Challenge #98 and #97

Playing catch-up. Last week Laura asked people to create a tangle without a string, this week we were challenged to use a tangle called Keenees (it's an itsy bitsy,teeny weeny, yellow polka dotted bikini...). Here's my tile:

I used Fungees, Jacki, Keenees, Bubble-Bobble-Bloop, and Etcher

Funny how my tiles transform. I didn't use a string because of Challenge #97 that I never got around to last week. I knew I was to use Keenees, so I drew those first. Then I put an aura around them and added a little Bubble-Bobble-Bloop ( I still need to put the directions for this one on this blog; it's the pattern my son made up for me on my birthday in Oct) then Jacki (Sandy Bartholomew's). I got a nice email from a past Zentangle student who has just discovered Escher and I told her that Sandy Bartholomew has a tangle called Etcher, so here it is. I was looking at a video showing Fungees, a tangle I have enjoyed drawing, so I decided to add that one too.  Phew! Now it's done.

Last week I drew this snow globe for the Yahoo ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art) group:

It's beginning to feel like Christmas! I also made a bunch of these wooly xmas trees:

They are made from upcycled, fulled, wool sweaters (washed in hot water in washer). I love them!

Hope you are getting in the holiday spirit as well.

Zen Leaves

I realized that I never got around to tangling a tile this week, but I did tangle on 3 leaves. The Diva Challenge this past week was to use Socc, created by Erin Olson, CZT. The top leaf in the scan below has Socc in the middle and Hurry and uh oh, I can't remember what's on the right side, and Avreal on the stem. The next leaf has Finery. The bottom leaf has Florz, Eke, Orlique, Pepper, Crescent Moon, Nekton, Braze, Rain, and BB. At least I have 3 more leaves to add to my birthday zen tree.

Introducing Bubble Bobble Bloop

As Hurricane Sandy is approaching, I have the day off from work and I can devote some time to my blog (before we loose our power). Yay.

I had a birthday recently and my youngest (22) gave me a wonderful present....a new tangle! It's called Bubble Bobble Bloop and looks like this:

Directions for Bubble Bobble Bloop are:

Keep going around in a spiral with the ascending and descending lines until you feel you are done. Then fill in with the bubbles.

Here's a tile I created with Bubble Bobble Bloop, Liken, Leaflet, BTL Joos, and Vertigogh. It's a tad busy for me, but I still like it. I used the larger Zentangle Apprentice tile and the Pigma Sensei pen to explore them both. The pen is not as fine as the Microns, but I think that it did a good job. It does  have a sturdier tip.

He also made me a tree to add zentangle leaves to. Well, I'm guessing that was the idea; there were no instructions, just a nice white tree with a bunch of white leaves. I tangled one leaf with the Bubble Bobble Bloop and one with Boomerangs, Chordin, and ???. The tree should look great once I get all the leaves completed and attached to it.

Chordin, Boomerangs, ??

My Z Tree

Lining up

This week's Diva Challenge was to create tangles in lines. Earlier in the week I saw an awesome paper pumpkin and decided to combine the two. First  I got out my new set of Inktense pencils and put some color down, then I created 6 lines of tangles. You can click on the image to make it bigger.

I then cut the strips, put in some holes and put it all together with a couple of brads. A little green paper and a tangle or two and I got a leaf and pipe cleaner for the tendril.

Have a fun, safe Halloween!

Break Free, Challenge #86 plus more

I surprised myself today. Not only did I finally finish the autumn leaf that I started last Saturday at our New England CZT group get-together, but I also got to this week's Diva Challenge. This week we were to "break free", jump the fence, go beyond....  I wasn't sure  how to go about this, but I began with Squid and extended it a little. It wasn't much of a jump, but it's a start. Here's the result of the tile:

 And here's my leaf:

I like the leaf, and will do some more. It has a background of watercolor with added salt.

I had a very busy week. Last weekend I went to that NE CZT get-together over in New Hampshire on Saturday then taught a small class locally at the Blue Gentian Lodge. One of the women from the class taught at the Jr. High School in Bethany, CT where I went to school! I never had her as a teacher (I don't think), but she taught my friend Cindy. What a hoot! We had a wonderful time tangling and reminiscing.

Wednesday I taught a zentangle class at the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT to 7 women and 1 young man. Another wonderful class. I do enjoy teaching. Luckily my friend Dana came along to help me out. It was great to have her there and she was able to take some pictures!

And of course, I also went to work this week at our local elementary school. It was a busy, but pretty quick week. Thursday I go off campus with a student and I was able to learn how to use the hydraulic machine that makes ceramic plates. Way cool.

Tomorrow I travel to Brattleboro to meet up with a friend, Barbara Gunion from CO.  We met at the CZT training in May 2011 and she happens to be visiting her parents for their anniversary. It will be wonderful to see her again! We will be meeting also with another VT CZT, Sadelle Wiltshire.

Here's to a quiet week......