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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INKtober 2023

INKtober 2023

31 Days of Inkktober 2023 following Stephanie Jennifer's .pdf in irregular sequence.

Day 1 Beelight

Day 3 Caro.

Tangle Patterns: Beelight, Caro

Day 2 Flame Flower

Tangle Pattern: Flame Flower

Day 4 Sunbelt

Day 18 Zutto

Day 27 Camus

Tangle Patterns: Sunbelt, Zutto, Camus

Day 5 Nayu

Day 21 Enoc

Day 22 Syndeo.

Tangle Patterns: Nayu, Enoc, Syndeo

Day 6 Imaritas

Tangle Pattern: Imaritas

Day 7 Foundabout Extended

Tangle Pattern: Foundabout Extended

Day 8 Barz

Day 28 Kasual

Tangle Patterns: Barz, Kasual

Day 9 Bailarine

Day 19 Knightsbridge

Day 25 Onamato.

Tangle Patterns: Bailarine, Knightsbridge, Onamato

Day 10 Buldiz

Tangle Pattern: Buldiz

Day 11 Dark Busters

Day 14 Prima

Day 29 Oasis

Tangle Patterns: Dark Busters, Prima, Oasis

Day 12 Amath

Day 23 Roos

Tangle Patterns: Amath, Roos

Day 13 Icanthis

Day 20 Kalooa

Day 31 Pokeroot

Tangle Patterns: Icanthis, Kalooa, Pokeroot

Day 15 Scara

Tangle Pattern: Scara

Day 16 Walnutz

Day 26 Miliacrown

Tangle Patterns: Walnutz, Miliacrown

Day 17 Acropolis

Tangle Pattern: Acropolis

Day 24 Flutch unbound and Flutch stacked.

Tangle Pattern: Flutch

Day 30 TriXYZ

Tangle Pattern: TriXYZ

Time to Kill

A new set of 6 puzzles. #3 is a bit small; it reads 'Legs' with 5 'g's, and #5 I enlarged. Solutions - as always - right at the end of this post in the smallest font size in case you accidentally scroll all the way down without having had a go at the puzzle first. (I drew a blank on #4.) 

Enlarged #5

Animal Happy Day...

...and how TikTok is fake? 

I first came across a TikTok video in Facebook where a mother Deer blocs a car and leads him to her bambi entangled in a soccer net. At the end a really fantastic scene happens and I decided that I check whether youTube has the same video so I can place the video here. 

Yeap! Found it. Or better said I found the exact same footage which is shown at the end of FB video, but it was a different video. One is fake.

Here the link to the FB TikTok video...

...and here the youTube.

          

Snakey, Snakey

Winter is acoming. Well, not exactly here in Thailand, but we do have a cold season. And in cold season our snakes are looking for warmth. A few days ago I found this beauty in my garden. I never kill snakes or rodents or whatever. They all have a purpose in life and on this earth, so I quickly fetched my too snake catching tools (fishing nets) and captured the intruder. While I carried it out towards an open field I noticed how docile it was. So before the final release I hurried back to get my mobile to shot some images. I believe it to be a baby Boa, but what do I know about snakes.

Still caught in my fishing net, but...

...released and happily back in the wild again.

Finally the over-and-out and a thank you for visiting my post. However, not before showing Coal in his latest exercise routine. Caught him just before doing the corpse pose Shavasana. 

...twist your knees to your right, arms to your left and
get comfy....

Solution to above puzzle:

1 – Trip around the world or around the world trip

2 – Lemonade

3 – Long legs

4 – advice

5 – Spaceman

6 – Big bad wolf

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Step-Out of the Month April and May; Refresher 247; 7F5R; Inspired by...; and a Baby Bird story.

Step-Out of the Month

ConZENtric's Step-Out of the Month of April is the interesting tangle 'Florcha'. I couldn't resist and drew several tiles. This one is accompanied by Marito and DooDah. #florcha and generic #sootm  #stepoutofthemonth #conzentric

Tangle Patterns: Florcha, DooDah, Marito

The 2nd I did was on a pink/purpelish watercolor background and I drew Florcha as a triangle. 

Tangle Pattern: Florcha

♻️ I wasn't convinced the pink tile was all that great, so I thought I will do the same again but in black and white. How the light blue pencil slipped into my fingers..., so it was colourisation AGAIN - the whole way. Trying to draw a 3rd version would sort of be ridiculous, wouldn't it... 

(Drawn on packaging paper.)

Tangle Pattern: Florcha

...♻️ so I drew a ribbon sort of thingy, or bookmark. (Drawn on Manila envelope.)

Tangle Pattern: Florcha

ConZENtric's Step-Out of the Month of May is the floral tangle 'Chueca'. B&W with tangle Aura-Leah and 3 toppers.

#chueca and generic #sootm  #stepoutofthemonth #conzentric

Tangle Patterns: Chueca, Aura-Leah

♻️ Chueca with The String Thing and some leaves. (Drawn on packaging paper.)

Tangle Patterns: Chueca, The String Thing

...and one more Chueca tangle sharing the tile with the new tangle Seedwayz/SeedwayzXtra.

Tangle Patterns: Chueca, SeedwayzXtra

7 Forests 5 Rivers

7F5R Tuesday Tea & Tangle April 18 - InaCalm with Gilbert.

Tangle Patterns: InaCalm, Gilbert

♻️ A 7F5R tangle called stable SYNDEO drawn on Manila envelope.

Tangle Pattern: Syndeo

Refresher

Refresher #247, published April 14, with tangles Gneiss, Eye-V, Momo, Love Handles, and Zeppo. That little bit of color in Love Handles is from my new - and used for the first time - Rainbow Color Pencil. Needs practising...

Tangle Patterns: Gneiss, Eye-V, Momo, Love Handles, Zeppo

Inspired by...

...IX in a video tutorial by SANDYArt Studio. Sandy did hers on a black tile. That looked really amazing.

Tangle Pattern: IX

...Nodana, another knot tangle, accompanied by Vipson.

Tangle Patterns: Nodana, Vipson

...♻️ Holliooki extending into Damsel Leaf. (Drawn on packaging paper)

Tangle Patterns: Holliooki, Damsel Leaf

...♻️ Pussle as drawn in Akasky's tutorial video. (Drawn on Manila envelope)

Tangle Pattern: Pussle

...another of Akasky's video tuts: Q-MI, her 2nd version of this tangle and I made it my version by expanding it a bit...

Tangle Pattern: Q-MI

A Birdy Kind of Animal Happy Day

What's with the box on my sun cover you might ask. One word: COAL. Last night (May 27th) he caught a baby bird and, like with snakes, brought it to me - unscathed. I put the bird in a box and locked it in the storeroom. As Scarlett would say: "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow."

The first thing I did in the morning was to search the Internet for how to care for a wild baby bird with feathers and almost ready to take flight. Answers were aplenty, from 'put it back into the nest' (what nest?) to 'call wild bird rescues' (which here would be the fire department - I know! - but that is another bird story...) and what to feed and what NOT to feed. 

My rescued baby bird

Bread soaked in milk would have been my preferred choice because I had both at home, but milk and bread was on the 'NOT to feed' manifest, but boiled egg was an approved feed. So boiled egg it was. 

Have you ever tried to feed boiled egg yolk to a baby bird without stressing it (the bird, not the yolk) and not forcing the beak open? I needed another solution, I needed the help of the parents, and that is how the box ended up on top of my sun cover.

To my utter surprise...

IT WORKED!!! 

Click here for a short video showing one of the parents hearing the chirping and hopping into the box to feed the baby. Oh! I was so proud of my solution. I couldn't have done it without the parents. No way.

Skip forward to May 30 afternoon. I heard the baby's call, but no parents for quite a while. I checked, yes, the baby was still alive. It also looked rather 'grown up', so I inserted a stick through the windows. Yes, you guessed it, the moment has come the kids leave home. The first attempt was a flop. Birdy baby ended sitting in the middle of the road rather exhausted. So back into the box. 

About 30 min later it was all quiet. Really quiet. No baby chirping, no parents replying...no other birds...nothing. 

Baby Bird has left the building. Alive and well fed.
May you live a long and happy bird life. And remember, if you ever
need a home, or a home for your babies,

I kept the box.

As for the "other" bird story - the fire department story: A wild bird flew into my bedroom and slipped down into the narrow gap between the wall and the wardrobe. No way could he spread its wings to get out of there and no way could I get it out either - I tried. The idea that the bird could die in my bedroom, behind my wardrobe, was nerve wrecking, you know, the Skeleton behind the Wardrobe. So I called the police and they in turn sent the fire department. 

The four firemen tried varies methods to lift the bird out of the narrow space, but all to no avail. After about 30 min one of the fireman had the idea to put a bit of mouse trapping glue to the tip of the long stick and touch the bird lightly. It was a horrific idea, but the bird got more and more stressed and our best hope, lowering a small container for the bird to be coaxed in, had failed too many times, so glue it was. 

In now time at all we had a rescued bird in our hands. As soon as it was up one of the fireman started tenderly pealing off as much of the glue as he could. They then took the bird to the station where they could clean it up properly and watch it for a few days. 

A big Thank You to our fire department here in Naklua, Thailand! You are the best.

Needless to say that their last action was to seal the gab so no other bird befell the same misfortune.

Time to Kill

Another set of those Rebus puzzles we all love to figure out. Solutions - as always - right at the end of this post. If you don't get #4, you know, the one with that POT and all the circle pairs...don't despair, you are not alone.

Animal Happy Day?

Yes, in the end and after 60 years. 

Another Card-box story

Regular visitors to my blog know by now that I love animals. Each of my posts has an Animal Happy Day video section. However, the link further below is not leading to a video but to a web page. When I read this article (from the bottom up as I do not like to read about bad outcomes) I knew I had to place its link into my post. So here I go: The cleverest idea of them all. Click and enjoy!

And then there is Coal...

I never noticed it until I worked with this image: Coal has a broken tooth. Jeez, I got all hot from feeling guilty. I took the image January 6th and wondered whether Coal has been in pain ever since. He never complained or cried out while eating. I packed him up and went to the vet for a check up. The verdict: Coal is A-OK. 

1-fanged Coal

Thank you, visitor, for hopping by my blog.
As of late, I have been rather slow in
tangling. Reason: my garden is in need of me. 

Solutions to above Rebus puzzle

7 – Eyeshadow

8 – Stepfather

9 – Once upon a time

10 – Potatoes (pot 8 O’s) [this flew right over my head]

11 – 3D movie

12 – Top secret

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