Carousel- You'll Never Walk Alone, Migraine Awareness Month #5

June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month.  Fightingheadachedisorders.com has challenged those of us who suffer from migraines to write a blog post everyday to help spread awareness.  I'm a few days late, but I thought I would give it a shot.

Today's prompt, You'll Never Walk Alone, makes me think of my husband.  I don't think that I could survive without the support of my husband.  There is an old joke that the reason to have a spouse is so that you have someone to take you to the hospital.  My husband does so much more than that.

Having chronic migraines takes so much out of you, physically and mentally.  Whether I'm down or whether I'm up, my husband is there for me.  He gives me a hug, a shoulder to cry on, and an ear to listen to my rantings.  When I have a migraine he get me icepacks, closes the blinds and turns off the lights.  He endures watching the tv when the volume is so low he can barely hear it.  But most importantly of all he is just there.  He has stayed with me no matter how bad my migraines get.  Just knowing that he will never abandon me gets me through the pain.

I am truly blessed to have a husband who loves me and who stands by me.  With him I will never walk alone.

-Jennifer Gayle

June 2013, Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, is dedicated to Unmasking the Mystery of Chronic Headache Disorders. The 2013 Migraine and Headache Awareness Month Blog Challenge is a project of FightingHeadacheDisorders.com.

#MHAM, #MHAM13, #MHAMBC

Weekly Challenge #120: "Tangleation Nation; Bales"

I was very excited when I saw this week's challenge.  Bales is one of my favorite tangles.  It is simple, but there are so many things that you can do with it.  I enjoyed playing around with tangleations of it.  

This is my favorite.  For both this one and the next I used watercolor paper that I washed with Twinkling H2Os and spotted with bubble wrap.

I think this pattern would have more impact if it could be shaded, but I think it came out pretty good. 

I really had fun with this one.  There are so many things that can be done with bales.  I've only just scratched the surface.  

-Jennifer Gayle

The Diva's Weekly Challenge #118: "UMT v. XVI - Kuke"

This week's challenge was another in the monthly "Use My Tangle" series.  This week our Diva featured Katy Abbott's first tangle, Kuke.  I was in the need of a little inspiration, so I decided to use one of Linda Farmer's tangle strings (#51).  It turned out very simply, but I like it.

Happy Tangling!

-Jennifer Gayle

Weekly Diva Challenge #117–Schway

Welcome back to the Diva Challenge.  As part of my return to balance I decided to take up the Diva Challenge once again.  This week featured the new official Zentangle pattern schway.  It's a very simple pattern with a great tessellation feel.  I've had some challenges using schway with other patterns, but I did a large monotangle that looked quite nice.  To spice it up I added some color using watercolor pencils.  I think it turned out pretty good and the ombre paint job gives it an interesting stripe effect.

 Before

After

I got the idea for some creative angles from fellow Tanglers.

Have fun with schway.

-Jennifer Gayle

If You Can't Duck It...

I have always loved duct tape.  There's just something mystical about it.  I was thrilled when Duck Tape® came out with patterned tapes a number of years ago.  I have a small collection.  I've done a few small projects with it.

Yesterday was Chris's birthday.  Since we're on a tight budget I decided to make him a little something special, instead of buying him a gift.  I have been holding on to my UNC duct tape for nearly two years trying to think of something to make for him.  Last week when he asked me to put his iPad Mini in my purse it hit me–a duct tape case for his iPad.  Since I already had all of the supplies on hand the only cost would be my time.

Taking advantage of the fact that I got up several hours earlier than Chris, I set to work yesterday morning on his case.  It was really a simple project.  It took me about an hour, and a large part of which was being really careful to line up the UNC tape.  The software needed was the tape, bubble wrap, and some self-adhering velcro.  The only hardware I used was a pair of scissors.

After measuring out the bubble wrap, leaving a little extra on the edges to allow for the depth, I began to cover it with strips of tape.  I left a good amount of tape hanging off the edges to make sure I didn't cut a piece to short.  While the tape is fresh it's fairly easy to pull it off of another piece, but it can tear the bubble wrap if you try to reposition it.  After covering the first side, I trimmed the edges then flipped it over.  On this side I left about an inch (since the tape is 2" wide) hanging off the bottom, which I folded over to the first side in order to hide the edge.  I did the same thing when I got to the top.

After both sides were covered, I grabbed the iPad to make sure that I folded the cover in the right place.  I used a small piece of the scrap tape that I had cut off earlier to hold it in place while I added the binding.  Again I lined up about 1" of tape along the side, then folded it over.  After doing that for both sides I removed my scrap piece of tape, and trimmed the edges. To make sure that the flap lined up like I wanted it, I put the iPad into the pocket before adding the velcro.  Once the adhesive on the velcro set, it was ready.

I lined the inside with plain white tape since it wouldn't be seen.

Chris was very excited about his case.  Now he'll carry his iPad with pride when we go out.

-Jennifer Gayle

Taking Time for Creativity

This January I undertook a new challenge in my life- graduate school.  I am working on a masters degree in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Gratz College.  It is something that I have wanted to do for many years.  I knew going into this that there would be a lot of work, but I really had no idea how much.  I was completely overwhelmed.  As a result I spent all of my time reading and working and I closed off all of my creative outlets.  I stopped Zentangling.  I stopped card making.  I stopped everything.  And, lo and behold, I got burned out.

As I started to burn out I noticed my neglected sketch pad on the coffee table.  I picked it up and started to doodle.  Then I started doodling some more.  And I started to find myself relaxing.  I know that is one of the key purposes of Zentangle, but until I experienced it for myself I didn't really believe it.

I am now taking breaks from my reading to Zentangle whenever I start to feel overwhelmed.  As the final week of the semester looms, along with two research papers, I'm sure I will be Zentangling a lot.  The most important thing I have learned out of all of this is that, no matter what, you have to take time for creativity.

-Jennifer Gayle

Happy New Year!

Today is the first day of the 2013, but did you realize is that it is also the eighth day of Christmas?  While I don't have eight maids a milkin' I do have a gift for my true love.

Last year I started the tradition of giving my hubby something special for each of the twelve days of Christmas.  This year I decided to make it extra personal.  Using the letters in his name, I chose twelve words that described my husband.  I filled out cards dictionary style, providing the definition and using each word in a sentence that described him.  On the other side I numbered each one.  Then I placed the cards in envelopes and placed them under the Christmas tree.  Not only does he get to open a personalized card every day, but once they are bound together with rings my husband will have something to look at throughout the year to remind him how special he is to me.

-Jennifer Gayle