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.

 

 

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.

 

 

Challenge 126, quote

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

|

-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.

Quote, Diva challenge zentangle, recipe, less pain

    I've been thinking about my blog lately and have decided that I will be sharing more of my happenings and thoughts than I've done up to now. 

Today it's about 60 degrees here in Indiana with a little wind and a lot of sun.  While I was out shopping I saw several convertible cars with the tops down.  I don't even have a sun roof on my car, but I did open the window. 

My back is feeling better after the shots on Thursday - hopefully when I go Thursday for another shot, it will relieve all the pain so that I won't have to have surgery.


Today's challenge is #98 by The Diva.  She challenged us to use the tangle pattern called "keenes" by
Donna Hornsby.  I like the pattern and in my mind I always think of the song, "Teeney Weeney Yellow Poka Dot Bikini" whenever I use that tangle in one of my zentangles.  Anyway, since the pattern is a round shape and I'm in the Christmas mood already, here's mine:

 

 

Since I am feeling better, I even decided to bake.  I looked through the pantry and for some reason, I had 4 cans of pumpkin.  Why?  Who knows but since they were so many cans, I chose to make pumpkin bread.  I searched through my file for a new pumpkin bread recipe because I haven't really liked the recipe I've been using. When I say my file, it's actually a big box with recipes from magazines, friends, family, etc. that I just knew I'd get organized.   Eureka!  There was a hand-written pumpkin bread recipe (in my hand-writing on a scrap of paper so who knows where I got this recipe.).    The results using this recipe is the best pumpkin bread I've ever made.  It's spicy, but not too spicy and very moist:

 

Pumpkin Bread

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

 

1 cup liquid oil (corn oil is what I used)

4 eggs

15 oz. (appr. 2 cups) pumpkin (I used Libbys pumkin)

2 1/2 cups sugar.

2/3 cup pumpkin ale beer (or water if you prefer)

 

Mix the above ingredients. 

 

Mix together :

 

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

 

Add the dry ingredients to the first mixture and mix well. 

Add apprx. 1 cup chopped pecans, and mix well.

 

Pour into two greased lg. loaf pans filling each 2/3 full.

 

Bake for 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

 

 

I forgot to mention, that since you use only 2/3 cup of pumpkin ale, drinking the rest of the bottle while mixing the dough could be a good thing (if you like beer  - I don't, so I'm saving the rest of the bottle for my hubby after he gets home from work).

 

 

 

Well, since the bread turned out so well, I've decided to make some chex-mix.

It's in the oven now.  I don't know if being in so much pain is the reason I've been so hungry this past week or what, but I've eaten every package of chips, etc. in the house. Honestly it's like I have a tape-worm.    Thus, the reason I'm making the chex mix. 

 

Hopefully tomorrow, I will feel even better and I will get out the Christmas decorations.  That will add to my festive mood even more. 

 

 

Quotes, zentangle and some pain relief.

Two quotes today and a new zentangle. 

Thursday I had my first injections into my back.  The Dr. said it would take a couple of days before I would know if the injections are going to relieve my back pain.  This morning, I woke up with a lot less pain than I've been experiencing.   Halaluja!   I'm still in pain, but at least it's more bearable.

Thank you to all of you who have included me in your prayers and expressed kindness while I was suffering with the horrific pain. 

Thanksgiving blessings, quote, zentangle

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."
Oprah Winfrey

Yesterday was a good day - our Family shared a wonderful dinner prepared by my brother.  It was nice to catch up with the activities of our neices and nephew and our grandchildren.  And the persimmon pudding was delightful!


The Diva's challenge this week is to create a zentangle without starting with a "string".  The idea being to challenge yourself to design freely.   As I've progressed in the art of tangling, I've found that I really like starting without the basic string.  Especially if I want to try a new tangle pattern.  Starting with a pattern, then adding other patterns as I go seems to bring out more free motion style tangling.
More curves, etc.  Here's the zentangle tile I did for the challenge:

Thanksgiving tradition, quote, zentangle

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. For several years now, our family has celebrated Thanksgiving on the Sunday after the traditional Thanksgiving.  We found as our children grew up, married and had children that it was so difficult for them to divide their time between their "inlaws".  Thus our Thanksgiving celebration moved which has worked out beautifully because we get to celebrate with more of our family members and they come to the table "hungry" rather than stuffed with food from all the other dinners on the same day.   My hubby and I are just ready to get into the car - bringing with us the persimmon pudding that I make each year.  Persimmon Pudding is one of our traditions and I enjoy making it from my Mother's recipe. 

So from me to you - Happy Thanksgiving Day (again).

Quote, Life with pain and a zentangle.

About 10 days ago, I was raking leaves, moving furniture and
doing other tasks that I had been putting off.  The next day, I woke with a pinched nerve and the pain was terrible from my back down to my ankle.  After a couple of days, I figured out the the pain wasn't just going to go away, so I called the chiropractor.  It didn't help at all.  After a couple more days
of terrible pain, my hubby suggested that we go to "Urgent Care".   Sure enough, he said it was a pinched nerve - gave me prescriptions for a steroid pack, pain pills and anti-inflammation pills. 
 After a couple more days, I decided to try acupuncture and found a chiropractor who does both acupuncture and chiropractic treatments.   

So after about a week of constant, terrible pain and several more treatments and daily doses of pills, the pain is still there, but starting to subside. 

The reason I'm writing about this is to enhance the daily quote I posted above.  The constant pain has led me to wanting to eat anything "crunchy".  Somehow my body is seeking relief through eating!  Which is entirely the wrong thing to do for various and obvious reasons.  The only good thing about this situation is that I go to the sewing machine and start making blocks for a quilt.  My concentration on making 1/4" seams does keep me from thinking about the pain.


.  Hopefully, the pain will subside soon and I will be posting more often.

Challenge, quote

Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.
Khalil Gibran

This weeks challenge from "The Diva" honors the Beads of Courage Program:

http://www.beadsofcourage.org/

Here's my zentangle in answer to the challenge:

This past week, I finally finished the wedding quilt for my grandson and his bride and they stopped by yesterday to pick it up.   But can you believe - I forgot to take a photo of the quilt!    Hopefully, they will take a picture and send it my way. 

 

Pie recipe, quote

Quote of the day...."Love your parents. We are all so busy growing up, that we forget their aging too. Don't take the days for granted and make each moment count."

When Bob and I were first married our house had a concord grape vine in the back yard.  My wonderful Mother-in-law not only helped me make and can grape jelly each year, she also introduced me to "grape pie".  The recipe was in an old edition of a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and I try to make at least one pie each year; not only because it tastes so good, but it also brings back memories of my Mother-in-law.   I've discovered that most people look at me quizzically when I mention grape pie, and they always wonder how I get rid of all those seeds!                I encourage you to try one -  it is delicious.

Quote, Zendala Dare #22

This weeks zendala blank form:







This is my finished zendala:

Challenge 85, quote

Zendala Dare #21, quote

Today is Labor Day, the last hurrah of the summer.  We are so lucky to have the freedoms we have here in America.  Take time to reflect on your blessings.

This is my zendala for this weeks challenge:

Challenge 84, quote, tangle pattern Dazl

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.
Luther Burbank

This weeks challenge from The Diva was to close your eyes and draw your "string" and create a zentangle from the string.  When  I drew mine (above) I finally turned it upside down before I "saw" the beginnings of a cart - and I went from there.  The wheels of the cart are my own tangle pattern called "Dazl" which is posted under tangle patterns here on my blog.

Zentangle Challenge #74, quote

"Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known."
Oscar Wilde

This weeks challenge by The Diva is to create a zentangle using eccentric circles.

 

Mandala Challenge, quote

"The perfect journey is circular - the joy of departure and the joy of return."     -unknown

This week is the 9th week of madala challenges by The Bright Owl.  This one was more difficult for me and I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with the result. 

Zendala Dare, quote

"Nobody has ever measured how much a heart can hold."   -Zelda Fitzgerald

Another Friday - already!  The zendala dare this week by The Bright Owl blog is to create the zendala using tangle patterns starting with the letters L-O-V-E.

These are the patterns I used in my zendala:

Lacy (in the corners)
Onamito (in the hearts)
Vortex (in the circles)
Emingle (in the background)

All the tangle patterns can be found in the website "TanglePatterns.com" and there's a direct link here on my blog.

zentangle, quote, Nook or Kindle?

"Books are the bees which carrry the quickening pollen from one to anothers mind."  - James Russell Lowell

For several months now, I've been thinking about purchasing a Nook or a Kindle.  Most of my friends have the Kindle Fire and really like it.  However, when I go into Barnes and Noble they have a pretty convincing spiel about their Nook.   I can't seem to make up my mind -- any suggestions?

Zentangle Challenge 71, quote

He who walks in the middle of the roads gets hit from both sides.
George Schultz

This weeks challenge by the Diva is to use the new tangle pattern "pea-knuckle".  I'm not real satisfied with my results as I found it difficult to get the lines to come together the way I wanted; however, here is my tile:

The month of may seems to be speeding by!  This past weekend, I watched the Indy 500 qualifications.
Can't wait for the race this Sunday - it should be a very competitive one this year.  Lots of good drivers and some rule changes this year.