Conall

Thinking outside of the box …

or… maybe think of tangling on the box? Yes! Todays prompt is to tangle a Zentangle Inspired Art Object. Great challenge to try my new Sizzix Big Shot Machine, which I got from my mom for christmas. I got me a die-cut for pillow boxes from „kesi‘ art“ – which has really gorgeous products. So I die-cutted this cute pillow box, added some fun und tangled on it…and tada… this is my ZIA Object for today!

… into the New Year

The prompt for the second day is created by Stella Peters-Hessels, CZT from Netherlands.

Inspired by the footprints on the beach, trails made by sneakers, shoes and bare feet Stella ask us to take a creative leap into the new year. This could be inspired by the lines of shoe soles and shapes which can be used for the string. Since I love being barefooted, I decided to tangle the sole of the foot. But what lines are there to use for the string?  In my mind came the foot reflexology chart. So I simplified the zones a little bit and voilá I got my string.

I was so absorbed tangeling my „creative leap“, I really couldn’t stopp. At 1.30 am I was so tired I couldn’t even put the shadows nicely on the tangles. But I am very pleased with my footprint and had a very inspiring and mindful time.

“We were made to enjoy music, to enjoy beautiful sunsets, to enjoy looking at the billows of the sea and to be thrilled with a rose that is bedecked with dew… Human beings are actually created for the transcendent, for the sublime, for the beautiful, for the truthful… and all of us are given the task of trying to make this world a little more hospitable to these beautiful things.” ― Desmond Tutu

 

 

pattern: Ennies by Zentangle®, Rixty by Zentangle®, Cack by Adele Bruno.

„Guest Post: Monotangle Trees“

This weeks challenge # 246  is a guest post from Dilip Patel the first CZT from India. Dilip and his wife Malathi are one of the rare CZT couples in the world.  I really love this challenge, maybe that is the reason why my Monotangle-Trees run a little out of control and have gone wild:)

The challenge is about creating a Monotangle Tree, so having a whole Zentangle® – Forest with all the trees. What a great idea, that will give a lot of power to the environment.

A single collective directed thought is all it takes to change the world.
Lynne McTaggart

I love nature, and there is a reason why we call it Mother earth! So everyone should show respect and care about. I get most of my creative ideas from trees, they have so many different faces and can tell me so much stories. I go for a walk through the forest almost everyday enjoying every breath.

Well, my tangle made a little bit its one way. I actually just started my mono tangle trees one a light colored background, that was my plan. But somehow my trees had another plan, and some hours and layers of paint later it had a complete different look. So it turned out a ZIA, not my planned Monotangle. I hope that is okay for that challenge. Sometimes my emotions overrun my mind, which I really appreciate, so I am pleased with my outcome, even though I have the feeling, it is not finally done, but it is for this moment.

So thank you Dilip Patel for that inspiring Challenge and thanks to the Diva making it possible.

Diva_245

„Back to Basics – Hollibough“

This weeks challenge # 245  is to use the pattern „Hollibough“ – see step outs  here.

While I started tangling, my husband was looking if the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing-Event is on, which is the Hawaiin Pro contest and the finals of the Championship Tour that takes place from November 12th until December 20th. Unfortunatily is was lay-day.

We like watch to surfcontest, since we mostly have not enough time to go surfing regularly. Since the last years it is limited to surfing on holidays. So I tangled my Hollibough pattern- which I really like and use very often. I thought of having some flowers in my tangle, so I used „Blooming Butter“ designed by Michele Beauchamp, CTZ®. I love that pattern it is so cheerful. When I finished my tangle I added some color to Blooming Butter with my markers and some aquarell to Hollibough.

I looked at my ZIA and I started grining, we were not watching surfing on Hawaii, but now we had hawaiin feeling on my tangle. So I decided to put the word „aloha“ on my tangle and since I mostly have a connotation by looking at things I suddenly remembered the book „Thoughts by the Ocean“ written by Sergio Bambarén I read about 9 years ago. I really love surfing and I am actually not very good in it. Nevertheless when I am in the ocean it is so much easier for me to be in the „here and now“ and to be mindful. But if there comes a wave, I have waited so much for,  I am often too anxious not to be able to handle the situation and instead of catching the wave I let her pass by. Who ever have been in the ocean knows the capriciousness and power of the ocean. However even things I could handle, if I had a little bit more self-confindence in my abilities, frighten me so much that I rather pass a nice wave then having a marvelous ride. The weird thing about it – even though I go out surfing, loving it. Maybe that is my challenge.

Well, the book. So about this 9  years ago, when I was alone in Denmark surfing with my much-loved VW-Surfing-Bus I read the book „Thouhts by the Ocean“. there was one little passage I immadiatly wrote down and pint it over my campingbed.

Should I leave? Was it foolish to attempt such a dangerous set?
Then I hear a voice that always comes to me in moments of trouble:

„Shaun, do not let fear stand in the way of your dreams …. “

Peace fills my soul and I am no longer afraid. I won’t let fear stand in the way of my dreams! […]

What if…. And I finally understand that these „What if’s“ are only in my head. I am confronted by choices every day: in my realstionships, in my job, what food to eat ot what shirt to wear. I now unterstand the importance of making choices without fear; not letting the „what if’s“ stand in my way. Now the „what if..?“ sleeps tucked away in a little corner of my mind, as it should.

And actually I really had forgotten about it until I looked at my tangle. But now I am so thankful that I have it back in my mind and I am looking forward to read that book again.

Thanks for stopping by and have a nice week!

 

„Back to Basics – Hollibough“ (deutsch)

In dieser wöchentlichen challenge # 245  geht es darum, das Pattern Hollibough“ zu nutzen.

Während ich anfing zu tanglen schaute mein Mann, ob der Vans Triple Crown of Surfing-Event statt findet, der als Finale der Championship Tour des Surfens vom 12. November bis 12. Dezember auf Hawaii ausgetragen wird. Leider war aufgrund der Wellenbedingungen „lay-day“, also kein Surfen.

Wir schauen gerne Surfcontests, vor allem seit wir kaum noch selber zum Surfen kommen, die letzen Jahre beschränkte sich unser surfen fast nur noch auf die viel zu wenigen Urlaube. Also tangelte ich mein Hollibough Pattern, das ich sehr mag und auch oft und gerne in meinen Tangles benutze. Ein florales Pattern würde prima dazu passen, dachte ich mir, und entschied mich für „Blooming Butter“ entworfen von Michele Beauchamp, CTZ®. Ich mag das Pattern, weil es so fröhlich ist. Nachdem ich mein Tangle fertig hatte fügte ich noch Farbe hinzu – Blooming Butter wurde mit Markern koloriert und Hollibough bekam einen Aquarellanstrich.

Dann schaute ich auf mein ZIA und musste grinsen, wenn wir schon nicht surfen auf Hawaii schauen konnten, hatte ich nun ein wenig Hawaii-Feeling in meinem Tangle. Deswegen entschied ich mich noch ein Aloha zu platzieren.

Da ich oft plötzliche Assoziationen oder Eingebungen habe wenn ich Dinge betrachte, kam mir plötzlich das Buch von Sergio Bambaren „Die Botschaft des Meeres – Was die Wellen dir erzählen“  in den Sinn, dass ich vor 9 Jahren gelesen hatte. Ich surfe wirklich gerne, obwohl ich kein wirklich guter Surfer bin. Doch wenn ich auf dem Meer sitze dann bin ich achtsam und es ist leichter im Hier und Jetzt zu sein. Dennoch wenn eine Welle kommt- auf die ich ja eigentlich gewartet habe – habe ich plötzlich Angst, dass ich der Situation nicht gewachsen bin. Und wer schon mal im Meer war, weiss wie unberechenbar es sein kann und welche Kraft es hat. Trotzdem, selbst wenn ich diese Situation bewältigen könnte – mit ein wenig mehr Selbstvertrauen in meine Fähigkeiten – bin ich zu ängstlich und lasse die Welle auf die ich so lange gewartet habe an mir vorbeiziehen anstelle auf ihr mit Freude zu surfen. Irgendwie eine komische Sache – dennoch paddel ich  immer wieder raus auf das Meer surfen. Vielleicht ist das meine Herausforderung.

Das Buch. So vor 9 Jahren als ich ein Wochenende alleine in Dänemark surfen war mit meinen geliebten selbstausgebauten Bus habe ich das Buch „Die Botschaft des Meeres“ gelesen. Abgesehen davon, dass es ein grossartiges Buch ist, gab es eine kleine Passage, die ich sofort abschrieb und über mein Campingbett hängte:

… Wäre es nicht pure Dummheit, hier draussen zu bleiben, in dieser gefährlichen Situation?
Und dann hörte ich eine Stimme, die mir in schwierigen Momenten immer geholfen hat:

„Shaun, lass dich nicht von deinen Ängsten daran hindern, deine Träume wahr zu machen!“

Ein innerer Frieden breitet sich in meiner Seele aus. Auf einmal fürchte ich mich nicht mehr. Ich werde mich nicht von meinen Ängsten daran hindern lassen, meine Träume wahr zu machen. […]

Was wäre gewesen, wenn …. Und ich begreife was es mit diesen Worten auf sich hat: Was wäre, wenn… Sie existieren nicht, nicht wirklich, es gibt sie nur in deinem Kopf. Aber eines ist sicher. Im Alltag stehe ich ständig vor Entscheidungen – in meiner Beziehung, bei der Arbeit, bei allem, was ich tue. Und jetzt weiss ich, wie wichtig es ist, dass meine Entscheidungen sich nicht nur auf Ängsten gründen, die nur in meinem Kopf existieren, sondern die Freiheit, die daraus entspringt, dass ich mein Leben mit eigenen Augen betrachte und das „Was wäre, wenn“ nicht zwischen mich und denjenigen treten lasse, der ich sein will, sondern das tue, was mein inneres Selbst mir sagt.
Und das „Was wäre, wen“? Das schlummert, warm eingepackt, in einem kleinen Winkel meiner Seele – und da sollte es auch sein.

Ich hatte wirklich nicht mehr an dieses wundervolle Buch mit seinen viele Weisheiten gedacht, bis ich auf mein Tangle geschaut habe und es mir plötzlich wieder in den Sinn kam, warum auch immer. Dafür bin ich dankbar und freue mich darauf es nochmals zu lesen.

Vielen Dank für Euren Besuch auf meiner Seite!

„New Official Tangle: Gourdgeous“

gourdgeous_diva_242

Zentangle® released their new official tangle „Gourdgeous“ in their newsletter –see the step outs here. So this weeks diva challenge – using Gourdgeous. I was in the mood tangling a little larger and try something new. So I bought some pastel cryons, actually an art medium I am not familiar with and in fact it doesn’t really fit to me. But somehow I had the idea of Gourdgeous being in a warm and earthy atmosphere that fits to thanksgiving. So I choose a brown paper and tried to tangle with the pastel cryons. Since I had no idea how to use them  I just put this powdered pigment somehow on my sheet and started to „paint“ with my fingers! that is fun! It was great to sence the rough paper and the  smooth powder.

So thanks for that challenge and welcome gourdgeous!

„Stones and Ceremony“

When I read this challenge on Monday evening just bevor going to bed, I was so excited that I actually couldn’t sleep! Since I was on a very special sculpting-workshop in Denmark with a small group of really lovely and inspiring people, I am so fascinated by stones and there magical power. The workshop happened at a place with a high energy level and we were sculpturing cosmograms. Because it is really difficult for me to describe this concept of earth healing an geomancy  in own words in English here a small extract from Marko Pogačnik’s website:

GEOPUNCTURE CIRCLES is an art-of-life project based upon the experience of lithopuncture and the knowledge of the universal language called “language of the cosmograms”.

Lithopuncture is a method of ecological healing, through which positioning of stones on acupuncture points of the given landscape is combined with the language of cosmograms and the holistic awareness of the Earth as an autonomous and multidimensional microcosm.

Language of cosmograms is an effort to develop such a language that can be perceived not just by humans but also by other beings that do not have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Language of cosmograms is a pictorial language, sometimes a form of body language and always an energy emanating language.

When I read Paula Bramante’s statement:

I love Zentangle because it has nothing to do with verbal language. I also love it, paradoxically, because it has given me another language, a visual language, that allows me to communicate feelings and concepts long hidden since childhood.

the first thought that crossed my mind – I wanted to be at an energy place and give some of that zentangle language to that „stone-personalities“ that are part of the energetic network of the vitalities of landscape.

I decided to make a day off (one of the great benefits beeing my own chef) and going on a excursion. My destination: Noer, a bay at the baltic sea, which is a very energetic place for me. So I packed my bag with my pens, I found three pens that should work on stones, some tea and blanket. Of course I had a companion, Anny my lovely Retriever.

So here my trip starts on an awsome sunny autmn day!

Noer_collage1

Mostly I have to ferry across the Northsea and Balticsea canal in order to get somewhere, I really love it! When other people have cars coming from left or right while standing at the crossroads I have hudge containerships crossing. So when we arrived at the sea, we searched for a place with good energy and settled down with all the equipment. Anny and I went on the search for stones to build our cairn. We had quite a lot choice of stones here.

Noer_collage2

Now I could start tangling the stones at this wonderful place, it was so meditative. The sea gave us an atmospheric sound and the dune grasses where softly bowing in the calm wind. Since it was during the week, we where all by ourselfes with the nature. Anny fell asleep on my leg, while I was tangling.

Noer_collage3

Almost 3 hours I stayed at this place, tangling, drinking tea, staring at the sea and building my tangle-cairn! I was so pleased with that place and my time spending here.

So here is my Diva Challenge #241 tangle-cairn:

cairn

Thank you Diva Challenge #241  and Paula Bramante for that challenge that brought me and Anny such an fantastic and inspiring day!

„Stones and Ceremony“

When I read this challenge on Monday evening just bevor going to bed, I was so excited that I actually couldn’t sleep! Since I was on a very special sculpting-workshop in Denmark with a small group of really lovely and inspiring people, I am so fascinated by stones and there magical power. The workshop happened at a place with a high energy level and we were sculpturing cosmograms. Because it is really difficult for me to describe this concept of earth healing an geomancy  in own words in English here a small extract from Marko Pogačnik’s website:

GEOPUNCTURE CIRCLES is an art-of-life project based upon the experience of lithopuncture and the knowledge of the universal language called “language of the cosmograms”.

Lithopuncture is a method of ecological healing, through which positioning of stones on acupuncture points of the given landscape is combined with the language of cosmograms and the holistic awareness of the Earth as an autonomous and multidimensional microcosm.

Language of cosmograms is an effort to develop such a language that can be perceived not just by humans but also by other beings that do not have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Language of cosmograms is a pictorial language, sometimes a form of body language and always an energy emanating language.

When I read Paula Bramante’s statement:

I love Zentangle because it has nothing to do with verbal language. I also love it, paradoxically, because it has given me another language, a visual language, that allows me to communicate feelings and concepts long hidden since childhood.

the first thought that crossed my mind – I wanted to be at an energy place and give some of that zentangle language to that „stone-personalities“ that are part of the energetic network of the vitalities of landscape.

I decided to make a day off (one of the great benefits beeing my own chef) and going on a excursion. My destination: Noer, a bay at the baltic sea, which is a very energetic place for me. So I packed my bag with my pens, I found three pens that should work on stones, some tea and blanket. Of course I had a companion, Anny my lovely Retriever.

So here my trip starts on an awsome sunny autmn day!

Noer_collage1

Mostly I have to ferry across the Northsea and Balticsea canal in order to get somewhere, I really love it! When other people have cars coming from left or right while standing at the crossroads I have hudge containerships crossing. So when we arrived at the sea, we searched for a place with good energy and settled down with all the equipment. Anny and I went on the search for stones to build our cairn. We had quite a lot choice of stones here.

Noer_collage2

Now I could start tangling the stones at this wonderful place, it was so meditative. The sea gave us an atmospheric sound and the dune grasses where softly bowing in the calm wind. Since it was during the week, we where all by ourselfes with the nature. Anny fell asleep on my leg, while I was tangling.

Noer_collage3

Almost 3 hours I stayed at this place, tangling, drinking tea, staring at the sea and building my tangle-cairn! I was so pleased with that place and my time spending here.

So here is my Diva Challenge #241 tangle-cairn:

cairn

Thank you Diva Challenge #241  and Paula Bramante for that challenge that brought me and Anny such an fantastic and inspiring day!

Birthday Leaves …
…for Artoo!

I really love autumn! It is one of my favorite season, at least if it is a sunny autumn without everyday rain. The falling leaves remind me how important und good it is just to let go and I see the changableness of things. For me it is a good time for reflection. I enjoy walking through the woods with all that colorful leaves. Well, the thing with those leaves is, I can’t find my dog between all that leaves. Golden dog on a golden background.

The morning when I ambled through our garden I collected three different leaves that inspired me.

One leaf from our wine. The leaves are so colorful and have such a beautiful outline. The symbolism of wine refers on one hand to frugality and on the other hand on nourishing power. This might be seen as the source of achievement-orientated society. But also in opposite of this self-discipline, drinking wine might  lead someone to let oneself go. So maybe the wine plant will show us the happy medium.

Pattern: Auraknot, Pendrills

One of my favorite trees is black elder, we have quite a lot in our garden. In the nordic european culture the elder is vitally important. A German fairy tale describes the elder as an intermediary between heaven, earth and netherworld. The elder protects the light of the humans soul and offers people living around the elder a secure sanctuary. So cutting down an elder tree was temporary forbidden in North-Europe. The elder loves being close to human and for that reason it grows very close to the houses. It has mellow smelling flower in the springtime, where you can make syrup from and in Autumn it has beautiful black berries which can be cooked to healthful juice.

Pattern: Cruffle, Nipa, Hibred, Hurry, Cool ‚Sista, Tipple

A symbol for eternalness is the oak tree. When I drive home I am passing through a beautiful small but long alley of old an young oaks. I really enjoy that part of my way and I am grateful to be able to live that way. The oak ist a powerful tree for this people who want to bring higher ideals into the world. The oak tree supports the strength of purpose and constancy for respectable worth. So here is my oak tile

Pattern: Aquafleur, Rixty (Variation)

So now I stopp writing about this beautiful season an go for a walk in my favourite wood on this sunny day with my dog Anny.

Friedhelm Kobold in Rolfshörn / Aquarell mit Tinte

Der Wald ist immer noch voller Wunder, herrlich wie am ersten Tag. Man muß sich nur die Muße nehmen, sie zu schauen. Erich Hornsmann

So ist es! Ich mag den Wald, die Farben, die Formen, Strukturen, den Wandel. Es gibt immer wieder etwas zu entdecken, während ich achtsam und neugierig durch den Wald streife. Meist mit unseren  3 Hunden, Ella, Anny und John John, sie kennen das schon, dass sie hier und da anhalten müssen und warten, weil Frauchen wieder auf Entdeckung geht und ein wenig verweilt, um alles genaustens zu erfassen. Es ist schön zu sehen wie der Wald lebt, sich verändert, aber auch vieles Bestand hat. Es wundert mich nicht, dass in Fabeln und Märchen dem Wald eine so große Rolle zu teil wird. Nehme ich den Wald mit allen Sinnen wahr, so spüre ich das „Fabel“-hafte – und vielleicht „schaut“ dann auch mal ein kleiner Kobold aus den Tiefen seines Erdreichs.

Inspiriert durch Tom Shadyac’s Film „I AM“, der unterhaltsam, spannend und berührend die Frage stellt : what’s wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better? ist dieses tangle entstanden.

Der Film zeigt das wir alle ein Teil eines grösseren Ganzen sind und lehrt, dass das Herz das primäre Organ der Intelligenz ist; das Bewusstsein und Emotionen sogar die materielle Welt beeinflussen können, humorvoll demonstriert an einer Schüssel Joghurt auf die Tom Shadyac seine Gefühle auf überträgt.

Ein sehenswerter Film, indem Tom Shadyac Interviews mit bedeutenden Philosophen, Wissenschaftlern, Glaubensführern führt und somit über die wissenschaftlichen, wie auch spirituellen Aspekte philosophiert. Dabei geht es nicht um DIE Antwort, sondern darum zum  Denken anzuregen, vielleicht kennen wir die Lösungen ja bereits?

“People can not be separated from their environment. Living consciousness is not an isolated unit. Human consciousness is increasing the order of the rest of the world and has an incredible power to heal ourselves and the world: in a certain sense we make the world as such, as we wish.”

Lynne McTaggart
The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe

Die Körperbemalung des tangle-Kugelfisch weicht stark von der des herkömmlichen Kugelfisches ab. Die Haut ist nicht nackt sondern liebevoll verziert. Der Antrieb erfolgt hauptsächlich durch die „Angle Fish“- Brustflosse, die „Phicop“- Variantion der Schwanzflosse als Steuerruder. Der kleine tangle-Kugelfisch ist nicht giftig und bereitet ausschliesslich Freude.