Diva Challenge #200: Bi-Zen-tennial

Congratulations to "the Diva" Laura Harms on the posting of her 200th Zentangle Challenge for us to enjoy! The challenge instructions this week are for us to use our "go to" or "mac n'cheese" tangle, to omit the border and to include the number 200 anywhere in the tangle. This challenge could easily be entitled comfort. Comfort is a noun which can mean "a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.

The art of Zentangle itself is the embodiment of comfort. Practicing drawing patterns puts us in the "comfort zone". We relax, unwind, are at ease. There is a freedom in putting together patterns which are easy to draw and drawing on our "go to" tangle makes this challenge especially relaxing. I chose

the tangle "Inapod," though I often change the basic tangle to fit my own needs. It pops up quite frequently in my drawing and like a familiar friend is easy on my mind. 

Diva Challenge #196

This week's challenge from "the diva" is from guest challenger Emily Classen and was entitled "All Dolled Up." I must admit I was not thrilled about this one. I looked at many of the submissions from other Zentangle artists and there were many clever and amazing posts! There were dancing dolls, doll dresses, doll patterns, zendala dolls, rag dolls and angels. Many wonderful and inspiring answers to this challenge and I was still not thrilled. Even so I was determined to rise to the challenge and so I present "All Dolled Up and No Place to Go.

Small Business Saturday, November 29th

In recent years American Express has generously sponsored a movement know as Small Business Saturday. Local hometown businesses may sign up and join for which they receive promotional materials to support the event, placement on an online map of supporting business and ideas to encourage people to "Shop Small" on November 29th.

On their website there are ways to show your support for Small Business Saturday (click to learn more) such as by promising to shop small and posting on facebook, and showing you will be there by taking a picture at the businesses and sharing it at #shopsmall.

Show your support for your hometown this Saturday. Look for the signs in the windows, the shop small mats at the front doors and get your free canvas tote at participating businesses in Benson!

Diva Challenge #195

The Diva guest challenge this week asked us to take our favorite tangle and use it in the opposite way in which we might normally. If the tangle was typically used in a grid, then we were to use it in a free form way. If it was a free form tangle we were to use it in a grid. The tangle I chose was one which I use frequently and is basically of my own design. It is similar to other patterns I have seen but one I have been using for a few years which I based on a seashell type of design. I call it Shelz and I generally use it to fill large spaces in a free form manner. This Zentangle uses it in  grid pattern. Because the tangle is very open and plain it benefits from the extra use of color and makes the tangle a bit more fun. I must say that sometimes I can get into a rut with a pattern I like a lot and this challenge will make me think of using many tangles in a different way. I was impressed by the samples that Sandy Hunter did for us. I really liked the look many of the familiar tangles had when used in this new way.

Diva Challenge.

Webster's defines the word used as a noun as a "call to take part in a contest or competition, especially a duel, as in 'he accepted the challenge'. Synonyms: dare, provocation, summons." When used as a verb it can be defined as "invite (someone) to engage in a contest, as in 'he challenged one of my men to a duel'." There are other meanings but for the sake of this post these are the two definitions with which I am concerned.

Sometime ago when I first discovered the art of Zentangle I also discovered a blog called "I am the diva" by Laura Harms. Laura is a Certified Zentangle Instructor and on her blog she challenges us weekly to participate in a Zentangle drawing in which she provides the guidelines and a means for us to all post and enjoy each others tangles. The link to her site is on the right side of this blog.

Since renewing my blog posting last week I have decided to once again take up the gauntlet and accept the challenge of a weekly Zentangle. The real challenge for me will be sticking to it and actually getting it posted each week. Today I have succeeded.

This week's challenge was a guest challenge by Holly Atwater, CZT to create a Tritangle, a tangle using three specific patterns. They are Trio, Huggins, and Xyp. I always seem to have the hardest time with Huggins. I love the pattern but don't use it often because it confuses me when I try to draw it. Be that as it may I am posting anyway! Challenge met.

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Change.

Well it isn't the new year but one can not always wait for January to make a resolution for change. November seems to be just as good a time for new beginnings. Maybe its the change of the season from a busy summer of activity to a slower pace in which there is room for reflection on the last years changes. As for myself there were many.

Last year on November 1st I set out to lose 35 pounds. I succeeded by February and have successfully maintained that weight loss for a year now. In February I met someone new who would by June become an important relationship in my life. My youngest son moved out on his own and my oldest got engaged. And at the end of this year my parents and I will be closing the larger studio know as Swift Weavers in Benson.

Change is inevitable and sometimes bittersweet. When I opened Swift Weavers in 2008 it seemed to be a blessed endeavor, I called it a "God thing." All the pieces fell into place effortlessly. When my Mom and Dad moved to Benson I taught  my father to weave and he began to assist me at the shop. We managed to stay afloat but some circumstances in my life demanded that I return to work full time to support my family. My Dad continued to maintain the shop, handling a large  part of the weaving and the day to day operation. As a person who needs something to do I believe it gave him purpose. I look back now and see that Swift Weavers was not in God's plan for me but for my father. Who knew?

I'd like to thank my Dad and Mom for faithfully keeping the doors of Swift Weavers open for the last 3 years. And while we will be closing the main studio this January we will be retaining a small yarn section in Bugs and Flowers and continue meeting on Tuesday afternoon with the knitters. As for the future I would like to return to blogging on a regular basis, continuing to weave at home this winter and establishing more of an online presence for Swift Weavers.

Thanks to everyone for all their patronage and support for the last six years. It has been a privilege to have met and served you all!

Zentangle Challenge - Pendrills

This week's zentangle challenge involved using the new tangle, called Pendrills, which Rick and Maria just unveiled in their newsletter. You can read all about here.

I just love this tangle. It so organic and flows so easily. I love the feel of the grapevines from which it was inspired but it also remind me of netting. I think we will all have a lot of fun with this one. I know I did.