Wednesday 12 October 2016

WOYWW 384–Zengems, Beetroots and Tablets

I have had a busy week, and haven’t got anything show on my desk today to show on our “What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday” blog hop, because I’ve tidied up from a few days ago, to so I’ll give you a run-down of what I’ve done.

Zengems

My most exciting project this week was experimenting with the new Zentangle craze that’s doing the rounds – Zengems! You can see my full post about it here, but for now I’ll show you the pictures.

04 Sepia Mandala with Pink and Green Zengem - 4-in Tile

03 3 Sepia Zengems - 4-in Tile

My very first attempts:

01 1st Attempts

Messing About with Beetroot

Earlier in the week I experimented with dyeing with beetroot, and here are some of the results:

09 Torn Edge of Watercolour Paper

11 Kitchen Paper 2

12 Monoprint from Wet Dinner Plate

I dyed watercolour paper, pieces of kitchen paper, and some bits of lace and handspun wool, with varying degrees of success. It’s all useable though, I think.

Health Update

I’ve been fighting off a bug all week that threatened to be a cold but it hasn’t really developed. I’m feeling a lot better now but I felt very spaced out and weird for a few days.

I’ve got an appointment with my surgeon on Thursday. I still haven’t had the result of my CT scan and hopefully he will tell me that all was well. I had a bit of a blip about it at the beginning because when I phoned to request the result, all I got was an appointment to see him, and I feared the worst until I was reassured by others in my cancer group that this was normal, and he’d have called me in much sooner if there was anything to worry about. I was fine until Friday when I got a letter from the GPs’ surgery asking me to phone re a letter they’d had from the surgeon, at which point I really freaked out again! I didn’t get the letter till it was too late to phone, so I had to sit on this all weekend. I then phoned on Monday morning and was told a GP would phone me later during the day, but she never did. The receptionist did tell me though, that there was nothing to worry about, and it was just something about medication – although I have no idea what that could all be about because I’m not really taking anything! There was no phone call today either and I certainly wasn’t going to chase it up because it takes 10 or 15 minutes sitting in a queue waiting for them to answer the phone when you call the surgery. All very tedious! I am sure everything will be revealed on Thursday and I’m no longer worried about it.

New glasses ready for collection but no time to do it this week!

We are off to Barnstaple tomorrow to meet up with some old friends.

I baked again today – I made a lot of shortcrust pastry and made two sweet potato and bacon quiches (had some for supper – deeelicious!! – the rest now in the freezer) and with what was left, nearly two dozen mince pies.

Tablets…

No, nothing medical – I have decided to get myself a tablet, and after visiting PCWorld a few weeks ago and falling in love with the iPad Pro, decided I couldn’t wait till the launch of the new iPad Pro 2 in March or April of next year, but would go for the current one. This is a powerful piece of kit and designed for creative work, and having watched a lot of Youtube videos over the past few days, learning what it can do and which apps are best, I have found a reconditioned one on Ebay for a very good price (fully up to date with latest iOS etc.) and a brand new Apple Pencil at half RRP because it is without an adaptor, and I’ve also ordered a few accessories on Ebay too. The iPad is due to arrive today or tomorrow, and the rest will follow on shortly. I am very, very excited about this and can see it playing a big part in my creative journey, and integrating nicely into my electronic world and bridging the gap between computers (Mac and Windoze) and TV. I am going to be having FUN!

Hopefully before long I shall have some interesting stuff to show you.

Have a great week, bursting with good health and creativity!

18 comments:

  1. When you go to my blog Shoshi, you'll see I became engrossed in my first attempt at the Zen Gems!! I LOVE that technique.I love what you did with your card, and without your prev post I wouldn't have known about this technique.I also saw how to do water droplets on leaves....Guess what I'll be doing this week?

    It's nice to have a tidy-up.You'll be ready to get stuck into something next time you have some time at your desk.i love starting something new at a tidy desk!
    Judy

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  2. your gems are truly gems, Happy WOYWW, Vicky #9

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  3. Happy WOYWW. No wonder you have been worried re. doctors' letters/phone calls. At least all will be revealed tomorrow, but it is a shame that poorly organised systems cause us stress. There has been a lot of colds/viruses going around. Your baking sounds delicious. After making a cake last week, which left me exhausted after everything going wrong that could go wrong, and then having a lot of clearing up/washing up to do, I am back to buying cakes etc! Zengems - your's are fantastic, but I think I will stick to basic Zentangle for a while. There just aren't enough hours in the day to keep up with all the new stuff on the internet. Ali x #10

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  4. Hi Shoshi, love the Zentangle gems! Gorgeous. Co incidence, I'm actually coming down with a cold today- sneezes, sore throat!Hopefully it won't last long. Hope the appointment goes well, still not had mine this end!Have a great week, Hugs, Shaz #6 xxx

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  5. I've only just noticed in the sepia gems the veins of the stone look so realistic! I used to work in a shop that sold gemstones, so I can tell! No nice that you had to worry about that appointment again and they forgot to call you. Nothing worse than expecting a call that never comes! Have fun with your iPad! It's not a good idea to get the newest model in electronics anyway, because they might have some problems. See what happened with the Samsung phone! I would never go for the untested newest models! Happy WOYWW!

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  6. Love your zengems. So pretty. My family struggled with a bug that threatened a cold but never came all last month, well except for dd with her compromised immune system. Sounds like you will have a good doctor visit tomorrow, but will be keeping positive thoughts going your way all the same. Enjoy your new tablet. Happy Wednesday! LisaDV #26

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  7. Just pulled all the beets from the garden last week . . . oh well, we will be planting them again I'm sure. Love your tangles :)

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  8. Hope all is well on the health end. Mum always has a follow up appointment after scans and have been (fingers crossed) all good for over a year now.

    The Zentangles are great. The beetroot dyeing reminds me of a science experiment daughter and I did while she was in school for a project. We picked a bunch of different veg and spices to see what colour dyes they would make. It was a great experiment and we had a lot of fun. I ended up with some nicely coloured cross stitch fabric too!

    Happy WOYWW
    Sharon K #30

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  9. Wow, the Zengems are amazing - it took me a while to realise you hadn't stuck a real gem in the centres - they are so realistic and very beautiful too. I hope your Doctor stuff is sorted out soon - sometimes I don't think people in the medical sector remember we are real people with real worries - I've been left waiting wondering if there's a problem before now and it's really horrid and so stressful, so you have my full sympathy.
    I have no idea about Tablets but I shall await with interest to see what you get up to with yours - I'm rather put off by all the learning that goes with it!
    Hope you have a good time in Barnstaple,
    Diana x

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  10. Shoshi, those Zengems pieces are GORGEOUS! I love, love them! I love your beetroots plays. They look yummy! I need to venture out more and try more stuff like this!
    I will be praying for your CT results! Sometimes you just want to kick the medical feel in the bum for hanging us out there! We hurry up to wait more than not! It all just seems so insensitive especially to someone like yourself who has been through so much. I know they probably have a million patients, but patients you are and so they should give all of you the courtesy of keeping you updated no matter how trivial it may seem to them! Oh my goodness!
    Sweet potato and bacon quiche, OH MY!! I would eat the whole quiche....by myself! LOLOL How scrumptious. And based on your many baking photos, I am sure it WAS deeelish!
    Have fun with your tablet! I have heard wonderful things about it! Many blessings to you my friend and I will keep you lifted up!: ) Felicia #35

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  11. no wonder there isn't much crafting - though I love those zengems! not heard of them before (except for a reference on another desk to yours!) Hope the appointment goes ok tomorrow - what a worry! enjoy the tablet too. Helen #1

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  12. Oh Shoshi, it's lovely to see your gems, they are so realistic, what a marvellous technique. And girl, that IPad Pro isn't going to bridge any gap, or integrate nicely. It will become your utter destraction....Mr Dunnit refers to mine as my other husband..........be warned! Oh,, and have fun!!!

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  13. Apparently there are loads of colds going round so take care. Have a great woyww and happy crafting, Angela x 19

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  14. Great job on the gems! It's almost as much fun to tidy up as it is to mess up, LOL!
    I don't understand why doctors take their good old time giving results. Surely if it was not good you would know, but don't they realize the stress can make you sick!!! I'm sure they know all about that. I'll keep you in my prayers.
    Hugs,
    Chris #24

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  15. I love this new Zengems thing - must do some more research. Have a great week! Heather #40

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  16. I hope you get only good news from your doctor. Waiting is so hard and I know our imagination runs away with us. Have fun with your new ipad.
    April #25

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  17. Love your zentangles for a while now and these zen gems are truly a work of art! I did a life book class where she did a similar technique on an eye…I think I might have to try the zen gems. Glad to hear you are feeling better this week. I think that sweet potato and bacon quiche sounds delicious I will have to find a recipe and give it a try. Have a great week. Vickie #2

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  18. Wow, love the Zentangled gems!! I will have to have a go at this!
    Have a good week,
    RosA # 28

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