All New Week

~ My Challenges Gallery Page has the links to all the challenge sites ~

The first of many challenges this week is Suzy Mosh's New To Me H with the artist focus on Michelle Beauchamp.  For H I used one Hurry, a border of Hibred, and two sprigs of Hurray.  Michelle has great instructions for how to draw a spiral (something I've been wanting to do) and I decorated the spiral with Blooming Butter and Mak-Rah-Mee.  I added a touch of yellow to represent the "Butter".  ALL of these patterns,and spiraling technique, are new to me ... I'd like to use all the patterns again, but especially Mak-Rah-Mee as I don't think I did it justice here.

Suzy Mosh also offers the Tangle Me 3, week 3, with the focus on Strircles.  The original pattern is black and white in the upper right corner.  The two variations:  parallel curved lines filled in with Tipple, and ovals with the pattern Curl; and a slightly wavy line and color added.  I like this pattern - it can be both bold or soft and is very versatile.

The Diva's Weekly Challenge #225 for July 6, comes to us from a guest blogger and CZT, Jen Crutchfield.  She asked for color - 2-3 that we maybe have not thought of using together before.  Now it happens that just the day before this challenge, I was playing with Alcohol Inks.  Alcohol Inks are vibrant splashes of color that you don't really have full control over what the final outcome will be.  There are several ways to apply the color and they are a lot of fun to work with!  (But that is another post...)  Once dry, you tangle on top, incorporating the color design into the patterns.  This tile (4" ceramic) shouted "organic garden" to me... I used 'Nzeppel for the stone wall, Pondee & Tree-Three (by Simona Arian Cordara if Kai-Zen Doodles), Flux, Zinger, Fescue, and Mooka, with a tiny Printemps Bijou.  the tangles were done with a black Identapen, yellow Sharpie, and white paint pen.

A new addition to my weekly challenges is from The FB Group, Stacked and Tangled, Idea #11 which suggested a circle tile stacked with patterns by Simona Arian Cordara of Kai-Zen Doodles.  For this Zendala I used her Estrel, Drakon, Railwayz and Geerandoka.  If you haven't checked out Simona's patterns you should - they are interesting and fun!

Joey's Alphabet Monotangle this week is E - Entwine.  Boy, this was a challenge!  Entwine is considered an advanced pattern - I can tell why!  It required a LOT of concentration.  When I started out I had no idea where it would go as Entwine is typically used for a border, and looks like it should be one.  I didn't just want to "border" the tile ... I also decided I needed "something" in the background to break up the white, but wanted it simple.  I've seen this type of background used by others (sadly I can't remember where or I would give credit, and will if I see it again...)  While I know there are a few mistakes (I skipped one entire step!), and I'm not totally thrilled with the shading, it doesn't look too bad.  This is my first attempt with Entwine, not sure there will be another ...

Not finished yet ... It's A String Thing has reached it's 100th (Zentennial) Challenge!!  Time to break out the metallic pens - first time I've used them - and black tiles... I was going for an elegant look!  (Although the skipping silver interfered with that!)  I wanted to do something that would represent all 100 challenges, and trying to fit 100 "strings" on a 4.5 square wasn't going to work (I would need a 45" square) ... I started with her commemorative "100 string" ~

I had to do a little research and reading Adele's blog, Tickled To Tangle, I discovered she had created just enough patterns (14) to fit my needs.  Here is the result ~ not sure which angle I like it in best... 

For this occasion, Adele created a new pattern that looks like the number - 100 - with the idea to fill in the 0s with a small embellishment.  I used it at the top (or upper left depending on the angle you are looking at the tile), and to outline the "string itself.  The large 0s are filled with Cruffle.  I then filled in the large 0 "string with one motif of each of Adele's patterns.  They are in order from the butterfly, Ann (that has a touching story behind it - and it is in gold to match the yellow ones talked about - see her blog); on to Cack, Bud, Budlite, Iza, Fancy Nancy, LG, Lanie, Lucky, Pauline's Pigtail (another cute story behind it), Teenos, XAV (out of order to make it fit), and Uncorked.  I enjoyed adding all of these to my sketchbook (where I practice patterns) and will use them again!  Now, I need to go buy a better metallic silver pen ...

I've added another FB Group - Friends of Tangle San Diego, a local group.  They periodically have an "Inspiration Boost" to participate in.  Number 1, was to share your favorite tile - I shared my basic class tiles, which started it all (formally).  Boost #2, All About Cadent - on any size white tile, with at least two variants (which I missed until I went back and read again to add here!!)  Oh well, I'm blaming it on the pain in my knee this week (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)  No rules, no mistakes, right?  Actually there are two - the outer "string" is one large Cadent, and then the "plants", that look a little Dragonaire-ish (my favorite).  Someone on FB commented that these have an under water feeling ... I think I agree!

To end this week of challenges - The Alphabet in Threes (as I call it) - Diane and Carolien's Challenge posted on Wednesdays - L-Q-D.  I decided to "stack" the patterns. Stacking is a little more planned then the freer, more "organic" and abstract, style.  the patterns I used, from the lower left corner, are Limpitz, Quare, Doo-Lee-Do, Lazy 8s, Quib, and my personal favorite Dragonaire.  I like the colors and way this one turned out.