Life quote

For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. ~Fr. Alfred D'Souza

This zentangle is for the Diva's challenge this week:  Using only two patterns.

Pleasing everyone

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."    - Bill Cosby

If you displease someone, stop and consider what occurred.  If you feel certain you did nothing wrong, then let it go.

This ATC (artist trading card) was a group project by 4 members of the ATCs Anon group on Yahoo.  I was the 4th and my challenge was to add an embellishment(s).  Today, I will mail back one to each of the three others of the group.

How true!

"The problem with A place for everything and everything in it's place is that there's more everything than there is place."     -Robert Brault, writer


How true, how true!  I've been attempting to organize my studio this past week.  Seems as if the more I put things away either I can't find it when I want it (right brain, left brain problem) or there's not enough space for where I want to place things.  I've been donating, throwing away, organizing, etc. and have made progress; however,  I have to come to the realization that organization is just not my best trait.   So be it, and I will make the best of it.

Autumn quote and quilted wall hanging

"Autumn is a season followed immediately by looking forward to Spring."   - Anonymous

I love the colors of autumn.  But the older I get, the more I dread winter.  Today's quote sums it up for me.

Yesterday, I finished this wall hanging which I started while at the quilting retreat last weekend.  One of  my goals is to create wall hangings for each season and /or holiday.  

Diva Challenge, quote

"Success isn't measured by money or power or social rank.  Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace."     -Mike Ditka

This weeks challenge by "the Diva" was to create a pinwheel for peace.

Quote, Quilting, Life and Serendipity

"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection.  Excellence, I can reach for, perfection is God's business."       -Michael J. Fox

Excellence is a colorful quilt lovingly stitched by it's maker.  Perfection is a sunset that mingles stunning colors, breathtaking shapes at sunset.  Perfection is breathtaking, but excellence is gratifying in its own right, as it is achieved through hard, steady work.

This just happens to be  the quote of the day in the book Positive Quotes for Every Day by Patricia Lorenz.  It is the perfect quote for me today.

 This past weekend I spent a very enjoyable weekend with my quilting friends at a quilt retreat.  We spent two days quilting & laughing and eating!  The retreat is located in Danville, Illinois at Threads of Time Quilt shop.  ( http://www.threadsoftimefab.com/ )  The facility is very nice and Bill and Missy (the owners)) are very accommodating. 

One of the projects I completed is a quilted Halloween wall hanging:

Quote, Questions, Life

"Judge people by their questions rather than by their answers."    -Voltaire

Several have asked if I choose my quote of the day first or my art first.  I usually try to match a quote to my art, but today I did the opposite.

   Yesterday I mentioned the book "Positive Quotes for Every Day by Patricia Lorenz.  I am really enjoying this book a lot.  The above quote came from the book and her comments about the quote are truly soul searching:  What kinds of questions do you tend to ask?  They reveal what you care about.  One example she gave was do we want to know how much money a person makes or what kind of car they drive, or do we want to know about their loved ones and their hobbies?  She had other examples as well.

Her challenge after the quote:  Today I will be mindful when posing questions.  I will be sure they reveal my true concerns.

What kind of questions do you ask?  What do your questions reveal about you?

Quotes

"There are souls in this world which have the gift of finding joy everywhere and of leaving it behind when they go.     - Frederick Faber


I love quotes and hope you've enjoyed the ones I have shared with you.  This quote is especially meaningful to me.  Bob and I helped celebrate his Aunt's 90th birthday this past weekend.   She is a delightful person with a beautiful attitute and a lilting laugh.  We bestowed gag gifts upon her and she shared her enjoyment of her birthday celebration with us.  I only hope I can learn to see the world through her eyes.

Recently I found the book "Positive Quotes for Every Day" by Patricia Lorenz.   I have just purchased two more copies of the book to share with my daughters.  I recommend it highly.

Today's zentangle is a result of positive thinking on my part.  My zentangle art has been created mostly in black ink (which is traditional) so far.  I've seen several posts on various blogs, websites and flicker which show zentangles in color.  Here's my zentangle done in black and sepia:

Quote of the day, zentangle, challenge

"To the world you may be one person, but to one person you might be the world.    -unknown author

This is my zentangle made for Challenge #39 by "the diva".  The challenge is to create a zentangle which expresses love.

Please take time to tell those you love that you love them.  We just observed the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and so many people lost loved ones that day.  Life is short, tell someone you love them  --- NOW!

Paradox, quote of the day

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind.  To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdon and the guidance of virtue.     -Budha


.


Challenge #38 this week was to create an entire tangle design using just one pattern called paradox.
I've created two:

I'm not sue if I like the one in colors or not.  What do you think?


Life can certainly be a "maze" at times.  I thought after I retired I'd have so much time to do all the things I wanted to do.  Perhaps my problem is that I keep adding projects faster than I can create them.  Seems as though my mind just keeps thinking up a maze of creative ideas but my fingers and hands can't keep up with my mind!

Kiss my Grids

"Try this for an interesting party, combine cocktails and a fresh box of crayons for everyone."  - Robert Fulgam, author.


The challenge this week by "the diva" was to fill in your string (design) with only grid designs.

1.  

Have a Ducky Day!

"In comic strips, the person on the left always speaks first."  -George Carlin

Some days you feel like a nut, some days you don't!  Today is one of those days. 

Quote of the day - "Home"

"Where we love is our home - home that our feet may leave but not our hearts."  -Oliver Wendell Holmes

This card is one I'm sending our to our Grandson and his new wife.  They are moving into their first new home.   When you think of "home" what or where comes to mind?  A lot of us think of our childhood and where we grew up.  Some of us think of our current home and/or relationship; or perhaps our memories include several "homes".   I am blessed and greatful for our home together and love the fact the our grandchildren love visiting us. 

Challenge #36 from The Diva

This week's challenge from "The Diva" was to use the new zentangle pattern called Assunta.  It was not an easy pattern for me and I'm still not sure I drew it correctly, but here's my tile.  In addition, this week has been a frustrating week as my printer decided to act up, therefore this is my first post on my blog this week.  Lots of other frustrations as well, but then we all have frustrations don't we?  Today's quote reminds me that my frustrations were small compared to what other's have had to handle.

"If you're going through hell, keep going."   -Winston Churchill 

http://www.iamthedivablogspot.com/

Quote of the day and Zetangles

"Perhaps imagination is only intelligence having fun."   - George Scialabba, author


This is my 2nd entry in the Diva challenge #35. 

Quote of the Day, zentangle

"Remember to be gentle with yourself and others.  We are all children of chance and none can say why some fields will blossum while others lay brown beneath the August sun."   -Kent Nerburn, author

Diva Challenge

"We judge others by their behavior.  We judge
ourselves by our intentions."   -Ian Percy






This is my zentangle for the Diva's challenge #35.

http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/

Crafts'N'Scraps: Awareness Ribbon Color Meanings

"Awareness is empowering."    - Rita Wilson, actress

Crafts'N'Scraps: Awareness Ribbon Color Meanings

Opposites Attract

"Two quite opposite qualities bias our minds - habits and novelty.  -Jean de la Bruyere, Philosopher

Each week there's a zentangle challenge put forth at http://IamTheDivaCZT.blogspot.com/
This week the challenge is to use circular patterns within straight lines or straight line patterns within circular patterns.  This is my entry.

Quote of the Day, Dazl zentangle

"Music in the soul can be heard by the universe."      -Lao Tzu, Philosopher

Quote of the day and zentangle using Dazl

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant." -Robert Louis Stevenson

New tangle pattern - DAZL

Today, I created a new tangle pattern which I've named "Dazl".   While drawing a new string for a zentangle square, I drew a circle.  When searching for an existing tangle pattern to draw in the circle, I couldn't find one that I really wanted to add to the tile.  So, I started drawing within the circle and came up with Dazl.  I've also included an adaptation which can be used for borders.   No particular thing or item really influenced the design, it just seemed to "happen" as I drew.

Thank you card for a friend and a daily quote

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine."      -Thomas Jefferson

This card is a combination of stamping and zentangles.

Bring out those hazy, lazy, crazy days of summer

"Ambition is a poor exuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."  - Milan Kundera, writer

What happenen to those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer?  It's certainly been hazy and crazy , but where does the time go?  August already?  I remember my days as a kid enjoying the lazy days of summer.  I also remember thinking that retirement would bring back some of those days, but it seems like the days go so quickly that there's not enough time to enjoy summer under the shade trees as I'd like.   

Music is Magical

"The longer one is alone, the easier it is to hear the song of the earth."   - Robert Anton Wilson, Author

Friends, quote of the day, zentangle

"Some of the most wonderful people are the ones who don't fit into boxes."  - Toni Amos, Musician

Travel, quote of the day

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."   -Yogi Berra

Having just traveled from Indiana to Virginia for our grandson's wedding, I reflect on the many sights and memories of the trip. 

Quote of the day and Zetangles

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."  -Megnon McLaughlin, journalist

Quote of the day and Zentangles

"Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit."    -Aristotle

Quote of the day and Zetangles

"Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale."    -Hans Christian Anderson