Zentangle challenge #64

For this weeks's challenge we were all to start with the same string design as seen here:


Image from: http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/2012/03/weekly-challenge-64.html


Here are my entries.

The one on the right is a variation on the Fengle pattern from last week. I haven't looked at anyone else's entry yet this week. Wow it looks like there are a lot of them. I hope I get time to check them all out. Until next week, tanglers!

Thanks for visiting,

rebecca

Iron Craft Challenge #6 - Peeps!

Be sure to check out all the great entries for the Peeps challenge this week. The creativity was flowing for everyone, so many great and diverse ideas.  http://JustCraftyEnough.com

Here's my entry. Waited 'til the last minute to come up with something. I had a few ideas in mind, but over the weekend I met my sister on a mini-vacation and she said, "make a pop up card". Gee, I've never made a pop-up card. Challenge Accepted! Thanks sis! This card will be coming your way soon!

Here's a picture.

Go to the Flickr page here for a short video clip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58782363@N02/6875995936/in/pool-1525156@N25/

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

A Little time to create

Just a few doodles done while riding in the car coming home from a mini vacation.

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

Zentangle challenge #63

Go here to learn more about the weekly Zentangle challenge. I am still new to Zentangle and feel like every week I learn about a pattern that will be my favorite one. This week's pattern is my newest favorite! "Fengle" is really fun to draw. It is so fast and fluid with fantastic results. I think it will really help me loosen up. I tend to hold the pen so tight. I prefer grid type patterns. The more organic flowing designs are much harder for me. But I know the more I practice they will get easier. So far this week I have been drawing Fengles on everything: post it notes, to do lists, backs of envelopes, and meeting notes!

Here's my son's addition. He tends to see flowers and ninja weapons in his Fengles!

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

Altered Cereal Boxes :)

I love using cereal boxes to practice and hopefully help improve my artistic skills. I just unfold the box and cover the back with acrylic craft paint (white in this case). Then once the base coat is dry add whatever colors you like in any pattern. Then once that is dry, add some designs with a black permanent marker. You could use them for inexpensive artwork and hang it on the wall. Then as your skills improve or your tastes change it is easy to take them down and replace it with something else.

You could put them in a group - framed or not. So fun, easy, and inexpensive!

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

Zentangle Challenge #62

The Zentangle challenge of the week is to use the paradox pattern in a spiral string. Again, a great challenge. Here are my 2 entries:

I haven't used paradox much so I had several practice sheets laying on the table most of the week. It's so cute, one night I noticed my 9 year old had added some of his own. The red and green ones on the right are his. I've noticed more tangle patterns showing up along with his usual drawings of aliens, monsters, army men, and such!

                        

I'm sure paradox will become a favorite pattern. I have really enjoyed going through all the original tutorials and suggestions that were linked on the challenge website, as well as all the entries. I did discover something that really helped me this week and would like to share with you. I'm sure it's not a new idea, but I came up with it this week and it saved me lots of frustration.

So here's my Zentangle tip:

Use scrap paper against tile, draw full pattern as usual.

Pull away scrap paper for clean tile edge

Use a scrap piece of paper lined up over or next to your tile to help you draw the full pattern. It is so hard to draw just part of a pattern when you want just a piece of it along the edge of the tile or string border. This way, you draw it just like normal and when you remove the scrap paper your design will have the look you want. Anyway, hope it helps! Until next week.

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca
zentangle.com

Iron Craft Challenge #5 - the Dollar Store

The challenge was to create something with items found at a dollar store. I took a stroll through Dollar Tree and saw a few items but didn't really get inspired until i saw this post from Kat's Iron Craft site, http://www.justcraftyenough.com/2012/03/project-city-lights-lampshade/ , and the link to something she saw in Sweden here, http://www.justcraftyenough.com/2011/06/cross-stitch-lamps/ .
Thanks, Kat, for the cool inspiration!

So here's my challenge entry with items found for a dollar each: A miniature camera tri-pod, a USB computer light, a USB extension cord, and a wire mesh pencil cup!

It kind of has a cool industrial feel to it, don't ya think!? And it is so super easy. The USB computer light cable is stiff, so you just wrap it around the tri-pod and then adjust it to go up and then point down at what ever height you want. And then just balance the cup on top and add a bit of tape underneath. And of course, I had to add a bit of stitching to the cup after seeing the inspiration linked above!!!

The light is an LED and actually works really well. It looks so cute at night!
Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

Mixed Media Greeting Card

Here's a fun Spring Greeting card. It's made with a bit of yellow acrylic paint, some felt, stitched with some embroidery floss, and the stem is strips of sticker craft foam. Easy and fun to put together.

Now if I can just find an envelope and stamp, it will be on its way.

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

Zentangle Challenge #61

Weekly Challenge #61 is to use the Golven pattern. I also used Footlites and Lokomotive.

I am amazed at how much depth shading can add. Again, another fun challenge and a great pattern to try.

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

Easing into March Mixed Media

Ha, this isn't exactly mixed media. But it was created with pens and pencils. Specifically Prismacolor colored pencils and the red and blue are prismacolor fine point pens.

I'm hoping to branch out and try some more fun things for the CreativeEveryday mixed media theme for March.

Zentangle inspired tile. Patterns are Hi-C's and Footlites.

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

Zentangle #60

This week's challenge was to use just two Tangle patterns: Cirquital and Munchin.

 I had to practice these patterns quite a bit, before doing my tile. I am happy with what I ended up with. I think it does need more contrast, but I wanted to stop before I added too much.

When any of you first started did you ever have any of those moments when you thought, "Wow, I drew that?!"

That's happened to me some this year with the discovery of Zentangles. And this week while practicing the cirquital pattern I discovered by accident that extending the "arms" just past the circle border that I could make it look like they were wrapped around the orb. Such a fun AHA! moment.

We are also saying prayers of Thanksgiving after coming through the violent storms yesterday without any damage. We are in the middle Tennessee area and had several bad storm cells skirt around us. Our heart and prayers go out to any that were affected.

Until next week!
Thanks for visiting,
rebecca

Iron Craft Challenge #4

I posted my entry onto the Flickr group for the Iron Craft #4 Challenge earlier this week, but also wanted to document it here; on my own personal little blog where I've been trying to archive my projects.

Come check out the other entries here http://www.justcraftyenough.com/2012/02/iron-craft-challenge-4-round-up/. We were challenged to create something inspired from a catalogue.

I made yet another plastic canvas needlepoint cover for a little miniature notebook. I love planning and stitching these covers.

It is a smaller scale and not as much detail, but it was totally inspired by this Jonathon Adler pillow. I love all his designs, especially anything with needlepoint.


Come join in for Iron Craft challenge #5.

Thanks for visiting,
rebecca