Zentangle is...

The Zentangle® Method, created by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts, is an easy to learn, fun and relaxing way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

The Diva's Weekly Challenge #282: Spill It!

I always enjoy looking at tiles that have a stain for a string. There's just such a deep sense of optimism, economy and audacity in turning an "oops" into something beautiful. I have only done a few stained tiles, but I am going to try more. This week's Diva challenge was, you guessed it, to use a spill as the basis for our work. I was delighted, because only last week, I made a huge discovery. In our new garden, growing next to and around our butterfly bush, is nothing other than 

POKEWEED!!!!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved this plant and its magenta stems, leaves and berries. You can imagine how enticing it is to a child. Doesn't it look tasty and sweet? And yet it is highly poisonous--roots, stems, leaves, berries and all! Mothers warn their children to stay away, and look for those tell-tale stains on their hands and faces.
Armed with my latex gloves, I went and cut some pokeweed for the stain. I had soooooo much fun squishing the berries and rolling them around on my tile! Once the magical magenta was caught on paper, I started to draw. Of course, nothing else would do but Pokeroot, Pokeleaf and what I shall call Pokeflower, although I think it exists under another name!


Is it just me, or is that a cardinal flying over the Pokeweed?

Do you have pokeweed where you live? Have a great week! Thanks for visiting! 




12 comments:

  1. What a fantastic tile! I love everything about it:-) I was so happy to see your comment on my blog. I've missed you. I'm looking forward to seeing your work and words here again:-)

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  2. Wow, this is great!!! Just the right tangles for this plant too. I don't think I have ever seen Pokeweed here in the Netherlands.

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  3. wow, actual pokeweed. I don't think we have it in Utah, but I've heard of it, thru my herbal studies. but what fun to smash em for your string, and then of course, what other patterns to use! perfect! That is an absolutely brilliant color, too.

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  4. I think I saw this wonderful plant in parks in Belgium but I'm not 100% sure.
    The color that give this Pokeweed is beautiful and so is your tile, I love it!

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  5. yay for making something so pretty out of the honest-to-goodness pokeweed.

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  6. I have to look up what pokeweed, what the Swedish name is! Love what you did! It is beautiful!❤️

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  7. I see the bird too! We don't have pokeweed here I don't think. The colour it produced is fantastic! Lovely work.
    Thanks for coming to visit too.

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  8. Delightful piece and I love seeing the inspiration for the tangle Pokeroot for real and to know the story behind it.

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  9. A beautiful tile and what a lovely experience.

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  10. This is great, so neat to see what a Poke Root really looks like. I love the flowers.

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  11. So beautiful!
    I have not heard of pokeweed before, i found a German translation but I do not know this plant.... It looks VERY nice and your tile is just amazing! What a good idea! I wish you a nice weekend!

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