Shadow Shot Sunday - June 14th, 2015

A cute plant shadow near my front door for Shadow Shot Sunday today.

See other people's shadow shots at www.shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com.

Tangle with #-C-R

I was a little confused when I saw that this week's task for Diane and Carolien's Weekly Zentangle Challenge was to tangle patterns beginning with #, C and R. Once I found out that # meant a pattern beginning with a number I could get started!

This one certainly didn't turn out as I first imagined. I was trying to do 63Y but wasn't happy with it. I think I was doing the grid too small. I'll give it a go later. Instead I decided to use 2n5 which I quite like. The other tangles are Cyme and Rixty as well as some Knightsbridge to cover up.

You can join in the fun at http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/2015/06/weekly-challenge-10-tangle-with-c-r/ I'll be back next week with F, M and T.

The Diva's Weekly Zentangle Challenge #221

Another fun challenge from Laura this week at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com

The task was to be inspired by Beads of Courage. Laura's youngest son is involved in this program where children receive a bead for courage in undergoing various medical tests and procedures, overnight hospital stays etc. Beautiful strings of colourful beads are a wonderful symbol of how courageous they have been.

Initial ideas were to do a representation of beads or perhaps something symbolic to represent someone who is having a very difficult time at the moment and inspires me with how courageous they are. Unfortunately I can easily think of a few people that applies to at the moment. After tossing around a number of possibilities I settled on using a version of Laced which looks like beads.

 

The beginnings of a backyard makeover...

It's Saturday again. That was fast! My six words this week for Six Word Saturday -

 

The beginnings of a backyard makeover

 

 

A few weeks ago I received a table and a couple of benches from a friend who was moving house. We have decided to paint them and began painting today. It was fun deciding on the colour and buying our supplies. A few weeks ago we asked some questions at the local small hardware store and got some great advice so yesterday when we were ready to buy we decided to go back there. Again we got excellent service. 

 

At first we had plans to mosaic the table but now are thinking of some zentangle designs on the edges. We have another small table that we have been planning to mosaic for a LONG time and will likely still do that. Alysha began painting the chairs that go with that table today and I think they will look fabulous with bright cushions. I also moved an old tyre and plan to plant a small garden in it. I began painting an old pallet and plan to make that into a garden too. I'm certainly not into gardening to the extent I was a few years ago but it will be fun to plant a few things again I think. These ones I will be able to see through the kitchen window too when I'm doing dishes. It was a great start today and I should get another coat of paint onto the table tomorrow. Here's some before and in-progress photos.

 

So many colours! We chose Alta Sierra

Before (and lots of sandpaper)

Busy sanding

One more coat for the table top then to do the legs.



This should make a good garden!

To see how others describe their week or part thereof in six words or to join in the fun go to www.showmyface.com

 



Tangle with Y-Z-A

Thanks, in large part, to Diane and Carolien's Weekly Challenge I have now tangled patterns beginning with every letter of the alphabet. This week it was time for Y, Z and A for the second time. I met Zinger a while ago and love it. Yincut was a new one to me and I see the possibilities, particularly as a filler. For A I looked for patterns I am not yet familiar with and discovered Assunta which I found was lots of fun to draw. I'll be exploring it more for sure. I also added a little Ahh. I haven't shaded this one yet and am not sure if I will. I quite like it as is.

You can join in the fun at http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/2015/06/weekly-challenge-9-tangle-with-y-z-a/ 

The Diva's Weekly Zentangle Challenge #220

It's the first Monday of the month this week so it's time for a Use My Tangle challenge over at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com This week's tangle is All Boxed Up by Alice Hendon.

I enjoyed my first meeting with this tangle and as I had read, shading really makes this one pop! I was quite surprised with the result. Now I wish I'd taken a photo before I shaded it. Oh well...

Here's my tile for challenge 220 -

You can join in the fun and see lots of other examples of this tangle at www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com

A new poem from old words

A couple of weeks ago I was looking through some old blog posts looking for one in particular. I was not sure of the exact date and I passed through quite a lot of posts before finding the one I wanted. In the process I rediscovered quite a few old poems or at least starts of poems. This week I've taken one of them and had some fun changing its form. It's a work in progress but thought I'd post the original and the current version here. My six words for Six Word Saturday -

A new poem from old words

 

 

Original version -

 

Facebook status: I can now safely say I've thrown up at the show

 

September in Adelaide

The season for seekers of sensation

Teens hit the showgrounds in force

Seek bigger, faster, higher

Push minds and bodies to limits

and past

My children return from a busy day

Full of stories

to match many others

before and after

Names have changed

The SupaLoop in now the Hangover

Screams and vomit are still the same

 

I imagine knowing looks

perhaps some judgments too

My daughter's dash to the bin

followed by a grab for her phone

and the amassing of a collection of 'likes'

 

Today's version -

 

Facebook status: I can now say I've thrown up at the show

 

The first week of September in Adelaide

A busy time for those who seek sensation

Teens hit the showgrounds in force

in search of the latest fads and great fun

 

Showbags and fairy floss, sideshows and rides

They seek higher, bigger, loud and fast

Meet with friends and wait in lines

Push minds and bodies to limits and past

 

My children return with stories to tell

Much like my own with changed names

The Supaloop's now called the Hangover

Screams and vomit are still the same

 

I hear of a sudden dash to the bin

Imagine some judgment and knowing looks

My daughter's quick grab for her mobile phone

and the sudden amassing of 'likes' on facebook

 

It's been fun playing with the words and I'll keep doing so. This poem is a bit different for me as I don't usually write rhyming poems.

 

This is a Six Word Saturday post. See how others describe their week or part of at www.showmyface.com.

 



Tangle with V-W-X

I enjoyed tangling patterns beginning with V, W and X for Diane and Carolien's Weekly Challenge. This challenge took me a few attempts. I decided what patterns to use (Verdigogh, Well and Xyp) but couldn't quite decide how to put them together. I was happier on my third attempt but have somehow managed to lose that tile. So this evening I had another go and like this one a little more. I have left quite a bit of Well partly done as I love the pattern that forms partway through.

 

The Diva's Weekly Zentangle Challenge #219

After a short break last week, I'm back for the Diva's challenge this week. I enjoyed my first attempt at a tile using only straight lines. It can be tricky to get those straight lines freehand. I started with a string comprised of two intersecting straight lines and added some Cubine, Paradox and a little Hollibaugh with some decorative lines as I felt it needed something. Lots of shading on this one. It seemed to need it.

Tangle with S-T-U

I'm continuing to enjoy participating in Diane and Carolien's Weekly Challenge. This week the task is to tangle patterns beginning with S, T and U. It's okay to use patterns just beginning with those letters or to add others as well. My approach for this challenge has to concentrate on learning the official zentangle patterns by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts using the list of patterns by Linda Farmer. As there is not one listed for U I had to look at others and chose a fun one, Unyun by Carole Ohl. The other tangles are Snail, Squid and Tipple.

If you would like to join in too go to http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/2015/05/weekly-challenge-7-tangle-with-s-t-u/