New Tangle Pattern…Brix

After a weekend of cold, rainy, dreary weather it is so good to see the sun out this morning. I hope you are enjoying sunny skies too.  The weekend wasn’t all bad.  My mom came in so that was fun.

Not much going on but I do have a pattern for you.  It’s called Brix.  It’s really easy and not too far off the mark from real bricks that you would see in fine art.  This pattern would be great incorporated with Graffiti style letters and perfect to use if you were drawing a Zentangle for a boy.

ENJOY!

Be Well and Happy!

My Fairystone Necklace…

Well, I am finally able to post the necklace and bracelet.   I made these  pieces for myself and I love them.  I also believe this necklace fulfills one of my New Year’s resolutions, so that’s a plus.  The fairystone was a gift from my little sister.  I made this necklace pretty simple, because I didn’t want anything competing with what fairystone represented as well as not competing with the stone itself.  I think using just three simple seed bead strands worked out really well.   If you are not familiar with Fairystones here is a   link  http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fai.shtml.  This explain where the stones can be found and the legend of the fairystone.

Well, I guess that’s about it for me today.

Be Well and Happy!

Into The Wild Zentangle Series 8

Wow!  Another week got away from me, but maybe a new pattern will make up for it:)  This is the last pattern of my “Into the Wild Series” and I hope you have enjoyed these patterns as much as I like making them.   Thank You! Molossus at http://lifeimitatesdoodles.blogspot.com/ for posting links of my patterns to her blog.  I have enjoyed this so much that I will try to keep this a weekly thing (if I can come up with them) so stay tuned.

This is Ostrich pattern.  It’s pretty easy.  I like it because it also looks like a flower.  The center of the Ostrich print in real life is really dark and messy.  It almost..well not almost…it looks like a scab..EWWWWW! so I kinda improvised the center.  I guess you could use something like Jetties or Ennies in the center, it’s up to you and what you like.

Ostrich

Below is the finished Zentangle…Finally:)

Be Well and Happy!

Into the Wild Zentangle Series 7

Yay, I finally finished my pet portrait commission, but I can’t post it until he receives it.  Also, I’ve beaded two necklaces and bracelet that I’ll post next week.  And during Irene’s meanness (leaving us with no power) I learned the necessary stitches to crochet a shawl that I want sooooo bad.   Yes, it’s an extremely large amount of work to learn for one garment, but I want it sooooo bad.  Most of the time I’m a teach a man how to fish type a gal and I guess crocheting is one of those times.   I know I sounds like that I have ants in the pants disorder, but I’ve been having a pretty good time.  I’m definitely not an arts and crafts snob…and I hope you aren’t either;)

Now on with the tangle pattern.  I had fun with this one…it’s called Sssnake and is supposed to resemble snake skin. I don’t care much for the actual creature, but even I can appreciate the glorious colors and patterns that snakes have.   I hope you like it and will incorporate them into your own Zentangles.

Sssnake

Below is the snake pattern in my Into the Wild zentangle.

Be Well and Happy! 

W.I.P.

W.I.P. Barn

    This is one of the projects that I have been working on.  This piece is not very big sizing in at 5 1/2 x 7 3/4 in. but has been very challenging as well as taxing on my nerves.  If you click on the image you will see that it’s about 70% complete and I have myself hemmed in a corner.  In my ref picture there is a big evergreen covering most of my tin roof (coming from the right).  I decided to leave that out.  I really didn’t have problems with that, because I’ve seen enough tobacco barns in the span of my life to make an educated guess. On the lower bottom right, (the white area) is where a bush is supposed to go if I don’t change my mind.   I’m still having problems with that tree.  In the ref. picture it has leaves, and I didn’t block them out before I drew the tree, and now I don’t know what to do and I’ve been drawing around my problem.   A commission came in that I need to get started on so thankfully, I don’t have to decide anything right now.  I guess I could take the easy way out and make it a winter scene.

What do you do when you have a technical difficulty?  Do you push it to the limit or do you play it safe?

Be Well and Happy!

Hand lettering…

In my last post I mentioned Joann Fink’s Zenspirations.  I really enjoyed playing around with her techniques and her take on hand lettering.  What you may not know about me, is that a long time ago I used to be a hand lettering artist.  Of course at the time I didn’t know that the “hand lettering artist” label even existed, I just did it.  I would hand letter  invitations, certificates, signs, buildings, banners and even race cars.  I just loved writing fancy and manipulating letters.  But that was so many years ago…and I’m so rusty..Hand lettering is not like riding a bike, if you don’t use it, you lose it.  So, let’s just say I lost it, lol.. but I’ve been practicing and below is some of my efforts:

As you can probably see, my spacing is a little off  but hey, I haven’t done this in like 18 years.  So I’m  not going to beat myself up over it.

After I finished Joann’s hearts and drew the letters I really wanted to do something cool with these.  So, I decided to make these for my daughter and of course a set for myself

These are just transfers from my printer and ironed on reg. white t-shirts.  I think they look pretty cool.  Oooooo, if I had a screen print press I would be dangerous!

I guess I was Zenspired!

Be Well and Happy!

PeaSe Pattern…

Yes, I’m interrupting my Into the wild tangle series to bring you a new pattern. 

This pattern is from a symbol that is as old as the hills.  I haven’t seen it anywhere on the net used in Zentangle and I can’t figure out why is hasn’t been used before.    It isn’t really a pattern, but kinda is and would be very useful in your pattern arsenal:

You got it….Peace signs and you can use them in so many different ways.  I got the inspiration from my daughter, she loves them!  All girls gotta have their flower power.  Here is some art using the PeaSe pattern:

 This heart is a variation of the heart that I learned how to do from Zenspirations Joann Fink at http://www.zenspirations.com/.  I love her work and it took every bit of self-control that I have not to go out and buy gel pens.  Seriously, she’s that cool:) Her tutorials can be found on http://tanglepatterns.com/.  Hop on over there,  you’ll love it!

Be Well and Happy!

Rest In Peace Sam…

 

On Saturday, July 30, 2011 we lost our 9 year old Samoyed Sam.  I was hoping to post a tribute but the words won’t come, so I will leave you with this quote:

   “The misery of keeping a dog is his dying too soon. But to be sure, if he lived for 50 years and then died, what would become of me?”                   -Sir Walter Scott

Saluki…

Saluki

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

       While I was drawing this dog one name came to mind,  Paris Hilton.  The Saluki breed looks  like they would be the socialites of the doggie world. They look kinda diva (ish) and prissy.  I’m sure they are not, but it kinda makes me wonder why that in the thousand dog movies that are out, that they would miss a perfect opportunity in this breed.

     She/He was a good practice.  I don’t get the chance to draw a lot of long fur and it was just enough to get my feet wet.   I still have a bit more work to do on the collar now that I see this post, but I think it turned out well.

   I’m still working on my other two pieces.  The painting is killin’ me and I don’t know if it will turn out….I’m struggling but not giving up yet.  The other drawing is about half done and it seems I’m still having difficulty with trees and bushes.  I also I have Zentangle pattern to post soon.

Well, I guess that’s about all that’s going on around here, it’s a bit more than usual.  With it being so hot out I guess it makes a person more productive indoors.  You know it’s hot outside when your skin stings just walking to the car.  I’m hoping that you guys are staying cool:)

Be Well and Happy!