Yet Another Challenge

I've backed away from some of the tangle challenges recently.  I love the Diva challenges and know I'll get back to them, but sometimes a creative challenge can turn into a real one.  When the goal is more about finishing and posting my art by the deadline rather than enjoying the challenge and trying some new pattern or trick, I know it's time for me to step away from the challenges.  Creating Zentangle® art should be inspirational, relaxing, and fun, and it should not feel like homework or cause stress.  

The tangly famous Sandy Steen Bartholomew has a new line of tangle card packs coming out soon, so she's offering some weekly contests.  The winner gets one of the not-yet-available packs!

This week's challenge is to use Sandy's pattern, Y.A.F. (Yet Another Flower).  I tend to enjoy flower patterns and thought this challenge might be fun to motivate me.  YAF is easy to create, and it has a lot of options for tangellations.  I'm glad I played along with this challenge.

For my challenge, I started with the rim of my flower pot then added my YAF blooms.  I connected the two with some Quib-like stems.  I filled the flower pot with Bales, 'Nzeppel, and Copada.  When I saw YAF, I immediately thought of violets, hence the purple tones.  I used some direct and indirect coloring with my Tombow markers.  This is definitely one of my favorite ways to color in a ZIA, or Zentangle® Inspired Art. 

Next week, Sandy will ask people to vote for their favorite piece using YAF.  If you like mine, I hope you'll vote on Sandy's BeezInk Facebook page.  :-)  Thanks!

Thanks to Sandy for getting me interested in a challenge again.  Maybe I'll keep it up.  I think my goal will be to use the challenges as tools.  If they help me get out of a rut, or if they inspire me, I will participate.  I want the challenges to be fun without feeling like a obligations.  Don't we have enough of those in life already?