after it was over.

Made by Joey Weekly Challenge #24: 5 overlapping circles

Joey is feeling the craziness of the end of summer & the start of the new school year, so running in circles is the theme. She asked us to tangle 5 overlapping circles. 

I used Sooflowers (Livia Chau), Fern (Jane Monk), Cadent, C-scape (Sue Olsen), and Crescent Moon.

Sunday night tangle

I used versions of Bales, Crescent Moon, Pendrills, and Euca (Anne Marks).

Gaggle of Giggling Girls

I tried doing a little tangling during the final slumber party of the summer last night, it was a little hard to "get zen". I did manage two monotangles on Bijou tiles though. The pattern on the left is Showgirl by Vicki Bassett, it's my first try at that one, I love it! The other is Opus, an official pattern that I always like when someone else does it and am never quite sure about when I do it.

It's a String Thing challenge #55: monotangle Striping, add sparkle

This one was a true challenge, a new tangle (Striping) and technique (sparkle). It used String #55 from Tanglepattern.com.

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #182: "Stripes"

I haven't had much tangling time in last few days, but I'm glad I found time to check out this week's new Diva Challenge. It was simply, "stripes".  I felt a bit better afterwards, a little less stressed.

I used Hurry, Schway, Crescent Moon, and Strircles. I also used a Zenstone along with a white gellyroll pen. 

Last night's practice

A couple of monotangles on Bijou tiles of new tangles and a traditional tile using one of them. 

It's A String Thing Challenge #54: "Straight line tangles beginning with B or R"

This was quite a challenge! I ended up using a Renaissance tile and the following tangles: Bricks (Suzanne McNeil), Beeline, BB, Rixty, and Box Spirals (Margaret Bremner). I didn't love it while I was working on it, but now that it's done I like the way it turned out a lot!

Made By Joey's Weekly Challenge #19: "Tangle an Optical Illusion"

Emi & I both did one for this challenge, I used Aquafleur

Emi used Girdy. I thought she did an amazing job with a tricky tangle.

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #181: "Water"

This one was really fun! As my tangles have a tendency toward the aquatic anyway, a water themed challenge was right up my alley. Here, I used Sand Swirl (Kerry Heun), Agua (Christina Vandervlist), Sez, and Ennies. I also decided to do some color with pencils in various water shades.

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #180: "UMT - MacDee by Anneke Van Dam"

We were to use Anneke's tangle, MacDee, so I combined it with Fife & Tripoli.

Diva CZT Weekly Challenge #178: "Duotangle by the Letter"

We were challenged to do a tangle with two patterns, one that starts with the letter of our first name and one that starts with the first letter of our last name. I am all Ks, so I used Kukes (Katy Abbott) and Keeko. This was also my first Renaissance tile!

First Formal Zentangle® class!

A few weeks ago I finally took a formal class on the Zentangle® method of pattern drawing. I've been practicing it on my own for about 6 months, but thought I might be missing some subtleties. I took my class with CZT (Certified Zentangle® Teacher) Danni O'Brien (http://dobriendesign.blogspot.com). It was good fun and I came away with some inspiration & tips I would never have picked up on my own.  I am looking forward to doing another very soon! 

Ocean Inspired Tangles

I find many of my tiles don't start out with an obvious ocean feel, but end up that way.  Some of these were intentionally themed at the start and others weren't.