April Showers???

Since the saying goes "April showers bring May flowers", I think we're going to have a bumper crop of flowers this year!!!  April has been a wet and cold month but I see next week (the first week of May) that we're suppose to have sunny days in the 60-70's and did I mention SUN!!!  I don't know how your weather has been, but I know I'm ready to get on with some Springtime weather.  I even bought seeds to plant with Little Miss Thisorthat when she comes over later this week.  As I look through Flickr I see more and more floral patterns popping up, so I think we're in the full throngs of Spring (it just isn't acting like it here).  I love when the sun is shining and feels warm to your face, the sky is blue with white puffy clouds, when the flowers grow and the birds are chirping, when someone (not me but SOMEONE at my house) mows and the grass smells so fresh, and when the squirrels are running around everywhere - its wonderful!!  I hope you're having a fabulous springtime day and are finding ways to enjoy each day!

It's no Easter Lily

When I first finished this tangle and stepped back to look at it, and it screamed out "COLOR ME"!!!  Even though it's not a specific type of flower (because I'm not THAT creative) I decided to give it an Easter feel since Easter was right around the corner.  Now that I look at it, I don't know that it even resembles Easter (since it doesn't look anything like an Easter Lily) but I like it anyway.  Who said you have to use only Easter Lily's at Easter anyway??  One of my kids brought me flowers for our Easter gathering yesterday and there were roses, carnations, daisy's, some green stemy things (I don't think that's the official name - but it could be) and they were as wonderful as any Easter Lily I've seen.  I love the color and the texture of the different flowers and especially the smell.  Mmmmmmm - how do flowers smell so good????  Anyway, whatever you're doing on this awesome Easter day, I hope you inhale it all and enjoy whatever it is you do.  Please take time out of your festivities to remember why we celebrate Easter!  Lovely day to you all!!!

Hearts, Ribbons, and Flowers

How can you go wrong with hearts, ribbons, and flowers?  Those are some of my most favorite things.  Of course if you visit my blog very often you probably have figured it out already.  I love finding new ways to do the ribbons without always putting a pattern on them.  The flowers will probably end up in color (then I'll post it again for you) but there's something about the black and white (or gray scale) look that really appeals to me.  It looks....natural????  Well as natural as you can get when you're just using a pen and pencil.  I think the greatest (or one of the greatest anyway) about Zentangles is that each tangle is your own.  It reflects what you're feeling, where you are in your head, and what comes out on the paper is all yours.  Even if you're using a pattern from someone else, no one else is combining the same patterns in the same way.  It's your own masterpiece.  Take ownership of your work and be proud of it, it's all you and it's fabulous!!!

Comfortable

I've been doing so many experiments on my tangles lately that I really felt like I had to get back to something I was comfortable with.  I know you're supposed to get in a zen zone but sometimes its hard to do that when you're trying out new tangles and designs.  Then of  course there's the coloring thing.  If you do choose to color it, how do you do it?  What colors do you put where?  I'm looking forward to Lauras' Challenge this week (even though I haven't done it yet) because the tangle needs to be blue.  That takes all the guessing out and for someone who is like me and is very indecisive at this point in my life, having someone give me a directions is just what I need.  So maybe tomorrow I'll have it up for you to see.  But for today I was happy with the flowers (which are called gingerbee by Sandra Strait) and the puffy thing (we used to call them fairies cuz we would make a wish on them and blow them all over) is Sandras' too.  Of course I don't know what it's called but i really like it.  Hope you're weather is warming up and you have sunshine.

29 Years!!!!

Today is my 29th wedding anniversary.  29 years ago today Mr. Thisorthat and I walked down the isle - it was a Saturday evening and there was snow on the ground.  It seems like it was just a few years back but it has been a lifetime of wonderful memories.  The reason I chose this tangle for today is because of the rose.  It reminds me of the rose from Beauty and the Beast where the rose represents true love.  I was so young (lets see 29 years????? so I must have been 3 or 4 when I married) well in reality I was 21 and hadn't even begun to live life.  God was watching over me when He sent this wonderful man in my life.  We have three wonderful sons, two grand kids (that are FABULOUS), moved cross country twice (and will again before this is over), and had way more happy times than sad.  I can say this man has made all my dreams come true and I'm a very lucky girl to be married to such a wonderful man (and my best friend) for 29 years.  I hope we have another 29 under our belt before this is all said and done.  Happy Anniversary Honey - I love you!!  Thank you for really sharing the best years of my life!!  (I know he's reading this because he's  my greatest supporter)

It's a Spring like day!

Today is supposed to be the best weather day of the week.  Almost 70 degrees in FEBRUARY!!!!  The snow is almost gone (still ice on the ground because it's still freezing at night) but the sky's are blue, the sun is shining, and it's so great to open the windows and feel the outside air freshen up the stagnant air that's been cooped up all winter long.  Time to open things up and breathe again!!  I painted the trim part of the newly remodeled bathroom yesterday.  I was so excited to see the new color on the wall, but all I had time to do was the trim.  MAN there's a lot of trim in a bathroom!!!!  Hoping to work on it today but not sure since our little miss thisorthat is coming over.  She has a way of stealing the show.  Maybe a good day for the park!!!  I hope today you enjoy the sunshine, and take a step outside to take in a deep breath of fresh air and think of three things you're thankful for!  You are one of the things on MY list!

It's MELTING!!!!!!

I think we've had snow and ice covering the ground (and everything else for that matter) since Christmas.  It seems like longer but I don't want to get over dramatic.  The past couple of days have been above freezing and they are even calling for 65 degrees tomorrow.  I'll wait until tomorrow before I get too excited.  But the point is that the white covered lawns, cars, rooftops, and yes even some Christmas ornaments are finally disappearing!!  Soon we'll be planting flowers again, mowing our lawns,  and walking outside without the fear of falling on the ice.  Even though everything has its time and season, it's always nice to see the changes happening.  Everything in life changes and regardless if we like it or not, we have to change with it.  We  can look at it like a rebirth and embrace it or kick and scream until we adjust (which is usually what I end up doing) .  Either way its going to happen.  Wherever you are in your life, and whatever place this finds you in, know that I finally get it and there's hope for all of us.  Lucky us to have one more day to enjoy whatever comes our way.  The doldrums of winter are leaving and the hope of spring is ahead.....

Happy V Day!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to you!!!!!  Today is the day that we are suppose to show our love to our friends and family.  It's always been a special day for me (and I got WAY to worked up) as I waited for Mr. Thisorthat to burst through the door with the big box of chocolates.  Sometimes he would bring them home after work and I would just light up.  Other times (after a couple of years of marriage), well, he didn't bring home anything.  Those were the times that, even though I was disappointed, I had to ask myself why I got so worked up over a box of candy (that I could buy myself anytime).  I KNEW Mr. Thisorthat loved me so what was the big deal?? (He says its the holiday invented by greeting card companies)  We have been through 30 Valentine's Days now and even though being thought of in a special or different way on February 14 is great, I know each and every day that I'm a lucky girl to have such a wonderful husband and I've been very blessed through the years.  I hope wherever you are in your relationships (with friends or family) that you know you are loved and you mean a lot to those around you.  Have a wonderful day today and even if the chocolate and flowers may not be in your future, there's more to the day than that - being with the people that you truly love!!  Happy Valentine's Day to all and you are loved everyday!!!

Happy Valentine's Day EVE!!

When my kids were little, somewhere along the line, we started telling each other "happy birthday eve".  I think it was because they were excited for their birthdays and it was our way of saying its only one more day.  As they got older it flowed into the other holidays, so it's become a regular occurrence around our house to wish each other happiness on the eve of holidays (and yes Valentine's Day is a holiday).  We are enjoying warmer weather and sunshine which as we've learned this winter, doesn't always happen together.  So whatever you do today, I hope you have a fabulous Valentine's Day Eve and remember you are being thought of today in a special way by me!!

Where does the time go???

I sat down this morning, about 9:00, and picked up my computer (instead of my drawing pad and pen) and thought I would get my blog done first thing this morning.  WELL, it's after 2:00 and I'm just now getting around tot it.  It seems like once I get working on my computer the clock speeds up and I get lost in the time warp!!  I asked the question on my FB the other day, why is it that time flys by when you're doing something you want and then drag when you're not.  The answer I got was, when you're doing something you want then time doesn't matter.  I guess that's really true.  Unfortunately there are things that eventually have to matter, like laundry, cleaning, cooking, you know stuff like that.  So today Mr. Thisorthat made a fabulous breakfast and is working on some remodeling stuff around the house, SO I guess that means that its time for things to start mattering to me too.  Enjoy the drawing and see you tomorrow!!

Ok side note:  It took me 40 minutes to upload this picture because it kept turning it!!  Geez!!!!

Even though Valentines Day is just around the corner, all I can think about is drawing hearts!!!  I've driven Mr. Thisorthat nuts looking at all my heart tangles.  He's always a good sport so I'm trying to post the last of my non-heart drawings and I think today is the last day.  Tomorrow you, along with everyone else who walks in my front door, will get to see the heart tangles I've been making.  Some I really like and others, well, not so much.  I'm still trying to find my style so I appreciate you bearing with me.  Your feedback would help me alot so if you have a few minutes let me know what you think. Please be brutally honest, I can take it.   Some drawings, like this one, start to look like someone threw up tangles all over it with no style or direction.  Maybe that's how they're suppose to look.....

We have sunshine!!

I was so glad to see the sunshine this morning!!  In honor of the (hope to be here soon) spring, I'm adding my touch of nicer weather today.  Be happy in all that you do!!  If there's no sunshine where you are, just picture it in your mind and enjoy the wonderful place you go!!