Challenge #60 Cirquital and Munchin

Our challenge this week from I am the Diva website is to use only two zentangle patterns, Cirquital and Munchin.  I have never used either of these pattens so this was a good practice for me.  I started off with a practice run in my calendar on the 27th and then today, tried again.  I am not too excited about this one.  It seems a bit ho-hum to me.

Mardi Gras

Our challenge this week was to create a Mardi Gras feel.  My feathers came out like palm fronds and the beads are a bit wobbly but I did have fun.  Great challenge Laura!

Orchid corsage anyone?

Every once in a while one of my orchids "hits the jackpot".  This month it was Blc. Goldenzelle x Sylvia Frye.  When the sheaths appeared I hoped for maybe 4 blooms.  When they opened, there were nine buds.  I figured one or two wouldn't make it...well may I present 9 blooms.
Does anyone remember the orchid corsages we got for prom and other big events?  From time to time my blooms remind me of those times.  Those poor guys paid dearly for those flowers and I have them growing on my lanai.  A moment of gratitude.......

Traci Bautista's Doodles Unleashed

Over the past few weeks I have been enjoying Traci Bautista's free class on the Strathmore site  http://www.strathmoreartist.com/workshop-reg.html.  It has been great fun and is loaded with ideas for working in mixed media.  This is an entirely new journey for me so I am constantly prowling for ideas.  These are my two projects done with my red headed grand daughter in mind...not of her but with her in mind (whatever that means).  I had some problems with the craft acrylic paint I used.  Guess I will have to spend more than seventy nine cents next time.

Watercolor glaze and Sanibelle

This week I was back playing around with watercolor glazing.  I love how the colors mellow and blend with each layer.  So this was laying around just waiting to be tangled.  Challenge 58, here we are!

Challenge #56

Phew!  This was a CHALLENGE!  The Diva challenged us to do a tangle using only our non dominant hand.  I tried and never completed this challenge last year.  Interestingly as I tangled this year, I thought of a friend that had a stroke this past year and deals with similar frustration every hour of every day.  And I thought of the neighbor child whose parents made him write with his right hand (and then complained all through elementary school about his messy work).  It wasn't a zenlike experience for me but it certainly has made me think.  I am grateful my "parts" are working today.  How about you?

First day of "school"

After debating with myself about whether or not to take on another Literacy Council tutoring assignment, I said "yes" to two students that had been waiting about 90 days for a tutor.  I prefer Spanish speaking students because I have some background in Spanish (a college major 50 years ago).  That first encounter is always an eye opener and yesterday was no different.  Jose and Orfelia arrived early (as most adult students do) and were anxious.  Anxious about meeting me, anxious about having to speak English, anxious to learn as much as I could pour into their hungry minds.  Orfelia was in her 40's and had taken some college courses in her youth in Honduras.  Jose, too was from Honduras, much to their delight.  It is always a good feeling to meet someone from your home country.  This was no exception.  Jose is 23 and came to the US when he was 19.  He had been working as a roofer here in Florida but recently had gotten a "good" job with a company that cleans Target stores.  He goes to work at 3 AM.  Orfelia works in receiving at Bealls four days a week on a shift starting at 5AM.  When she leaves Bealls, she goes to the beauty shop she owns and works there.  As with every tutoring assignment I have had, I was humbed by how hard these people work and how close to the edge they live.  Because of the language barrier they know that they are at the mercy of the people they encounter.  Why was I debating with myself?  I have work to do and I LOVE it.  It is so worthwhile!  And important to these people.