'SIMPLIFY'

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #226

Guest Blogger, Katie Crommett, CZT

"Let's Simplify"

   I love simple, but can't always seem to apply it to my life. With time, clutter, household chores, food, everything,...................I always seem to feel that more is better, or at least that's what we have always been told. But the funny thing is, when I tangle, I seem to be able to find white space and fewer tangles, to be somewhat easy for me. Maybe it's that desire of simplicity just screaming to get out and 'Zing' there it is in the Zentangle method. So I tried two tiles for this challenge. 

   One tile that I had pre strung at CZT Seminar and didn't have a chance to do anything with it, and the other just a coaster I had lying around in paper clutter, that I have been wanting to do something with. There we go!

So here is the string, which is very busy!!!! So I challenged myself to simplify it.
I think I did ok. But it was a very busy string to begin with and I really didn't want a lot of lines showing when I was finished.

See how busy this was?

I tried! :0)

This one is real simplified!! But how many of you can stop there with 'Parodox'?  It was hard for me! I wanted to continue right down into the center, cause it always looks so cool! But I restrained myself and left it open!!

   In the last tile I used 'Parodox' and 'Murmylies' by Annette Plaga-Lodde, aka LonettA. I love that little tangle and I think it will go well with so many of the other ball type tangles. Fun!!

   Anyway, here is just a peak of what my week was like

4th of July Birthday

Fireworks

Beach Day!!! See that mermaid tail?

Vacation Bible School all week from 5:30 to 8:30 and I taught the preschoolers. 3 to 5 year olds.

I made all 15 of my students a rock to take home as a keepsake of VBS 2015!!!

These I made for my helpers and the woman that leads the program!!

Last but not least, a train ride to San Clemente beach with Cub Scouts!!

Can you find my daughter somewhere in this pic? :0)

   I wish everyone a lovely week!!! A great big "Thank You", for the lovely sunshine on my blog! I was able to see everyone's work last week,...........and wow! This tangle community really has beautiful Zen!!!!

Now, 

go put

 some 

Zen

into this

TanGleD 

world

!!

;0)

WHITE on BLACK

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #218

'White on Black on Found'

   For the Diva's weekly challenge, she asked us to use white on black, this time. Since I have been playing with Rock decorating, I thought I might as well try using the calligraphy pen w/nib and ink to do my entry. Wow, I love how easy it flows. Mind you, the nib has to be dipped into the ink, here and there, but it shows up so strong and it's easy to make fine lines. You oughta give it a try! I am still learning though. It takes some mastering and getting used to. I then used the white charcoal pencil to do some shading. Fun, fun, Fun!!!! Thank you Laura for the great challenge. I don't use white o black as much as I'd like to.

Here are the products I used. (click on images to enlarge)

My 8 year old son came up with this quote, I thought it was so precious that I just had to use it!  (Since I leave Zentangle
Acts of Kindness with quotes on them, all around, he wanted to come up with some that I could use.)

Here are just a few more rocks that I have done to give away. Please check out this blog MagaMerlina , I found her on Pinterest. Her post got me inspired to try rock decorating!!! She is awesome!!!!

My daughter's preschool teacher.

   We have been having such wonderful weather here. Staying in the low to the mid 70's. Love, Love, it!!!!!!

The kiddos enjoying the weather and eating lunch outside.

   Just want to send a great BIG "THANK YOU" for all your loving messages last week. My Mother-in-Laws funeral is tomorrow and it has been a tough time for family. But we are making it through. 

(((((hugs)))) to you all! 

   I apologize if I don't leave a response to your message on my blog, but I can't seem to leave a reply. I checked everything in blogger, but I don't know why it doesn't allow me to do so. So if you do leave a message, I do try and reply on your blog. Thanks for the sunshine!!!

:0)

Go put 

some 

Zen 

 into this 

TanGLeD

world

!!

THIRTY FIVE, BRING ON 'DEX' and 'BUNZO'

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #217

'Dex' vs 'Bunzo'

"HAPPY, HAPPY 35th BIRTHDAY TO YOU, LAURA!!"

   Following Laura's instagram and I am the Diva, CZT blog, you will learn a lot about her love and strength that goes out to taking care of her lil' son. Her son Artoo has Moebius Syndrome, which you can learn more about on her blog. She spent a good part of last week in the hospital with him, but thank God they are home and he is feeling much better. Yay!!!! Just in time to celebrate her 35th BIRTHDAY!!!! What a blessing to be able to be home and healthy and ready to celebrate!!!

"Laura you are such a top notch example of Strength, Love and Courage!!!! Many blessings for you and your lovely little family!"

Such a busy week..........

   My son had a biography book report due last week and he made his First Holy Communion on Saturday. So, mom was busy!

This is him dressed in character for Leonardo DaVinci.

Just some of the rocks I did for his Communion, but I ended up giving these ones to the noon aides at their school because it was appreciation week. Those noon aides are like Angels watching over our children when we can't be with them!! 

I wrote, "When you think of me, pray that I may hear (or answer)  God's call." I put that on each rock because we can all use a prayer and what best can I ask for my child , than for him to answer God's call, in life!

Sadness of the week,.....

 

The last family photo with Grandma.

   Last Wednesday, my mother-in-law passed away. What a woman of Strength!!! She would've been 90 this July. She suffered from Parkinson's which led to other health problems. Thank God, she really only suffered the last 2 weeks of her life. Such a beautiful and courageous woman!!! She had hospice and family, at her bedside. What a peaceful and memorable way to leave this world. 

"Grandma, you will be missed very, very much! Watch over us from above, until we will see you again!"

;0)

THE JOURNEY

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #215

'Labyrinth'

   Good morning!!! I start today off, thinking about how I want to create this post. While I'm thinking about it, it brings me to this week's challenge and how it fits into the most simplest situations in our lives. Like, how I want to start this post!

   Are you a person that makes easy, and quick decisions? Or do you ponder before deciding? After making a decision, do you have regrets or do you just go with it? As I was drawing out my string for my labyrinth, I thought of those questions. Because as I started tangling my string I couldn't decide, do I want to go clockwise, or do I feel that I want to go against the grain, and go counter clockwise. Funny, huh? Well, I had to think of a labyrinth as life. Do we choose a path in our lives where we have regrets? Do we choose paths that bring more joy than others? I think we do all of those things within our lives. But it's what we do with our choices that make the outcome. Life isn't always easy,......and really, thank God!!!! If it were easy breezy all the time, that probably means that something isn't right. Life is meant to have ups and downs and right and left turns! Just like a labyrinth, it is it's nature and natural flow!!! 

   Wow, sorry to get so deep, but I am always in awe of life!!! What a miraculous thing!! 

   As I started out my labyrinth journey, which by the way, thank you Jean Chaney, for the quick access to labyrinth referrals. (You have to check out the You Tube videos that she referenced us to.) Amazing!!! I right away want to create a border of stone and than show a flow of movement, so I chose organic tangles. If you notice, the flow going clockwise or counter clockwise has a different tangle. When I was finished, I went to trace the labyrinth with my finger, and I went counter clockwise. Later, I went to trace it and I realized I took a different route. Each direction was just as enjoyable!! 

   Thank you Laura for this reflective challenge!!! I have always been intrigued by labyrinths, but I guess have never really studied them with such fullness. That is on my bucket list, now!! 

This was my starter that I followed from the video.

As you can see, a larger piece of paper would have worked so much better. I lost a bit of my travels.
Tangles used, Tipple, Flux and Btl Joos. I was excited about this challenge because it reminds me of the new tangle that my son created, (whether it's an original I don't know) But it's called 'aMAZEn', Check it out, and let me know what you think!

   I chose that starter, because it looked least, like a brain. Isn't that funny? Once I had chosen Tipple as my border, as I was repetitively making my circles and darkening in the space around them, I thought to myself, "Why did I pick something so time consuming?" But once I changed my view of that choice and got into my Zen, Tipple became more therapeutic and transforming than it did, tedious. It's all on how we look at things.

   So enjoy life! I saw a saying that said, "May you live all the days of your life." by Jonathan Swift.

Wow,...... reflect on that while you journey your labyrinth!!! :0)

Go put some

Zen,

 into this

TAnGled

world

!

These are stones that I have been working on for my son's 1st Communion! More info about my inspiration and other info, in future posts!