Challenge 206, a Card, and a New Stencil

Diva's Challenge 206

This week's challenge was really, really challenging!  It was to do the challenge using a tool we would normally not use with Zentangles.  So, I used a script liner brush, and a waterbrush (has water in the handle) for the solid parts.  The shading was truly a challenge with the liner brush!!!  The control is just NOT there... lol.  Anyway, here it is:

The Card

For some reason, it is now expected that I make a card on family's birthdays.  Last weekend was one of my son's birthday party (late because of all the snow we've been having).  I find it really hard to make cards for men, so I try to think of things they like and go with that.  Last year was a moose (that also ended up on a mug for Christmas :)), this year was his cat that is more like a puppy dog - follows him around like one :).

His name (the cat) is Vincent and I carved this stamp of his eyes a few years ago.

A New Stencil I Designed and Cut

My Dad posted a picture of an iron gate that I found really beautiful.  After seeing that, I drew a repeat pattern on a piece of Tyvek (inspired by the gate, but not the same), cut it out and tried it out.  I loved it, so then I cut a stencil from a transparency and tried it out on a painted journal page.  I think I will have a lot more fun with it (once I find a little time :)).

Challenge and Carvings

Challenge

This week's challenge was to use only the Mooka and the Auraknot tangles.  You can see the challenge and videos on how to tangle both of these here, in the Diva's blog.

This is what I created last night.  It's a bit crazy-looking with all the lines, but... it is what it is, and I'm not going to have time to do another one.  I must say, I have tried Mooka many times but I never know how they will turn out... they kind-a go crazy on me and I have no control over them... LOL

Carvings

As I only usually have a few minutes in the evening to create, this week I concentrated on making cards with the leaf stamp I carved from a cheap eraser.  

Since it is such a simple design I played with pattern.  I will still go back to these next week and add more color and pen and ink work - we'll see how they will turn out in the end.

And then last night I made this card with my new fish (you can see others here).  I think I like the one I made last week better, but still... since the dark blue of the fish below was painted with H2Os (shimmering watercolors), it does give it a bit of life :)

This is what the hand-carved fish look like.  

Next week I will be working on a seamless carving and I'm sure I will have lots of fun designing it.