Weekly Challenge #197: "New Official Tangle - Arukas"

Hi Everyone! It's great to see Laura back and that Artoo is recovering slowly.

I'm going to make this a quick post as it's after midnight and I'm getting tired (so hard to wake up these days - life is busy busy and I find myself juggling with too many pots on the boil.

This week, the challenge is to use Arukas, the latest pattern by Molly Hollibough - I saw it about a week ago and its one I wanted to try out.  Well, tonight was the night.

I went ahead and did 2 tiles - oh and I tangled a small star during my lunch break today.

The first piece is very angular and rigid - the second tile is more freeform.

This week I was asked if I wouldn't mind if my newest pattern 'Violeta' could be the focus of this week's challenge with the Wacky Zentangle Weekly Challenges Facebook Group - I'm excited (Of course I said yes :) )

New Pattern - Violeta

 Hello - it's been quite a while since I've posted on my Blog - I've been so busy with the lead up to our Family Reunion and have not quite got myself organised and back to my before reunion days hehe.

Yay! it's Friday and I actually have some spare time before heading off to work, so I'm taking the liberty to share with you my latest pattern called 'Violeta' - named after my daughter-in-law (we call her Vicki).  I was making a birthday card for her and was going to use the pattern 'Blooming Butter', however something else happened after placing the first few dots!

I love it! it's fairly easy and anything goes with it.  It doesn't have to be precise and the lines can be as random as you like - add fill and embellishments as you see fit.

I've also drawn a variation where the lines meet - they look like a bunch of flowers.  The pattern may also be drawn on a grid - it looks quite funky like that - I will post a ZIA showing 'Violeta' on a grid later on. 

I do hope you find some time in your busy lives to try it out.

Thank you all for visiting me.

Here is the card which started it all.  'Violeta' is the pattern on the top of the card.

 ...see how it flows?, no need to be exact

 the step outs

2 tiles and a ZIA - there is much to explore!

'Violeta Pears' as an add on - this tile for this week's 'Violeta' challenge with the Wacky Zentangle Weekly Challenges Facebook Group :) 

Weekly Challenge #191: "Monotangle: Betweed"

I must admit 'Betweed' is not one of my go to patterns and was wondering how I was going to do this Monotangle challenge by Laura at I am the Diva this week.  I tried to give it a different spin by using Tanglepattern String # 127 by 'Lily Moon'.

Not sure that I succeeded as it looks fairly blah to me :)  Oh well, here it is anyway.  You never know - I'll do another later on.

I hope you are all having a pleasant week.

... and another Betweed tile

Cardstock and Water - I don't think so :)

I had trouble colouring this with watercolour pencils as I should have realised cardstock and water do not mix very well - what to do? I salvaged it by digitally enhancing the colour.  I'm going to try to fix the original by adding colour, maybe Copics but unsure if the colour may be blotchy where the paper has worn away when I used the water blender - here's hoping :)

Weekly Challenge #189: UMT "Yuma" by Tina-AKUA, CZT

It's way past my bedtime but I like to see what the Diva has in stall for us for the week.  I usually take a peek then try to work on my entry the next day (during my lunch break mainly).  Being in the Southern Hemisphere the time difference sometimes gets in my way as the Challenges are posted quite late and I have work the next day.

The challenge is  'Use My Tangle 'by Yuma by Tina Akua-Hunziker CZT.  I wasn't going to draw tonight because 1.  It is late and 2.  I had no idea how I was going to draw Yuma to make it uniquely mine.  I didn't see any scope - how wrong was I as I was very surprised with the end result.  I hope I have time to play with Yuma some more.

Thank you Laura for organising these challenges and to Tina for a delightful tangle and a big thank you to my visitors - have a lovely week.

New Pattern - Loop de Loop

Believe it or not, this pattern was inspired by my love of the 'Bleeding Heart' flower  .  I simplified it to make it more adaptable, however, I have also posted the steps for anyone wishing to try the more complicated pattern.

Loop de Loop is drawn without lifting your pen ie in one swoop.  I think its a pattern with a lovely flow and there are many possibilities for variations.

I have drawn a few suggestions such as hearts and some whimsical creatures and you may add fill and shading to add dimension.

I have included some of my drawings to show some of the ways, this pattern may be used.  I'm sure you too will come up with your own.

Hopefully, you'll try 'Loop de Loop' and you will take a liking to it.

Thank you for your interest.

Weekly Challenge #187: "String Theory - Blind String" #3

I wasn't too impressed with this string and left it for a few days before adding more fill.  I don't mind it now after all.

Here is the string - it's even hard for me to see where the string is and had to study my page carefully - and this is the right way up :)

I should do blind strings more often - thanks for stopping by.

Weekly Challenge #187: "String Theory - Blind String"

Laura's challenge this week is to use a 'blind' string ie close your eyes and draw a squiggle on a blank tile.  I didn't use a tile, instead I drew it in my 5X7 drawing book. 

The challenge comes out on a Monday night for us Australians and its usually quite late so what I like to do is wait for it to be posted so I can at least read what the new challenge will be and then if I get a chance start on it the next day (during my lunch break).

So I did.  I drew my first squiggle and wasn't excited over it, so I flipped the page, tried it again - nope, still wasn't happy as now both times the blind string was quite centred and didn't cover more of the page.  One more try, this time the string took more space but I still wasn't that impressed with it.  Oh well, its only paper.

Even though I wasn't thrilled with my strings, I did use them - all 3 of them, however my 3rd one is not finished - hopefully I'll get around to completing it as well.

I forgot to take a pic of the first string, but I think you can tell where the string is.

Below is the 2nd string

The end result using the string above

The pics below are other pieces from the last week.  I thought I'd post them now while I was still in the mood to write in my blog.

Thank you for yoour visit - have a lovely weekend.

As always I appreciate you coming here and for your kind comments. :) 

A play on my latest pattern 'Poppie Love'.

A focus on Dex

Something in colour

 Kathy Long's 'Splice'

 Nothing in particular

 this is A4 in size

 Trying out 'Langtree' by Mildred Galliher

My play with 'Sqaro' by Helen Adams

New Pattern - Poppie Love

There are so many patterns out there featuring 'love' hearts and I thought the heart has been exhausted with every possibility covered out there.  Well surprise, surprise, whilst on the phone yesterday I was doodling and hearts appeared.

It may be out there already but I've not come across one that starts off with a zig-zag pattern.  This, I've named 'Poppie Love'.  I do like patterns that start like that and have a few step outs here on my blog, such as Chim Chimenee, Pines, Z-Box and Chop Chop.

It's quite effective in its simplicity.  I do hope you like it and have time to try it sometime.  Happy Tangling.

A close up

'Shocking' - New Pattern

If you are like me you often come across bits of paper or pages with sketches or notes on potential patterns. 

I was working on this week's Diva Challenge and found this on one of the pages of my sketchbook.  Shocking looks nothing like this now as somehow it developed into something that looks like an electrical plug.

Even though here I've added 'rods' you can easily exchange them for another pattern.

here is what I started with (one day I might do step-outs for this)

 And here are the step-outs

And an example with some variations.  I would love for you to try it and see your adaptation of Shocking.  Thank you for your visit - have a nice day :)

And it makes great Grape shapes.  This next piece is for the Watercolor Pencils with Pen Embellishments Group - I still have much to learn plus it didn't help that I didn't use the correct paper, but I decided to colour afterwards.  oh well practise, practise :)

Weekly Challenge #185: DuoTangle - Phicops vs DivaDance

Hello Everyone

This week we have a Duo Tangle - Phicops vs Diva Dance.  I don't think I would have ever paired these tangles together if it wasn't for this Diva Challenge.....and it sure was a challenge.  In the end I drew my customary Angel.  

I don't always use Phicops, but when I do an Angel appears :)

Thanks again for all your wonderful comments from last week and thank you for taking time to visit -  this week I am definitely going to try to visit everyone's Blog!  It's not that I don't want to, its just with working full time, the first thing I want to do is Tangle so it leaves me with little time for everything else.

My entry

and another I just whipped up for good luck :)

Weekly Challenge #184: "New Official Tangle: ING by Molly"

Here is another entry to this week's challenge - I'm loving ING - thanks Laura and Molly!

Weekly Challenge #184: "New Official Tangle: ING by Molly"

Here we are, another weekly challenge; another week closer to Christmas :)

I had seen 'ING' around the traps for a little while now and I was keen to try it out.  I think it's because it's such a basic and simple looking tangle with loads of possibilities.

For my first ZIA I drew 3 'ING' columns - quite small and compact bridging the 'columns' together by adding some diagonal lines and filling the area with 'Cubine'

My second ZIA shows it drawn in a curve 'S' shape - both ways are appealing to me but both styles are fairly structured (its what I'm naturally drawn to)  I should play with 'ING' some more.  I think next time I will try drawing it in a more random style.

I hope you are having a pleasant week.  Thank you for your visit.  If you want to read a little about my background, my last post talks about my family :)

Happy Fathers' Day (with a bonus recipe for bread)

Today is Fathers' Day here in Australia and my sister, daughter, niece and I went to visit him and mum.  Our brother was working so he was going to see them tonight.

I rang dad this morning to let him know we were going over and I told him to tell mum not to cook anything.  Well, I should have known better as she always cooks/bakes something.  Now I do know she loves to cook, however it was only a week ago that she lost her balance, fell down on the tiled floor, knocking her eye on a chair and dislocating her shoulder.  Her arm is still in a sling and she is on pain killers.  

Of course, that didn't stop her from making bread and cheese crescents to go with the roast chicken, roasted peppers, creamed potatoes and a lovely fresh garden salad.

I don't know what it is, perhaps its because I am getting older and realise they are too.  Over the last couple of years I notice some deterioration.  Dad (77) has Macular degeneration and its depressing him so as there is no cure and he doesn't see any improvement.  He has injections in his eyes every 2 months or so and we tell him its to stabilise his condition.  I think he is frustrated as he thinks the injections should improve his eyesight.  Having said that he still works hard chopping wood to stock up for their wood stove and heaters. 

Mum is also a hard worker at 73 and up until her fall, still cleaned other peoples houses (coz she can't say no) She says it gets her out of the house - the only thing is she does not drive and dad is not allowed to drive very far.  I think its time for them to relax a little.  Since their retirement over 25 years ago, they've worked harder than when they were 'working' - dad in the iron and steel industry and mum in a sewing factory.

So here's some pics of their hang out.  A fully equipped granny flat.  They do live in a double story 5 bedroom house but enjoy living 'outdoors' like back in their village in Macedonia.  Mind you they've been here for over 50 years now, but, its what they like as they can do some gardening, whilst dinner is cooking and can watch some television or have a pensioner nap :) and not dirty the main house.

Selfies, here we are, after just finishing lunch (I raced to be in the pic with the self timer on haha).  fr left to right, my sis Suzanne, me, mum Nada, dad George, niece Emily and daughter Kathy.

The wood fire oven complete with mandatory pot full of boiling water and kettle (you just never know when one may feel like a cup of coffee or tea) :)  see the bed just behind? perfect on a cold winters day with the warmth from the oven.

Roasted peppers with garlic and oil (yum) very traditional Macedonian dish - 101 ways to cook peppers!

Mum's famous white bread - it's so fluffy it's almost as light as a sponge cake.  (Recipe follows)

Nada’s White Bread

Ingredients

·         1 kilo white flour

·         3 cups warm water

·         1/3 cup oil

·         2 tablespoons dry yeast

·         2 tablespoons sugar

·         1 tablespoon bread improver

·         Salt to taste – a scattering (no measure for this)

·         Extra flour for kneading

Method

Note:  mum makes her bread in a mixer

1.       In a large mixer bowl add sifted flour and salt (stir with spoon to mix  salt in)

2.       In another bowl add 1 cup warm water, yeast, sugar, half of the oil and bread improver and allow to rise

3.       Make a well in the flour, then pour the yeast mixture

4.       Add the rest of the oil and 2 cups warm water

5.       Mix all the ingredients together until the dough is smooth and does not stick to the bowl

6.       Cover bowl and allow to rise until the dough reaches the top of the bowl

7.       Once the bread has risen, take out of the bowl and knead lightly on a floured board.

8.       Shape as desired and place in a warm pan/bread tin lightly oiled

9.       Allow to rise

1.      Bake in an oven on 180 degrees Celsius until baked (should sound hollow when tapped)

These are called 'Kifli' in Macedonian, scrumptious crescents filled with crumbled fetta cheese (made like bread but with milk not water)

Rakija (Plum Brandy) a nip or two is good for you says dad - usually drink this when having salad and the salad is usually eaten before the main meal.  Of course Rakija is a good morning pick me up drink too haha! best drunken warm and sweetened with sugar by melting the sugar and browned to a toffee colour, then adding the brandy and heat up.

Mum made some creamed scalloped potatoes - not a traditional dish but she likes to make it and the family love them!

I always find something interesting at their place and today it was this handmade cushion cover - I think it's just beautiful - very ethnic indeed!

 ....and what did I find in the wall unit? these lovely glazed pots - mum does use them for cooking sometimes.  Bean casseroles (Graf) taste delicious made in one of these.  She also uses these pots when making her home made yoghurt - its one of my favourites.

 Does anyone remembers this? a wooden pestal and mortar - used to crush dried peppers, salt, garlic and nuts

 and lastly a few pics of their garden  At the moment they have spring onions growing.

another shot - garden all ready for planting.  See dad's perfectly stacked firewood!  I think you can tell he is a perfectionist :)

 
Here we have banana pepper, hot chillies and cucumber seedlings.  These will be ready for planting in October and the fruits will be ready just in time for Christmas - can't wait!

and some tomato seedlings

oh and lastly here is my latest ZIAs (Zentangle Inspied Art)  after all this is what my blog is mostly about.

I hope you've enjoyed reading a little about my family - thanks for your visit - Smiles :)