Valentangles

Valentine's Day came and went around here as my family was busy with some massive house projects.  We enjoyed making valentines and spending quality time together despite the craziness.

I was inspired by the season to create a series of rosy gems featuring the tangle Luv-a by CZT Sharon Caforio.  I love how delicately this tangle cushions the gems.  Whenever I use Luv-a, I smile a lot!  I think this tangle is one of the sweetest ones I've ever seen, and I love to use it in a variety of pieces.  It's one of those magical tangles that looks simple at first but blossoms into a real beauty with a few simple extra strokes.

I submit these Bijou tiles as my Valentangles for the Diva challenge 254.

Gone Crazy for Molygon

Are you loving the official new tangle, Molygon, as much as I am?

At first I wasn't sure when most of my shapes resembled banana bunches. If tangles make me hungry, it defeats the purpose of keeping me from snacking!

Then I tried Molygon as a bezel around my tangled gems and was hooked. I love how the "arms" look like robotic tentacle when done this way. Here are two Bijou tiles I made for a swap:

I've been playing with this look a lot lately. Here's a Molygon gem on an ATC for another swap:

I have been playing with some fills and expect I will decorate the bananas in my regular tangles. I just can't stop making them this way...yet!

Check out the Diva challenge this week for lots of amazing interpretations of the fun new tangle at http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/2016/02/weekly-challenge-253.html.

Pops of Color

Maybe it's the grayness of winter in New England, but I find myself really drawn (ha!) to this colorful gem technique.  I love tangling my tiles and adding colored pencil or marker and watching the gems come to life with highlights and dimension.  These little pops of color make me smile!

Here are some ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) that I created for a tangled gem swap with fellow artists.  For these pieces, I used Strathmore Bristol ATCs with a nice, smooth surface that worked well with the gems.  The gems were all colored with Prismacolor pencils.  

When I'm working on a color combination, I'm finding myself going through all of my pencils looking for a good mix of light and dark colors.  I used a blank Prismacolor chart, similar to this one, to help me see the colors at a glance.  It's been very helpful!

I wanted to share the first gem where I felt like I "got it" in my sketchbook.  I was elated when I was able to create such a colorful and fun look.  I think this technique takes a little practice, but it is so worth it!  The tools really make a difference too.  I still can't decide if I prefer pencils or markers, but who says I have to decide?  It's fun to play with both!

I'm Dreaming of a Gem-Filled Christmas

Inspiration can be rejuvenating.

I've been tangling off and on this fall, but I haven't posted many pieces. I still love to tangle, but the craziness of life sometimes creeps up on me (especially when it comes to recording my process).

No matter how crazy life gets, when I see something that inspires me, I pick up my Microns immediately!

There is an exciting new trend of incorporating stunning gemstones into tangling. The gems can be a focal point or a fun and colorful fill for a larger ZIA. Maybe it's because I love unique jewelry and collect funky stones, but I fell in love with this idea.

The two people who initially inspired me with this jewel of an idea are Kae Yoshino (Tangle Fan) and Eni Oken. Their work is breathtaking!

I've been experimenting with different colored pencils and a variety of tangles, but I think my favorite for the gems (so far) would be Derwent Inktense pencils.  I've also played with Prismas with different blenders.  It's fun to watch the color pop to life!

Here is one I created for a swap using Arukas and Inktense pencils. I only hope I'll be able to send this one to a lucky recipient instead of keeping it for myself.

One of my favorite pieces is this purple stone.  It was the second gemstone I created.

I see many gems in my future!  

And Bijou Was His Name-O

I am participating in a Bijou tile swap with fellow CZTs.  We are all loving these tiny tiles as well as our new Zentangle® friend's philosophy on life.

Our swap was to send five Bijou tiles using tangles starting with the letters:  B-I-J-O-U.  To learn about these tangles, visit TanglePatterns.com.

Each of my tiles features an individual letter.  Here are the tangles that I used:

B - Biscus and Birds on a Wire.  This was my first time trying Biscus, and I thought it was a very fun tangle to use.

I - IX.  Maybe it's because I attended my Certified Zentangle Teacher training in the IX class, but I've always loved the pattern introduced for my group.  The delicate, repetitive lines really speak to me.

J - Jetties, Jilli, and Jalousie.  This one was a bit trickier since there don't seem to be as many tangles that start with the letter J.

O - Ojo, Oke, Orbs-la-Dee, Onomato, Opus, and Organza - I had a lot of areas to fill and tried several new patterns.  It can be a fun challenge to try to fit patterns into small spaces like borders.

U - Umble and Undling.  I love the boldness of Umble.  I had never used Undling before and think I'll be using that one more often.  It has a subtle and effective look when shaded.

And BIJOU was his name-o!

Liking Lines

I love tangle patterns with repeating straight lines.  Finding them the most relaxing, I have long since abandoned my fear of perfectly straight lines in favor of breathing and drawing each single line.  I love how tightly drawn lines come together in patterns like IX and Zander.  I can create oceans filled with Printemps watching my lines coil and coil into a relaxing wave or swirls.

Thanks to the Diva (based on Carole Ohl's pattern Tink), I got to play with Somnee, as the Diva's new pattern is temporarily named.  This easy pattern, drawn Hollibaugh style, looks like gears, pulleys, or other interesting, movable contraptions.

I had been working on some bookmarks for a swap ages ago but had not yet been inspired to finish them. I love the backgrounds I created with Twinkling H2Os and stencils, but I couldn't decide how I wanted to tangle a few of them.  The second I saw Somnee, I knew I had to tangle one of my goddess dresses!  I love how it looks like armor, crochet, and a harness all in one.  I may also have been inspired by the fact that I've just finished watching the first season of Game of Thrones.

Thanks for the challenge, Laura.  I needed this one to get me unstuck.  Now on to the rest of the bookmarks!

Never Give Up

I've learned that I should never give up on a piece even if I don't like it in the beginning.  One of the joys of the Zentangle® Method is not knowing the end result.  It's an exciting journey to see where your artistic muse will take you.

I try to be open to the process and just create, but sometimes, I feel a bit stuck.  When that happens, I immediately put the piece aside so I don't become bogged down with frustration.  I pick up another tile or paper and start again so I keep the creativity flowing.  I'm always pleasantly surprised when I pick up the piece I had cast aside and I find new inspiration to keep going.  I look back on those pieces fondly because I remember that I need to have a little bit of patience--with myself and with my art.

Since the Diva's challenge using the new official Zentangle® pattern Aquafleur, I've been playing with that a lot too.  This swap is to create a deck of cards, and I toyed with drawing the card suits.  I drew the shamrock/club outline but didn't like how it came out.  I put that ATC aside for a while until I figured out what I wanted to do with it.  I decided it was perfect for some Aquafleur and was thrilled with the end result.

Many of the ATCs I've been working on for my swap have been monotangles, or pieces using primarily one pattern.  Once I discovered the pattern Wheelz by fellow CZT Joyce Block, I had to make several!  I love this pattern and how easy it is to create.  It's a fun, flowing pattern that can fill a variety of spaces.  I enjoyed playing with red and black on these ATCs.

Pay It Forward

For the last few years, I've participated in a creative pay it forward game on Facebook.  The idea is to create something handmade--art, food, a letter, etc.--for five people.  Those five people, in turn, create  something for five other people.  The gift is a surprise and can show up at any time of the year.  It's a lovely way to do something nice for others.  Paying it forward encourages us to share kindness and creativity with others.

Here are some bookmarks that are in process for this project.  I started with a blank page then added a yellow lettering background with a stencil and Dylusions ink spray.  Next, I used the Dylusions "Flossy" female figure stencil and Twinkling H2Os to create shadow figures.  I played with coloring some of the skirts in and leaving some as silhouettes.

I'm starting to like how these are coming out!

Next up:  tangling!

Lucky 13

I am loving this ATC swap!  Here are three more I created this week.  I have completed 13 out of 53 and am on a roll.  I used several of my favorite patterns to complete these three pieces.

I love the two with the Twinkling H2O backgrounds and glue resists.  The greenish one is a monotangle of Paradox.  This pattern is interesting because it has different twists and turns depending on which way you form your lines.  I think the two versions look like fans and rigatoni!

The pink bubble card features the random version of 'Nzeppel.  I started with the space between the bubbles then added a magnified version of the pattern inside the circles.  I enjoy how the colored pencil shading makes the bubbles look like they're floating.  

The center tile features Cyme and Poke Leaf and some quick colored pencil.

It's Never Too Late

I could bemoan the fact that I am 20 or so Diva challenges behind, or I could choose to look at this as a fun, creative endeavor.  I pick the latter!

So what if I'm behind?  So what if it's likely no one will see my posts on the Diva's site?  I love to share it with others, but ultimately, I create my Zentangle® art for me.

I have decided to go back and complete the challenges that I missed when life's craziness got in the way.  I will work backwards until I meet up with the last challenge that I had completed.

I love the challenges and the opportunity to try ideas, patterns, and techniques that I might not have considered previously.  This is also a great way to help me get more of my ATCs done for the swap.  

I love the newer Zentangle® pattern Quib.  It offers such creative opportunities, although it does tend to take over a piece with those fun tentacles.  

Here are my two ATCs (9 & 10 of 53) featuring Quib for Diva challenge 145:

Plugging Away

I love signing up for swaps--cookie swaps, recipe swaps, gift swaps, art swaps!  While they may seem a bit stressful due to the deadline and expectation, swaps can be a fun way to let yourself explore.  I often use the experience as a way to try a new recipe or be more creative with my shopping.  

For this artist trading card swap (ATC), I get to make 53 cards that are all different!  It's quite freeing to have each and every card have a different feel or design.  I'm sure several will have similarities when I feel inspired by a particular idea, but they don't have to be the same.

Here are cards 6 and 7 out of 53.  The first has a watercolor background made with Twinkling H2Os and a glue resist.  I love how planetary it looks.  The second has a traditional string filled with patterns.  

46 to go!

Well, well, well

This week marks my return to the fabulous Diva challenges!  I had to take a break because the assignments and deadlines were becoming barriers to my creativity during a busy time of my life.  Now that I've made some life changes, I have more time and energy to jump back into the challenges.  Yippee!  Laura always comes up with awesome ideas for the weekly challenge.  It's bothered me that I haven't been able to do them.  Maybe I'll go catch up on the 20 or so challenges I missed.

For this week's challenge, the Diva asked us to work with two tangle patterns, or as named on the Diva's blog, a Duotangle.  The task was to create a piece of art using only Pea-nuckle and Well, official Zentangle® patterns.

I have loved Pea-nuckle since I learned it at my CZT training from the creator Molly Hollibaugh (yes, if you tangle, that name should sound familiar!).  I think it's a pattern that takes a little thinking and works best when the original columns of S's line up closely.  I sometimes find that patterns like this can require a bit more focus.  I have to be in the right state of mind to use patterns like Pea-nuckle, and as in this challenge, Well.  This was definitely a thinking challenge.

I don't feel like I've totally embraced the pattern Well yet.  Every time I go to draw it, I end up with a variation of Yew-Dee by CZT Peg Farmer.  I love Yew-Dee.  My first attempt at the challenge ended up with Pea-nunckle in one corner and a Bales-free version of Yew-Dee because my tangle memory directed my Micron to follow its usual Yew-Dee flow.  I still love how this piece came out.

The second one features several sizes of Pea-nuckle and two versions of Well.


These are numbers 4 and 5 of my 53 card ATC swap.  Only 48 to go!

53 Pickup

Have you ever played 52 pickup?  You know the game.  One person throws all the cards into the air while the unsuspecting player has to pick them all up.

I'm participating in an ATC (Artist Trading Card) swap with fellow Certified Zentangle® Teachers (CZTs).  Each person will create 53 cards to swap (a full deck plus an extra).

The project sounds daunting--53 cards due in a couple months.  I'll be swapping ATCs with artists whose work I admire regularly.  Ack!  My immediate thoughts were...

Am I good enough?
How will my art compare?
Can I finish that many pieces?
What did I sign up for?
Why did I do this?

I keep reminding myself that the Zentangle® Method is not judgmental. The process and enjoyment of it is more important than the finished project.  If I have fun exploring while becoming focused and relaxed, my art will be better.  It's not about loving each piece; it's about loving the journey and not being afraid to take it.

Another question... Where do I start?  Like anything else start at the beginning.  I picked up my blank ATCs and started tangling a mini garden which I suspect will soon receive a color treatment.

I am looking at this swap as a fun adventure in creativity.  Each person will be receiving one ATC from each other participant so the decks will be quite a creative hodgepodge.  That's very freeing because I don't have to make all 53 look alike or even have any similar features.  I can pick up each blank and start fresh in any creative direction I feel like heading.

I expect my ATCs will be of different styles--black and white, color, color wash, stencils, gardens, and all of the other techniques that I enjoy.  Maybe I'll try some new ones too!  This small size is quick to complete and fun to explore.

Here are ATCs 1-3.  50 to go!

Do a Zen Check

I've been very busy lately with work, family, and house projects.  I love to be busy, but sometimes it can get a little crazy around here!

When that happens, I try to find ways to be more mindful.  Since it can be easy to get swept away into the chaos, I have to do a zen check.  I take a few moments to think about what I'm doing and how I feel.  If I feel stressed or like I'm having trouble balancing things around me, I know I need to do some zen work stat!

First step, tangle.  

My mind was racing last night, and I was having trouble winding down for bed.  I grabbed my older Tangle-A-Day Calendar by Carole Ohl.  I never quite finished 2012, but I still love to tangle in it. I got into bed, grabbed a pen (02 this time), and I started tangling on one of the blank pages.  I wasn't thinking or planning what came next.  I just allowed Phicops to spread across the page while I began to relax.  After capping my pen, I fell asleep pretty easily.

When I woke up this morning, I already felt much better and more able to face the day.  I even took a few minutes to finish tangling a present for a friend (pictures coming soon).

Second step, assess.

Tangling is a wonderful way for me to relax in the moment and to find a calm sense of focus.  It makes it much easier to assess my world more realistically without a frantic mind.  Today's assessment allowed me to think of a few things that I could just let go.  It is possible to say "no" or "not now" when the things start to feel like obligations.  Phew, my shoulders are already feeling less tense.

Third step, do it.

After assessing, I make an action plan.  I find lists helpful, and I love to see my progress when I start to cross things off the list.  

The most important step, stay mindful.

The more I can stay mindful in my daily life, the easier it is for me to manage stress.  I love tangling, but sometimes I, too, forget that I can just pick up my pen to find my focus.  I think I will start to leave tiles and pens in a few strategic places around my house as a reminder.  

To balance out this text-heavy post, here are some zen postcards I created for a mindful swap.  All of the patterns had to start with the letters M-I-N-D-F-U-L.  I used chipboard letters as a mask and spritzed Glimmer Mist over the paper to create the background before tangling.  These were very relaxing and fun to create!

Putting It Together

While I was on vacation in Connecticut, I finished my second 9-tile ensemble set.  This is the "curvy" set for a swap with other tanglers.  Below is my finished set before swapping.  I can't wait to see what the finished piece will look like with tiles from other tanglers.

I managed to squeeze in the last Diva challenge using the Birdie Feet tangle by Owl Loving April.  It is an easy pattern that has a lot of possibilities.  I created an aura around the feet and filled the background with Keeko.

Psst.... Can you spot the new pattern in this ensemble?  Come to my next class to learn how to create it!

When Gardens go Tropical

If you follow my blog, you know I'm a tad obsessed with tangled gardens.  I love how free and flowing they are to create.  I find them completely relaxing and a joy to draw.  I've added a fun new element thanks to Cherryl Moote's book, The Tropical Tangled Garden.

Love love love love love!

The theory is similar to the current gardens I create thanks to a fantastic lesson by CZT Meredith Yuhas, but now I'm exploring a few additional pattern designs as well as using my Derwent Inktense pencils to add some exciting new color.  

This was a test piece for a MINDFUL swap I'm participating in this month.  Every pattern has to begin with one of the letters in the word "mindful."  I used patterns like Monster Leaf, Mooka, Flux, Fescue, Figure Eight Fern, Dragon Air, and maybe a few more.  I have a different background I'm using for the final pieces, so I'm not sure that those will have as much color.  I'll put them up when they're done.

Putting It Together

Do you work best individually or as part of an team?  

I have always been a person who loves to create and work around other people.  I find it inspiring to learn from others, to feed off their energy, and to be motivated by new ideas.  

When I tangle, I'm usually working alone or teaching a class for others.  I love practicing alone because I get the greatest personal focus and relaxation.  I adore teaching because I get to share my passion and be inspired by my students.  I truly learn something new every time I teach.  My practice has been enriched by those around me, and for that I am thankful.

The Zentangle® method has freed me from a lot of fears and my nagging perfectionism.  I feel free to play, to take risks, and to explore new ideas.  If it doesn't work, or if I don't like the end result, it's only a small tile and a little of my time.  Now that I can be more realistic, there's always something about the piece that I do like--a particular tangle, my shading, or just adding to my practice of this wonderful art.  

I enjoy participating in weekly swaps (thanks to the Diva) to step outside of my tangling box.  I get to play with new strings, learn new patterns, and find different ways of thinking about my work.

Another fun way to try something new is a swap.  I participated in a fun bookmark swap at the end of the year.  It was inspiring to make the bookmarks and to explore the creativity in the pieces I received from other tanglers.

I'm looking forward to attending the Tangle U CZT workshop for the classes, the opportunity to connect with fellow CZTs, and to be inspired!  Our homework project was to complete a set of curvy ensemble tiles from Zentangle.com to swap.  The nine tiles are pre-strung with a curvy design to fill in.  People approach the tiles differently--some tangle each tile individually, and some, like I did, assemble the ensemble and tangle it into one large piece of art.  When the pieces are swapped, the participants each receive eight pieces from other CZTs.  The pieces meld together into a worldwide, collaborative piece of art.  I can't wait to see everything together, although I will admit that I'm a little sad to break this set up.

Here is my ensemble set in stages.  It only took two days for me to complete because I was having so much fun.  I think that listening to an amazing audiobook, Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington, helped me keep tangling too!

Tangling for Readers

I finished my bookmarks for the Worldwide Zentangle® Swap.  I had so much fun doing these that I know I'll keep it up.  I am a librarian with lots of book lover friends.  I even got a laminator!

Here is the ZIA (Zentangle Inspitred Art) that I created to cut into bookmarks.  At first I kept trying to use each tangle only once, but then I realized I'd be cutting this piece into smaller ones and could repeat patterns.  

I was surprised by how easily I could cut this piece into bookmarks.  It probably helped that I knew that this was the end product, and I was excited to send them on to other tanglers.  Besides, the more bookmarks I sent, the more I'd receive in the mail.  I can't wait to see what other people came up with!

Here is the ZIA cut into three bookmarks before laminating and adding ribbon.  I've definitely learned that art scans better before laminating.

Here were the first two I created using Twinkling H2Os as the background color.  I couldn't decide which to send and had to keep one of these for myself.  Four bookmarks is good enough to send, right?  :-)

Here's another ZIA with the Twinkling H2Os in the background.  I couldn't cut this one up because I fell in love with it.  This one is staying with me.  It's a bit large to be a bookmark, so I'll have to think of something else to do with it.  I love the colors!

Now it's time to start a new book to put my tangled bookmark in!

(Book)Marked experiments

I'm participating in a "Worldwide Zentangle Bookmark Swap" through Facebook with approximately 80 other tanglers this December.

I wasn't too sure what I wanted to do, so I experimented with a few things.

First I tried tangling on a paint sample card that I had planned to trim down to a bookmark size.  The Micron pen was far too slippery on the glossy card so my ink smeared in places.  The pen didn't show up as well on the orange areas and was very dark in the white divider spaces.  If I try this again, I'll certainly use a different pen or try to find a paint sample that isn't so glossy.  I liked the color gradation though.  Here was my bookmark attempt #1:

Back to the tangling board!

Next I thought of working on a large piece of paper to create a ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art) piece that I'd cut into several strips.  I started it but didn't get too far before I lost my inspiration a bit after my colorful paint strip didn't work out.

Then I remembered that I had been experimenting with the watercolor/salt background technique that I had learned from fellow CZT Suzanne Binnie and thought I'd try it with my Twinkling H2Os.  I tested out the colors and the technique on small scraps of watercolor paper and left them to dry.  I thought the colors looked cool, but then I forgot about them.

Wait, why don't I make bookmarks out of my painted scraps?!?!?!  They were the perfect size for bookmarks.  I created one large tangled strip over the green/brown shimmery background.  I had so much fun, I did this all in one sitting.  I cut the piece in two and made two bookmarks.  I remembered to tangle on the back side of one before laminating.  Oops.

I love how they came out, but I should have scanned before laminating.  Note to self for next time!  I finished them off with some funky ribbons from my scrapbooking supplies.

Now I can't decide if I should send one or both.  I like them so much I just might have to keep one for myself.  :-)  Here they are: