In The Middle of Autumn

Zendala Dare #28 (template from The Bright Owl)

As always, I am behind....on everything.  That old saying "two steps forward, three steps back".  Yep, that's me.  Slowly I am getting caught up on things around the farm, the house, fiber, and other crafts.  And I have to admit that one of the biggest contributing factors is lack of organization or prioritizing my time.  (Okay...that was two contributing factors).  So I've started making myself a list of everything that I need/would like to get accomplished the following day.  I don't always get it all done, but it allows me to cross things off as they are completed, and there is something encouraging about seeing things crossed off your list. 

Here's today's list, and as you can see, I've still got a lot to do!  Most are in preparation for family that is coming to stay at the farm for the Thanksgiving weekend.  But others are 'long overdues'.  Like plucking (angora) rabbits - starting with Runtdungus Fletcher (aka: Runt), getting some custom (craft) orders finished, and attending to our Kombucha brew.  Oy!  That one's definitely long overdue.  Both of our SCOBYs are about 3 inches thick.  If there is anyone other there locally who is looking to start their own kombucha, we can get you hooked up with a fully functional SCOBY!  Otherwise, my sister read and shared with me yesterday that the extra SCOBYs can go to our chickens.  I think I'm going to try that.  

Above is my Zendala Dare #28.  I am also behind with my dares, but I do have so much fun with them!  Can you see the octopus in the center with it's arms branching out.  I really love this zentangle, called Suckers by Lizzie Mayne.  I played around with adding the sharp Cephalopod beak in the middle.  Then I kept with a sort of sea monster theme and added portholes, planks, and seaweed (in mooka form).  I was pretty happy with it.  I've only recently (within the last couple of months) begun participating in Erin's Zendala Dares.  If you are interested in participating, check out the link on the right side of the screen.  

Zendala Dare #23

It was a very crazy and exciting weekend!  We attended the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA.  It was excellent!!  I have a lot to tell, but wanted to get my Zendala Dare #23 posted (late again!).  I pondered over this one.  For quite a while.  But have to admit, this is my favorite zentangle so far.  I went for a steampunk theme, inspired by Molossus for the bike chain and gears, then added my own pipes, etc.  I finished it last Friday night but didn't have a way to post it from the cabin we were staying in.  Oh well, better late than never.  Here are a couple others:

I will tell about the Mother Earth News Fair soon!

Many Irons in the Fire, Zendala Dare #22, and Diva Challenge #86

Hmm....I can't remember what this pattern is called...

I'm a little behind on posting my (second) Zendala Dare #22 from last week.  Talking to my mom earlier this evening I told her that I wasn't just burning the candle at both ends, I felt like I was burning a stick of dynamite at both ends.  I just have too many irons in the fire at the moment and need to slow down.  While it may seem that taking on new "challenges/dares" would just be adding another iron, it actually helps me to slow down a bit and focus my thoughts, something I so desperately need right now.  Unlike many of my other creative ventures, I don't zentangle for anyone but myself.  And this week I had so much fun with the "monodala" dare that I had to decorate all three sizes of the template.  

What I like to call, "Zombie Eyes"

Triangle Variations

I then moved on to the Diva Challenge, to "break free" from the confinement of the lines.  I actually drew a string for this one, thinking that my "box" would be what I break free from, yet still stay within the lines of my string.  That, however, did not happen.  The string was completely disregarded, and this is what came out.

This one felt very organic!

My First Zendala Dare

...which is actually Zendala Dare #21.  But who's counting?  I'm still new to all of this, but thought, "this looks like fun!"  Somehow through my Zentangle searches I happened across The Bright Owl's blog.  The author puts up a weekly zendala template with a 'theme', so to speak.  So here are my attempts: