Zentangle Boo-Boo turns in to The Dinner Table

This week's challenge for zentangles is Curves Only. I started out with a double circle and petal shapes, but then I forgot and did a zigzag pattern around the outer circle (no straight lines allowed this week). I tried to fix it by turning the zigzags into black "pearls", but some of them ran together, not looking too good, so I just had fun with it. Still all curves, not so much tangle! But I like it. It makes me smile! Hope it does you too!  I call it "Dinner Table" :)

Navy Zig ballpoint pen on a quarter sheet of pink cardstock.

Stash Swap & Sneak Peek at Felted Doll 3

A few weeks ago I participated in a stash swap at Creative Artitudes on Facebook with Cynthia Hanna hosting. This was my first stash swap ever. In fact, I had participated in only one other swap before, and it was an inchies swap a couple of years ago. 

In this swap, the participants were put in a list. What we chose to send was to be intuitive about what the other person might like. The person above you sent you some of their stash that they no longer wanted or needed, and you sent the person below you some of yours. There was no limit on how much or how little, only a $5-7 postage/mailing limit, and a deadline for getting the packages mailed out.  

I just had to share with you! It was like a Spring Christmas when I opened my package from Erin, and I hope she doesn't mind me sharing. Just look at all the neat stuff she included, much of it co-ordinated in spring colors. This is a picture of as much as I could get into the picture and still show a portion of it.

She sent embossing glitter powder! I've never used embossing glitter powder before! Of course, I had to open it and examine this wonderful stuff. Later that afternoon, in the Dr.'s waiting room, Mama noticed my face was all sparkley. Oh, well, I needed some sparkle! :/

There are decorative papers, tags, some gorgeous handmade papers, collage ephemera, the cutest kitty stamps and ink pads, an adorable stamped rabbit finished project with stuff for me to make one, various kinds of stickers,

lots of beads, buttons, an oragami album project, ribbons, pretty tape, heart-shaped paper containers to assemble and decorate...and I know there's more. I am still so excited over my "new to me" stash, and anxious to put it to use, merging it with my other stash and projects. I also look forward to playing with the things I've never tried before. Thank you so much, Erin, for all these wonderful items that you shared with me! I will think of you every time I use any of them.

Thanks Cynthia! This was so much fun! :)

OK, this has nothing to do with the stash swap at all. I just thought I'd share a sneak peek of Felt Doll #3 that is now in progress. I'm trying something new with this one, as she is seated. This is only the needle-felted core form, and as you can see she is missing a foot, one and a half arms, and a face, but she's getting there. I don't know if you can see, but she does have indentions for eyes and mouth, and a small bump of a nose. I haven't decided on her outfit yet, but her personality is beginning to emerge. I have to say that she's a patient soul. She hasn't griped once about it taking me so long to complete her. :)

I have several projects in progress, and I start another round of the 21 Secrets workshops on April 1, which I am so excited about. My main project right now is to clean off a spot to work in. :/

Have a wonderful creative week, and I hope something on here made you smile! :)

Challenge 14-I Walk The Line Zentangle

This week's challenge at http://www.iamthedivaczt.com/ was I Walk The Line. We were to use only straight lines for the tangles. The first two I did are with Zig ballpoint pens on post it notes. The notes are hot pink and the Faith one is a Hunter Green pen. The second one is hot pink with a purple pen. I don't know why, but my scanner would NOT scan the paper as hot pink. Instead, it's a pale pink. They really look better in person, but I decided to share them anyway, just because they were fun to do. :)

Not easy to keep the curves from creeping in, because I love curves. However, any curvy lines you see are because my hand wavered while drawing the straight line. They are not intentional. :)

These two are actually only one. It is done on hot pink cardstock (a quarter sheet) with a purple Zig pen. I seem to have been on a hot pink/purple kick this week for some reason. I did the one above, scanned, and saved it, then filled in some more of the blanks and added a smidgeon of burgundy pen. I liked it too, so I scanned and saved it as number two.

I have to confess that a ballpoint pen is not the best to draw tangles with, although I love to draw with them. They tend to leave little blobs sometimes and you can't get really fine detail with medium point pens, but they are still fun to play with!

Another fun and challenging challenge!

Zentangle Challenge 13-Non-Dominant Hand

This week's challenge at http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/ is to draw a zentangle with your non-dominant hand. I am right handed, so I drew with my left hand. I used a Zig marker on 4x4" white cardstock, and I thought I was using the smallest end of the marker, but when I finished I had used the larger end. :/ It felt totally foreign and awkward to use my left hand, but I was amazed at how well I did, despite the size of the marker point and the lack of control in my hand. This was fun! :)

Then I tried one with the fine end of the marker. Shaky lines, but I like the design.

I believe the "correct" pens to use are the Micron fine tip pens, or something similar, but I tend to draw with whatever is laying handy, and a lot of times it's a marker. The finer the pen, the more delicate the design.

I started not to share these, because they are not that great. Then I thought, the ones I do with my dominant hand are not that great either. My hands and eyes are not as steady as they used to be. However, I LOVE doing these. They are a great form of meditation and concentration, which is a good brain workout. So why not share something I find so beneficial and enjoyable?

The non-dominatrix challenge was just that. A real challenge, and it was fun! :)

Zentangle Challenge-Blue, a Fish, and an Angel...

This weeks challenge is Something Blue @ iamthediva.com (see the Diva's Challenge badge on the sidebar). This is an atc (2 1/2 x 31/2") in my pocket Moleskine sketchbook with a Zig ballpoint pen in turquoise. I started off with a black spiral covering the whole card, then filled in the spirals with patterns. 

Another atc I started in the Moleskine while sitting in the waiting room at the Dr.'s office. I used a black Zig ballpoint pen, and later, a turquoise one. The egg and wing shape are patterns I saw online somewhere. Mine didn't turn out too well, so I added swirlys and polka dots. Still not happy with it, but thought I'd share my not so good with my better with you anyway. :)

This one and the next two are 4x4" tiles cut from white cardstock, and I used turquoise and black Zig ballpoint pens. I started this one in the left upper corner with one of my favorite patterns and continued across the tile with more of my favorite patterns free-hand. As I said before, I don't pre-draw with a pencil, so any wobbly lines and uneven patterns show, but that makes it mine! :)

I prefer free-hand drawing to using patterns, because I have a really hard time following patterns for anything. However, I decided to try some cookie cutters for a starter pattern. I used a plastic cutter for this one, and it barely fit the 4x4" tile. I placed it on the paper, and, using a pencil, drew around the inside of the cutter, which left the very basic outline. Then I lightly divided it into sections, and using the Zig black ballpoint pen, went over the pencil lines and filled the sections in with some favorite patterns. I really like my little fish! :)

I used a very thin metal cookie cutter angel here. She looks a little like a nun, doesn't she? Same process as the fish.

I just wanted to show you that whether you can draw or not, you can tangle. There are lots of ways to get a starting line to fill in and some great tutorials online. I don't claim to be a pro, but you don't have to be a pro to enjoy doing what you love. :)

More Zentangle Practice...

A zentangle in my watercolor paper art journal with a watercolor background and a chocoalte brown Zig marker. My tangles may be more doodles, because I don't use patterns, I use whatever is handy to draw with, and I've only learned enough about zentangling to make me dangerous. :) I just usually start with a shape, or not, and go free hand, which accounts for the wonkiness and sometimes the escaping of the page. :) I love doing it though! It's very mind-consuming and helps me focus.

Same art journal as above, but a pink Zig marker sounded like a fun idea, and it was, plus I still have room to journal. :)

Two small ones on the same page in my Moleskine large sketchbook/journal. I don't draw them in pencil first, so any mistakes I make with the Zig marker add to the character. At least, that's my opinion! :)

Last page in this Moleskine. I did the tangle on the left for a challenge, but it got so cramped at the seam that I decided not to share it there.The small one on the right is an idea from a past challenge, before I signed up. I like the idea!

This one, and the one below are some of my first attempts at tangling in the large Mole sketchbook/journal. I like the little fellow above a lot, but I see now where I could add some more patterns within to really bring him out.

I've been doing mostly large tangles with a Zig double-ended marker, but I notice on most online sites they use 4"x4" squares, or "tiles" of smooth paper, a variety of fine micron pens or pencils, and patterns. These are much more delicate than mine, but any of them can be scanned and printed for art journaling, collages, transfers to clothing, tattoos...

Meet Memaw! Needlefelted Doll #2

I've been birthing another character through wool and needlefelting. I have no preconceived ideas in mind when I start. I just let the characters evolve and learn as I go, my favorite way to work. :) This is my second attempt at felting a doll, and I learned much from her.

Meet Memaw! Memaw has lost a hundred pounds and is on a quest to lose the rest of her chunky butt. She is dressed in her exercise clothes and has her medicine ball, ready for the gym.

Memaw is about 10" tall, and since I haven't really figured out how to felt clothes seperate from the body yet, I felted her pants, top, shoes, & sox to her body. This and the following 3 pix are before I tackled her face and hair, but she already has personality, doesn't she? This is before...

Behind...

Side, see her chunky butt...

Three-quarter, notice her round belly, still faceless and hairless...

Memaw has hair, and she can see, smell, and talk now!...

I felted my first piece of seperate clothing in the skirt. It's a little thick, but I did it, it has a slight gather to it, and it's felted onto her top to make a little dress, because Memaw doesn't like for her chunky butt to show in gym class. I also added metallic embroidery thread shoelaces to her workout shoes, and gave her an exercise medicine ball to workout with...

Side view, I haven't given her fingers, because they're tiny and tedious, and I haven't had the nerve to do them yet. :/

Three-quarter...

Close up of Memaw's face. When I got her face and hair on, she looked like somebody's memaw to me, hence her name. As much as she wants rid of the rest of her excess pounds, she HATES to exercise, hence the facial expression. :/

Memaw and Selma (Doll #1-see label needle felting) have spent the afternoon chatting and becoming friends. They are finding out that, despite their differences, they have much in common. They can't wait to meet Doll #3, already in progress, and perhaps a pet or two...

There's also an explanation of needle felting under that label at the bottom of the post. It's a lot of fun, meditative, and addictive, and I can't wait to see the next character evolve from the head I already have formed!

I hope you enjoyed meeting Memaw as much as I enjoyed creating her! She has a lovely personalilty! :)