Tag: huggins

Surviving the Void

~ CharkatTangles ~ 6 Comments

Yes…it’s that time of year again. And this year hit me a lot harder, and took me deeper in the void than usual. We had mom’s interment last Friday, and the 9-ish hours drive each way really took a lot out of me. The interment was at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista, and it really is a beautiful place with sweeping panoramic views. I did a lot of cemetery visits this trip, including Tombstone and Black Oak in Elgin. It was interesting reconnecting with family in this manner, and realizing I am the senior family member now.

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I’ve tried really immersing myself in my art during this time. I did a lot of work with the Dot Rods™ and nearly have the video tutorial edited to post (hopefully by next week!)

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I’m really getting into trying lots of different things, and putting the materials I have to work for me. Here is some of the preliminary work that goes into a painting…selecting and prepping the palette.

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And the final products! (This was a Christmas gift for my Sig-O.)

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And that was a lot of fun.

It was also nice to have the Diva back this week after the Christmas break. (I know…I took a break too!) Her challenge this week (#346) was a Duo-Tangle of Phicops and Huggins. I really had not done Phicops before, but I really enjoyed it. and I tried to do a wonky gridded Huggins, as opposed to my usual Crazy Huggins and I think it was successful!

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I only have 5 more pages left in my little Cub from Iona Handcrafted Books, so it will be time to move on to a new one soon. (While I have more than a few blank journals at home, I found this one on their website while I was finishing up this post. Drool.)

I also finished (and blocked, and mailed) a knitting project that I started in New Zealand in October.

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Waiting now for some knitting needles that Santa ordered me for Christmas so I can start the next one. I plan on knitting (and stitching) my way through baseball season this year. Nothing like dedicated time to work on these things. I grew up listening to baseball on the radio, so I can look up from my work when something is going on, and not miss a thing!

Sometimes, the simple act of writing things out is a vital part of a healing process. In the case of this blog post, it worked. And while I was writing, the sun came out. Maybe the void won’t swallow me whole now.

Happy New Year from Mike and I.

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Moebius in Purple

~ CharkatTangles ~ 13 Comments

Wow! Not only was yesterday Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day, but this week coincided the Diva’s 300th Challenge. 100 of something is awesome…200, an amazing feat…but 300! OUTSTANDING! It’s hard to think that I have been participating in this for just a little under half of that time, and I feel like it is such a part of my life. This is something I write in my weekly list of things I MUST do. It is a habit, and a good one at that.

This is my 3rd Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day tile. I feel honored to know more about this rare genetic condition, and would encourage others to read about it more. Laura’s (the Diva) son is just about the most adorable kid I have ever seen. I know his facial expression is a result of his genetic abnormality, but just seeing him makes me smile. So much so, that I had to get these, and I think of him every time I use them!

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So this week, every year, the Diva asks us to use the Moebius symbol in our tile. Their color is purple, which I love anyway, but I used it on a black Zendala this year. I sprayed it with a purple luminescent spray, then did a very little bit of tangling on it. I feel like I rather over did some previous ones, and wanted this to be a bit simpler.

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I seem to have been on a Zendala roll this week. I did this one for a prompt in a group I am in, but I think it is pretty cool.

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And, I had a fun time with some lovely Girl Scouts this week. They earned their Black and White Art badge, and got to learn about Zentangle!

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I am taking a watercolor journaling class with Helen Schafer Garcia at this time, and have to share this. I feel like I am starting to get the hang of drawing again, after a pretty long hiatus. Check her blog for classes in Portland Minneapolis (and even one at the San Diego Botanical Garden! I am going to that one…join me!)

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There are still a few slots left in the February special class “Quill You Be My Valentine.” Be sure to sign up before they are filled! Quilling and tangling! What’s not to love.

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Time to go make art!