Challenge #260 - Monotangle: Shattuck, Zendala breakout!

Shattuck breaking out of the box / Zendala

The Diva's Challenge #260 asks us to create a Monotangle using the tangle Shattuck.   A Monotangle is a term the Diva, Laura Harms, coined on her blog for a tile or piece created using only ONE tangle and it's variations.

I chose to go simple and let the little Shattucks curve off the Zendala, breaking free, extending the Shattuck with little Mooka tendrils and a few purk-like embellishments. This piece is not perfect, but I do like the general vibe.

Happy Bunny Day to you.

Challenge #142 - Outside my comfort zone

Grid-based sort of tangles Zendala (sort of)
Reverse white on black with white gel pen,
and soapstone for shading

Grid-based tangles Zendala - not perfect!
Reverse white on black with white gel pen, metallic gel pens,
and soapstone for shading

The Diva's challenge for week #142 asks us to step out of our comfort zone, stick our toe in the water or do a full jump free-fall. My comfort zone is organic swirly, curvy, non-grid based tangles. Black on white with grey shading is my preference so this week I pushed all the above. Check out all the great solutions for this week's challenge.

I first loosened up my white gel pen on black paper with a free-form Zendala (style) tile, it's wonky and has a few grid-based tangles but then I also incorporated free form fall tangles. I used the new Zentangle soap stone for shading - Love it! If you haven't tried it you should! It's so neat to work with this beautiful stone tool.

Next I drew a circle (using my trusty sip cup) and then divided it up to create sections. I used all grid-based tangles in this Zendala design, they morphed a bit but the end result was pleasing. I also pulled out some fun color Sakura Gel pens to enhance my work. The white was a little overpowering and the metallic elements of color helped break it up. This was a totally different tangling process. I needed to concentrate, take my time and really address each aspect of the grid tangle process. Uncomfortable and unfamiliar but still a great process. I so love the beauty and precision of some grid-based tangles. That's not my typical methodology so I just tried to remember there are no mistakes in Zentangle.

I can't even name the tangles I used fairly because they morphed into other things. I used Dragonair as a ruffle, C-Bun (sort of), Ciceron, Archer (tangelation).

My final version was totally free form using Zenplosion Folds and Flukes. Some of my faves (especially since Zenplosion Folds is mine). It fell free and easy and brought me back to the flow I love in my tangling process. Putting this into reverse was out of my comfort zone. White gel pen, touches of gel metallic gold for accents, and shading with soapstone and the white chalk pencil.

I need to work on this process much more to feel comfortable but that's the name of the game, right? Thanks for another chance to stretch my creative muscles Diva.

I found these images difficult to scan. I couldn't get the essence of the shading and the metallic without lighting my images quite a bit. This made the black paper a little more grey. Ahhh, another learning experience to continue...

Free form - Zenplosion Folds and Flux
Reverse white on black with white gel pen, gold metallic gel pen,
soapstone, and white pencil

Challenge #118 - Use My Tangle Featuring Kuke and Zendala Dare #57

This week's Diva Challenge #118 is a UMT (Use My Tangle) features Kuke, created by Katy Abbot, CZT. She came up with this tangle after finding a shriveled cucumber slice on the kitchen floor after her daughter dropped it the night before, oh how our minds work! It's a nice curvy organic tangle, so we were instantly friends.

I took the opportunity to check out the Bright Owl's Zendala Dare #57 this week which is being hosted by Geneviève Crabe. She features one of her templates created using her Zendala stencils. Check it out, there is a give away this week!

So, I decided Genevieve's template as a string for this weeks challenge. I played loosey goosey with the Zendala template AND this new tangle, Kuke.

Challenge #81 - Relay for Life Zendala

The Diva's Challenge #81 - was guest hosted by Erin Olsen, CZT of Bright Owl. She hosts the Zendala weekly challenges and presented a Zendala template based on Relay for Life. A great cause in the fight against cancer. Such a wonderful and worthy cause. I was up North at a friend's place this past week and internet was iffy and no scanner so I didn't get posted in time. When I got back late Saturday night there was a storm and my cable, internet, and phone were off.

Betweed, Beadz, Leaves, Auraknot, spirals, and more...

Because we were up north with no printer or scanner, I had to  free-hand  the template Erin provided. Wonky is my middle name, but I like the final results of my template interpretation. I concentrated on keeping my Zendalla light, open, and organic. The shading and lines were my focus. Erin's template allows wonderful flow and connection. The connection we all have in the fight against this devistating disease!

I felt leaving the open areas felt like the gaps left in our live's by loved ones who are gone. I lost my mother to lung cancer in 1996. I miss her and this week vacationing and sharing stories with old friends brought up a lot of stories and memories of our mothers. There was lot's of laughter and sharing and it was wonderful to share and remember family stories. My mother was a character and an amazing strong woman. She was challenging and could drive me crazy, but she was the person in my life that I knew loved me unconditionally and I dearly miss her.

This challenge also made me realize I need to concentrate on Zendalas much more. I've dipped my toe into the Zendala process but full immersion is necessary. I'd like to start presenting Zendala's classes in the future. Onward and upward in my Zentangle/CZT journey. Thanks for the boost Erin and a wonderful cause!

Challenge #25 - Zendala Magic

The Diva's Challenge #25 - Zendala Magic" Greetings everyone! My name is Geneviève Craib she created a lovely zendala (a fusion of mandalas and Zentangle) template for us to decorate.

I'm a week late on my challenge but I decided to post it any way. I used Genevieve's template as a string to create my ZIA. It's not done in the traditional Zendala fashion. I found it challenging but very enjoyable and I will use this template again and try a more traditional version with the symetry that most Zendalas incorporate.  I used Betweed, Lupe, Knightsbridge, Munchin, Florzish tangles and had fun!

Mandala for Spring???

Today we got more snow hopefully the last before Springs arrival, so to welcome the season I played with a mandala. Spring is in the air, I hope. This is definitely not a precision rendition of a mandala but like spring it grows and changes. I did the outer border as lace, not a perfect circle but that's okay with me. I need to get a compass so I can draw a perfect circle with my wee little crafty fingers!

This tangle also addresses Challenge #10 - The Space Between. My white spaces are filled with shadow but they are there.