Molly Bee's Attic

This week's Diva's Challenge was a rough one for me. I use the tangle pattern 'Mooka'  quite often but never just by itself (called a 'monotangle' in zen-speak) and never very much of it. I tend to have difficulty using any one pattern alone. This coupled with the fact that Maria Thomas, calligrapher, artist and one half of the duo who came up with Zentangling is the mistress of the smooth curve and has amazing Mooka pieces out there  makes me realize that I am I decidedly, am not the queen of anything Mookalike. I'm not happy with the results, but I made a vow to post the first one I do no matter what.  And the 'what' that happened this time was Mooka Madness: It was supposed to be Mookas inside of larger Mookas and then single ones around the edged but it ended up a muddled mess. I think I'll admit defeat where Mooka is concerned and go back to the 12x12 piece that I'm working on right now. It's kind of Industrial or Steampunke...

Although it was yet another snowy morning at the farm (Quelle Suprise!!!) it was still amazing as usual. The barn is my church. I see more evidence of something greater than myself in the eyes of those animals that I ever have in a chapel. There's no pomp and circumstance, just real physical proof. All creatures great and small. For the last month the wild turkey herd is in the pasture to greet me.  I didn't count this morning but there have been as many as 24  in the flock in the past. This is my buddy, Fonzie.  The very first day I worked at Heartland, I was in charge of socializing baby Peking ducks. They were in a stall with a small swimming pool and Fonzie was bunking with them since he was about the same size (about the size of a large pigeon). Every time a duck would get in the pool, Fonzie would run around and around and around the pool until the duck was safely out. He was so much like a lifeguard, that I started calling him 'Hass...

This week's Diva Challenge was to 'Get Rid Of The Box'.  What this meant was left up to your own interpretation; using a technique or medium you don't usually use, tangling on something you normally wouldn't tangle on, etc. Those of you who know me, know that I am a sheep. I am a Follower Of The Rules. I like boundaries and when they aren't there, I tend to hyperventilate, swoon dramatically and then  pass out in a heap.  So here is my interpretation of Tangling Outside of the Box.  I...uh...well...I tangled the outside of a box.  Lid  Side one with MY tangle "Whittier" in the upper right.  That's my churches ceiling tiles!  Side Two  Side Three Side 4 So there you have it.  Way to think outside (but squished right up next to) the box, Molly Bee!

This week's challenge was to try out a new technique that Maria Thomas created that makes things look draped or folded. You can read about the technique here .  I decided to smite two fowl with one geologic projectile and do the challenge in my Tangle*A*Day calendar since I won't have time to do it tomorrow night (hence the big '13' at the top of the tangle). It's quick and dirty but it's done. Tomorrow night is baking night. I'm making Banoffee Pie to take to work Thursday for Pi Day and a pan of Snicker squares to farm out to the neighbors. Be sure and check out the other excellent entries in Laura's challenge this week over here .  Scroll down (But not too fast! Look at the pics of her adorable little ones Chewie and Artoo!) and click on the links at the bottom of the post. There's a lot of creativity out there!

My weekend started off great. I went to see Gaelic Storm at the Barrymore. I'd never been to the Barrymore before and it was a kick. There is no assigned seating and everyone can just stand up, dance, crowd the stage etc. It was more like a house party than any concert I'd ever been too. I got a preemo seat about halfway up just to the right and behind the sound guy. Ryan, Gaelic Storm's drummer extrordinaire, came up to the sound booth before the show to set up a camcorder and asked me to watch it for him a couple of times while he ran to get tape etc. Squee! Brush with greatness! The concert was 3 hours long and it just flew by. 3 hours to drool over my favorite bagpiper, Pete Purvis . That boy can play! Also, I got to hear a song that I've never heard before called ' The Night I Punched Russell Crowe '.  The link takes you to a video done in Legos. It's based on a 19.5% true story that happened to Patrick Murphy, the lead singer of GS, when he was a...

Kinda Industrial and Steampunky, no?

Y'all know what a big fan I am of Laura Harm's website 'I Am The Diva '. She's the one that posts the weekly Zentangle Challenges that I LOVE. A few weeks ago she had a drawing for one of Carol Ohl's 'Tangle*A*Day calendars.  Carol is a CZT who has a wonderful blog as well called Open Seed Arts .  I received the calendar in the mail yesterday along with a beautiful Zentangle Thank You card from Laura. Her own design of course! The calendar contains a space each day for you to tangle. I was busy spinning and finishing up a work project last night and couldn't sit down to fill the space for the 6th. It was torture. I could barely contain myself!  I set my alarm a little early this morning so I could do today's.   Squeeeee! It was so much fun. I can't wait to see what it looks like when the entire calendar is all filled in! [Leave it to me to jump the gun! One down..364 to go!] It will make a great reference for c...

This week's challenge was to use  a tangle pattern that Jane MacKugler, CZT, created, called 'Whyz'. (You can see her direction on how to draw it here.) It's a cool pattern because, depending on shading and placement, it can look like a completely different pattern, kind of like some quilt blocks do. It's in the upper left corner on my tile. I think it looks like twisted spools when done thisall in the same direction and shaded this way. I am enjoying doing the challenges on official -zed Zentangle tiles. It takes about 15 minutes or so and it really relaxing to do during my lunctime; a much needed mini pick-me-up in the middle of the day.  Thanks Jane for the great pattern and as always, Diva, for the challenge!