K.I.S.S.

I Am the Diva ,CZT

Weekly Challenge #198

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Silly)

      Even though I love the Diva's challenge, I was kinda glad when I saw this week's theme. 

'KEEP IT SIMPLE SILLY'!!!  With everything going on for Christmas, life is busy!!!!

   So without further ado,.....

"MOOKA, HOLY FAMILY "

   A very Merry Christmas to all of you!!! May you and your loved ones be Happy and Blessed!!!!!

Love and Hugs

:0) 

Share Humanity

NEW OFFICIAL TANGLE-'ARUKAS'

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #197

New Official Tangle 'Arukas'

   It's so good to have Laura back!! "Laura it is soooooo wonderful to hear that Artoo's surgery is very hopeful! That lil' guy is the cutest and what a brave lil' soul he is too!!! Welcome home!!"

   Laura comes back and gives us a really fun and beautiful new tangle, straight from Zentangle themselves!!! 'Arukas, is, Sakura, backwards!!! (very clever!!) Well, if you are not familiar with Sakura, it is the #1 brand of pen used for Zentangle!!Actually it is the Micron, Sakura that is used most. What an awesome product it is too. Or should I say, all of their products!!

   So in tribute to Sakura, I have used their Gelly Roll Stardust to enhance the effect I wanted for this Zia! It is so much fun to work with!

Just look at how that Stardust shines on the paper!! Too much fun!!

Tangles used: 'Sakura', 'Wud', 'Mooka', 'Doolee Do' and 'SitZen' (If you notice, the angle of this picture, didn't show the sparkle that much.)

   Being that it is the second week of Advent, only two candles are lit. Next week will be the rose colored one!! I just love Advent!!

   I've been trying to bring the cheer and joy of giving into our home and teach my children what Christmas really is about. So every night when we sit down to dinner we light our candles, say Grace, and then each of us share what we did in the day to make someone smile!! It really does put a thought in the kids head, like wow, it actually is something to work at to go out of their way to do something for someone!! And then you have my youngest (4 years old), that says, "Mom, if I just smile at someone, then they smile!!" So really, it doesn't take take too much to make someone smile! 

   Anyway,  my Share Humanity, "One little word,'" is coming to an end with 2014. And I believe, that those little 'smiles' are still one of the best ways to Share Humanity!!

   So, with that said, I challenge all of you to go spread a Smile, and Share Humanity!

Go put some

Zen

into this

Tangled

world

!

:0)

Share Humanity 

ALL DOLLED UP and INCHIE, XENON

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #196

'All Dolled Up'

   This week Emily Classon, is filling in at the Diva's Weekly Challenge. (Still, ongoing prayers and love are going out to Laura and her family. We're all missing you!!!)

   When I saw what the challenge was to be for this week, I had to smile! And right away I started in a frenzy, thinking, who is it that does those cute lil' Zirlies? So I searched and finally I remembered, that it is Jacque at Tangle Bright! Every time I have seen these cute lil' gals on her blog, I always think, I'm gonna give one of those a try! Well, now is my chance!
Thanks Jacque for introducing 'Zirlies' to the Zentangle world! I think I want to do more!!! And thank you Emily for this fun, playful challenge!

My 'Zirlie' all dolled up!!

   For the season of Advent, I will be adding touches of purple or rose to my Tangling, in hopes to bring the spirit of the True Christmas, to my blog!! Please take a peak at Barbara Geer's blog Untangled Prayers, she is doing a beautiful tribute for the Advent Season! Thanks for the Christmas cheer and inspiration Barbara!!

   May the you be touched by the True Spirit of Christmas also, this Christmas Season!!!
Thank you for all the touches of Love that all of you wonderful people leave on my blog!!
((((((Hugs))))) to you!!

Go put

some

Zen

Into this

TAngled

world

! 

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Xenon'

Xe  (Xenon) is a noble gas 

      I was going to do a light house because they can use Xenon for it's colorless gas to create a high intensity light for their lamps. But I found this on Pinterest, on three pillows. I thought it was the cutest thing. Can you figure out the other two elements are?

   Oh and I missed last weeks challenge so here is 

'X-axis'

   I, right away, thought of the skeletal system and the 2nd vertebra axis. Now I don't know if this really counts as X-axis but otherwise I was going to have to do a graph of some kind, but I don't really do well with those. Anyway,......... Have an awesome week! We, Californians, are actually having a bout of rain right now!!!!!! YeeeHa!! We need it!! 

   Thanks for your friendly comments!! 

Have a terrifically, wonderful week!!!

:0)

Share Humanity

OUT with the OLD AND IN with the NEW

Thanks be to God

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #195

"Turning Old Into New" by Sandy Hunter, CZT

   Thank you Sandy for standing in for Laura with her weekly challenge! (I think it would be a great challenge for all of us,.....if we had no challenge....so thank you!) So with all of that aside, My lil' family went on vacation these last 5 days so I'm late in getting my entry in. 

  I really didn't get to get totally into my Zen with tangling, because I was Zenning (don't know if that could even be a word) with all of the wonderment and new surroundings that I was immersed in. So my apologies for my entry being a quicky! (Don't get me wrong, I did quite a bit of tangling, and most of it turned into Random Acts of Zentangles that I left everywhere on our trip.)

When we were visiting Solvang, there were the most beautiful and huge leaves everywhere. I was going crazy, I wanted to pick them all up and bring them home! (My family was ready to leave me there, because they had to restrain me from grabbing every leaf I passed)  :0!

They got brittle pretty quick so it was a challenge to tangle on them. Not too much detail, because the best marker I had with me was a Sharpie.

   On with the challenge!!! Two of my go to favorite tangles are Mooka and Wud!!! Love, love, love them! So Mooka is always free form and all different sizes and not much uniformity when used on a tile. So I boxed it!!!!! And then, when I used Wud, I usually have it as a border and in a pretty uniformed pattern. So I tried it in a circle and I let it get a little wonky! (A new word I learned from blogging, that I have been waiting to use!!! I love it, "wonky", 'WONKY', and WOnkY! It's just all around a fun word) So here we go....

Don't look too close, because you will see my 'oops' with Mooka.  (down at the bottom......)  Anyway, it was hard to do exactly the same and on a circular space, so I got a little confused!!

   This really was an enjoyable challenge, and now that I'm back home, I'm hoping to play some more with this Old into New concept!!! (first I have to tend to all the WonKy work of unpacking and laundry!! YUCKY)

   I didn't have a chance to put thought into my Inchie for the week, so that will be postponed til next week!!

   In the meantime, I hope all of you who are celebrating Thanksgiving, had a wonderful one! And even if you are in another country, I hope that you may reflect and find something you can say that you are Thankful for!!!

GIVE THANKS

and 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

(gobble, gobble)

Thank you to all who leave niceness on my blog!!

;0)

Go put some  

Zen 

into this 

Tangled 

world

!

EMBRACING THE 'YUK', AND INCHIE, 'WEAPON'

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #194

'Embracing the Yuk'

   I just want to say, WOW! Elisa, I loved this challenge!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Using my left hand to do Zentangle, was very rewarding!!!

   If you would like to read up on Embracing the Yuk, Elisa Murphy CZT has filled in for the Diva's weekly challenge. Her quest for this challenge, was to make us feel uncomfortable. (That's the 'yuk' part.) Actually, she just wanted us to feel the empathy of what Laura, the Diva, is going through while her son Artoo had surgery. A bit of uncomfortableness and no control. 

   I remember doing this as a kid. My sis, and girlfriends and I would play school and we would sometimes say that we had to use our left hands for writing. We always giggled at the outcome of our writings. Being that I do massage therapy, I have strength in my left hand but I do have to say, not as much fine skill control.    

   Crazy as it was, as I was doing my tile, I did feel uncomfortable, because I found I had my shoulders clear up to my ears and I was gripping that pencil so tight, that I was not in my ZEN!!! Until, that awareness settled in and I said, Relax, let go and enjoy!!!!! Once I did that, I so, enjoyed this challenge. 

  As I was embracing the moment, I had to also reflect on last week's challenge #193 that Holly Atwater CZT put out. About giving thanks. Ragged Ray's blog really put the whole part of, reflection of thanks, into a beautiful meaningful post. So again, this week, I felt, that, connection of gifts and thankfulness. Using my left hand made me feel helpless, but then I had to stop and think how appreciative I am that I have a left hand. Sometimes, I think we go through life focusing on what we don't have and the negatives, that we forget what we do have and the blessings that are given to us in each and every breath we take, or meal we eat. Anyways, Thank you Holly, Ragged Ray, and Elisa, for reminding me to focus on the good and to be thankful.

If you notice all of the squiggly, un perfect, lines?

   Tangles used:

Mooka

Maryhill

Wud

Phicops

Ooples

   I do have to say, a real challenge is to do stippling with your non dominant had.. CRAzy!!!!!!!!

Thank you to all who leave such heartwarming messages!!! They are felt!

Have a blessed and joyful week!!!

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Weapon'

   My first thought for this challenge was to draw a naked women's body.!!! Yikes,.....I know!! (But, I do know quite a few women that use that as a weapon on men, or to get what they want.) Anyway, I thought that would not be very appropriate for my Family friendly blog. hahaha.

   So then you can say, I went to the other extreme!!! I thought of 'Weapons against evil'. Crazy, but that is how my brain works! So here it is

Cross; symbol of Jesus, Love: turn the other cheek, Garlic; ward off dracula and a wooden stake to pierce his heart, and a silver bullet: to kill a werewolf.

   I have all of those in my life, except the silver bullet and the wooden stake. But I 'believe', I'll be ok!!

Hope y'all have an awesome week and thanks for all the friendliness you leave me!

((((((hugs))))) to all!!

 :0)

Share Humanity

   

   

NEW TANGLE, 'SIT'ZEN

My New Tangle

"Sit'Zen"

   It is funny how we get our inspiration! Especially in the Zentangle world. There are tangles out there in nature, on clothing, wrought iron, jewelry, ..........You name it!!! They are out there just waiting to be deconstructed and put into simple, easy step outs for all of us to have fun with.

   Take for instance this chair,........

The upper part on the back of this folding chair is what inspired me.

   

   So here I was sitting in, on a meeting for my daughter's preschool class. The information from this meeting was a waste of time. (Well, I guess not entirely, because I had gotten distracted and noticed this beautiful pattern on the back of the chair in front of me.) WOW!!!

   There was a lady just 'sit'zen there on my inspiration, so I couldn't really take of pic of the back of that chair. So on my way out, after I had figured out how to deconstruct 'sit'zen', and I had had enough of the meeting, I was able to snap this pic of a chair stacked on the wall.

   Here are the step outs and ta-dah,........... Here is 'Sit'Zen'!!!

You can click on images to enlarge!

This is my original that I had worked on during the meeting.

Please give it a try!

   Have an awesome day!

:0) 

Share Humanity

TRITANGLE: 'TRIO', 'HUGGINS', and 'XYP' (THX) and INCHIE, 'WHEAT'

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #193

TriTangle: 'Trio', Huggins', and 'Xyp'

   This week's challenge is brought to you by Holly Atwater, in place for our Diva, Laura. (Laura is on break for the month of November while her son Artoo has surgery and comes to recovery. So she needs her family time and our prayers, that all goes well!!!)

   Holly has chosen tangles that spell out THX. Which is short for Thanks! Because today is Veterans Day in the US and because we will be celebrating Thanksgiving this month, we are here to say "Thank You"!!!!

We have the tangles

'Trio' , by CZT Hanny Waldburger

'Huggins' by Zentangle 

'Xyp', by Zentangle

Lighting was a little bad on this one. 

   I enjoyed this Challenge. "Thank You Holly for filling in this week, it was a fun challenge!"

Purple Heart for all those Veterans who saved a life and yellow ribbon in honor of all Veterans!!!

   I ,...'THANK ALL SOLDIERS' who have made the US the safe and free country that it is! Your bravery and dedication are never forgotten! I hope you can enjoy this day with family and friends! Many Blessings and prayers go out to all those who have lost someone in honor of protecting our country!!! XO's

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Wheat'

   So many things popped into my head for this week's Inchie word. The Hymn from church, 'Gifts of Finest Wheat', Gluten Free, a bushel of wheat, Wheaties cereal, and etc.

So I decided it was another great word to do some quilling. 

Here is my bushel of Wheat.

(click on any image to enlarge)

   And I had to do this simple one, only because this is California for ya'! Everything is a fad here in California, and if just one celebrity does it,.............everyone gets on the band wagon. Anyway, I do understand there are people that really are allergic to wheat gluten, but I do know so many people cut it out of their diets, for weight loss and the newest fad!!! 

I've even seen this on the labels of shampoo bottles. Crazy!!

   Thank you to all who left messages last week, and all of your well wishes for my Dad!! He is doing well and nothing's gonna keep him down. (New technology in medicine is simply amazing!)

Thank you for keeping a smile on my face, all week! Your messages are always taken to heart! I know how much time it takes to put into blogging! (((((Hugs)))) to all!!

Share Humanity

:0)

UMT-'SETON' and INCHIE 'VIOLET'

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #192

UMT- Seton by Cris Letourneau

Tangles: 'Seton', 'Maryhill' and 'Gnarly'

Great background tangle! Thanks for sharing, Cris! :0)

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Violet'

I tried to create Wisteria with quilling. (Was a quickie)

Have a blessed and joyful weekend!! And a many thanks to all you 'Specials' who leave me comments! I promise, when I get back to having a little time, I will visit your blogs and return some sunshine!!!! (((((Hugs)))) in the meantime!!

Ps. Prayer request: My 77 yr old Father just had a knee replacement, please send up a little prayer that he recovers and comes back to full health and can be as active as he was prior to this surgery. 

;0) (wink) thank you!!!

:0)

Share Humanity

MONOTANGLE: BETWEED and INCHIE, VEGETABLE

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #191

Monotangle: Betweed

   I always love the uniqueness of pumpkins when they have bumps and an array of color and deformity. They are just beautiful all by themselves! But I did decide to use mine as columns for my 'Betweed', monotangle. I kind of did it with a spiral affect.

Remember, you can always click on image to enlarge. :0)

   

   Laura, Artoo will be in my prayers, as will your family and the doctors and anesthesiologists as he undergoes his surgery!!!! God Bless You All!!!! (((((((HUGS))))))))

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Vegetable'

   As I remember, a vegetable has no seeds in it, otherwise, it is a fruit. Am I correct? Anyway, as I started thinking about that, I had to really think about what veggies are out there, that I could use for this challenge.  I had my kids help me too. So I hope you can recognize which vegetables these are.

I took the picture with my Inchie on an onion, which is a veggie, right?

So have you eaten your veggies today?

This is partly why I am short of time for blogging. If you haven't seen the Lego Movie, these are all characters from that movie. Stay tuned into my posts to see some 'DIY' on these costumes.

"EVERYTHING IS AWESOME"

I hope you all have a 

'SPOOKTACULAR'

Halloween!

Be safe 

and

have fun!!!

:0) 

Share Humanity

POWER of PINK and INCHIE 'UMBRA'

I am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #190

"Pink for Ardath"

   Laura, at the Diva, has asked us to show our support for Breast Cancer Awareness, the color of October!!! She shares her heartwarming story about her grandmother, Ardath.

   Unfortunately, I'm sure we all know someone, possibly even related to someone, who has had to suffer from this disease. October is 'Breast Cancer Awareness Month', and we are showing our support to ALL who are affected by Breast Cancer.

   

click on any image to enlarge

Tangles used: '120 Ribbonz', 'Itsy Twisty', and 'Heart Rope'

   I used watercolor paints on this and then my Micron and pink pen. (I really don't know how to use watercolors. I am self taught with all art techniques, so I have not really dabbled with watercolor that much. But as with a lot of things, Zentangle has brought me to the challenge. I now, have the desire and the 'want' to learn more.) 

   Anyway, the coloring looks so different due to the sun when taking the pic. The bottom one is more to the real color.

(((((HUGS))))

for 

PINK

!

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Umbra'

   Here in sunny California, I have heard of a word very similar to Umbra, which is Ombra! It's a type of hair coloring that is done. Dark at the roots to light at the ends. When I looked up umbra in the dictionary, the hair color idea would work, but I wasn't too sure about it. So I went with another definition of the word.

umbra-a phantom or shadowy apparition, as of someone or something not physically present; ghost; spectral image.

   So that's the one I decided to use. (especially since Halloween is right around the corner)

I tried to make him see through looking. Best I could do!

   Hope this worked! And have an awesome week everybody!!!

:0) 

Share Humanity

 

Life has been one big time-limit lately, so I haven't been able to get to everybody's blog and leave messages. (I feeeeeel sooooooo bad, I'm sorry!!) I barely even looked at last weeks entries. So, it looks like it will be that way until the end of the year! So many apologies ahead of time. But my family, home and work need me more right now. I'm hoping to still do the challenges, ( I need some art time to keep me sane) but they'll be sweet and short, probably. We'll see!

   Many blessings and ((((hugs)))) to all! 

:0)

UMT: 'YUMA' and INCHIE, UNGUAL

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #189

UMT: 'Yuma' by Tina AKUA, CZT

   Congratulations Tina!!!  It is exciting to have your own tangle chosen on the Diva's challenge!! Well, I loved your tangle Yuma!! I can see that it will be a great tangle for filling in spaces and or to use as a monotangle! Thanks for sharing it with us!!! 

   Step outs for 'Yuma' are HERE, if you want to give it a try!!

Duotangle: 'Yuma' and 'Stripes'

   Hope all of you have a funtastic week, and Thank You, to all who leave a bit of sunshine on my post! You are all greatly appreciated!

:0)

Don't forget

to put some

Zen

into this

Tangled

World

!

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Ungual'

   So you say, what,......? What is ungual? Well, it is the distal most claw or hoof bearing phalanx.

If that doesn't help, than maybe this picture will.

This is my drawing of a Centrosuarus's phalanges, and ungual.

   Welp, I hope that helped! (Whew, this was a tough on this week, but very educational!!)

Have an awesome week, everybody!!!

Keep 

Inchin' 

Along

!

:0) 

Share Humanity

INCHIE, THISTLE

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Thistle'

   I do not have any Scottish running through my veins, but when I looked up thistle on Pinterest, I did come across this. It is a traditional Scottish luckenbooth. It is given to the bride by the groom as a wedding gift or as a token of love before a wedding. If the couple pins it to the garments of their first born baby, it is said the family will be lucky. 

   So I decided to draw a picture of a luckenbooth, with a Scottish flag in the background. And what does this have to do with a thistle? Well, the Scottish Thistle is in the center of this brooch.

   Have an awesome week!!! 

I think I'm off to working on some projects I've been putting off, for a while now!

See you all next week, as we inch through this one!!

  

:0)

Share Humanity

BLIND STRING and INCHIE, 'THRONE'

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #187

"String Theory- Blind String"

   This, as always, was a fun challenge! I felt like I was cheating, in a way, when drawing my string because even though I had my eyes closed, I still could feel where my pen was going. So I also moved my paper around with my left hand while drawing my string. Fun!! 

   I'm submitting two because the first one I used to make a birthday card for my client and friend! She is supposed to come today, so I wanted to give her a card, and figured I would kill two birds with one stone. And then I thought, I am always doing Zias lately with so much color. I'm going to try to stick to the basics of Zentangle. (Well, I almost did it!! But,............) I had a tile, a true Zentangle tile from the challenge B.Y.O.B. and I had used Thai tea to stain it. Well, it didn't dry fast enough for me to use it then, and I've been holding onto it, now, for a while. So, I used it for this challenge!

Hard to see, but here is my blind string. (click on any image to enlarge)

Before color and shading.

Tangles used: 'Blooming Butter'(one of my new Favorite tangles), 'Mooka', 'Ansu', 'Apulia' and 'Showgirl'

Blind string with Thai tea stain.

Tangles used:'Wud', 'Mooka', '120 Ribbonz', and 'Ooples'

   Thank you Laura, for motivating us to stay in our Zen!!!

Thank you to every special person that left a message on my blog last week!!! You bring a smile to my 'every' day!!! (((hugs))) back to ya'!!!

Don't forget,

 to put some

 'Zen '

into this

'Tangled'

world

!

:0) 

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Throne'

   As soon as I saw the word for this week, I had to giggle! Because the 'Porcelain Throne', is what came to mind. So I figured I would go ahead and use it. I mean,......after all,.... we all get to be king for the day when we sit on that kind of throne. Right? heehee 

"The Porcelain Throne"

I drew it then cut it out. That's supposed to be a crown on top! I used the 3D tape to make it stand out.

   Ok, so one last joke to go with this theme. Not only can you be king for the day,...........but you can always get a,..........'Royal Flush!!' hahahahaha (okay, bad joke)

Anyway,

Enjoy the rest of your week!

And remember

Don't just go the 'Inch',

but go for the mile!!!!

:0) 

Share Humanity

STRING THEORY: LEAVES, LEAVES, LEAVES and INCHIE, SALMON

I Am the Diva, CZT

Weekly Challenge #186

'String Theory, Leaves, Leaves, Leaves'

   I was so excited when I saw what the weekly challenge was this week! One year ago, when I discovered Zentangle, I had a vision of tangling all over real leaves. As I would take my kids to school and see beautiful leaves all over the ground, big ones, little ones, and most of them brown. I thought to myself, these would be just amazing to tangle all over! So I put them in a book and let them get pressed and nice and flat, for a whole year! Laura's challenge, reminded me that I had these leaves all pressed and ready to be transformed! So here is one of them,....the Sycamore leaf! (The other two little ones I just found today and thought that they would look cute next to the big one. They are not pressed.)

(before pic)  The canvas that this leaf is laying on is 10"x10".

Tangles used: Fandango, Ansu, Betweed, Birds on a Wire, Angel Fish

After doing this, one leaf, I now want to make a collage of these. I will keep you posted if I do.

   Fall is my favorite season of the year, even though here in Southern CA, we don't really get a true fall! (It is also, a very special day for me because my middle child was born on the first day of fall, 7 years ago!!! He always asks me to make my famous sugar cookies in the shape of leaves, for his birthday! So I had quite a lot of fun Tangling all over leaf cookies today too! So fitting for this weeks challenge!) 

Anyway, enjoy the colors and,.............. hope you get to,.....Fall into your Zen!!! 

Every Inchie Monday

Weekly Challenge

'Salmon'

   I wasn't quite sure, again, what I was going to do for this one but then it came to me. Years ago, I visited my cousin in Juno, Alaska, and he prepared an awesome grilled salmon! It is still one of my favorites. Quite simple, and full of garlic!!!! So I present to you the recipe for Grilled Salmon. Minus the directions, because it wouldn't fit on an Inch. If you'd like to know the rest of this recipe, just leave me a message and I will do so! (Heeheehee) 

Enjoy!!!

Have an awesome rest of the week!! And Happy Fall!!!

   Thank you to all who leave such friendly messages on my posts! You bring a smile to my face! I always like to return the favor! Last couple of weeks have been busy, so I hope to do better at that this week.

:0)

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