Framed Tangle from DreamScribe

Kit (DreamScribe) kindly sent me one of her Zentangle(R) creations and I loved it so much I had it framed. It is back from the framer today and sitting on my diningroom wall. I just love it. Her work is exquisitely beautiful! Thank you, Kit!

Two Pencil String

Laura Harms aka I am the Diva's second weekly challenge is to tangle with a 2-pencil string.  This is my tentative entry...I kept it simple, still have trouble with Betweed, practiced a few times on Paradox (top left) and I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm not so sure I like the string, I flubbed it a little at the bottom. Might just try another tangle for this challenge...mixed feelings about this one.

No, I am not going to change it...I did some thinking and that is not the attitude Zentangle promotes.  There are no mistakes (having a little trouble with that part) and tangling is supposed to be relaxing not ending in self criticism.  I have decided to be happy with it because I was happy doing it!  Lesson learned! 8-)

Simple Christmas

Laura Harms (I Am The Diva) first weekly Zentangle® challenge is Simplicity.  Click on the link to see her post.
I am going to get a scanner one of these days because it is difficult to get decent camera shots of these tangles!

A new (to me) string idea

I needed string inspiration. If I don't like the string, I don't feel like doing a tangle and most of my strings I am not happy with because of my trembling hands.

I saw the tangles done at Kit's workshop and liked the looped strings. Then in my grocery flyer this week, I saw double loops around a graphic...and really liked that. So, I snatched the idea.  Tomorrow I will finish this tangle.

Tangle finished and I added a little shading...might need a bit more.

Short Circuits Complete

Click on the images to view larger

Well, I went on to finish this tangle that I was so discouraged with at the start in my last post and I actually like how it turned out!  And I am keeping the title Short Circuit.  I notice that besides the hands that do not control the pen the way I want them to, my eyes do not move at the right speed as I follow my pen and it slows me down which makes the lines mess up.  The whole exercise is a balancing thing.  I find short strokes easier to do, long ones are sure to go awry.  Orbs or circles often become odd shapes but, here, dark fill took care of it.  I have to learn to accept my short circuits and even make them work for me.

The image in the left is almost finished, the one on the left finished with a little shading.

Short Circuits

This is the beginning of a new tangle.  I woke up, made some coffee and sat down to tangle a little before I go out to do a final cleanup on the patio.  My hands tremble more than usual this morning...so it this pattern is quite different than Suzanne McNeil's "River."  I had difficulty making the pen go where I wanted.

The neurologist at the MS Clinic told me this week that my brain has short circuits.  There is nothing they can do for it. 

Sipping my coffee as I "drew" the lines, I was feeling bad about the evidence of my impaired small motor control staring back at me.  I used to have perfect control over my lines and my writing. I used to do calligraphy, used to teach it to others at craft classes.  These days, I even type, Post-it notes because my writing is so bad. 

A friend sends me daily horoscopes, just for fun, and the email arrived with today's horoscope.  What a shock I had when I read the subject line.   It is Friday.  I did not go to work today, thinking it was Saturday.  I knew the day last night, I was confused this morning.  Will have to start leaving notes on the night table so I am told what day it is when I wake up.  I called in sick...I can't let them know.

Tangling Tired

I am experiencing lots of MS symptoms lately, I come home tired and sleep much of the evening. I started this tangle weeks ago and finished on the weekend...just working on it a few minutes at a time. I didn't care if I was slow, just enjoyed doing it. What's the rush anyway? I find creating these tangles good therapy, good for focus, small motor control and just plain relaxing.

Moving along . . . trying some new (to me) things

This is quite a bit larger than the zentangle tiles, I made this one in my 5" by 7" sketch journal.  I held two pencils to draw the strings, and filled them in at the end.





Every day I worked a little on it, whenever I had a few minutes or just craved to get at it again. Tonight I finished it and signed my name in the tangle.



Usually, I have no idea what pattern I will do next, and at times need a little inspiration for the next section.  I watched a video of the Zentangle Master Class where a lady had a bracelet with tangle patterns in disks, one side the tangle pattern, the other side the name.  I think this might be a good idea for me!  Or, simply keeping a small journal of tangle patterns. 

Caught in a Tangle

I really enjoyed doing today's tangle. I decided to try something a little different.  Instead of a string, I used a simple drawing and also added some shading but I'm not too sure about the shading, it doesn't make sense...so I just might think about it then erase the shading and do it over. I'll add the new version if I do.

Warp and Weft

This is a new pattern I have learned, or should say am still learning.  I had a few problems with it yesterday and again this morning.  Perhaps it is the brain fog kicking in.  A few more tries and I think I will have it.  I'll be posting each new pattern I learn along with the tangle I used it in. Sorry I don't know the name of the pattern so I will just call it . . . Warp and Weft.

There are things I like about this tangle .  . . and things I don't.  I will not mention the things I don't...this is supposed to be relaxing, stress free and as they say, there are no mistakes in Zentangle...so I did my best to work with them!  Hey!  I'm a beginner!  However, I just have to apologize for the ugly dark line, it is covering  a few  "non-mistakes" and I picked up the wrong pen for my initial.  But I think there is no such thing as picking up the wrong pen either!  ;-)

First Zentangle with the new pens

The Right Tools . . .

. . . make all the difference. My first pens were just stationery store variety. I bought some gel rollerball pens at Wall-Mart and they were skipping on the paper at the beginning of my strokes. Yesterday I threw my hands up and went to Currie's, our local art supply store, and I bought 6 Micron pigma pens and 3 Graphic pens with the same pigma ink. What a difference they make. They are a pleasure to use. The smaller nib sizes allow me to put detail in the tiny spaces and the larger nibs are great for bold lines and filling in. These pens were only $1.99 (Canadian) each. 

First Zentangles . . . this is going to be fun!

It is so meditative, I love doing these. I am still stiff and a bit awkward but this will improve and I think it is even therapeutic. My hands shake but using them on fine work will help me recover some fine motor skills . . . I hope. Thanks a BUNCH for getting me started Kit!

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