Quandary monotangle

I didn't expect this to be a monotangle, but it became one. This is a new favourite pattern of mine.

Diva Weekly Challenge #132 - Non Dominant Hand Challenge

The Diva's challenge this week was to draw a non-domonotangle (monotangle using my non-dominant hand) using the pattern Bales. I wasn't sure if I was going to do this challenge. Everyone seems to have found it difficult but rewarding. My favourite way to relax right now is to have a hot bath and read Zentangle blogs on my iPad. I was looking at everyone's submissions and was laughing at how everyone was saying the same thing over and over. Specifically, people were saying they didn't want to do this challenge, their hand cramped, they didn't blink, they were forced to be more mindful, etc. Reading these responses made me really want to do the challenge, so here it is.

I actually like it a lot. Some of the things I like are a result of my losing control of my hand, like the two little rogue lines protruding up from each side of the design. My husband, Nick, said using the non-dominant hand seems to have added something different to it, but it's not necessarily bad. I found it funny that when I stopped working on the tile last night I continued to do things unknowingly with my left hand. It forced me to slow down because I was less efficient, which I liked. I was definitely more creative when working with my left hand. Specifically, I came up with variation ideas, which I'm not usually good at.

Today is my nine year wedding anniversary with my fabulous husband, Nick. We had some champagne to celebrate, and now I'm ready for bed because I'm a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. While pondering our anniversary and the time we've spent together, we were looking at our 10 month old son, Sam, wondering what we were wasting our years together doing considering we could have had him and been enjoying him so much sooner. We weren't ready though, but we are just so blessed!

Speaking of blessings, I had the most delightful phone call today. My friend Eric phoned me from Australia to ask me if he can use my most recent Zendala dare submission as a template for a tattoo on his upper arm. I am deeply flattered and gave him permission to use it, asking him to send me a picture and the name of the tattoo artist so that I can share it on my blog. I'm not sure if he'll end up using it, but I certainly hope so! 

It's funny that I heard from Eric on my wedding anniversary of all days since Eric and I were engaged to be married when we were three years old. Things didn't work out though, and I moved on to another guy when I was five.

Diva Challenge #131

This week The Diva challenged us to create a monotangle using Dex. I've never done a monotangle before, and they're harder than they seem. I was in Winnipeg with my son, staying with a friend, and was feeling very relaxed and nostalgic. This mood came out as I worked: I didn't think too much and just drew. It was really peaceful. It's good for me to be less precise, more relaxed. I don't like the final piece because it feels thrown together. However, my husband encouraged me to spots it anyway. I'm liking it more over time, although not very much today. It comes and goes.