Diva Challenge #233~Zenith

The Diva is back from her much deserved vaycay and we are challenged to use the new pattern "Zenith".  This one came up in last weeks String Thing Challenge. I didn't manage to complete that challenge and wasn't all that woeful about it. I couldn't tell you why, but this was the part of that challenge that stumped me. I couldn't make Zenith fit...then...sigh... life got in the way and as much as I hate to be bested by a challenge, I let this one go.

Early this morning, I sat down at my favorite cafe table with my pint of coffee, read the challenge, delighted by Laura's return, cursed this pattern for a minute, noodled around on the internet for longer than was necessary, pulled out my dwindling stack of watercolor ATC's and got to work.

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Made by Joey Challenge #75 & That's New to Me #34

That's New to Me #34~explore a new P tangle

Popsicles & Pinbawls

& 

Made by Joey #75~Alphabet Challenge: "Linq"

These two ATC's came about last night...very late last night.


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Diva Challenge #232~Meditation

Diva Challenge #232 Audio Meditation

guest blogger Holly Atwater

I actually had no intention of doing this challenge tonight, but I was at the cafe with a couple of drawing tools and read the challenge and I was intrigued. Guest blogger Holly Atwater has a series of audio meditations we were challenged to use for this one. We had a couple of choices and I, of course, being a type A over-achiever, did them all. 

I enjoyed doing it. I was completely zen. I used my watercolor ATC's. I guess it's my thing.

Oh, and here's one more from last weeks challenge-the undulating tangles. It's a little weird that I've become sort of addicted to that dang "Kozy" considering I hated it the first time I was challenged with it.

This is a page from my sketchbook. Instead of doing all the things I should have done yesterday. I did this:

I think I need intervention.

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More challenges and the Diva Series

That's New to Me #33~"U"

Undling, Unyun & Raindotty (by Jane Monk) with Jilli & Diva Dance

on a watercolor ATC

I started out trying to draw Undling and Jane's Scrumble but I goofed.

It's a String Thing Challenge #107

Asian Fans, Bud & Budlite

This was yet another challenging challenge. I had a few goofs with Asian Fans even after Adele's enlightening tutorial on how to draw it. I love Adele's patterns Bud & Budlite. They were fun to draw and experiment with. I borrowed the white on black from Lily Moon.

More curves and waves from the Diva Challenge. I continued on with a series of ATC's on watercolor backgrounds. What a great challenge! I got a little OCD this week.

Diane and Carolein's Alphabet Challenge-FMT

Fescu, Flux, Mooka, Mak-ra-mee, Tracery, Tipple & Tripoli

This one sort of took on a life of it's own. It was fun.


Thank you all for stopping by! Your comments inspire me. Instead of replying to comments here as I've done in the past, I'll be thanking you by visiting your blogs and commenting there.

and so it begins...

Diva Challenge #231~C's & S's (or curves and waves)

by guest blogger Sharla Hicks

&

Made by Joey #74~ "Kozy" monotangle

Monday morning challenges commence! I'm enjoying another leisurely morning of coffee and creativity out here in my foggy part of town. 

I started about 3 hours ago when I opened up this weeks Diva Challenge, brought to us by guest blogger Sharla Hicks of Tangled Expressions. We are challenged to explore the undulating patterns that are based on curves and waves, or C's and S's and create a series. Sharla included several gorgeous examples from her series of works and links to many patterns...so after spending a couple of hours noodling around all that lovely inspiration, I opened up Joey's challenge for the week: a montangle featuring the pattern "Kozy".

My first reaction was dread. I was challenged with "Kozy" several It's a String Thing challenges ago and I hated it! Now, as I've learned, these are not called challenges for nothing. Whenever I'm tasked with something I have a hard time with the results are, more often than not, rewarding. 

After a bit of frustrating practice, I pulled out a watercolor ATC from my little box of tricks, that inspired me to take this into an aquatic world and it clicked immediately.

When I decided it was done, I realized this was a great start to the Diva challenge too. I definitely feel a series coming on. Stay tuned;-)

Thank you so much for stopping by. Your comments always make my day. 

It's a String Thing Challenge #105

String Challenge #105

String 105

Dicso, Undu, Daviso & X-ess

This was a challenge indeed. Several great patterns and an organic string~nuthin' wrong with that.It all seemed so promising as I was eager to try Daniel LaMothe's "Undu" pattern when I saw it come up on Tangle Patterns recently and I had already tried and liked Mina Hsaio's "Dicso", a few That's New to Me challenges ago.
I had ideas and got started:

This first attempt just didn't come out the way I'd anticipated. All I can see are the flaws and mostly it has to do with the shading and I wasn't all that happy with the pattern placement either but I kept going. It wasn't until I was almost finished that it occurred to me that the string itself was 3 elongated Dicso shapes. I finished it and put it away for a couple of days because, as we all know, our perceived foibles tend to suck less another day. That was not the case here.

This morning, after coffee, I began anew. I can't say that I'm all delighted with this one either, but it is what it is.

Thank you for stopping by. Your comments always brighten my day. I always reply to comments here but I only just realized most you probably never see them. I'm going to start replying on your blogs instead. Again thanks to all of you who comment regularly here.

Diva Challenge #230 and More...

Diva Challenge #230

Zendala 

by guest blogger Erin Olson

Yesterday I was noodling around on Pinterest when I came across a video from the Diva's 100th challenge post of Laura drawing "Diva Dance". I watched it over and over because I loved the music and it all finally clicked. I rarely used Diva Dance even though I love how I've seen it done by Maria Thomas and Helen Williams and other more capable pens. I just couldn't get the rhythm of it so I never bothered.
I had also just picked up 2 new watercolor tablets at a 2 for 1 sale at Aaron Brothers. Ready with a fresh stack of watercolor ATC's and the video playing in my head, I started practicing "Diva Dance" and ended up with several versions of this:

 

After reading the challenge this morning and getting the template down, I stared at it for quite a while pondering all manner of patterns that might work. Zendala's aren't really in my toolbox yet and though I wanted to go for something more...uhmnnn....zendala (ish), Diva Dance was still dancing around in my head.

That's New to Me #32

"A" pattern(s)~Abundies

artist focus: Karry Heun's "Landgirlz" & "Stitch"

These are all new patterns for me. I'm finding the ATC sizes to be perfect for many of the challenges. Less space to fill. This is one of the new watercolor backgrounds I made yesterday. I used a Prismacolor pencil for the shading.

Made by Joey #73

"Jemz" monotangle

Watercolor ATC

Prismacolor pencil shading

I picked this watercolor ATC because it had colors that were gemtone, though it's not represented very well by my idiotphone camera. I'm not a fan of grid based patterns in a monotangle. I am a big fan of  Margaret Bremner's "Flying Birds" string though.  

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It's a String Thing #104

String Challenge #104

Adele's Birthday Candle String

"Drupe", "Prestwood" & "Meringue"

Challenge #104 marks It's a String Thing's second birthday. Adele created a special string in the form of two birthday candles. I've never used any of these patterns before but I've always loved Margaret Bremner's "Prestwood". It reminds me of my new favorite tangle "Narwal".

I didn't think outside the box at all for this challenge. Immediately I knew what needed to go where. The only thing I played around with a little was what I was going to do with "Drupe" as it seemed that the candles were made for "Prestwood" with a "Meringue" flame. I could not refrain from adding color for a bit of festivity. I can't wait to see what everyone does with this. It always amazes me how many variations and interpretations will come about from the very tight perameters of these challenges.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Your comments are greatly appreciated.

Made by Joey #72 & That's New to Me #31

Made by Joey Challenge #72

"Inapod" Monotangle

ATC on watercolor background

black ink with watercolor pencil shading

I love "Inapod" and I never use it enough. It was one of the first tangles I learned.

That's New to Me Challenge #31

  explore new "J" patterns

Jilli, Jessicup & Jesterz

These are all new to me. Jesterz seemed particularly suited for this colorful ATC. I've seen Jilli before yet, I've never used it, but it's definitely going into the repertoire.

Thanks for stopping by and a great big thanks to all of you who leave your lovely comments.

Happy Monday!

Diva Challenge #229

"+/-"

guest blogger Sandy Hunter

"Flying Birds" string

tangles-"Dugwud", "Olb" & "Sandswirl"

It's a very chill Monday morning at the cafe today. After a very busy week at the market, it's my day off and I'm drinking my coffee and enjoying the comfort of a foggy San Francisco morning. 

The Diva challenge this week is put forth by guest blogger Sandy Hunter of Tanglebucket. The idea is to embrace the negative space. I'm using one of my favorite string ideas, it's super versatile and I just love the way it breaks up the space... Margaret Bremner's "Flying Birds". I used the same string layout for the "Simplicity" challenge, but you can lay those birds down in any way you want. I used a couple of my "mac & cheese" patterns.

I'm not the only one doing art at this cafe. I found a box labeled "Bookmarks" on the cafe's bookshelf this morning. I refrained from taking more, but I took these three:

"Found Art"

bookmarks from the cafe

I think it's acrylic and the line work is imprinted. This is so cool. I'm not sure who the artist is, but I have an idea.

These are tiles I created last week for the Zentangle Artists Trading Card Swap this month. The challenge is to use one color and three tangles per tile. This is way out of my comfort zone because I generally don't do my principal line work in color. We could have used black, but I decided to challenge myself, which included learning "Narwal". It wasn't necessary to use the same patterns for each tile, but I chose to focus on "Narwal". It made the project go a lot faster not having to reinvent the wheel with each tile either and now I think I've found a new "mac & cheese" pattern;-)

I found two inexpensive sets of colored pens at my favorite Japanese $1.50 store so I could experiment without breaking the bank. I did the shading with my Aquarelle watercolor pencils.

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