Labyrinth

This was an interesting challenge from the Diva this week. It certainly describes my past two weeks. My husband had open heart surgery and a triple bypass. He is home now and should recover fully. Like many men though, he is not shy about letting me know about every time something hurts. So I feel I have been walking the path of this labyrinth with all it's turns, its times of back-tracking, and hopefully reaching the middle.

I used one of my hand colored tiles with a white pen, and colored pencil for shading. Tangles were very simplified this time. I guess that that should be a lesson for me to just simplify my life!

Earth day 2015

Earth day (also known as Amanda day) is the challenge this week.  It's been a strange week this week. I almost feel like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. My husband had triple bypass surgery on Tuesday. I've had my tangling supplies with me but I couldn't focus on doing the challenge until yesterday. Thankfully my husband is recovering.

I used one of my hand colored tiles.  I had several to choose from but I ended up choosing the one that had the biggest flaw. I knew that when I finished the flaw would disappear.

I used my colored Micron pens in the 05 size. Shading was done with colored pencils and highlights with a white chalk pencil.

colored tile with just the string.

Narwhal

You may have seen my blog last week when I posted about my granddaughter ' s  broken arm. I thought that was enough excitement for the year.

Whoops! Not quite.

This week my husband faces unexpected heart surgery.  I'm not sure if I will post much. I will have my tangling supplies with me though.

This tile uses the new tangle pattern, Narwhal.  This tangle makes me think of a whirlwind or tornado.  That pretty much describes how I'm feeling this week.

Jetties

Jetties is a fun tangle pattern - and it's fun to find other tangles that you can tuck Jetties into!

A tile with a story!

This tile has quite the story behind it. It was done with stencils to answer the Diva's challenge to use found objects for the string. But how I got to the finished tile is quite the story!

I spent a long weekend with my granddaughters, ages 3 and 6. My son and daughter-in-law had to go back to Ohio to take care of some family business so I volunteered to watch the girls while they were gone. I flew down to Texas and brought them their Easter baskets. They posed for this picture with the silly glasses from their baskets

We had a grand old time with the different craft projects that grandma had brought along. (I can't go without bringing along some type of craft project now!)

Mom and dad left on their flight and I was in charge. We went to the girls dance class and the girls proudly showed me their moves. I took them to get sandwiches at the place that has Rice Crispie treats in the kids meals. In the afternoon we went to a local fair and pet the animals in the petting zoo. And that night we all slept well. 

The next day they were invited to a birthday party at a place that had a fun bouncy house. The girls were having a great time until the little one fell in a freak way - and came over to me crying and clutching her arm. At first we didn't think it was too bad but within a short time I noticed swelling and a bit of discoloration so we knew a trip to the ER was in order. Thankfully there is a pediatric ER fairly close and they did a great job taking care of us. Unfortunately the news was not good and the little one fractured her arm and needed surgery.

She was very brave in dealing with the whole ordeal. Her mom caught a flight home as soon as possible and the little one was VERY happy to see her mommy later that night. I was there the whole time but grandma knows she earned several new gray hairs in the process. I can't imagine how scary it was for her to go through the pain, the IV, all the doctors and nurses, the surgery and recovery, all without her mom and dad. 

My son and daughter-in-law have made many, good friends in their new home. One of the friends, Jenn, was extra helpful in taking care of the older one while I stayed at the hospital. The next day she brought over a wonderful assortment of goodies for the little one. Among the goodies was a sticker frame package. After the frames were punched out I noticed these pieces sitting on the table waiting to be thrown out. I knew what the Diva challenge was, but with everything going on, I hadn't had a chance to do anything. So I grabbed the trash and put it into my bag. When I got back home to Illinois I first rested, but then I started on my tile using the trash pieces as stencils. 

Update: The little one is feeling much better now. She is enjoying all the extra attention from friends and family. Yesterday she asked her mom, "I'm feeling better now, Can I still keep the presents?"

Keys to happiness

I used everyday objects as my string here as I'm sure you can see. I actually did this a while ago as a submission for the new Zentangle 11 book from Suzanne McNeill. This book is all about lettering, quotes  & inspirational  sayings . This tile didn't make it into the book so I can share it with you here. (Another tile is in the book). The tangle patterns are also from the book.

Airline tangling

One of the things I love about Zentangle is that it is so portable.  I have a mini kit that I keep in my purse at all times. It doesn't hold much - but the beauty of Zentangle is that I don't need much.

I did this tile on the tray table of my airline seat. Quick and simple, using whatever tangles came to mind as I didn't have any books with me. It helped to pass the time and helped me ignore the occasional bumps of the plane. It was a lot more fun to do than what my seat mate was busy with. She had all sorts of boring looking work files on her computer.

Fanz

Fanz is the tangle pattern for the challenge this week. As I looked at it I kept thinking of shingles on a rooftop so that's the direction I went. I drew my houses loosely so I wouldn't be too literal. 

I used one of my hand colored tiles and then choose 3 colored pens and colored pencils.

This pattern reminded me of the way I draw 'Bumps' but in a much neater and more orderly way.

Illinois SDP convention

Tangled Luminary

I'm excited to have been chosen to teach two Zentangle classes at the Society of Decorative Painters National Convention in St Charles, Illinois this May. Registration is going on right now. The two classes I will be teaching include the Tangle Luminary - pictured above - and the Zendala Trio - pictured below. 

You can go to the convention web site following this link. There you can look at all the class offerings online and register. Don't delay! Online registration goes on through this month only. If you can't come to classes don't forget about the expo with a great selection of painting supplies that you can't find a local stores

Zendala Trio

Easter string

 

Adele Bruno over at 'Tickled to Tangle' came up with this fun string just for Easter. Then I saw the tangle she had suggested and I saw one that was new to me. I couldn't wait to try it out!

Tangles used 

Well-Mooka-Z - Sharyn Penna

Coaster by Carole Ohl, CZT

CO2 by Antonine Megger

Click on the tangle names to see the step outs.