For their holidays, many people dream of exotic destinations far away... As I wrote in the previous post, I also have made some nice trips. But, truely, also here in Belgium there are many possibilities to relax. Everywhere in the country, concerts are organized at this time of the year. There are many cosy markets where you can buy artisanal products. The numerous antique markets are very attractiv to visit during the summer months . A trip to an unknown town is always worthwile to discover. In almost every place in our country, you can visit an exhibition and/or museum. Afterwards, you can take place on one of our nice terraces for a refreshing drink and excellent tidbits, that is wonderful, isn’t it? We Belgians are lucky that we can visit the coast in one day, looking for an interesting city or explore the beautiful nature of the Ardennes. Also the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Northern France and Germany have interesting places you can easily visit in just one day.
The Belgian coast is a real attraction but the disadvantages are the crowds and mostly long traffic jams during the holidays. I prefer more the beaches on the Dutch side whith fewer buildings and where the dunes are still very extensive. A sweet cosy town at the seaside is Domburg and at the drive back home, we always make a stop in the authentic village of Veere.We do that every year and we love it: we begin with a tasty lunch on the beach, followed by a long walk, feeth in the water, looking for special shells. Sometimes we like to swimm, having an ice-cream, just relax and having fun… When the sun is shining, a day at the seaside can be wonderful..Unfortunately we don’t have a good summer this year…The weather is very variable with too much rain.

Domburg

Veere
One of the romantic small streets in our neigbourhood: Durbuy, the smallest town of southern Belgium
To stay in the right atmosphere, I have drawn a few “summer” tiles. On the first I used a blue marker Sakura and a blue color pencil. The tangles Molygon and Antidots. look a bit like shells and I just love the beautiful pattern Aquafleur, I finished the tile with Huggins and Printemps.
On the second tile, I have composed a small “summer” bouquet of Zen Bud, Carpet Daisy, Flux, Tipple, Mooka, Popsicles and Henna Drum. When you take a look at www.tanglepatterns.com, you will discover many “organic” tangles to compose your own summer tile.


Also on shells and even on stones , you can draw nice tangles, you can find inspiration on the Internet, try it and cherish your memories of a happy summerday! Tina Akua Hunziker (Switzerland) has drawn beautiful variations of Aurkas on these 3 stones.

On Mainely Tangles, I saw these pretty shells.
Highly recommended is to follow a relaxed workshop. Take a look on the Internet and search on Google, workshops, organised in your neighbourhood. I’m sure you will find different options. A year ago, I followed a few lessons watercolorpaintingl in Hasselt and I met very kind, creativ people. It was time to meet again in a comfortable way. Appointments were made and written in the diary and… our teacher organised an “experimental” party in her garden. The sun was shining and after a delicious glass of wine, it was so easy to start drawing… We all had a great time!
Our teacher shows us where we can find all the materials we will need, L.O.L.! A very original “place” (when you don’t play the piano)

When I came home, I wanted to create a few tiles with the new knowledge: a combination of watercolor paint, Bistre and inkt as a background. I show you one white Zendalatile and a second Rennaissance Zendalatile.


I like to demonstrate a very easy and pleasant way to become a surprising result. Put some pumice powder along with Bistre powder, ink, Gesso and a drop of water in a salad spinner, make it spin and spin , open and then WOW!!!!



Also drawing circles and lines with a feather and a piece of bamboo in combination with watercolor or Bistre, can give beautiful results for backgrounds!

I’m very happy that some people of the” creative group” have discovered the” Zentangledrawingstyle” and some of them have a lot of talent, below, you can see a tile, made by a person who had followed just one lesson, look at the tanglevariatons, I love it!!!
And what taste better on such a hot day than a great ice cream, decorated with fresh blueberries. They grow abundantly in the forests around us at the moment. They are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. I pick every day a handful of them!

Fill your glass with chocolate ice-cream and cream, put the blueberries abough and also some broken pieces of gingerbread biscuits and white chocolate slices, then add a little licor of chocolate to finish.. When you don’t want alcohol, use nectar of abricot. You don’t like to eat to much sugar? No problem, take black chocolate slices, sugarfree icecream and biscuits and enjoy…

To end, I have chosen for Albatross by Fleetwood mac, real romantic summermusic I always loved and still do!
P.s. I am, like many others, completely fond of the travelingtiles, in the following post I will show you a few. Some of this travelling tiles are already on their way to Germany, the United States, Australia and Taiwan, and there is still more to come to Izier, really very exciting!