Tangle challenges

Thanks for all the comments and positive feedback on my blog and my drawing. Your comments make my day. It's nice that people enjoy photos of my silly cat Arthur. He is a wonder. 

We have two cats. The other is Luna. She is very much my daughter Moo's cat in personality and person preference: aloof to most people but friendly to a select few. Luna selects me occasionally. 

Diva #326 - How do I fit in?

This week's challenge was to use 'Nzeppel AND think about a time in our lives where we didn't fit in.

I drew two tiles for this challenge. The first is about a time when I didn't fit in, no matter how I tried. It was a difficult time in my life. I found it difficult to draw the tile too. The first part, the part representing myself, was OK to draw. Measured, careful, keeping myself in the box, within the lines. But then the parts representing where I was working was much harder. My take offs and landings were not clean and my lines wobbled. Shading was something I did quickly to get the tile done.

The second tile is about where I am now.  The tile speaks for itself.

A message to anyone who doesn't fit into their workplace or home place - do the work to get yourself out of there. It is sooooooo worth it to be free.

Made by Joey - #175 - Naida

This was a finish my tangle challenge featuring Naida. I added Diva Dance, Golven and Sandswirl.

More photos from Tasmania

Needed to finish this post on a happy note so I've put some photos I took at Trowunna Wildlife Park. The kangaroos were very tame. Guests were given bags of food for them so we could get close. I see kangaroos most days of the week but never get tired of seeing them or being close. 

Have a great week and thanks for dropping by.

Miss L

Tangle challenges

This week I'm back at work after the school holidays, back at the gym after a break, back at home with only one bathroom. The main bathroom may be finished in the next week or two. It's looking good. Would really, really like it to be finished though.

I have been drawing but the tile is a very detailed Opus tile that I don't want to rush. It will be ready next week.

Diva #325 - Peanuckle

Guest blogger Jessica encouraged us to love the Peanuckle. Sorry, Jess, but Peanuckle and I are not made for each other at all. 

I tried twice and in a notebook but it just doesn't feel comfortable or look good when I draw it.

Here are my tiles anyway.

Kitty pic

This is Arthur getting involved as I do some lesson prep today. Wish he would choose more convenient times for a cuddle and attention. It's very hard to type with a cat on the keyboard.

Have a great week and thanks for dropping by.

Miss L

Tangle adventures

I've titled this week's post as Tangle Adventures as my tangling took me over 1,000km to Tasmania and a day and a half tangling with the magnificent Michele Beauchamp. This was my 3rd visit to her and she was as wonderful and inspiring as always.

I was actually in Tasmania for an English and Literacy Teachers conference. I attended that for 2 and and a half days in Hobart, then skipped the last day, drove north to Launceston for some drawing with Michele. After my time with Michele I headed west for a couple of days being a tourist.

I completed all my tangle challenges sitting by the fire in a cottage in Deloraine, which is small farming and creative town in Northern Tasmania.

Diva #324 - hearts

I did a couple of tiles. Here they are. The second one draws heavily on what I practiced with Michele.

Made by Joey #173 - twisted rope string

Some influence from MB being felt here too.

Drawing with Michele Beauchamp CZT

Michele and I started with a couple of warm up tiles and some chat. The chat is a vital part of the experience, for me anyway. By the middle of the second day though the chat stops as we both concentrate on our tiles. This too is a vital part - the sharing of the Zen of Zentangle. 

Here are the warm up tiles. I particularly wanted to learn how Michele creates those wonderful, shining, 3D bands. No metallic pens in sight! And I also needed a refresher on gems. The secret there is a lot more layers of colour than I'd realised.

After the warm up tiles we moved on to our renaissance Opus tiles. I think I need to order some tan Opus - they really take colour, as well as white and shade. 

Trowunna Wildlife Park

I visited this park once before and thought I'd drop in for half an hour or so, just to see some Devils. Ended up spending over 2 hours there and only left as I had other things to do before it got too dark.

The fur on the devils is about as soft and dense as that of a puppy. Feel very lucky to get up close to these animals.

The wombat in the photo is Wattle. At (only) 16kg and 18 months old, she is not full grown yet. 

Have a great week. Find a CZT and spend a day or two with them. And thanks for dropping by my blog.

Miss L

Tangle challenges

School holidays! Yay! It has been very, very cold here though so I've been house-bound. The cancer fatigue has been playing hell for the last week or so too, so staying inside not doing much has been needed.

My beautiful children  - 20 and 18 - have been having a short holiday together in Melbourne. I love that my kids are so close. I didn't ever have that with my brother (only a couple of years older than me) so it is a relief to see that my two love each other so much. 

It's also a relief that BoyBoy has finally got his provisional driver's licence. It's been a long time coming. He's had a car for a while (his 18th birthday present from us) but he just needed to pass that %$##@ test so he can drive it on his own. All good now.

Diva #323 - home

My first thought when I saw this week's challenge was the word 'Freedom'. That's what my home means to me. My home in Australia, with our freedoms of speech, of movement, of religion, which I've been teaching my Year 8 students recently. Then my home being my house and my family with my freedom to relax, to love and be loved, and to be safe. So, freedom was the focus of my tile today.

Made by Joey

This week's Made by Joey challenge is based on a star shaped string. I followed Ilse's suggestion and filled it with Auraknot, then filled the border with reticula from the Zentangle Primer. It's a relief to be finished with the Alphabet challenge - enjoyed doing it but 26 weeks was a long time.

Shelly Beauchamp CZT

I'm going to be spending two days drawing with Shelly soon. Can't wait.

This time last year when the Diva presented the 'home' challenge I was on day two of my time with Shelly. This week's challenge was a nice reminder of what was and what is to come.

I'm travelling to Hobart on Thursday morning in time to attend the National English Teacher's conference. I've got 2 and a half days there, then driving north to Launceston and Shelly for a couple of days. I'll then travel to a little country town called Deloraine for a couple of days before coming home. Looking forward to every part of the trip.

The last couple of days I've been making a little present for Shelly here's a sneak peak.

Other drawing

I've not been drawing much lately. Cancer fatigue and other busy-ness has gotten in the way. However, yesterday I found this tea pot that I bought ages ago to draw on. I started off being really careful but tea pots are really, really hard to draw on. So, I went crazy.

Here is my Zentangle Graffiti Tea Pot.

Thanks for dropping by and have a great week.

Miss L