Diva Challenge #114 Stars v2.0

The last time we had Stars as the challenge prompt was 110 challenges ago for Challenge 4 in January 2010.  I finally stopped working on this one - whenever I thought I was done it always seemed to need more.   The last more I added - the gold and silver gel pens.  Added the gold as the shading just didn't provide enough definition for the Fengle to stand out.  The black was just too stark - I left the center without the dots . . .  for now.

You with the Stars in Your Eyes - Stars v 2.0

Fengle, Afterglo

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. . . catching up with the last couple of challenges

113 - Hip to be Square

Shattuck, Yew-Dee

Puf, Knightsbridge, Paradox

112 - UMT (Use My Tangle) Tuxedo

 

Tuxedo w/Auras

Diva Challenge #111 Mooka Monotangle

Where has the time gone - guess I've been having too much fun.  Though I've completed several of the recent challenges just have not posted them.  At the end of this post is info on the broken Lightbox issuse and an unofficial (maybe official) fix that does seem to correct the problem.

This week's challenge is to do a monotangle using Mooka.  I love seeing how others use this tangle but it's one that has always been a huge challenge for me.  I've watched the video of Maria drawing Mooka - it's a treasure - and studied the step outs in the newsletter but still have not mastered the flow of this one.  I lost count of how many tiles gave their life in my attempts to create something that one might recognize as Mooka.  During my many attempts I stumbled on to drawing two Mookas to create a heart shape.  I had lots of practice while waiting for my car to be serviced.

One of the things that appeared in my sketch pad took on the shape of a pendant.  From there I added smaller versions of mooka within the curves - reminds me of delicate wire work jewelry.  I used Micron Sepia and Brown pens - did the stippling with the Sepia pen trying to create a hammered metal look - unfortunately the scanner does not really produce that effect.  It's going to take a lot more practice to master Mooka but I actually liked several of the practice tiles I did so that's progress!

Mooka Heart Pendant

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Spent a bit more time working with Mooka

 Zendala tile originally done black on white however
 - thought it looked better after inverting the colors.

Here a few of the other recent challenges

107  Quandry

108  UMT Whyz

110  Get Rid of the Box

Lightbox on Blogger is Not Working

(Note: Lightbox is automatically disabled if Dynamic Views is enabled for your blog.  If this case the following info does not apply to your image display options.) 

***** UPDATE April 4, 2013 - It appears Google has corrected this issue. However I'll leave the post as is - just in case ;>)

On another note - while gathering up the photos for the Diva slideshows - I thought all the folks using Blogger had changed their photo settings as the Lightbox image display option was not working - no more overlay with the thumbnails of all the photos.  Clicking on a photo only opened that individual photo and required the back button (no X) to return to the blog post.  I started digging around and discovered that Lightbox was no longer working on my blog as well.

I went to my favorite Blogger help blog to see if there were any posts there and found a possible solution that I've applied to my blog and now Lightbox is back.  There is no word from Google that there is a problem but it seems to be affecting all blogs built on blogger.  The fix I found - while not official does require using the Edit HTML function.   Always use this option at your own risk and only after backing up your blog.

Here is the link to the post on  The Real Blogger Status 

**** BIG BIG DISCLAIMER  - I have no way of knowing if this fix will conflict with other code in your blog - if you proceed you do so at your own risk.  I am only passing along what worked for me and seems to be working for others.  The Real Blogger Status blog seems to imply that the code may have come from an official source but no way to know for sure.  I looked around on the forum that is mentioned and saw the post that is referenced but again no guarantees promised here.****

I'm no HTML or CSS expert but after several failed attempts I did finally get it inserted correctly.  What's not completely clear in the posting is exactly where to paste in the new script.  I finally found the solution in one of the comments posted to the blog.

Once you click on the Edit HTML button and scroll to the bottom of the code - you should see <html>  as the last item of the code.  On my blog it was at the end of the line of other code and not on a separate line  - like this

</b:section-contents><b:section-contents id='footer-1'/><b:section-contents id='footer-2-1'/><b:section-contents id='footer-2-2'/><b:section-contents id='footer-2-3'/></html>

What I needed to do was insert the cursor here  >|</html>  and then hit return a couple of times.   Paste in the script from The Real Blogger Status so that <html> is at the end - doesn't seem to matter if it is on a separate line - then save your template.  It would also be good idea to backup up your template again so you will have a copy of the most recent template of your blog.

I don't do it as often as I should but creating a backup on a regular basis is a good idea - that way you will always have a recent and updated copy in case you ever need to restore your blog.

Diva Challenge 102 - DuoTangle v. VI: Auraknot/Bunzo

Battling the flu and now bronchitis for the last couple of weeks, no energy, lots of coughing.  Today was the first I had any desire to even pick up a pen and attempt a tangle.  Somehow I managed to focus enough to get one tile completed.  It helped that I didn't have to think about what tangles to use and that I like both of these a lot.  I am so ready to start feeling better this week!

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Diva Challenge 100!!!

This week's challenge marks number 100 - Congratulations Laura and thank you for providing this wonderful opportunity for Zentangle enthusiats around the globe.  To mark the occasion Rick and Maria, Zentangle founders have created a new tangle pattern - Diva Dance.  The instructions for Diva Dance can be found on Laura's blog here.

It's been my good fortune to have started with the very first Challenge - could any of us have imagined the many creative places this would take us.   What's amazing is to see each week's entries - everyone starts with the same prompt yet each entry is unique, inspiring and exquisite. A Zentangle feast.

This time of the year I'm busy making gifts, many are Zentangle inspired, so my entry this week is one of gifts I made - it's a basic fold envelope for a "big" but small sized gift - made using bristol vellum.  Funny thing - the last challenge of 2011 was also a handmade gift box.

100th Challenge

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Folded - Front View

Folded - Backside

 Unfolded

Diva Challenge #98 UMT Keenees

The first Monday of the month is UMT (use my tangle).  This weeks UMT - Keenees was created by Donna Hornsby, CZT from Texas.

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Diva Challenge 97 No Strings Attached

The challenge this week - create a Zentangle or ZIA without using the string to get started.  Since I mostly work without a string it didn't feel all that challenging until I decided to mix it up a bit and impose a few other challenges for myself.  Decided to work up something using some of the steampunk images and patterns I've been seeing others use.  Talk about being outside one's comfort zone.  Did find a few patterns that I liked but not sure how to put it all together so just put pen to paper and got going.  Another way I challenged myself - shade using gray pens instead of pencil.  I think it has possibilities but will need more practice with a variety of pens.  When I scanned the it the shading looks like I just drew wider lines - can't really see that it's gray.  The scan produced an image that was very black and white - too much white and not enough contrast - looked very boring and blah so dropped it into picmonkey and added some texture.  Very different way of working on a challenge.  Not sure it's my favorite but it's not all bad either.

No Strings Attached

click image for larger view - if you dare with this one lol!

Ganesha Calling

Dilip Patel a CZT from India has commitment to publish 100 Zentangle Ganeshas before 31st December, 2012.  In order to accomplish this he has requested contributions from the Zentangle community.  You may read more about the project and how to submit your creation here.  To date there have been 70+ submissions.  You may use your own creation or use one of the templates Dilip provides.

Thank you Dilip, for the invitation - nice to learn the history and story of Lord Ganesha and it was a fun Zentangle to create.

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Diva Challenge 95 - Mickey

This weeks challenge comes from  guest poster Courtney Frantz.  

Courtney writes . . .
On November 18, 1928 the Walt Disney Studio released the animated short film, "Steamboat Willie". This was the official debut of Mickey Mouse as well as his girlfriend, Minnie.  Since Mickey has been touted as one of the world's most popular cartoon characters and noting that his debut was in a black and white film, I feel it is only fitting that we use our black and white Zentangle art to pay tribute to Mickey, Minnie and/or Walt Disney.


I've spent the last couple of weeks working to complete a few of the woodburned Zentangle Nameplates - one gift and two special orders.  It's a good thing I enjoy making them since I've had a couple more folks request them.  It's also been fun exploring different font sites to find new and interesting fonts to use. During one font search I came across a Walt Disney font - wasn't sure I could make it work for a nameplate but I really liked the look so went ahead and installed it.

Had to laugh when I read this week's challenge - who knew I'd have a chance to use the font so soon!  First thought was to tangle the initial "M" - that would be too easy and if there's a way to make things more complex I can usually find it!  Since I'm still in nameplate mode why stop now?!

Diva Challenge 95  - Mickey

Tangles - Meer, Inapod, Cruffle, Knase, Ennies, Yale, Mickey

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Here are the 3 woodburned namplates.  Have not found the best settings for scanning them or for photos - need to work on that another day.  I'm still experimenting with the nameplate projects - mostly not sure how dense or sparse to make the tangle patterns.  One way the names are very prominent the other they meld into the overall piece.  Not sure which I like better - then again it's not so much what I like, it's what the customer likes.  If you have a preference or other thoughts please leave  a comment to let me know.  The concept is definitely a work in progress.

Art Every Day Month - Day 1

Decided to participate in the Art Every Day Month over at Creative Every Day blog.  The goal is to create some piece of art every day in November.  Seemed like a good idea when I signed up.  You can read more about it and sign up for it at either of the links above.  Will be something different for me - will just have to see how it goes.  At least I'm starting out well by posting something on the first day!

AEDM - DAY 1

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Challenge #93 Bunzo

This week the Diva challenge is to use the newest tangle - Bunzo.  Lots of  possibilities with Bunzo - and it seems to have a mind of it's own as it grows and morphs across the tile.  None of the strings I drew really excited me so I grabbed one of the pre-strung tiles and had a go at it.  The harder part was choosing the other tangles but overall I'm pleased with the way it turned out.  If you want to see the other amazing creations using Bunzo head on over to the Diva's site and if you have not tried Bunzo yet - what are you waiting for - you'll be glad you did!

Bunzo

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The Diva's Weekly Challenge 91 - Beads of Courage

The challenge this week is in honor of the Diva's son Artoo's second birthday - Happy Birthday Artoo - and the organization Beads of Courage.   Beads of Courage is a charity that helps and supports children with a chronic illness or condition, please follow the link to find out more about the work of this wonderful organization.  To read more about this week's challenge and Atoo's courageous journey visit the Diva's site here.

OK, easy enough - just draw a string of beads on a tile and fill the beads with different tangles.  Before I could get to it another idea popped up.  Have no idea why or where it came from and not the typical project I would attempt but for some reason I decided to go with it and see what might appear.  The thought - to create a tile with real beads on it.  Going through the few beads I still have around - just one of many a stash of abandoned craft endeavors - I didn't find any beads that inspired me or would be easy to attach to a paper tile.  OK, time for plan B - had no idea what that might be.  Again no real thought process (that would be too easy!) the idea of making paper beads floated in.  Decided to go for it. Drew a few tangles on lightweight paper, added a bit of color, rolled them, strung them with purple thread and added them to the tile.

Beads of Courage

Zentangle Paper Beads on Florz

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Diva Challenge #90 String Theory v. XIII

This week's challenge is to use String 001 from TanglePatterns  string series.  I rarely use a string I just start tangling.  On those occasions that I do use a string, I usually don't stick to it I just go where the tangle takes me and it's usually outside the string, so this was a good challenge for me.  For the most part I did stay within the bounds of the border and the string.  Maybe I'll start to use a few more just for the fun of it.
 

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Will be teaching a ZIA class soon so I've been experimenting - trying out different pens and tangling on different surfaces.  This metal switch plate is the latest adventure.  Pens used - Identi-Pen and Microperm 01.  I have a plastic switch plate to try next and I resisted buying the birch one for woodburning.  I'm happy with the way it turned out but will probably go back and add some shading with hash marks.  Still looking for a suitable pen for non-porous surfaces.

Challenge #89 UMT v. IX Sankegg

Before I get to this week's challenge want to give a shout out of congratulations to my brother Don Wilka and cousin Dianne Krumnow on becoming CZT's at last weeks Seminar 10 in Providence.  What fun!

The Challenge on the first Monday of the month is always UMT - Use My Tangle - a tangle that has been submitted by a challenge participant.  This month it is Sankegg by  Maria Vennekens, CZT from the Netherlands.  You may read more about the pattern here.

Had a very difficult time finding the rhythm and flow for this pattern - even tracing it to get a sense of the movement wasn't working for me this time around.  Had the most difficulty with proportion and alignment - was all over the place.  As a last resort decided maybe I needed to find another way to create it.  That worked!  It's going to take more practice to get comfortable using the pattern but at least this alternate step-out is working for me.

Using this step-out - I definitely had more success with proportion and alignment and an unintended plus - I found it a lot easier to grow the pattern both vertically and horizontally.  Using this method - once I reached Step 4 - it was so much easier to align the one leg with the point of the adjacent triangle.  Drawing it this way produces a slightly softer line - a bit more curved less hard angle.  Definitely a work in progress.

Rough version of the alternate step-out - with it's own Bronx Cheer!

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I was so excited to finally draw the pattern I kept it simple - stayed with a monotangle and a bit of shading. A first for me - used a Tombow marker instead of a pencil.  It's actually a grey marker but scanned with a hint of brown.

The image below is a woodburned piece I did as a birthday gift.  It's done on a 4" square Birch painting panel with a cradle - makes it very easy to hang and no framing required.  The fun part after the party received commissions to do few more for the upcoming holidays.

Challenge 88 - Use the new Official Tangle IX

When I first saw this pattern, I really liked what folks were doing with it - thought I would really like it.  I still do but I need to work with it a bit more.  Started several tiles but the flow was not happening.  I let things rest for awhile.  Not sure why but when I went back to work on some of the unfinished tiles - I instead picked up a piece of round cork from another project.  I used a black Fine Point Permapaque Opaque Marker  - different but I like it.

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Diva Challenge #87

Challenge #87 is revisiting a challenge from last year dedicated to the International Day of Peace on September 21st and inspired by the website Pinwheels for Peace.  Once again the challenge is to create a Pinwheel - Zentangle style.

Pinwheel for Peace

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Not sure this one is quite finished - I see all that white space just waiting for more tangles.  Too often that's exactly what I do and then end up not pleased.  Another attempt to leave some space - so for now I'll set with it but can't promise that it won't reappear with a bit more added to it.