Button - Button - Who's Got The Button?



In honor of all the lovely little Zentangle fairy gardens springing up all over as a result of this week's challenge . . .

To see the Diva's Weekly Challenge, press this magic BUTTON!

. . . I've sketched a few flower tangles for the weekend.

I haven't finished my 'fairy' challenge quite yet, so I think I'll throw in a few Bachelor's Buttons into it:

Stag Tangle Steps by MoonAttic

Try it with and without the petals touching - which do you prefer?

And if you were a fairy, would you visit my buttons? 

Fairy or not, you're always welcome here in the

Moon Attic!

Please do have a lovely weekend.

The Abstraction of an Edwardian Corset

Molossus (aka Sandra Kay Strait), of Life Imitates Doodles, and Enthusiastic Artist (aka Margaret Bremner) turned me on to Scribbler Too, an online drawing tool.  I was already familiar with the original Scribbler by Ze Frank and had played with it a bit in the past, but Scribbler Too, written by Mario Klingemann and based on the original Scribbler, adds more settings and real-time 'webby' effects.  They're both a lot of fun and - yes, Sandra - dangerously addictive!

The first image I based on an advertisement for an Edwardian corset, and I found myself wishing that I had a graphics tablet and stylus for more control -


Drawn using ScribblerToo


I gave in to the lack of precision, and went with the flow, playing with various textures -


Drawn using ScribblerToo

 And tried my hand using the original scribbler -

Drawn using Scribbler

Explored the way Scribbler Too creates shadows and depth -



Drawn using Scribbler Too

 Got down and funky with the Scribbler, moving back to my more abstract, pre-corset-labelled shapes -

Drawn using Scribbler

Which morphed into something that could be construed as an alien life form laying - nay, bursting with - eggs!

Drawn using ScribblerToo

These drawing tools really popped the laces on my Edwardian prototype!  Wheeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Molossus, and keep on exploring, Fellow Creatives!

Alpha Beta Soupa

I really enjoyed the Diva's (Laura Harms') challenge this week.  A shout of thanks to Christina Vandervlist for being such a lovely guest hostess!  The overlapping first and last initial strings resulted in a variety of gorgeous and inventive Zentangles and ZIAs. 

I tried one tile with a denser, more complex design:

Diva Challenge #30 using Scroll, Rok Pool, Fern (Monk), Lightbulbs, Beadlines, Zanholli, and Pipkins.

  and one with a lighter, lacy effect:

Diva Challenge #30 using Pekinitch, Quip, Picot, Torchon Lace, Abacus (var), Florz, Rokpool, Corsace, Linked and Tiny Pearls.

Keep on Truckin' Creatin'! 

“Sometimes you've got to let everything go - purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything . . . whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you'll find that when you're free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.”  ~ Tina Turner

A Bleedthrumanade Zentangle-Inspired Art - - - Fairy Corset?

I had fun with my Letraset Promarkers recently.  I played with twisting the chisel nib to and fro and was pleased with the effect, so I used the the technique to lay down the color for the piece shown below.  

Here it is before tangling: 



Fairy Corset? ZIA Front, Pre-Tangled



And here it is after tangling, with Cupid's Border, Featherfall, Flormeoba, Mulhouse Blooms, Ahh, Tipple, and Florz: 

Fairy Corset? ZIA Front, Tangled

And, the flip side (bleedthrumanade*),

with Hairy, Msst, Bloss1, Joli Coeur, Stripes, Queste, Baton and Tipple:

Fairy Corset? ZIA Bleedthrumanade* (Back), Tangled

*"Got lemons, make lemonade.  Got marker bleedthru, make bleedthrumanade."

~ Molossus, aka Sandra Kay Strait

Your comments are welcome.

Thanks for visiting, and keep on creating!

MoonAttic

P.S. - Do fairies wear corsets?

A New Tangle - Ready for One More?

Wow, the past couple of weeks have brought a veritable plethora of new tangle patterns for us after quite a lull.  If you think you can handle one more (admit it - you're insatiable!), try Gigglevine:



Why "Gigglevine"?  It just made me giggle for some reason.  So does hail when it bounces on pavement. 

And my sister, Bob (not her real name).  And ostriches.

I'd love to hear what makes you giggle!

An Attempt at Diva Challenge #29 - aka, the String String . . .

I took an extra day for the Independence Day weekend to chill out.  I'm usually The Poster Girl for Mellow, but of late, circumstances beyond my control have had me somewhat on edge.  

Prescription: Take two Zentangle®s and repeat as needed. 

I therefore set my mind on The Diva's 29th weekly challenge, "String Theory v. IV: Creative Genesis," based on Guest Challenger Sue Jacobs' idea to create a string by tying a weight to, well, a string.  I'm glad the antique plumb bob that I bought for my husband wasn't handy. That pointy hunk of brass would undoubtedly have plonked down into a big dent on my lovely bristol paper!

After a warm-up doodle, I was so relaxed I couldn't bear the idea of leaving my desk chair to walk all the way down the corridor to the yarn, string, cord, chain or ribbon supplies in my 'Studio' (i.e. arts/crafts supply/stash storage/warehouse/cave), so I grabbed the only thing handy - a piece of thread from my mending kit and an earring (fashioned by the delightful "kneehighsnpigtails") - then laid the ear bob on my tile and dropped the thread (Hmmm.  Ear bob.  Plumb bob.  There must be a connection there somewhere....) 

Well, as the thread was fairly short, that part of the string is not strong on complexity, but I think the earring makes up for it.  This is what I made of it:

So, two challenges met:  1) Less stress and 2) a string string.

I highly recommend them both.

Mellow regards,

MoonAttic



"A corset? No...." "Well, of corset is!"

I found myself in a bit of a bind.

I'd been denying the likeness, but ever since a friend dubbed one of my Zentangle® drawings a "corset", several others built on that foundation with similar remarks.  Well, that cinched it.  Waisting no time, I researched images of corsets, and I found their trimmings so lovely, they left me breathless. 

One simple scalloped lace trim seemed especially fitting for a border tangle. I present to you "Corsace":

So, there you go, ladies (and gents?) - lace 'em if you've got 'em! 

Make no bones about it - I can't seem to help but draw corset strings. 

  

Cheers,

 MoonAttic

A Toast to Molossus

Molossus, of Life Imitates Doodles fame, has been posting some pretty wonderful "Bleedthrumanades" lately, one of which is entitled "Martini Time."  My latest tangle pattern is dedicated to her intoxicating Zentangle-Inspired Art and her tireless support of her fellow artists through an extensive tangle index, tutorials, advice, examples, useful links, and administration of the Flickr Group, Freehand Doodle Patterns.

Here's to you, Sandra -

Thanks for your support and inspiration!

Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhh-isle.

The argyle pattern is derived from the tartan of Clan Campbell, of Argyll in western Scotland.  And from a fantastically groovy pair of blue argyle thigh high socks that I wore back in the seventies.  Well, so they seemed at the time.  Regardless of my questionable fashion phase, this pattern is a classic.  

Enjoy!

MoonAttic

Confessions of a Button Addict and My First Diva Challenge Entry

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The inspiration for this design comes from the border on a Victorian button in my collection.  And the inspiration for my collection came from my mother's button box, which I loved poring through as a little girl. That pastime led me to sorting through little piles of buttons in antique shops and ultimately to eBay lots.  

My husband is completely baffled by this obsession, but I've learned a lot through collecting them, and consider each one of them a tiny work of art.  I still hold out hope that one day I'll show him a little treasure and he'll remark, "Now, THAT'S interesting!"

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Below is my first entry for Laura Harms' weekly challenge.

#27 is "Duo-Tangle" using only Dex and Verdigogh. 

Those who have been following my blog may notice a familiar shape!  

The Dex portion is a lot wonkier than I'd like, largely due to my succumbing to the temptation to draw this on my daily bus commute to and from work.  

Now THAT'S a challenge!
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A New Multi-Cultural Cuisine? No, A New Tangle!

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Ever heard of a Thai-Mexican Restaurant? Nor have I. But if you say the name of this tangle out loud, you'll hear the clue to what I began to see when I drew what I intended to be a purely abstract pattern:

Click image for higher resolution

 

I was inspired to sketch out some new tangle ideas on graph paper after collecting and drawing so many elegant grid-based patterns from Neil Burley (Perfectly4med). I have a bit of a split personality when it comes to artistic taste (Classical to Jazz and Funk, Vintage Givenchy to Bohemian, etc.), so it follows that my favorite tangles range from the organic, free-flowing designs to the classically-inspired 'wallpapery' patterns.

Variety is the spice of life, yes?  (Hmmm - anyone know what kind of spice goes well with a tamale in peanut sauce?)

~ MoonAttic

Happy, Happy Summertime!

Click on image for higher resolution

Summer is finally here! 

It was a rather long winter and a rather short spring in Seattle, with rather more cool, grey days than usual.  Today the first day of summer promises to be at least 71 degrees (F) - practically balmy!  To celebrate, I offer a happy little tangle I named after Karl Blossfeldt, whose beautiful black and white botanical photography inspired this pattern.  I added the "1" because I hope to do more tangles from his images.

Do you see little welcoming arms?  They're welcoming warm summer days ahead! 

Enjoy!

~ MoonAttic

A Zentangle Tangle for You and Bob

Click on image for higher resolution.

I patterned this tangle after the border on a stoneware dish designed by Mary Colter in 1936 for the Santa Fe Super Chief.  Mary was a designer and architect who was inspired by Native American art forms and artifacts.  

To my delight, I discovered that copying and rotating this tangle results in some very interesting variations.  I certainly hope you enjoy this versatile design!

(And, what about Bob?  LIAM, Bob!)

Thanks for visiting,  

MoonAttic

Ever heard of a bumbershoot?




I found another tangle pattern for you in the Moon Attic!



Bumberly - a tangle by MoonAttic

Ever heard of a bumbershoot? 

It's what I don't bother carrying around with me in Seattle. 

(It doesn't usually rain very hard here - it just drizzles.  A lot.) 

It's what we've named our annual Labor Day weekend international music and arts festival. 

It's what looks a lot like a parasol, without the optimism.

Well, I guess it depends on how you look at it (is the glass half full of rain, or half empty?).  It's because of all the rain, after all, that Seattle is nicknamed "The Emerald City".  It stays so very green here. And no, I'm not referring to the moss.  Although, I do love the moss.  But, again, I digress.



Well, if you haven't figured out what inspired me to create the steps for "Bumberly," you must live where the sun shines ALL the time.  For you, I weep.  Because it takes a little rain sometimes to make you appreciate the sunshine.  Maybe that's the reason that Seattle leads the nation in per capita sunglasses sales.  (Okay, okay - it's really because we need them so seldom that we forget where we stowed them and have to go out into the sunshine, squinting like moles crawling out of their burrows, to buy another pair.  And that's a fact.) 

Make art while the sun shines. 

And especially when it doesn't.

Have a very lovely weekend,

MoonAttic

Ready for a new tangle?

I'm ALWAYS up for a new tangle to try. I haven't incorporated them all into Zentangles®, but I believe I've recorded (drawn) examples of over 1400 tangles I've gathered from all over the internet (Life Imitates Doodles, Zentangle.com, TanglePatterns.com, Zentangle® books by CZTs* Sandy Steen Bartholomew, Suzanne McNeill and Marie Browning, Flickr, etc.). 

Is that obsessive?  My kid sister, Bob (pet name), thinks so. But I'm hoping  that this summer we'll have time to tackle some of those tangles together!  Hmmm, perhaps "tackle" isn't a very Zen way of going about drawing tangles.  I do like a good alliterative phrase now and zen, however.  And to use a pun or two, too, I'm afraid.  And I wouldn't shy away from a homophone or so.  But, I digress . . . . 





Stash - Another Tangle from the Moon Attic

 

Cheers!

MoonAttic

*Certified Zentangle® Teachers

Just Call Me Mrs. Corset!

So, Earthling (aka my dear friend that called one of my Zentangle®s a "corset print") - here's another one! 

I think that image may stick in my head now and all subsequent drawings may subconsciously end up with boning and lace!



(click image for higher resolution)

Garden Heart

Playing with Rhodia paper and Letraset Promarkers again, I decided to contrast pastels with a deep red center for this Zentangle®-Inspired Art (ZIA) piece.

I never quite know what I'll end up with when I start my Zentangle® journeys. Do you?  (Is that a bug's head in the middle? How did that get there? Is that a heart tangle underneath it?  Or is that the bug's mouth?)  WICCTM*

I started tangling over the bleedthru on the back of the paper, but I wasn't happy with the result, so back to the drawing board! 

Gladly!

* (Wriggling In Chair Chuckling To Myself)



I'm on a Roll!

 

 
This piece uses the same basic outline as many of my Zentangle® tiles, but I think using different strings and tangles really changes the feel. This is definitely not a corset!




And this one is mother's favorite of my Zentangle® tiles. Thanks, Mrs. Nonquist (pen name)!

Maybe these shapes ARE related to corsets, in a way.  I think these Zentangle® tiles represent my "creative core," somehow.

 And here's a new tangle for you to try.  My inspiration for tangle patterns usually comes from things I've seen, but this one seemed to come to me quite literally one step at a time, like a cartoonist not knowing what's going to happen in the next panel frame....

Well, as my husband would say, "I think I'm past my pull date!" 

(In other words, time for bed. )

Pleasant dreams to one and all!

New Tangles and Molossus-Inspired "Bleedthrumanades"

Creative Growth

Inspired by Molossus' incredible "Bleedthru- manade" Zentangle®-Inspired Art (ZIA), I laid down some color with Letraset Promarkers in my Rhodia No.16 pad in the shape that continues to recur in my strings, then tangled!  I love the vibrancy of these saturated colors.


Core Set

This is the "bleedthru" backside of Creative Growth.  I decided to let more of the color show on this side to give it a different feel.  Some color shapes I treated as strings, some I ignored.


My tangle "Kilroy" forms the border at the lower edge. The steps for Kilroy and two of my other tangles are shown below....

"Kilroy" was inspired by the famous WWII graffiti image (sans fingers).  "Bark" was inspired by the Dogwood blossom:

And "Pekinitch" is patterned after the Peking Stitch in embroidery:

  

If you 'adopt' any of these tangles, I'd love to see how you use them.  Enjoy!

Welcome and a warm hello!

I am an artist living in the Seattle area and exploring drawing, mixed media, altered art, collage, jewelry design, metalsmithing, fiber arts, and Doing Strange Things in the Name of Art!

I'm currently trying my hand at Zentangle® to get my creative juices flowing after a long 'drought'.  Here are some recent tiles I've created:

I've also had fun creating some tangle patterns.  I'll include them in my next post.  Well, coffee break is over - everybody back to work!  Enjoy!

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The Zentangle® art form and method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Zentangle® is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at zentangle.com.