Happy, happy, happy!

    I have so many happy things going on right now - not all huge and earth shattering, just the plain and simple joys of life.  Good things to be grateful for.  My brother and I had a wonderful Christmas.  I got so many exciting things - zentangle books, a cutterbug embosssing system, and a wood burning pen.  Like I said - lots of fun.  I am on the mend from a nasty cold (yeah, for that).  I also have another week of vacation. 
     Another thing I am thankful for - the challenges and dares that have enriched my zentangling experience.  They have caused me to stretch to do the tiles, and connected me to so many wonderful new friends.  Erin at the Bright Owl (see side bar) has a great template this week.  I began without a real plan, just doodling along.  Actually it came out alright - even if has these little squid or alien thingies around the outside.  Either way it was fun.

Dare #38

     Another piece of happy this week was the arrival of the Blog Friendship Cup!  Remember I told you I won the cup!  It was made even sweeter because it arrived the day before my birthday.  So, Diana (Wolf Howlings) may have been distressed she didn't send it in the (hopeful) three weeks time frame - but I think her timing was PERFECT!  The cup is gorgeous!  It now is a beautiful pink (thanks to Diana) and was filled packed inside and out with the most awesome of goodies!  I absolutely squealed when I saw "official, true blue" zentangle tiles!  I have been thinking some day I would try them and now that day is here!  I just want to make sure I choose a really good piece to put on them - the blank canvas is scary.  I have new watercolor pencils, a key keeper, tea, sweets, . . .the list is too long to list.  What a wonderful surprise!  Take a peek inside . . .

see those cool pencils and tiles,  ooooo play time for Cathy!

     Now it is my turn to share the fun!  I need to alter the cup in some way - perhaps I will quill something for it. I don't know yet.  Then I have to make a tag to attach to it.  Then (drumroll, please) I get to fill it inside and out with goodies for . . .wait, who is it for?!  That's where you come in.  I need someone special to send this to.  "How can it be me?" you ask.  I will tell you.  Very simply.  Please become a follower of my blog (if you are not already) and leave me a comment with your email address in it.  I will take the comments and number them and then use my random number generator to provide one lucky person with a box of fun! I will draw the name on Monday, Jan. 7th.  Thanks for joining us on this cool journey!
     One more rather silly happy and then I shall close this wordy blog.  My absolute favorite thing dessert wise is store bought birthday cake.  My grandmother used to ask all the grandkids what kind of cake we wanted her to make especially for our birthdays.  I think I was somewhat of a disappointment when I requested a store bought one and not one of her awesome concoctions.    When I became diabetic (about 8 years ago), one of my first thoughts was that I would never taste that horribly sweet cake again.  I know . . . there were way more important thoughts connected with the discovery, but honestly, I was so distraught that was the easiest one to focus on.  I work very hard to keep my blood sugar in check - having brought it from 502 to a daily 90 - 100.  Big difference.  But there at first it meant the grocery store became an instant "Cathy pity party".  Not any more I am happy to say.  I am afterall creative and why shouldn't that apply to cooking?  However there is yearly the matter of the birthday cake.  Well, not really.  It seems our local Wal-Mart carries a very small, sugar free version of my passion - and I can only find it once a year!  Is that not really cool?  I guess they could be doing it just for little ol' me, but I rather doubt it.  Either way, just another happy in my happy title!

two pieces for me, two for Ray and it's all over til next year!

      Now I am truly finished writing.  Don't forget to enter the Blog Friendship Cup giveaway!  I can't wait to see who I get to surprise!  (Don't get your hopes up, I am NOT sharing the cake). 
       Happy New Year to you all!!

Dare # 37 and a bit of Christmas

     School is out.  Packages are wrapped (and opened).  Christmas dinner is more or less made - waiting on the dressing.  And I am so relaxed and chillin'.  Unfortunately it is raining and that makes one lab mix very sad.  He can't even get his Christmas presents until the back yard is dry and we can go play.  The weatherman says that isn't going to happen for awhile.  Rain, rain go away.
     I finished the dare the first day it came out from Erin at the Bright Owl.  I just was lazy and didn't get it posted.  So here goes - another really great template from Erin!

     Now I am off to try my new wood burner.  I want to try tangling on pieces of wood with it.  We shall see.  I have never played with one of those so it will be an experience.  I also got some really nice tangle books which I can't wait to dig into.  What fun I am planning for my two week vacation!
    I feel so blessed to have connected with all of you wonderful tanglers and friends.  This has truly been a grand experience to set up this blog and hear your comments each week and go off and check out what is happening on your sites.  I hope all of you have a blessed and safe holiday season.  See you next week and thanks for dropping by.

Last Week of School!! Yahoo!!

  Only two more days to go before my Christmas break!  And I can't wait.  My class is so excited you can hardly contain them.  (And yes, their teacher is too).  We have had a great week so far.  In some ways it has been hard since the Sandy Hook shooting.  That is so hard to wrap my brain around.  My classroom door is now locked at all times, we look questioningly at visitors, the innocence has gone.  It is so shattering.  I cannot fathom the impact on all those lives - the precious children who will grow up with that fear, and sadly those that will not grow up.
  On to a more pleasant note. . .  my relaxing tangles, needed this week more than ever.  I had a bit of trouble with Erin's zendala dare.  It was coming along nicely and I really was thinking I liked it, when oops!  The outside edge became a disaster.  What to do?  Cover it in black.  Now I am not sure I really like it, but there is too much to do this week to start over.  As for the challenge and Laura's new tangle "Diva Dance", I love it!  This tile nearly became a monotangle.  I got started and couldn't decide when to stop.  What a cool tangle! 

Dare #36

Challenge #100

     I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and most importantly a safe one.  Thank you for dropping by and see you soon!

Snowflakes!

     What a fun dare Erin at the Bright Owl gave us this week!  It had been ages since I had cut snowflakes - I didn't remember how so thanks for the tutorial.  We had to cut a snowflake and then use the snowflake to create a template for our own zendala.  I loved this!  I plan on cutting lots more - perhaps my own version of a blizzard!!  I saw on pinterest (I think) where someone used a coffee filter to fold and cut, I might try that. 

Snowflake Dare

     Judy at Creative Doodling asked us to come up with 3 shapes, turn them into a celtic knot, then weave some lines through it.  I loved her example and it made me think all sorts of "Christmasy" thoughts.  I knew exactly what I wanted my design to look like.  The problem began when I tried to carry out my awesome plan.  Under, over, under, over, what?!  I felt like going into my closet and staying in seclusion until I had this done!  Please no one talk to me.  Doggy, do nothing cute or that I need to see.  And could we turn off the radio, because when I hum those Christmas carols my "over unders" get all wonky!!  But after much perseverance, I did it.  And I really love it!  Whew!

     The Diva may not have asked us to do snowflakes, but the pictures from around her house look snowy enough!  Oh, I am sooooo envious of that white stuff!  This week-end I played in the backyard in shorts - in December, for heaven's sake!  Margaret Bremner was the guest challenger.  We were asked to used "loops as a string".  This was lots of fun.

Challenge #99

     Lakota does not like getting up at 6 during the week (me either), so he sneaks back to bed until the week-end time of 10.  He looks so cute curled up in his way too small bed.  I think Santa needs to get him a big boy bed.

     Back to tangling some Christmas presents and wrapping some others.  I feel like Santa's elf this afternoon.  See you next week and thank you for leaving a comment!  Have a great week.

Three Ways to Have Fun!

     The three ways, you ask?  Why it is the Diva's challenge, Bright Owl's dare and the celtic knot from Creative Doodling!  Check out the sidebar and join all the fun yourself!  I love these things to make me step up to the plate and learn!  I do wish sometimes I had lots more time to devote to the process, but am thankful for time I do have.
     Diva wanted us to use the tangle, Keenees.  This one wasn't hard to do at all . . . I just couldn't get inspired.  I wanted it to look like a lot of bubbles bursting out of a bag or machine.  It doesn't do that at all.  I hope to give this one another go this week end.  But in case I don't, here goes.

The Bubble Machine

     I love the template from Erin at the Bright Owl.  It has SO much potential for using again and again.  Right now, with all that is going on at school, one "again" is all I can do!  But just wait until Christmas break and all my free time!  Wheeeee!

     Judy wanted us to try our hand at our own design - a continuous line celtic knot.  This was exactly what I have been wanting the "excuse" to do.  Each afternoon on the way home from school I have been captivated by the lights that our small town has put on the poles along the street.  There is this really cool light shaped like a tree on every other pole.  As we drive along I have been "drawing" it in my mind.  Well, this was perfect to try to do a continuous line!  It took a few tries, but I really loved this one. 

          Have a great week and thanks for dropping by!