Diva Challenge #365 and other stuff

Diva's Challenge #365

Back to Basics

The Diva is back after her Summer hiatus and boy, was I ready for this. Simple. Back to Basics? Uhmnnn...well, it started off that way😛

I did this in my mixed media sketchbook, using a 4" coaster as my template. I got the string from Adele's IAST challenge this week and didn't really intend to bring the string out of the box like I did, nor did I intend to fill in each section but that's just the way I roll.

Throwback Square One: "Cuke"

additionally: "PeelD"

and 

It's a String Thing Challenge #258

featuring: "Antidots", "Apacore" and "Afterglo"

in an A string in honor of Aretha Franklin

This was a fun one, though quite time consuming. I randomly chose a throwback Square One challenge this week and was quite inspired by this weeks featured pattern "PeelD". I love how this one came out.

Zendala Monday

This week was a pre-strung Zendala (I've been alternating each week). Awhile back, Jem (The Ragged Ray) and I had a comment convo regarding the limitations of the pre-strung Zendala and my aversion to sustaining symmetry within those boundaries. She had posted a pic of how she'd colored over a pre-strung zendala that left only a suggestion of the string. I jumped on that train as soon as the opportunity presented itself. You can barely see the string that I started with below. I liked the elegant S curves, but not so much the resolve around the border. I went with a Yin/Yang idea: dark vs light, structured vs organic.

I'm way behind on my Travelling Tangles:

my finish...

...to this start by Connie Kennekens

traveling all the way from The Netherlands

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me.

A Duo-Challenge and other Artsy Stuff

Duo-Challenge featuring Square One Purely Zentangle

pattern focus: Nik

additionally: Undu

&

Tangle All Around

patterns: Coraline, Auraknot & Archer

Alice Hendons string

This is what I started last week. I knew time was going to be limited so I didn't wait for the IAST challenge. I had randomly picked a Square One's "Nik" and instead I used Alice Hendon's prompts for the week from her Facebook group Tangle All Around. Whilst scrolling through Square One, Undo was the current focus and I thought it would work nicely with "Nik". It wasn't quite the result I was hoping for but I finished it nonetheless and finished is always good.

Zendala Monday

It's a String Thing #256

featuring: "Mazorito", "Hexa" and "Horti"

I had already chosen the pre-strung Zendala below when IAST appeared. I was thrilled to see patterns all created by my tangle pal, Ria Matheussen. Adele's "string" was just to use a circle. I did a little pattern study as all of these were new to me and knew that some how, some way I could manipulate them into this string. I used the inside of one of my Travelling Tangles happy mail note cards as it will go into my TTMMJJ and I knew that I wanted to archive these patterns for future use.

Travelling Tangles completed this week:

My finish...

...to this fun start by Margaret Blank

she'd stenciled over Brusho inks

My finish...

 

...to another of Margaret's starts

Margaret was amazingly generous with several fun background starters, as were so many others. I had to re-adjust my completion strategy. I always finish my starts in the order that I receive them, randomly picking one to start and so on. I operate under the "You can't wait for inspiration, you must chase after it with a stick!" philosophy rather than pick and choose what speaks to me. I used to complete everything in the packet before moving on to the next, but now I'm going to shoot for getting two done and then saving a little hoard for the lean times. I don't want my prompt swap mates waiting too long to see the results of our collaboration. That's just how I roll;-)

 

 My finish...

...to this Renaissance tile start by Kim Yodisborg

Here are a couple of spreads in my altered book mixed media journal. I tasked myself with using all of the new supplies I bought last week:

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me!

• 
  

Weekly Duo-Challenge, Zendala Monday, Travelling Tangles and a How To...

Duo Challenge

Throw back Square One: Loev

It's a String Thing Challenge #254
Tofube & Barquillos

This week I randomly chose a Square One Purely Zentangle challenge as the IAST #254 companion. I was not a fan of Loev when I originally saw the pattern appear on S1 and though I was inspired by many of the submissions in response to it. I didn't really gel with it, but I persevered~"sometimes ya just gotta work through the ugly" wise words from Tiffany at Southern Gal Designs. The IAST side is kind of weird.

I was working on this at the cafe this morning when I accidentally dropped some water on it. My shading quandary was solved (I was pondering graphite but it's so messy and shiny) though I realized that I'd used two different water soluble pens which bled two different colors. There was not much else I could do to screw this one up so I went with it.

Zendala Monday:

Zendala #2

Pre-strung

I had Margaret Bremner's "Fengle" post open on my phone whilst doing this.

The string

The Travelling Tangles Project:

My finish...

...to this lovely postcard from Spring Taylor

I love this one. Sorry for the murky lighting on the starter pic.

My finish...

...to another starter from Spring

My finish...

...to Mary Dewick's fun starter

a background tile from Mary Dewick

it looks like she used art tissue 

I just sent out another round of Travelling Tangles starters and posted this pic of my mail art on the FB page. I got a lot of comments about the envelopes so I took a few process pics of one I made today.

Mail Art Envelopes:

tools:

envelopes
Baby wipes

acrylic paint: this was a really cheap set of 24 small tubes from I got at Ross

a stencil or two

some handmade stamps: I cut these out of fun foam and glued them to bar coasters I'd cut down, stacked and glued

I make daubers out of make-up wedge sponges and stick them into the screw caps taken from hotel shampoo bottles

Starting with the lightest colors, blob down a few colors straight out of the tube.

smear with your fingers

add a few more colors, being careful not to muddy

use a baby wipe to blend the colors a bit

Using a clean part of the baby wipe, rub lightly through the stencil to lift off the paint to get this this effect.
There are some great videos on Lisa Oxley's YouTube channel showing how this works.
You'll want to work quickly, in small areas at a time to avoid the stencil sticking to drying paint and tearing the paper if the envelope is a bit flimsy (like this one).

I use some white bathroom tiles as a paint palette. Spread a little paint onto a flat surface and apply the stamp to lift off paint, or with a flat paint brush, brush paint directly onto the stamp.

dab some white or light colored paint to the addressee area.
Repeat on the back side.

These are super fun and easy and you can do several at a time. You just want to make sure the paint is is still a bit wet when you do the stencil lift.
I hope this was helpful and please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your thoughtful and generous comments delight and inspire me😉