Refreshers 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255; Step-Out of the Month June Huila; July Azura; Inspired by...; and a cardboard tile.

A Look Back

2023 was a bad year for my Zentangle 'artistic' endeavour early on. Just the thought of having to draw a certain tangle for a running project made me shudder. No kidding. After about 6 months I was sure I, drawing tangles, was beyond the point of no return. Then INKtober came along. I joined INKtober in 2018 and didn't miss a year. Would 2023 end up to be the one I had left out? It took 2 weeks into the project before I actually woke up from my sluggishness and longed - yes, longed! - to put pen to paper. I thoroughly enjoyed picking the tangles from the list, mixing them together and at times messing them up a bit. INKtober 2023 was my first post after the April tiles. . 

I have to say, now that I have overcome my lethargy I am a much happier person. I am somebody who needs her daily goals, hours filled with activity. I cannot couch-potato, or sit somewhere quiet and read a book. That affects me negatively. I need to be hands on onto something, to wake up to, and to fill my days. 

After INKtober 2023 I caught up with my steady going Refreshers* from Linda Farmer's website. Yes, all published 255 tiles are done. I am now waiting in my starting blocks for the publishing of January's. I am currently working on the missed 2023 Step-Out of the Month tangles. I plan to follow FYI, another challenge I participated in since it started, ...and then there are 3 more challenges waiting for me in January, but they are of a different kind: Yoga. So it will be a very busy January, maybe a bit stressful to get it all done, but I would not want it any other way!!!! 

* Anyone else doing those Refreshers on a regular basis? 

Refreshers

Refresher #248, published May 12th, features the tangles Icanthis, Sistar, See, Kazuma, and Mintea.

Tangle Patterns: Icanthis, Sistar, See, Kazuma, Mintea

Refresher #249 with tangles Ratoon, Q-Mi, Isla, Bartom, and Eyedazzler was published in June.

Tangle Patterns: Ratoon, Q-Mi, Isla, Bartom, Eyedazzler

Refresher #250 with tangles Aquafleur. Creamy. Threezee, B’Mine, and Shearts was published in July.

Tangle Patterns: Aquafleur. Creamy. Threezee, B’Mine, Shearts

Refresher #251, published August 25, with tangles Assunta, Heartsmeet, Stwist, Edie, and Scape.

Tangle Patterns: Assunta, Heartsmeet, Stwist, Edie, Scape

Refresher #252, published September 8th, with tangles Arukas, Twirlies, Ringrill, Anthem, and Arkand. 

Tangle Patterns: Arukas, Twirlies, Ringrill, Anthem, Arkand

Refresher #253, published October 13th, with tangles Auraknot, Bertee, Ra-on, Azteka, and Fitzi.

Tangle Patterns: Refresher #253 with tangles Auraknot, Bertee, Ra-on, Azteka, and Fitzi

Refresher #254, published November 10th, with tangles Well Well Who, Fontana, Peeks, Jud, and Kadibra.

Tangle Patterns: Well Well Who, Fontana, Peeks, Jud, Kadibra

Refresher #255 published December 8, the last Refresher for 2023. The tangles are: Avreal, Tunnelvizion, Shirley, LiuLiu, and Double Double.

Tangle Patterns: Avreal, Tunnelvizion, Shirley, LiuLiu, Double Double

>>> Tanglepatterns.com's Refreshers #1 to #250 you can find via the Refreshers link in the Menu or all Refreshers together in one Google Folder here.

Step-Out of the Month

♻️ Step-Out of the Month July - Azura, a beautiful botanical tangle by Theresa Fessler drawn on packaging paper. 

Hashtags: #azura #sootm #sootmjuly23 #stepoutofthemonth #conzentric on their FB page.

Tangle Pattern: Azura

♻️ The Azura tile below, drawn on absolutely beautiful packaging paper you usually throw away, was my initial idea, but while working on it I decided that the 'stretched' Azura is better drawn on a longish tile. However, I still wanted to finish the square one and went through 3 (THREE!!!) tries to make it look OK. I added a likely Blattwerk, Tipple and Fescu.

Tangle Pattern: Azura, Blattwerk, Tipple, Fescu

3rd and final Azura tile with the most recognisable Azura tangles. I packed one with Blattwerk and added Coffeebean Flower. 

If you want to see a lot of Azura tiles, all in one place, visit Theresa's special Azura only upload page.

Tangle Patterns: Azura, Blattwerk, Coffeebean Flower

ConZENtric's Step-Out of the Month of June is Huila by Isabel Wallis. If you are not subscribed to #sootm you find the stepout to Huila in her Instagram profile.

Publish tile and Hashtags: #huila #sootm #sootmjune23 #stepoutofthemonth #conzentric on their FB page.

Tangle Pattern: Huila

Same as above but instead of botanical it is geometrical.

Tangle Pattern: Huila

Inspired by Zentangle Artists' Video Tutorials

♻️ This tile has been lying in my 'TODO' folder for ages. So end of year means cleanup time and that is what I did and added a reverse design - Rayz outside-in - for good measure. This is a Video Tutorial by AKASKY using the tangle Rayz. Paper used: Packaging paper from the flower market.

Tangle Pattern: Rayz

♻️ The reversed version as above and injecting some of the Rayz tangles with a bit of Toodles. Paper used: Packaging paper from the flower market. I was really surprised about the 3D effect this tile created. To think that I almost threw the paper out! Unfortunately, there are not too many yellow leaves left (only dull red and dark) and I can't remember which shop used it, else I would hurry to get another plant just to get the paper.

Tangle Patterns: Rayz, Toodles adaptations

Cardboard Tile Drawing

♻️ My first attempt to draw on cardboard and then pull the paper off to reveal the wavy part. It was a lot of fun, I have to admit, and not difficult to draw on at all. Tangles used Bireel Flipped, Taiga, Printemps and the video tut was by Emiko.

Tangle Patterns: Bireel Flipped, Taiga, Printemps

Time to Kill

A new set of 6 puzzles. #4 is enlarged...just in case you can't read it. Solutions - as always - right at the end of this post in the smallest font size so you don't accidentally scroll all the way down and read the solutions without having had a proper go at them. (I drew a blank on #3 and I had a different, but - I insist - more accurate result on #5. I add my result to the bottom answers in ()) 

Animal Happy Day

How do you get 3 big cached dogs down a step hill without freaking them out? On one wheel...once you got the team together to trap them that is.

I wish to all my visitors a great

2024 

with much health, wealth, and happiness

for themselves, their families and their friends..

Coal keeping watch over me when I am in the shower.

Well done, sweety, but you'd better keep an eye
out for those snakes I have in my garden. 
Oh well!

Solution to puzzle above

1 – Many thanks or thanks a lot

2 – Download

3 – No idea

4 – Comfortable

5 – Forty years (42 years - reasoning: each YEARS, YEARS is already in plural. Should have been only one YEARS or YEAR, YEAR)

6 – Excuse me

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