Weekly Zentangle Challenge-Ixorus

 

The challenge was to use the Zentangle pattern called Ixorus. It's the one in the lower right corner.

See others at: http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com

Sepia Saturday- Gilda Gray "The Shimmy Queen" or Gilda Gray "Wanna Be" ?

I usually prefer to read about people's real families in the Sepia Saturday posts but sometimes you find some "non-family" photos that are too good not to share. These were in our huge cache of old photos. They are in an envelope that says :

G.G.I.E.

San Francisco Fair '39

Most of photos after end of July 1939

(Last ride in Buick Road.)

After return from SLC

Gilda Gray is famous for inventing "The Shimmy" and was a film star in the '20s -'30s.

The lady in the envelope

The real Gilda Gray (from the internet)

She criticizes herself and the photographer: PHOTOGRAPHER ! Wasted space and other hand & fern stand cut off.  To herself: Front hand turned up & elbow slightly bent or just as is.

On the back: Shallon,  Nautch Oriental (I looked this up and it's an type of dance), South Sea, Gilda Gray Hula, Beautiful Costumes.

My face gives it away but I tried to give the interpretation of Oriental & Queenly: Dignity, Charm, Poise, Height, and to look Older.

Beware of slanting camera.  Should have stood EXACTLY BETWEEN SETTING OBJECTS.

THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH: Left arm shoulda have been straight- horizontal. Right knee shoulda been held higher.


To see more Sepia Saturdays click here

Zentangle Challenge #5- Orbs

See more Orb challenges at Laura Harms blog:  http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/

Sepia Saturday-Mr. Finwall builds his "dream" house.

My Grandfather built his own house (sometime around the turn of the century). According to my Uncle Glenn it was next to a swamp. I don't think Chicago had swamps so I'm not sure what he meant. One can only imagine! I don't really think it was his dream house but it served the purpose. He was an artist not an architect. He illustrated sheet music. I would love to see some of his work but apparently it was all destroyed during a flood. The house is still there, though, at 7250 Maplewood, Chicago.

The back of the house with his first born, my Uncle Glenn, my grandmother, great aunt, and my great grandmother. (It looks like it's already stating to fall apart.)

The front steps with their growing family.

My sister and I visited the house(in about 2000) which is still standing, although looking a little different.

We met one of the tenants who lived upstairs. A very nice but slightly goofy guy. He enjoyed posing for our camera.

 See more Sepia Saturday here

What is a Zentangle?

Here's the definition from the official Zentangle site:

Zentangle is an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. It is a fascinating new art form that is fun and relaxing. It increases focus and creativity. Zentangle provides artistic satisfaction and an increased sense of personal well being. Zentangle is enjoyed by a wide range of skills and ages and is used in many fields of interest. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas.
I know this doesn't quite explain it but it is something you have to experience to really know what it is.
I was skeptical when my friend, Suzanne McNeil, first told me about it. After taking a class with her, I was hooked and now I'm completely addicted. It's a wonderful addiction, though. It is so relaxing after a stressful day. If you're interested and want to know more about it go to http://zentangle.blogspot.co

Zentangle challenges

Laura Harms has started weekly zentangles challenges.
I missed the first one but here is week 2.

Draw your "string" using 2 pencils at once.

Week 3 Eyes Wide Shut-
Draw the "string" with your eyes closed.

Week 4- Use the letters of your name to choose the patterns. (I think this is what she meant but I wasn't completely clear.
B- bales, A-arrowheads, R-rain, B-beehive, A-ambler, R-rain dotty, A -alpha tangle(I think)
on the second one I also used "betweed" for the B.

To see more go to http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com

Oooops! It was Linda Farmer at http://tanglepatterns.com that had the "Name" challenge which I thought was "Diva's" challenge #4. Linda's is a wonderful Zentangle site. She has a great library of patterns.

And to learn all about Zentangles go to http://www.zentangle.com/gallery.php

Some recent Zentangles

My feelings, exactly.

Huntington Library and Mark Taper all on one Saturday

Marge had tickets for a docent tour of the Huntington Library in Pasadena. She had won them at her high school reunion. The Library is a wonderful treasure trove of art, books and gardens. It's most famous for housing "Pinky" and "Blue Boy" but there's so much more. Way more than we had time for on a Saturday morning when we were also on our way to L.A. and the Mark Taper Forum. It was the last show of our season's tickets. It was wonderful--"Harps and Angels" by Randy Newman. I've always liked him, ever since "Short People". Even though he's pretty hard on us short people.  If you're familiar with Randy Newman you'll imagine that it was a very unusual, controversial, iconoclastic musical.

At the Huntington Library:
Marge, Jane, Nancy, & I

Our docent, Penny.  It turns out that she had gone to school in Pomona, as we all did, and she had given the prize of the tour at the reunion. She had graduated in 1959 , Marge, Jane & Nancy in 1960. Penny's mother had been a teacher at Westmont Grammar School and Jane was in her class.

 When I first saw this, years ago, I thought it looked like Nancy. Of course, that was back in the "big hair" days.

Tootie on a tree

Is it just me or does this tree gnarl look a lot like Tootie?

Holiday greeting

Sepia Saturday- Annis Hawkins White

Rhoda Jane White

This is my 3rd great grandmother on my mother's side. Isn't this a fabulous coach? I don't know anything about this picture and very little about her. Does anyone know anything about this type of carriage?  I wonder if it belonged to her or was used for some special occasion- like a funeral.

She was born in Bridgewater, Windsor, Vermont(1805) and died in Sublette, Illinois.(1872).

See other Sepia Saturday posts here.

Sepia Saturday- Good News, Bad News

I don't know anything about this cartoon. I'm not sure where it came from or how it got into my pile of stuff.  I don't even get the joke. But on the wall near the door is the name of the office (law firm? advertising agency?) and it's "Millman, Stokes & Finwall. That's me---Finwall.

It's from the Chicago Tribune-1981. My step-Grandfather worked there for many years but his name wasn't Finwall, although he was married to my grandmother who had been a Finwall. I think he was dead and gone from the Tribune way before the 80's.


Another ever so slightly odd thing is that my mother had a best friend named Stokes, but this was many years later and in California.

Such a mystery! I'm sure there's a lot more interesting things I could have written about but this was the first thing that popped up- so here it is.  A lazy Sepia Saturday!

Be sure and check out all the more interesting Sepia Saturdays at Sepia Saturday

My new house?

I just sold a condo that I've had for many years and to save the capital gains tax I'm going to exchange it. I had to identify three properties to exchange into. Here's one of them, the most likely.

I've put an offer on this house and am now trying to get approved for a loan. No easy task.

There are a lot of things I like about it but a few problems: no air conditioning; a very, very long way to the main road to get the paper, mail, and take out the trash;

the green color (can easily be changed); lots of big eucalyptus trees threatening to fall on the house; no garage.

BUT the good things are: the most fantastic view which you can enjoy from several decks; a beautiful swimming pool which Nancy says she'll pay for the upkeep of because she's the only one that will use it. She doesn't have a pool at her house;

a nice office area with a fireplace and built in bookcases (here seen from the nice kitchen);

a cute little living room with a beautiful view;

A living/dining area (with another fireplace) that I'll be able to mess up while keeping the other living room clean for whenever a guest happens to show up.;

 Also 2 nice bedrooms each with a bath and a deck. Downstairs there are two more rooms and a bath. These could be guest rooms or maybe later, a small apt.
The grounds are very nice and have some beautiful trees (that aren't threatening to fall on the house).
There are two storage sheds which will partially take the place of the missing garage for storage.

Should I buy it if I get the loan?

War is hell, but.....

Small Works Show at the Brandon Gallery

I got two things accepted in the Small Works Show.

A collage and a Zentangle (below)

I was very surprised to have a Zentangle accepted. I wasn't sure how galleries felt about Zentangles.  I went into the gallery today and noticed that it's been sold. Another surprise.  A wonderful surprise!  I wonder who bought it. I think I'm going to be sorry to see it go.  I don't always like my own artwork but I did like this. The birds were drawn on pages from a Japanese book.

Nancy Kreile, Amanda Fisher, and Nancy at the opening.

Signs from the Rally To Restore Sanity