Challenge #251 - Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day

Moebius Logo surrounded by Tripoli and Tipple accents

This week's challenge brings attention to Moebius Awareness Day, which is Sunday, January 23. It's a challenge that Laura Harms posts yearly. For those of you have not heard of Moebius Syndrome, Laura describes it as a congenital nerve disorder affecting cranial VI and VII nerves controlling the lateral movement of her son, Artoo's face. Her Challenges and wonderful blog raise awareness of this Syndrome. It has been an honor to share and learn more about their family, and Laura's willingness to share Artoo's progress and growth with us.

The Moebius logo seemed to call for the use of a triangular tangle pattern to accent this symbol. Tripoli seems to let the symbol nestle in beautifully.

Past posts of this challenge:
#151 Moebius Awareness Challenge,   #103 MACD,  #55 MACD.

Challenge #183 - UMT, X-Did" by Annette Carlo

X-Ing tangleations on ribbons of  Hollibaugh

This is the first Monday of the month and it's a Use My Tangle challenge. Annette Carlo has the featured tangle this month with "X-Did". It's a geometric pattern, which are not my favorite, but adding some geometric lines worked for me. I found it fascinating to play with this tangle and see where the tangleations would take me. It was much more enjoyable than I expected.

To see the step-outs for "X-did" by Annette Carlo, click here.

I tried to work with the basic structure of the tangle and  then stretch and bend the envelop a bit. Fun to look at and explore what those lovely little triangle shapes and overlapping lines can turn into.

V2 - X-Ing tangelation with some Beadz, floral
Purk pearls, Crescent moon loops and leaves

The first version seemed to work using lot's of overlapping ribbons of Hollibaugh, adding texture to the overlapping lines with X-Ding, some shading contrast and touches of Auraknot seemed to work well in the structure of this tile.

My second version I tried exploring the structure and it reminded me of a stained glass window, added some thickening and rounding in the style of Betweed, some floral accents, Black Beadz, Crescent loops, Purk Pearls, and organic leaf shapes. I tried to concentrate on the interaction of each tangle with the next to form a cohesive structure. It feels like a bejeweled crown with an art deco quality. Adding a few curves puts an interesting twist to this tangle.

Check out the other submissions for this week on the Diva's site.

V3 - X-Ing line play

Challenge #156 - Curvy Gridlock and #155 - A Little White Space

Grid-based, Knightsbridge, Copada, MI2
Scrolls, Beadz and strings, and
Molding

The Diva's Challenge for week #156 asks us to create a Curvy Grid-based work. I don't usually use many grid-based structured tangles but I'm always up for a challenge.  I used MI2, Florz, Copada, Knightsbridge, some beadz and baubles, curves and rolls. Then I added lots of shading and volume play. I'm not a grid gal, but adding the curves made it much more palatable for me.

I wasn't able to make comments this week because of my computer. This piece took me many days to complete but I'm happy with the results. I used a simple string and then penciled in a grid for reference. I began tangling my little centered egg shape, then worked on the right side with beginning with MI2. The molding tangles developed from the grid, I just divided, auraed and repeated. Not sure if it's an official tangle.

This piece was much more involved than my usual process. It is grid-based but not very "structured". Organic is always my end result but I used a confined organic to keep to the letter of for this challenge.

My second piece is from last week's #155 - "A Little White Space" open-space challenge. My computer has been wonky so I didn't get it posted last week. I am very comfortable with open spaces in my work. I think it gives my pieces breathing room. I love to let the viewers mind/eye complete the spaces, not filling every nook and cranny is my preference. I get involved in so much of the detail when I work. I love the textures, shading and levels we can create with the Zentangle process and our beautiful tangles so leaving open space, for me, is very important. Check out the Diva's site for more wonderful work and join in one of the Diva's challenges yourself.

Hollibaugh, Knightsbridge border, Beadz, Tipple
Lot's of contrast and shading

Challenge #109 - Zentangle Quest

Dansk, Printemps, Flying Geese, and a background
of Hibred in sepia tones

Zinger/Lupine, Tripoli, Mooka,
Crescent Moon, Pearlz, Zander

This week's Diva Challenge for week #109, is taken from Maria Thomas'  Zentangle blog post. She presents a  new technique which she describes and illustrates beautifully. The technique uses random parallel lines as a string; the lines indicate inner and outer folds or curves, then add banding and tangle away! It creates a fun 3-D effect, check out all the fabulous offerings on the Diva's site.

For version 1 - I fashioned alternating cone shapes embedded in a Hibrid background. I "wiggled" and broke up the lines a bit to soften the Hibrid background. I used Printemps, Flying Geese, Dansk and some ribbons fastened with little buttons to set the stage. I continued the cone's draft "lines" beyond the perimeter, it gives it a neat which I like! I used brown/sepia and black micron pen, I used graphite and a sepia pencils for shading.

My second version is black and white with lot's of grey, I worked with black and white gel pen. It looks to me like Tripoli is spinning into the cosmos wheeee! I used a Zander parallel line to create my 3-D bands, Crescent Moon, then added Mooka, Zinger and some Pearlz.