Challenge, quote, garage sale

"Life is what happens while your making other plans"

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted on my blog!  Just as I can't belive how fast this summer flew by. 

The Diva's challenge this week is to use only two patterns:  Knights bridge and Tipple.  Knights bridge has always been one of my favoriate tangle patterns, and I use it in the majority of my zentangle designs.  Here's three tiles I did for this weeks challenge:

A couple of weeks ago, I had a big, successful garage.  I'd put off doing a yard sale for years, usually just donating "stuff" or stacking it in my garage, shed or basement.  Finally the stacks of stuff became overwhelming.  After the sale, leftovers were donated however I must admit that my "packrat's disease" is still showing symptoms as I still have lots of "stuff".  The next few weeks are going to be devoted to organizing.  Wish me luck!

Quote, Challenge 131

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.  ~Herman Melville

 

 

 

 

The challenge this week by "the Diva" is to create a zentangle using only one tangle pattern called "Dex" which results in what she calls a monotangle.

 

 

Challenge 130, Quote

 


"Even if you think the Big Bang created the stars, don't you wonder who sent the flowers?" ~Robert Brault

"Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James

Quote, zentangle, challenge

"No two gardens are the same.  No two days are the same in one garden."  ~Hugh Johnson

 

 

 

The Diva challenged each of us to begin our zentangle with the same "string" this week.  Take a look at her blog site and you will be amazed that even though we all start with the same basic string - just like a garden, no two zentangles end with the same design.   Without the challenge of using the same tangle pattern within our design, our results like a garden are more different than ever this week.    Just click on the Diva's link within my blog to view all the entries and enjoy the art you will see!

Challenge 128, quote

" ... Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow." ~Swedish Proverb

 

Today's quote fits both the challenge and "The Diva's" website in general.   It's a joy to start out each week with a zentangle challenge to my brain; then visit her website and look at all the other zentangles created from the came challenge. 

 

This week "The Diva" challenged us to start our zentangle string using two pencils held together with a rubber band.  Its a fun technique I've used before when making a zentangle.

 

 

Quote, zentangle, challenge

"There's an alternative.  There's always a third way, and it's not a combination of the other two ways.  It's a different way." ~David Carradine



The Diva has done it again - a very challenging challenge (for me anyway).  We were to use only two tangle designs "Opus" and "Cirquital".  Both patterns are challenging - little on combining the two.  Here's my interpretation:

Challenge 126, quote

"A pleasant illusion is better than a harsh reality. "

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-Christian Nevell Bovee


This week brought another great challenge from http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/   She challenged us to create a zentangle using a stencil:


This is the stencil I traced which resulted in two zentangles:



Here's my first zentangle. Placing the stencil first on one corner, then the other,  I sprayed a piece of cotton fabric with ink, then drew the tangles with my micron pen. 

 My 2nd attempt was on paper with a micron pen.  I placed the stencil at an angle on the paper before drawing my tangles:

This was certainly a challenge!  Laura keeps coming up with ways to stretch our creativity.

Cat quilted wallhanging, quote

 "Time spent with cats is never wasted."  ~May Sarton

Recently, my friend Jan gave me a new sign (in the photo above) saying that "cats are like potato chips, you can'd have just one.   Her gift inspired me to search out some fabrics from my stash with cats and kittens, which turned into this new quilted wall-hanging.  The little cat statue on the shelf came from the Goodwill store.

Here's our cats; Tommy is the red tabby and Roxy is the tortise tabby.  They add such delight to our home!

Happy 4th, zentangle, quote

 And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
 who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

Happy 4th everyone!

Challenge, zentangle, quote

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."  ~Helen Keller

Is it a Zentangle?, quote

"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes


This is one of my favorite quotes and I may have posted it before, but it fits this weeks challenge by "The Diva's website this week.  The challenge is to create a zentangle design by not using the familiar tangle patterns we are so familiar with.  Thus  . . . .  is it a Zentangle or not?  Here's mine:

 

 

What a challenge!  You must check on The Diva's website button here on my blog and check out all the creative designs this week!

 

 

Quote, Memory

"The angels are always near to those who are grieving, to whisper to them that their loved ones are safe in the hand of God." ~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994

In memory of Todd Satterfield, my best friend's son.  May he rest in peace.

Challenge 122, quote

"Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom." ~Merry Browne

 

This weeks challenge by "The Diva" is to use patterns from a grid - "(un)lock the grid".

 

 

My birthday, quote

"Birthdays are good for you.  Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest."  ~Larry Lorenzoni

Our friend Dean cut these beautiful flowers today as my birthday present.  I came right home and put them into the vase.  Lovely!

Friday was actually my birthday and Bob and I went to Nashville, Indiana to celebrate.   I shopped and shopped, then we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Hob Nob Restaurant in Nashville.   On the way back we stopped in Indy at the Habig Nursery and bought some more flowers for our yard as well as a "bottle tree".  Now we just need to pick wine out for the beautiful bottles, hoping they taste good as well.

Challenge, Quote

A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." - Lou Holtz

This weeks challenge by the Diva is to use the tangle pattern called "Bird on a Wire" by Mary Kissel.
When I first looked at the pattern, I wasn't too sure that I'd like it, but I really enjoyed how the pattern flowed.  This was a fun challenge.

Challenge 120, quote

"No pleasure endures unseasoned by variety." ~Publilius Syrus


Doodling has become the art of Zentangle because of the pleasure of using a variety of combinations of pattern.  

 The challenge this week by The diva is to use only the pattern "bales".   This was a fun challenge - using a single pattern in a variety of ways.  

Memorial Day celebration, quote, quilts

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood


Memorial Day is a very special day for me.  From childhood to the present, I love the roar of the race cars at the Indy 500.   The pre-race ceremonies always include the celebration of freedom due to the honor and bravery by our service men and women.   And the race itself is an Indiana tradition.  Whether I attend in person, listen on the radio or watch the race on TV, I always get goosebumps of enjoyment throughout the day. 

This year I completed a couple of quilted wall-hangings which I display in our home during the month of May.

I wish you and yours a wonderful Memorial Day celebration and hope you will join me in celebrating
the freedom we enjoy as Americans because of the sacrifices by our service men and women.

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.  ~A.A. Milne


Yesterday I "found" my desk in my studio which allowed me to express some creativity making greeting cards.  I try to keep a "stash" of cards available.  Unfortunately, I have used/sold most of the sympathy cards I had.  

Quote, Amy's graduation, Purdue quilt

I hope your dreams take you to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known.  ~Author Unknown

 

 

May 11th we were honored to celebrate our granddaughter Amy's graduation from Purdue University.

 

We are so proud of her and excited knowing that she will definately make a difference in this world.

Congratulations Amy!

Challenge, quote

The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth. ~Niels Bohr


This weeks challenge by The Diva is titled "ebony and ivory".  

Challenge, quote

The artist is a receptacle for the emotions that come from all over the place:  from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web.  ~Pablo Picasso

The Diva's challenge this week was so much fun, that I did a second design using the new tangle called Kuke.

Challenge 118- Kuke, quote, sharing tangles

Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul — and you answer. ~Terri Guillemets


 The Diva''s challenge this week is to try a new tangle pattern called Kuke by Katy Abbott.
Here's mine:

 
 

challenge 117, quote

Be nice to those you meet on the way up.  They're the same folks you'll meet on the way down.  ~Walter Winchell, 1932

This is my zentangle created for the Diva's challenge this week.  The challenge is to use a new zentangle just created called "schway".

When I first saw schway, I didn't think I would like it; but once I starting drawing it, it became a pattern that just began to create itself.  

Challenge 115, Quote

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.  ~Native American Indian proverb

The Diva's challenge this week was to express your feelings about Earth Day/Mother Nature.


Today is such a lovely Spring day after many days of winter returning and lots of rain which is causing flooding all over Indiana and the midwest. 

Quote, challenge 114

Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands.  But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny.  ~Carl Schurz, address, Faneuil Hall, Boston, 1859

This weeks challenge by "The Diva" is to create a zentangle design using the theme "Stars".

Quilt, quote

Life is like a camera
Just focus on what's important
   and capture the good times;
Develop from the negatives and
   if things don't work out
Just take another shot!

 

This is the quilt I just finished especially for my neice Jennelle.

The quote above is the label I attached to the back of the quilt.

 

 

I just discovered this wonderful blog full of quilting humor.  It's called Mrs. Bobbins - definately worth checking out.  http://mrsbobbins.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

Quote, Knitted baby sweater

The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent.  ~Sam Levenson

Recently, my friend became a grandmother for the first time.  This is the sweater I made for her new granddaughter.   I can remember the thrill of becoming a grandmother for the first time.  Now, 14 grandchildren later, the thrill is still there!  Grandchildren are wonderful and I love them all.

Diva Challenge #113, quote

Some people are so much sunshine to the square inch. ~Walt Whitman






The Diva's challenge this week is to create a design using a square within a square, within a square theme as the design "string".

Zentangle challenge, quote

The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle. ~Author Unknown

This week the Diva challenged us to try something we've never tried before using zentangles.

Recently I purchased a small spirograph and have been wanting to incorporate a spirograph design with tangle patterns.  Here's my design:

Quote, Diva Challenge zentangle

Challenge 109   The Diva challenge this week is titled Zenquest.   Here's my take on  the challenge.

 

 

 

Here's my quote for the day:  After spending a couple of weeks with a nasty virus and lots of time in bed recovering, I can attest to this quote!