RUMPUS a new official tangle!

The wonderful folks at Zentangle Inc. are doing another 12 Days of Zentangle and you can follow along on their blog or newsletter everyday for the awesome video’s and projects!  

I missed the first two days, but I couldn’t resist a new official tangle!  Day three of their 12 days, they introduce us to Rumpus.  This is an awesome tangle that’s very organic, beautiful, and I think it will be addicting (for me anyway)!  

Also, today is an exciting day for me in my wrist/hand injury recovery.  I graduated from therapy today, one week early! YAY!  From here on out it’s just regaining strength back for the next 6 -7 months. The last 5 months were quite a challenge so I am glad to have them behind me! 

This is the first tangling I have done since my injury and I am so happy to have this part of my life back, even if I need to take it slow with frequent rests, I can do it again.  What better therapy could there be!  😉

Expressive Landscapes

In the alcohol ink class I took this summer we learned how to do expressive landscapes.  Expressive landscapes are abstract landscapes that aren't planned.  It was a lesson in learning how to let the inks flow, mixing different colors, and seeing if something emerges on the paper.  I'll be honest with you, it doesn't happen every time, and sometimes I go through a lot of ink without getting anything but mud. I have also started out making a bloom or something else that's not working and it turns into an expressive landscape. It's fun to turn your paper each way and look at the different views.  It's a great technique to learn a lot about the inks themselves and how they flow with a mind of their own.  Here are three of my favorites from this summer, all done on yupo paper. 

SUPERNATURAL EVENT

ICY FASCINATION

FORCE MAJEURE

MIA....where I've been and where I am now

MIA-missing in action for over 3 1/2 months!

 Well, my last blog post and last DIVA challenge was on 7/20 and 2 days later I had an unfortunate freak accident.  Without boring you with the crazy details, I severely dislocated and broke my right wrist which required surgery where they had to put in 2 screws to hold one of the main bones together.
I also ended up with some nerve damage that controls some of the fingers in my hand.  Yes, this is my dominant hand, and the last thing you want to have happen when you are an artist. So, anyway I was in a soft cast for 10 days (combination of before and after surgery) and then a hard cast for 8 weeks.  I did get to change colors at the half way point, started with pink and ended with purple.

 

During that time I had to learn how to use my left (non-dominant) hand for everything.  I also have a wonderful husband who helped me with so much, I can't even tell you how great he's been!  I couldn't drive, so he took me everywhere, even if it was just for a ride in the mountains when the walls at home got too small.  I did a lot of guided meditation (Headspace app) and that helped me so much!  Also, I kept hearing Maria Thomas say 'Is this a good thing, or a bad thing...who's to say"....hmmmm such food for thought!  My Mom's voice in my head (yes, I still hear it after all this time) also reminded me that things can always be worse! So true, I have my hand and it's going to get better! 

I have missed tangling during this time so much! I know I could have done it with my non dominant hand, but I just couldn't for some reason.  I guess I like the detail and comfort of my right hand when tangling.  I also had to stop the DIVA challenges, which was extremely hard since up till then I hadn't missed a one!

I had just started a 6 week online class in using alcohol inks with Alexis Bonavitacola, an artist whose work I really admire.  In the class she was teaching us to blow the inks with a straw and canned air.  Well, after seeing everyone post in our private facebook group, I was determined to try it with my left hand.  I am so glad I did because not only was I able to do it, I created some beautiful art pieces, and I continued to create throughout the rest of the class and after.  Her website is www.alexisbonavitacola.com if you want to check out her beautiful art and classes.  I can not say enough about how wonderful her class, "Energy, Motion, and Flow" was!  Here is one of my favorite flowers! 



AWAKENING

So,  if you are still with me, that's where's I've been.  I am in a much better place now!  The nerve in my hand is coming back, slowly (I've been told it can take up to a year). I have been in physical therapy now for 4 1/2 weeks and have made incredible progress.  I do exercises at home 3x a day for 40 minutes each time.  It's a lot of time, but I am committed to it.  I want my hand back and functioning!  My surgeon tells me it will be a full year before it's all the way back, so I have a lot more therapy to go, but I'll get there. 

 As far as my art goes, I still haven't been able to tangle, but I am hoping that will be soon.  My surgeon tells me it will be very good therapy for my hand, like I didn't know that!  LOL!  I am still painting with my alcohol inks. I discovered so many techniques for working with the inks, received so much inspiration, and encouragement to take my art to the next level, as a result of the class I took. I created a website (on my own), updated my business plan, and I am starting to market my work. I kept my business name of Tangled Ink Art, since it fits both the pen & ink of Zentangle, and the Ink of Alcohol Inks.  If you'd like to take a look at my website and my artwork, I'd be very grateful!  WWW.TANGLEDINKART.COM

Also if you are on Instagram, I just created a page under TangledInkArt where I will be posting all of my work, so I love for you to follow me! 
If you go to my RedBubble store (link on my website) please follow me there too!
Thanks!
Sue

P.S.  I have missed all of you in the Zentangle blogging world and I am sorry I haven't been able to keep up with your blogs!  I can't wait until I can join all of you in a DIVA challenge again! 
 

 

 





 

DIVA Challenge 325 PEANUCKLE

CZT, Jessica Davies is the guest host once again this week, and she is challenging us to use the official tangle,  Peanuckle. I never used to use this tangle either until I had the opportunity to learn it directly from Molly Hollibaugh who created it. If you struggle with it, make sure to watch the video link on this challenge post.  Molly does a wonderful job of breaking down this tangle.  

Traveling Tangles Project

It's been awhile since I swapped any tiles for the Traveling Tangles Project, so I sent these 3 tiles out in June.  They went to Susan Rink Olsen, Michele Wynne, and Marty Greiner, along with paper folders I made to hold Bijou tiles and some blank tiles.   

 

So far I have these two have been completed and I will add the third when it gets posted to the FB group.  Beautiful work, ladies!

 

 

Completed by Susan Rink Olsen



Completed by Michele Wynne




 

Here are the tiles I received and completed..............

 

 

 

 

 

             Susan Rink Olsen's tissue paper dyed tiles that I completed

 

   

Michele Wynne's beautiful tiles that I completed



DIVA challenge 324 Tangled Heart

The Diva, Laura Harms has taken a much needed summer break from the weekly challenges to spend time with her family.  Good for you, Laura! Kids grow up so fast and the more time you can spend with them is wonderful, so enjoy your summer.  Instead of stopping the challenges, Laura is offering us guest challenges.  The first one is CZT, Jessica Davies, who has challenged us to use a heart ❤️ shape as our string.  Well, this is right up my alley, as I love hearts!  I used three different shades of pink, even though the heart looks red in the photo.  Thanks, Jessica! 

DIVA challenge 323 Home

Yikes, I am really late this time! I am just posting last week's challenge from the DIVA. The challenge is Home and here it is in Laura's words....

This week's challenge is to create a tile that reflects your home.  This could be your country, or This week's This week's challenge is to create a tile that reflects your home.  This could be your country, or province/state, your city, your neighbourhood, your house, or the planet, the solar system, the galaxy or the whole universe.

My first thought was to do a heart for my town of Loveland, but I have done a lot of hearts lately, so I decided to do the state. Well, when you think of Colorado eyou most likely think of mountains.  I drew a quick string of some mountains and a river and then tangled.  I was born in Wisconsin, moved to Colorado when I was 23, and have lived here longer now.  Colorado is my home, and I love it here! 

 

1st Tan Opus Tile

I'm not sure why it has taken me this long to try the tan Opus tiles.  I love the small regular tan tiles with the black and brown pens, and I love doing the white Opus tiles.  It's also been a long time since I did a Mandala too, which I also love to do.  I like to use the Mandala Stencils by Genevieve Crabe when creating a large Mandala because they save me the time of drawing all my grid lines first. You can purchase her stencils at www.tangleharmony.com.

I started out with a Celtic Knot.  I haven't done many of these, but I like  the You Tube video's by David Nicholls.  He has a different sense of humor that will either make you laugh or you might not like at all, but he has good video's that are easy to follow.  Here is the link to the circular border knot I used.  If you do a search on youtube.com of Celtic Knots David Nicholls you will see all the other videos he has.  

So here's is my 1st Tan Opus Tile......



With shading and highlighting



Prior to shading and highlighting

DIVA challenge #322 Aquafleur

This week's challenge from the DIVA is to try the tangle, Aquafleur.  This is an official tangle that has been around for awhile, and while it is beautiful, it is not one I use often.  Like Laura, it's a tangle that I am not 100% comfortable with it either.  If you know me, you know I love hearts, so I did my Aquafleur around 3 heart shapes.  Hope all of you are having a good week and staying cool during this hot summer! 

#321 Non Dominant Aura Challenge

Over at the DIVA challenge this week we are doing a dreaded non dominant hand challenge.  I say dreaded because I am one of those people who don't really care to use my non dominant hand to create a Zentangle tile.  Check out Laura's post and see all of her really good points to using your non dominant hand. I agree with all of them, but that still doesn't make me like this challenge.  I struggled through it and here's my "tile that has character" (since I can't call it ugly). LOL!  

 

DANSK

The DIVA challenge this week is a UMT (use my tangle), DANSK by CZT Margaret Bremner.  Here is my tile with Dansk, Knightsbridge, Striping, and Printemps. Have a good week everyone!  

BEad INSPIRED

Make sure to click on the link at The DIVA challenge this week to read all about the Beads of Courage program.  It's a wonderful program that Laura's son, Artoo (online name) has benefited from and one that Laura has raised funds for through a 5K color fun run.  I have done this challenge several times over the years and it always touches my heart to read about it.  Here's a heart wrapped in ribbon with one bead (although I know you have many beads) for you Artoo!  💞

Diptych

This week's challenge from the DIVA is to create a diptych.

In Laura's words:  A diptych is two panels joined with a hinge - and the panels are mirrored - and i use the term 'mirrored' loosely.

These are fun to make from regular and zendala tiles.  I used two shades of blue pen and shaded with colored pencils.  

TANGLES:  Crazy Huggins, Flux, Tipple, Mooka, Poke Leaf

My husband turns wood as a hobby and I took this picture with one of his beautiful bowls with stone inlay.  😍

Dingbatz Fun

If you are on the Zentangle Mosaic app then you have probably seen the Kitchen Table Tangles video from Rick and Maria on Dingbatz. A version of dingbats which is a typographical symbol or ornament, Zentangle style.  Of course, they changed the last letter to a Z instead of an S.  You see dingbats a lot in books, a little decoration dividing text or chapters, etc.. Give them a try, they are fun to do.  I can't wait to do some more!

Photo Tangles (DIVA challenge #317)

This week's DIVA challenge is to cut out a photo from a magazine, glue it to your tile, then use it as your string.  Since I am late getting my challenge  done this week, I will admit that I didn't give my photo a whole lot of thought.  I just opened a magazine and thumbed through for a picture small enough to file on a tile.  So here you have it, a cute little piggy bank with tangles. 

Alcohol Inks in my kitchen

After living in our house for 23 years we decided it was time to give our kitchen an update. Not a total make over because the cabinets are still in good shape.  We had the Formica counter tops replaced with granite, a new sink & faucet, and also tile from the counter tops up to the cabinets.  The tile we picked is an off white/cream subway tile.  We were going to buy new switch plates when I had the idea of trying to paint the old ones with alcohol inks, which I'd seen on Pinterest. I am new to the inks, but have had a lot of fun experimenting with tiles and Yupo paper.  I kind of have a Tuscan style decor in the kitchen (my house is not fancy but more funky) so I tried to stay with that for the switch plates.  This was fun and I love how they look on the tile!  

Stripes

The DIVA Challenge this week is to use stripes for your string. Any size, width, or shape.  I used a tan tile, shaded with graphite, and used a white charcoal pencil for highlighting.  Fun challenge!  

TANGLES:  Zander, Onamato, Noom, Fassett, Tortuca, Shattuck, Flux,  Poke Root

We had a really fun weekend celebrating Mom's, friends and neighbors from years ago, and a 95th birthday party for my father-in-law.  Good times!

Me and my beautiful daughters

Me and my sisters from WI

Family

Family and good long-time friends

4 generations

95 years young

My one and only (so far) granddaughter

Tangle Study - Molygon

The DIVA challenge this week is to study the official tangle, Molygon. On the Zentangle Mosaic App, Rick and Maria have a series they call Kitchen Table Tangles which includes a video by them on tangles, tips, and techniques.  It's quite a fun series to watch and learn something new from.  The latest KTT video was on Molygon, and it just so happens that I was inspired by that video and did a Molygon tile last night before the DIVA introduced this week's challenge. So, since I have a fairly busy week ahead with out of town company coming and a 95th birthday BBQ for my father-in-law, I am going to use that tile for the challenge. YAY, I rarely get the challenge done this early in the week! I hope you all have a wonderful week and weekend ahead, and Happy Mother's Day to all of you!  

MOLYGON done with two shades of blue pens and colored pencils for shading

Scallamps

The DIVA challenge this week is to use the tangle, Scallamps by CZT Sarah Uram.  I have never used this tangle before, and I really like it.  It's very dramatic and could be used large or small, maybe even as a border.  Here's my tile....

Amanda (Earth Day)

The DIVA challenge this week is the 6th annual Earth (Amanda-the name her son gave the earth years ago) Day challenge.  I had this vision of using a tan zendala tile and doing tree around it with different tangles for the trunks and leaves.  I am traveling right now on an RV trip to visit the 5 national parks in UT (how earthy does it get), and my supplies are limited.  I didn't have any tan zendala tiles with me, so I used a tan square tile.  When I made my trunks, I didn't really have a way of making all different leaves on the smaller tile, so they all share the same leaves. Happy Earth day and happy week!  

Red Red Wine

No, this post isn't about the UB40 song, but my response to the DIVA's weekly challenge, coffee, tea, or me.  We are challenged to spill, spray, blot, etc. some type of liquid on our tile to use as our string. I used some red wine, very little, why waste something that good!  I wish I would have remembered to take a picture prior to tangling, but I didn't.  Anyway, I had some rings and splotches to work with and I tangled in and around them.  It looked funny with just the blank color, so I added Printemps to the color spills.  I enjoy staining the tiles prior to tangling. They always come out interesting! Enjoy the weekend, and thanks for visiting!  😊

Tangles: Knightsbridge, Betweed, N'Zeppel, Purk, Florz, Arukas, Paradox, Printemps

Diva Challenge 311-Circle Square String

The DIVA challenge this week is to use a circle/square string.  You can use however many circles or squares you want, just make sure to use a least one of each.  I kept mine quite simple, with one square and two circles, and black ink on a white tile.  

This week has been all about heavy duty spring cleaning!  Washing out and organizing kitchen cupboards, washing and wiping down the wood cabinets with an oil to shine them up. Cleaning the wood blinds one slot at a time, washing windows and shining all the woodwork around them, ceiling fans, wall hanging, pictures, etc.... (omg, I am embarrassed to say how dusty some things were, yikes!)  We've had some beautiful weather (70's) so it's been nice to open up the house and air it out, along with the dust.  Ahh, love springtime!  

Hope you are enjoying the weather where you are, and wishing all of you a very Happy Easter!