Weekly Challenge #250

Good morning everyone!! Here's what's going on at Casa Diva

Artoo was so happy to be back in school this week! They even planted some seeds for a class room garden!   Chewie was not as excited to go back to school and every day is a battle... and he's only seven.  Heaven help me when he becomes a teenager. lol. 

I'm beginning my fourth year of Mandala work with Julie Gibbons - some of you may have taken her 5 Days of Mandala Magic over the holiday.  And i've been searching for a sketchbook i like to begin this year - and as i couldn't find the one i wanted, i decided to try my hand at making my own. 

It's 12"x12" of Canson Mixed media paper, and the cut offs to make it
square gave me enough paper to make a little 6"x6" journal as well.  

I've always been interested in book binding, and this was my first try at coptic stitching.  Here's hoping i get better with time.

Speaking of getting better with time....
Last year i made a goal to run 250KM over the course of the year, and i met my goal just shy of New Years Eve.  So - with the New Year i decided on a new goal of 366KM (Because it's a leap year) i think that's about 277miles, but don't quote me on that.

barely alive

A few girlfriends and I are trying this 1KMaDay bizness togehter and I've really been enjoying the running, even though i huff and puff and almost blow the house down.  It's hard, but i feel like - i'll only get better with time.  I'll be running the 10K at the Sask Marathon again this year, and also the 10K Mogathon.... so i better get my butt in gear.  It sure is nice to have the support of my ladies, though.

 Lastly, Friday was my main squeeze B-rad's 36th Birthday!  He celebrated Friday night by taking Chewie to a Junior League Hockey Game with some friends,

best seats!

then Saturday was spent taking down the Christmas tree (late, i know!) and playing video games and then takeout from our favourite Vietnamese place and a particular Frozen Cake that he wanted, that i had to go to two different stores to find.

i would have gone to three stores.

it was delicious

Weekly Challenge #250: "Bringing it Back to the Old School"
I became a CZT in May 2010.  I was in the third ever training seminar, and since then Zentangle has exploded.  There are white and black and tan tiles, there are square tiles, round tiles, big tiles, and tiny tiles, you can use gelly rolls and coloured pens, coloured pencils, watercolour....

Over Christmas my facebook feed exploded with the most gorgeous tiles full of coloured gems and beautiful colour coordinated zendalas, and they are all stunning.

but.

Truth bomb.

i find it all overwhelming sometimes.

I *want* to spend so much time learning how to use the hoard of coloured pencils i have all over my house, i *want* to eventually step up my Renaissance Tile game and get better at mid tone.  I *want* to try out every new technique i see.  But i can't to everything.

Sometimes, it stresses me out to think of all the things i should be *TRYING*.  Don't get me wrong, i love looking at everything people are doing.  the creativity of people amazes me.  But sometimes.  Sometimes i think of that simpler time when zentangle was one size.  One pen.  One Pencil.  One Ceremony.

Part of the reason that i fell in love with tangling in the first place was that it took away those obstacles that prevented me from starting.  The elegance of limitations, as Rick would say.

When i begin a tile for a challenge, now i think: "What size should i use? What colour? What pen? What shape?" and i often find myself skipping over that ceremony of zentangle that helped me find my calm space.

So.  This week's challenge is for us to go back to the roots of this Zentangle thing.

This week challenge is to create a piece on a WHITE 3.5" square tile, with a Black pen and pencil for shading.  To take the time to slow down and enjoy the process.  Enjoy the feel of the pen on the paper.  Create a string, and maybe use 4 or 5 tangles you really enjoy.

don't think about composition.  don't think about how you want it to look in the end.  Just put your pen to paper and begin and enjoy the process.  after all.  It's ABOUT the process.  Not the product.

my finished tile

i have to admit - i struggled with this challenge myself.  I found myself sitting there, pen hovering over the tile, wondering "Which tangle would look the best here" and i shook my head and thought: "That's not the point.  you're over thinking.  pick a tangle and go."
i also really had to hold myself back from using my grey fabrico marker for shading.  I didn't realize how much i've come to rely on that tool.

So.  here it is.  I have to say that i'm not a HUGE fan of how it looks, but i AM a huge fan of how *i feel*

Have a wonderful week everyone.

If you have a blog, add the site-specific URL where your tile is posted to the linkey machine below! Don't forget to link back here so that others can join in the fun! (if you don't know how to find this, you can see my half assed tutorial here) Also, please feel free to come back often and visit the links of those people on the linkey machine - don't forget to leave a comment or feedback, everyone loves feedback. ;) 

If you have a blog or host your images on line (like on Flickr or Picassa or Pinterest), add the site-specific URL where your tile is posted to the linkey machine below! Don't forget to link back here so that others can join in the fun! (if you don't know how to find this, you can see my half assed tutorial here) Also, please feel free to come back often and visit the links of those people on the linkey machine - don't forget to leave a comment or feedback, everyone loves feedback. ;)