Zendala Dare #116

Zendala Dare #116

Hello everyone!  I hope your ready for a fantastic Zendala Dare.  

Link to Zendala Dare #116 template

Let me tell you a little about how I create the templates.  I usually create anywhere from 5 to 10 templates at a time, whenever I have a good chunk of time.  Then I upload them on my computer and each week I go through and pick one.  Sometimes I create a batch that has many small spaces, sometimes a group with large spaces, or sometimes they all use similar shapes in different formats.  What I never do however, is create a template with certain tangles in mind.  I don't know if this is intentional or subconscious or maybe a little bit of both but I never have "tangle intent" while I'm creating the templates.  This goes for picking the weekly template as week.  It's nice that it ends up this way because then I can be just as surprised as you by what I create.  Here's what I did this week.

Tangles:  Cruffle, Caral, Portia, Hibred

Here's another view.

I really, really love how this template turned out.  I'll be honest.  I picked this template because the format was simple and the spaces were large.  Since I was already behind getting it up on the blog I figured this would make it easy on me.  I started with the small circles I drew around the edge of the ovals but when I was done with that and the Cruffle they all looked like head dresses and I just knew that they needed faces.  The problem is, I learned to Zentangle because I can't draw anything realistic.  So off to Pinterest I went but to no avail.  Everything was very complicated and much too realistic for this template.  Then I suddenly remembered that I had seen some faces in Sandy Steen Bartholomew's book Yoga for your Brain.  I used the tangles Caral and Portia to create some faces and I couldn't be happier.  I was able to create exactly what I wanted and I think it turned out fantastic.  

What will you create this week?

Zendala Dare #115

Hello everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful week and a spooktacular Halloween.  Halloween is my favorite holiday so I did my usual and had the family over, made some chili and ate way too much candy.  I went trick or treating with the nieces and nephew and then conned them out of some of their treats!  Yes, I'm that aunt.

In other news, after 4 months I am finally working as a nurse!  A few months back I was offered a great opportunity to work at a small local hospital in the emergency room.  The only catch, it wasn't open.  Yep, a hospital with no patients.  I had always planned on working at a much larger facility but things work in mysterious ways and I ended up at a small district hospital.  The hospital had closed 18 months ago due to financial hardship and was now being reopened with the help of a private benefactor and lots of community support.  So on October 30th we opened the doors and I have been a VERY busy nurse ever since.  

Because I was so busy I thought I might not have time for a Zendala Dare this week but it was just what I needed after a few crazy days so without further ado.

Zendala Dare #115

This is the first Zendala Dare of the month so there is an added challenge.  As we all know, November brings with it the Thanksgiving holiday so I thought it might be nice to give thanks in the way of tangles.  This weeks added challenge is to only use tangles that start with the letters T-H-A-N-K-S.   You don't have to use all the letters, but you can only use one's that start with those 5 letters.   It's easy to give Thanks when your doing it Zendala style!

Link to template for Zendala Dare #115

Tangles:  Tawk, Heartstrings, Amaze,
N'Zeppel, Knase, Stumpt

I managed to get 5 tangle into this Zendala which was not really my intention.  It just worked out that way.  I think this one could have used a bit more contrast but I'm not really sure how I would have done it so this will have to do.  

I hope you all have a wonderful week.  I can't wait

to see what you do with the template!

Zendala Dare #114

Zendala Dare #114

Link to Zendala Dare #114 template

Tangles:  Queen's crown, Huggins, Zinger,
Splinters, Flux

This tile has many tangles that I rarely use.  Queen's crown, Splinters and Huggins are not in my regular rotation but I like the way they work in this template.  I wasn't really sure where this template was going to take me and I'm not sure if I'm in love with the outcome but overall I think its a good attempt.

What will you do with this weeks template?

Zendala Dare #113

Hello and happy Tuesday!  Do you know why today is such a fabulous day?  Because starting today I can do a 10 day countdown to Halloween, my absolute favorite holiday!  I love buying candy, decorating the front yard, carving pumpkins and making chili and cornbread for my entire family who all come to my house for the spookiest of holidays.  Can you tell I'm excited?  Good, because I am.  You know what else I am excited for?  You guessed it:

Zendala Dare #113

 Link to template for Zendala Dare #113

Tangles: Braze, Buttercup

Once I thought about this template for a bit I knew I wanted to use Braze.  I don't use that tangle very often but it seemed like a natural fit for the outer "leaves".  I was still deciding what to do when I saw another old favorite on the same page of my reference journal, Buttercup.  Buttercup was one of the first tangle I learned when I first started tangling.  It felt good to get back to my roots.  As usual this Zendala didn't really turn out the way I planned but I like the Julius Ceaseresque end result.  

What will you do with this weeks template?

Zendala Dare #112

Good evening!  Yes it's late in the day but it's still Tuesday here in California so I am technically not late.  Right, isn't that how that works?  Well it does in my head so I'm rolling with it!

I hope you all had a wonderful week.  I know I did.  I had a wonderful but almost unbearable hot 3 days in Disneyland and California Adventure.  I was raised in the San Fernando Valley so I have been to Disneyland many times but this was my first trip to California Adventure.  It was so much fun experiencing it all for the first time with my nieces and nephews.  I got to visit my old favorite, Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland and have a new favorite, Radiator Springs, over in California Adventure.  I also had a chance to ride Soarin Over California and now can officially say I don't like heights.  Even though you are only about 15 feet off the ground the ride makes you feel as if you are flying over the Golden Gate, swooping down into a golf course in Palm Springs, and you feel as if you might dip your toes in the cool waters of the Russian River.  You know what I have to say to that?  No thank you.  That's what I have to say.  The only benefit is seeing how amused the kids were by my shear panic.  Anything for the kids I guess!

Zendala Dare #112

Link to template for  Zendala Dare #112

I think this was a great template.  I even managed to get two Zendala's completed!

Tangles:  DL Sunray, Paradox, Emingle, Dragonair

The first one sort of took on a life of its own and I ended up tangling the negative space by accident.  I like how the tangles turned out but I don't think I used enough precision with the shading and it's a bit muddy.

Tangles:  Onamoto, Pokeleaf

This second attempt is not my usual style but I really love the end result.  I hardly ever use these two tangles and definitely don't use them together but I like how they play off each other and I think my shading is definitely improved with this attempt.

What will you create this week?

Make sure to link up below so we can all take a peek!

Zendala Dare #111 - Halloween is coming!

Happy Monday everyone!  Is there actually ever a Happy Monday?  I don't know the answer but I guess I am just trying to see the positive in everything.  The last two weeks have been crazy and I apologize for my absence last week.  To much work and not enough tangling equal no Zendala Dare.  I have a similar situation this week but I knew I couldn't let you go without 2 weeks in a row.  I have been running around crazy today trying to prep for a trip to Disneyland tomorrow.  I thought I could get it all done, but alas, I am not Superwoman.  I am going to post the Dare anyhow but I will not be posting my entry until the weekend.  

Zendala Dare #111 - Halloween is coming!

Many of you might remember that on the first Zendala Dare of each month, I sometimes like to add an extra challenge and with my favorite holiday fast approaching I thought this would be a perfect opportunity!  Your challenge is to turn this template into a Halloween masterpiece.  That may involve color, words, bats, ghouls and goblins.  It's totally up to you!  I know my friend Alice of The Creators Leaf loves anything having to do with a Minion.  I think a Minion in a Halloween costume would be amazing!  Hint, hint Alice!  Have fun with the template and make sure to post your work below.  I'll post my addition later this week.

Link to Zendala Dare #111 template


Update:  So I'm back from Disneyland and managed to get this weeks Zendala Dare completed and I love the results.

I started with the bats and then that left some negative space that looked like a perfect place for some spider webs.  I wanted to add a little color so I started with the orange and then I added a bit of green.  Unfortunately, the combination of the two looks like I drew some radiated watermelons.  Oh well.  Keep your Zendala's coming.  I love what you guys have done so far!

Zendala Dare #110

Better late than never!  I'm running a little behind today but I finally managed to pull it together so let's not waste anymore time.  Here's the Dare!

Zendala Dare #110

Link to Zendala Dare #110 template

Tangles:  Jetties, Sanibelle, Jalousie,
Printemps

Not gonna lie, I'm pretty impressed with myself when it comes to this template.   I started with Jetties on the outer edge but then it looked like they were just sort of hanging there so I decided to cradle them with Sanibelle.  Jalousie and Printemps just seemed fitting so I threw them in.  Tell me a time when Printemps doesn't look good, right?  Once again I used my 5B pencil this week and it makes a world of difference.  So much better than just using a regular pencil.  

What will you do with this template?

Have a great week!