A Nutty Christmas

Do the holidays feel crazy to you?  If you get together with family, do you feel like someone opened a can of life-sized mixed nuts?

We're nut an exception (groan). Squirrels are an inside joke in my family since my mom claims to dislike them so enthusiastically.  She equates them to rats with bushy tails, and she really doesn't like rats.

Everyone has started to give her squirrel-related cards and gifts, and I'm no exception.  Thanks to Ben Kwok's beautiful squirrel template, I created this tangled squirrel for my mom.  After opening it, she said she might have to start liking squirrels now!

Here is the final colored version using my Irojiten colored pencils.

Here was the original black and white.

The First Item on My To-Do List

Does your to-do list seem like it will never end?  

Do you feel like you're adding ten items before you can even cross off one?

My head was spinning this morning as I thought about all of the things I had to do today.  The holidays tend to pile up extra projects including shopping, wrapping, cleaning, decorating, and visiting.  While I love all of the items on this list, except for cleaning, I find the extra pressure daunting at times.

I started to make a list of what I had to do and immediately felt overwhelmed.  Rather than give in, I picked up a tangling project and my Micron.  It felt wonderful to slow down, relax, and tangle.  My mind stopped whirring and panicking about all of the little things I should be doing.  Instead, I enjoyed a few quiet, creative minutes with myself.  Here is a small, unshaded part of this ZIA:

I put my Micron down and picked up a regular pen and paper.  I then proceeded to make a realistic to-do list for the week.  

Of course I can't do it all in one day!  Who am I, Santa?  

The simple act of tangling for a few minutes allowed me to put everything into perspective so I could focus on what was important.  I figured out the few things I could manage to complete today and prioritized the rest of the tasks.

I'm smiling.  I feel calmer.  I am able to jump on that list rather than tackling it grumpily.  I love this time of year, and I love preparing for it.  Why should I let a little stress interfere with my seasonal festivities?  Bah humbug!

Next time I start a to-do list, I will remember to write "tangle" at the very top.   

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:

Back to the Well

I'll admit it.  I'm still not sure I like the pattern Well.  I've seen some beautiful uses of the pattern, but it just doesn't come easily to me.

I believe in trying patterns several times, and if they don't sit well (ha!), I put them aside for a while.  I come back at a later date to practice them again rather than giving up on them completely.  Some patterns make it into my regular repertoire, and some are occasional visitors.  I think Well just might be one of those "on occasion" patterns for me.

I don't mind if a pattern requires a bit more thought.  Sometimes it's fun to give myself a challenge and to work on a piece that needs a little planning.  If patterns become frustrating or have too many requirements, however, I find that they interfere with my creative process.  I don't want a patten to harsh my zen!

For this week's Diva challenge, I enjoyed playing with Pea-nuckle, but I wasn't too sure about Well.  I decided to give it another go.

I used a tangleation of Pea-nuckle using C-shapes rather than the full S-shapes.  I love how the pattern ends up looking like laces.

Next I added a few bands of Well in the background playing with the fillers.  I like the largest one with the extra petals and auras.  The more I filled in the squares, the more I liked it.  Well, isn't that swell?

Here's my third attempt at Well and my 11th ATC for the swap:

Normally I believe in trying something new and practicing until it feels comfortable.  With patterns, like books, I tend to believe that there are many others out there to experience.  If I don't enjoy a book after giving it a valiant effort, I switch to a different one.  I tend to do something similar with tangle patterns, although I do try to come back to experiment with them again another time.  

I don't look at this as quitting.  I see my choice to switch to other patterns as a way of reducing barriers to my creativity.  If I'm not enjoying the process, I'm missing the point!

I love that there are different approaches to creating Zentangle® art.  We can make our art and process individual--choosing techniques and patterns that inspire us.  It's wonderful to enjoy something that has so much freedom!

Tangled Craft Fairs

This weekend, I participated in a fun craft fair in Billerica.  It was wonderful to talk with people who had never heard about the Zentangle Method®.  It's always exciting to see eyes light up when people learn about something that might be perfect for them or for a loved one.  I enjoyed having the opportunity to talk about my passion!

Here is my pre-edited booth.  I ended up paring back before the sale opened.

Check out my next craft fair on Saturday, December 7 at First Parish UU in Chelmsford, MA.  The sale runs from 8am-2pm.  Stock up on Zentangle® supplies and gift ideas including handmade magnets and greeting cards featuring my original Zentangle® art.

The highlight of my day was having one of my students stop by specifically to find my booth.  She has been very stressed lately and hasn't tangled in ages.  She has wanted to tangle but didn't feel like she had the time.  I think that if you have the time to think about not having the time, that you probably have enough time to tangle just a bit.

I encouraged her to go home that night and start tangling a piece even if only for a few minutes.  She could work with one pattern--whichever one she likes or feels the most competent with--to eliminate decisions.  The important thing was to start.

I hoped that she could work on a piece a little bit each day even if it took three weeks to finish a tile that she hated.  It wasn't about the end result (it never is!), it was about starting, putting pen to paper, and trying to find a way to cope at this stressful time in her life.

Unless we find a way to relieve it, stress will continue to build.  It will build until we either explode or implode.

It can be hard, especially when we are busy and stressed, to make time for ourselves.  I think that is the most important time to take a break.  I know that when I am stressed, I approach my family, life, and challenges differently than when I am calm.  When I can allow myself a few minutes to breathe and to tangle, I become more focused and centered and better able to handle whatever is thrown at me next.

Taking time for yourself isn't selfish!  It's essential for getting through challenges and stressful times in life.

I wish you all a happy holiday season filled with relaxing moments just for you.  You've earned it, and your loved ones will benefit from your peace of mind.

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!