Thursday, October 04, 2012

Thursday-8:30am

Okay, I usually stick any challenges I have managed to complete during the week up at the top of the blog on Thursday so those talented folks don't have to scroll down very far or put up with my chit chat...but the the top story today, folks, is the very, very early snow storm.

Yesterday we had another very orange sunrise... but today there's a white out!  Wind gusts up to 44 mph, 34 degrees, and it is worse to the west and north of us.  Power outages and school closings.  Even the new Fargo Public Library is closed.  It is way too early for this.
Okay...the zendala challenge this week. 
 I felt the need to attempt to unify and balance it--lol!
So relaxing to do these.  :) 
Then over at The Artist'sPlayRoom the challenge was something "botanical".  I am cheating this week with an older painting I found while I was doing all that recent cleaning.  I told you I can't draw--well, I traced these black-eyed susans in pencil from a photo.  When I tried to paint them...well, I didn't like how it turned out...at all.  After I cropped it down I liked it somewhat better.  Finding it a couple years later while cleaning...well, it has actually kind of grown on me.  So this is my entry.  A reminder not to be so critical of everything I do--LOL!  ;)
Meanwhile...I won homemade brownies from Mare Ball over at Adventures In The Ballpark!  You may remember I also won a handmade red and white kitchen towel from Mare a little while back.  I guess I am just a dang lucky women down in Florida!!  They are delicious and even came individually wrapped inside the zip lock bag.  Thanks so much, Mare!! 
The October Ink Drop samples arrived, too.   
All five samples this month are from a brand new ink company! 
Looks like a red, blue, purple, green...and maybe a brown?  Now I'll have to think of some kind of art project to make with these this month for their contest.  ;) 
In the meantime...I have started up another big project, but this one is a sit-down project.  Ever since I started doing the zentangles and zendalas and discovered that the artists usually tell which tangles they have used (didn't even know there were any with names and specific instructions!)...I have been trying to scribble down various tangles and their names on scraps of paper.  Not a good system.
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Then I found TanglePatterns!!  Talk about a goldmine!  But there were so many to navigate through and it takes a long time to search around on the site for somebody like myself with zero knowledge...so...I spent a day copying tangles (and instructions, if I could get them) to my computer.  Then I spent another day manually shrinking them down in the "document" I made (over 400 pages down to 89 pages).
Next step--I am going to cut all of these tangles apart.  After that, go through and write the names in pencil on the backs...while keeping them alphabetized, of course.  And finally--armed with a glue stick and my Sharpie stick pens (that won't bleed through the paper)... 
...I will arrange them into this half-sheet size binder--which I had around here for a few years for another project I have since found an easier solution for.   
All I need to buy is a set of alphabet insert pages.  I will be able to add to the collection from anywhere I find new tangles!  Whoohoo!  Will have the tangles and their names right at my fingertips.  I guess I am just old school when it comes to things like this.  I like to have something in my hands...pages I can peruse.  Plus--tedious projects like this are right up my alley, dontcha know--LOL!  ;)  I'll show you some pics as I go along.
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I also decided that I am going to switch my two blogging days to Monday and Friday from now on.  Now that both these challenges I love to try to get to each week don't have a cut-off till Saturday...if I switch over to Fridays instead of Thursdays it will give me an extra day.  So far, the twice a week is working pretty well for me.  :)
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MS Media Player.  :(
While I was watching a program Tuesday night the picture froze on the screen and there was this horrible, loud buzzing noise.  Nothing worked, so I had to manually shut down the computer...again.  But it has been working since then?  Does anyone else have Media Player?  Do you have problems with it?  *sigh*  I hope that was the last hiccup!
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Caroline had to do a rare switch this week and will be coming this afternoon instead of her usual day, yesterday.  I hope the roads aren't slippery.  It doesn't look like they would be.  The snow is melting on the sidewalks and parking lot as it falls.  Today--instead of a quote, I will leave you with Bing.  ;)  
      

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

The north of Sweden had snow last week! Hopefully, it will disappear soon.

Lovely sky shot.

Marianne (Mare) Baker Ball said...

I see the Ballpark brownies are getting around. Hope you like them! Those little vials look like tubes of blood...ICK. You are one busy, creative woman!

Beth said...

EEK!!! Snow, yuck!! Keep it away, it is much to early!! Great video though!

Felicia said...

OHHHH I Love black eyed susans! And your painting is awesome of them! Love the colors so much! And the tangle is just so pretty!! YUMMMY Brownies! Now THAT is something worth winning for sure! LOL I am no help on media player but did find a new site yesterday called livetvcafe its not perfect but its free! LOL Finally get to watch my food network and a few others ones I had been missing since dumping cable a while back. So is it melted off yet? Ours lasted about an hour hahaha ah well! Soon enough it will be piled out there. Cold today though. Stove is running and oven is a baking. Love this time a year! Have a great one! *huggles* =0)

Currie Silver said...

What a deLIGHT you're sharing today!! In honour of your snow, I will say that I spent 2 hot hours outside weeding and mowing and trying to make some REAL progress on the yard. I intended to DO a little Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but after Monday we had more rain and MORE rain on Tuesday, and yesterday it was just too wet still to make progress.

I remember my years of living in snow country, all 30 of them. The last 8 of which were in Syracuse, NY, the land of rain rain rain and snow snow snow, "lake effect" in effect, and an occasional sun citing!! I remember the snowed-in Mother's Day...

Your Zentangle project sounds wonderful. I found that site back in January and had been getting the How-To DO certain tangles for awhile in a similar fashion. However it has ceased to BE a focus so I am excited to see what you come up with. I know what you mean about such a project BEing right up your alley. We're all funny little critters, aren't we?!

Stay warm and sorry about your media player snafus. I don't have a clue how to help except to say that there are some things that don't work or work intermittently with my computer, too, and I have come to think of it as a computer with attitude!!

EnJOY!!

Furry Bottoms said...

That is very definitely EARLY for snow! I'm not that surprised though. It has been bizarrely cold in my neck of the woods... it shouldn't be this cold already. Its the kind of cold you can feel to your bones. Just weird.

Your back eye susans is REALLY pretty! I don't know what you were thinking back when you didn't think you liked it!!

Fallingladies said...

Like your botanical, it's great! I was also tempted to organize the tangle designs and tried out a few systems but never finished either up.

Dana said...

Snow! Yuck! It's way too early...

Love the flowers. :)

Janie Junebug said...

I'm glad you had a reminder that you shouldn't be so self-critical. I think you need it because I LOVE everything you do. It's so hot and humid here that snow doesn't seem real to me. Congratulations on the brownies.

Love,
Janie

Jennifer McLean said...

that's kind of what I did with the zentangle patterns I liked but actually ended up cutting my own tiles and using those to show a pattern. Now I have 50 or so tiles, all decorated, lol. Fun to go through and be inspired and drawing them out really made me learn them. Your black eyed susans are so gorgeous, I'll have to try painting some, I do love cone flowers and daisies so I'm not surprised I like this. Gorgeous background color too.

Far Side of Fifty said...

You should sell that book..89 pages..I have been drawing them into a book..LOL..your way sounds faster.

I declare you are the winner of some Snow Daze Cards..email me your address..and I will get them in the mail on Monday..I have to pick some really good ones for you. Congrats. I do not have a photo of the snow..I was in the museum when it was snowing huge flakes. :)

betty said...

Wow, snow already!! And enough to close schools! Wow! Let's hope it was just a fluke and not a trend!

congrats on winning the brownies; they look delicious!

betty

Alice said...

you have been busy and you look to be busier still making that tangle book - i want to see it when you get it going good :) great idea!

Queenie Jeannie said...

Ohmygosh! SNOW??? That is early, even for Fargo! Yikes. I know it's coming for me, over here, too. NOT a fan. *shivers*

Yay you on winning brownies! Did you eat one already??? LOL! Looks like one is missing from the bag....

I understand what you mean about needing to see/touch your tangles. I have the same thing for my stamps. My book is about to explode though. I think in the beginning of the year, I'm going to have to prune them out. I really do have more than I will ever use. Not that that stops me from buying more. A sickness I tell ya! LOL!

No clue on Media player. Hope it stops acting up for you though!!

WHERE'S KARMA????

Love your artwork! You doodle so well, and you paint like a pro!!!

Love the names of your new ink. I'm a sucker for mythological stuff!!

Have a great weekend!!!!

Anne's tangle blog said...

I like your zendala very much; it looks so bright and happy.
Here (in the Netherlands) we have rain, rain and more RAIN.
Time for candles and incense!

Serena Lewis said...

I remember when we arrived in Kemmerer, Wyoming in June of 1998...it snowed the very next day. It was quite unusual and the townsfolk reckoned it snowed just for us Aussies. lol

As for your white-out...WOW!!! How sudden and out-of-the-blue was that?!!! Crazy weather!

Congratulations on winning those delicious looking brownies!

Thanks for the Tangle Pattern link...sure to keep you busy for hours! I like your idea of recording them in the book.
I love your Zendala!!

What a bummer with Media Player acting out again. The loud buzzing noise may well have just been your speakers because they could no longer pick up a sound via the program. Hopefully, it won't happen again.

The stores here are starting to put out their Christmas displays! Love that White Christmas song.

Enjoy your weekend ~ xo

Elissa said...

Discovered that same Zentangle website the other day after getting Suzanne McNeill's book, Zentangle Basics, and I'm looking forward to having a go at them. I love your black eyed susans picture, especially the background colour - gorgeous.

Kreanimo said...

Great work on the template!
Lots of work with the pattern, I did a rough sketch of most patterns I like in a notebook, but this is much better!

Deanna said...

I'd be dreaming of a White Thanksgiving! Rain here.

You've come a long way with your art work. Totally amazing.

That is quite a project you have going, but I hear you. I've begun printing out card samples rather than saving them to my computer. I like it better that way!

Have a great weekend!

Dee said...

Dear Rita, the design of those black-eyed Susans is so pleasing to the eye and the colors you used on the petals so resplendent. I'm eager to see what you will do with your five new inks.

My schedule of having two blogs now and postings just once a week on each is working for me also. It feels "doable." And that's the thing, getting our schedules to work for us, not against us. So I'm glad you're switching to Friday to get in that extra day on your art for the contests.

What a prize--brownies. Yum! Yum!

As to your snow--well, here, too, in Missouri we are having strange weather. Not snow, but extremely cold days for this time of year. I wonder if all this portends anything about the winter. Peace.

TwinkleToes2day said...

Visiting from Jenn's APR - What beautiful Black Eyes you have! :0)

laurak/ForestWalkArt :) said...

snow, in october...is EARLY??!! i wouldn't have thought so. well, maybe it's just a freak blizzard...and then you'll get some warm to melt it all away!

i like those flowers!!
and like someone said in the comments, the vials DO look like they're filled with blood...perfect for the upcoming holiday!

you sure have some good luck...i don't think i've EVER won anything!! brownies, yum!

i use media player all the time and have never had a problem with it...unless the disc i'm listening to is scratched or something...then it might freeze up.

well...you & karma have a great weekend...and just send some of that snow MY way!!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I can't see either of your videos, but that's nothing new. I haven't been able to access YouTube since they changed formats.

Love your zen doodle and how you are going to keep your patterns. Wish we lived closer. I have several of those alphabet dividers for 3 ring notebooks.

Sorry, no media player in my world. I'm old school with a VCR and tapes. At least it's not Beta (grin).

Have a fun and stress free weekend.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

BTW, what's this about SNOW????

Darla said...

Snow? Gasp!

I like the new mandala and think whatever you did to the botanical work it turned out perfect.

Your tangle book sounds like it will be a treasure. I have just a little tangle experience, don't know many pattern names, but it is fun.

Stay warm!

Darla

Cindy Lane said...

WOW! You should become a professional organizer - you have such tenacity to get the job completed!

LOVE your flowers, the colours are gorgeous.

LOVE the inks - I have always had a soft spot for the Kraken ("Release the Kraken!" from a lot of B grade movies...)

Snow - I have only seen it once in my life - mid west USA - Wisconsin was blanketed!

Have a great weekend!

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

I loved the video of the snow at your place if it snowed here were I am it would make the world news as I do not live in an area that gets snow

Zue said...

Snow,Sunflowers and Bing...am I in heaven? :)
Though I don't go a bundle on Christmas...I love this song.
SNOW???????
Lucky you!
xxx

Catharina Engberg said...

These flowers look beautyful. You shouldn´t be so self critical, you are right there! See you again soon!

Crystal said...

Oh my goodness, my son is in Minot which is north of you, hope they didn't have it too bad there! Love your zentangles. :-)

Victoria said...

Wow..beautiful piece..the colors are entrancing and magical!! Superb!! and love the flowers..so uplifting and warming!!
Wow..quite a snowy situation!!
Hope the weather gets better and brighter for you!
Fabulous post..always chalk full of stories..magic and new advnetures!!
hugs friend!
Victoria

carol l mckenna said...

OMG ~ white stuff ~ am not ready for that ~ 70s today and then dropping to 50's and rain in MA ~ You are being so creative and expressive ~ And you are so organized ~ I am to a degree ~ then I mess it up and have to start all over ~ Very creative mandalas and love your flowers ~ colors are awesome ~ have a wonderful weekend ~ (A Creative Harbor)

ps ~ Can't listen to Bing I will cry!

TexWisGirl said...

(once again, google reader finally gave me your feed...)

i read about the snowstorm hitting fargo on msn and thought of you. i really like your zendala but ADORE those flowers! you did really, really well!

Sivinden said...

I've learned a lot this morning when visiting your blog.
I like your yellow flowers.

AliceKay said...

I had heard on the news that Fargo had received some snow the other day. Thought of you right away. If I didn't see any of that white stuff this winter, I'd be okay with that. lol

Love the sunrise shot. You always capture some beauties.

Very colorful zendala. I like it! The black-eyed susans drawing looks pretty good to me. :)

Cutting out all of those tangles, arranging them, and naming them sounds very, very tedious to me. I don't think I'd want to tackle a project like that. I'm glad you're up for the challenge. LOL

Sometimes when I'm trying to view some of my videos on Media Player, the video will all of a sudden stop playing, the sound will continue for a few seconds, and then it will crash my computer. Very frustrating. It has something to do with my computer's 64-bit Vista operating system. It can be a real PITA, too. :\ Sounds like your system has some kind of glitch in it that only pops up from time to time. Those glitches can be nasty little buggers.

I hope you had a good weekend. Will look forward to your post tomorrow. *hugs*

Gloria j Zucaro said...

Your flowers are just gorgeous! I love the colors and the shapes, and am listening to Bing right now. Hard for me to believe that time of year is so close, even though it is only 49 degrees at 4:40 in Lake Zurich, IL this afternoon. Thanks for sharing all your news. Have a warmer, sunny week, I hope. I think you must have good karma since you are a "winner".

Unknown said...

I like how you organized the zentangle patterns! what a find, that will make things much easier. I was surprised to see your snow but then again not so surprised. Its supposed to be a very cold winter this year! I am in love with your black-eyed susans. Wonderful painting! Take care:) FranT xo

Farida said...

I love your shot of the orange sky! It looks so dramatic. You are very creative Ms Rita. I wish I could doodle just like you :) Have a great week ahead :)

Tracey FK said...

So sorry I am so late for APR this week... but glad I got here in the end because I wouldn't have believed that it is snowing already if I hadn't seen it... OMG that is crazy... then again we were in the 90's on Sunday so it is way too hot here also... I can't wait to show Phantom when she gets home... she has never been in snow and is pretty fascinated by it... she doesn't comprehend what real cold is...
anyway to all your work
so glad you have been so busy and making so many pieces... those daisies are just gorgeous... love the floppy heads on them.. stay warm and hope that it isn't snowing again!!!
T xx