Challenge #24 "String Theory version II: Stripes"

The Diva's challenge for this week #24 asks us to use a specific string, all stripes. My stripes are definitely not conventional stripes, more chopstickish. It will be fun to see what everyone does with this challenge. I combined Floatfest, Static, Betweed, Knightsbridge, Tipple, Mooka, Sez, Printemps, Perfs, and some other stuff (stuff is another word for "I don't know the names").

I just updated my profile picture. My dear friend Blake video taped the beginning of our first official class as CZT's. Blake took a shot from the video and sent me a still. So this picture is me teaching as an official Zentangle CZT, whoo-hoo! My friend Jeanne and I held the class right after the CZT seminar while visiting friends in Vermont.

The second version of stripes has Crescent Moon, Hollibaugh, Purk, Diamond Pane, Betweed, Sanibel, Hybrid, some bead pods, and Kingsley, a pattern developed by my table mate Lisa Jameson at CZT training. She got her inspiration from some wonderful old books at Oakhurst.

What a wonderful time we all had at CZT seminar #6. We are the Zentangle Zealots!!!

Weekly Challenge #23: "String Theory"

This weeks Diva's challenge gives us all the same string and tells us to go for it! I'm going to try this a couple more of these. I love the fact that we're all starting from the same place or string and then going in our own directions. The variety and creativity that ensues is AMAZING. I really enjoy seeing the variety developed from one string by all you amazingly creative sources. What fun the weekly challenge is!

I'm still influenced by the Whitinsville seminar so I'm working on some tangles we looked at with Rick and Maria and just playing with new tangles. Printemps, Knightsbridge, Quabog, Vega, some Tipple, and my tangle Cross View.

This ZIA has more of a drawing quality to it... I love playing with the variety of line qualities (thick and  thin) and working with the shading on the organic shapes that are created. The challenge for me with shading is the not to muddy the image and to make sure there is enough contrast between the darks and lights.

One of the things Maria kept telling us was to pick up our tiles and look at them from a distance and turn them. The Zentangle process does make it easy to immerse ourselves and not see the big picture. It's sort of the point of a meditative process but we all need to look at the big picture to see the full impact in our Zentangles or our lives.

My second version has Purk, Betweed, Diamond Panes, Hybrid, Keeko, a Printempish tangle and other "stuff". Technical, huh?

Challenge #22 - "A Little Help from my Friends"

This past week I attended the VI class of the Certified Zentangle Teacher Training in Whitinsville, MA. It was a wonderful experience and I met a bunch of talented people. This is to pay homage to my CZT training seminar. How clever to combine two in one - The Diva's challenge #22, plus other fun stuff.

I just got home from my trip and hadn't started this weeks challenge yet, so late last night I asked my cat to draw me a string, no answer... so I had to close my eyes and draw my own (that was a choice given by the Diva) so I took... it and oh what fun we're having!

While in Whitinsville we were asked to develop a tangle of our own based on the architecture or something at the Oakhurst Retreat Center, which is fabulous. Anyway, I came up with the center tangle which I call "Cross View". More to come...



Cross View notebook development



First Official Zentangle® Class as a CZT!

After completing our CZT training in Whitinsville, Massachusetts my fellow traveler, Jeanne, and I zipped up to Vermont and held our first official Zentangle® class at the Senior Center in Charlotte, Vermont.  It was a great experience and we met a bunch of wonderful budding Zentanglist who created some exceptional pieces.

We used our inspiration from the seminar to guide our process and a great time was had by all! The participants all created wonderful little "jewels" as you can see in the ensembles.

My dear friend Shirley Galliher gave us the opportunity to present this class and it made it so much more special with dear friends there for our intitial foray into the wonderful world of CZT's.

I've been a "shirt-tail" relative since I was 12 years old, thats when I met the family at Clear Lake Camp. It's been an honor to be an extended part of their family. My friend Jeanne and I were able to spend several days with them, days filled with laughter, memories, and lot's of hugs in their lovely little farm house overlooking the Green Mountains!

The artwork hanging in the background is from Shirley's show at the Senior Center. She has artwork from friends and family that range in age from 2 to 97. It's a phenominal and a wonderfully eclectic show. I'm so glad I was able to see it.

There is a different mind-set now that I've completed my Certified Zentangle Training. I have a whole new appreciation and a deeper understanding of this process. The whole experience was a real gift. The training was a once in a lifetime experience and I'm so glad I got to meet so many wonderful people with so much to share.

Challenge #21 - New Official Tangle Pattern Oof

The new tangle Oof is the focus of this weeks Diva challenge. Interestingly enough OOF stands for (Out of  Focus). Mine needs work but this will be a good opportunity to practice it this week.

Challenge #20 - The Royal Wedding

 The Diva's Challenge for Week #20 is to take inspiration from the Kate and William wedding at Westminster Abbey. All the fol-de-rol for this wedding has been insane. I had NO intention of watching the event but lately I've done quite a bit of waking up at ridiculously early hours so, as luck would have it, I found myself wide awake on that particular Friday in the weeee hours and there it was when I turned on my TV???

Me without a hat or fascinator, tiara or anything fancy smancey, on my couch, with my fashionable snowmen flannel pj's and my cat Miranda, coffee cup in hand sat watching the big event! I didn't mean to watch it, so it's okay. I had laughed at my neice when she told me she was taking a long weekend and beginning her vacae with a Friday 5 am wake up plan to watch the wedding. Mine doesn't count because I didn't P L A N on it. What am I? A wedding snob?

My inspiration came from the union jack, the gorgeous elaborate medals, the wonderful architecture and the fabulous old stone Westminster Abbey. Here in the USA we think buildings are old if they've been around longer that 100 years, pshaw, that's nothin'. The image of Kate and William sitting with the children in the wedding party inspired the second ZIA.

I attended another wedding today, a dear friend of mine met a lovely man (soul mate), and today, they tied the knot. It was a whirl wind romance, in a sense, but they seem so happy so right for each other. They are best friends and it's a gift that they found each other. When friends asked why they decided to marry, the future bride and groom said "What are we waiting for, we're 70 years old!"


It was a beautiful service and their minister was wonderful. in her sermon she talked about the two of  them finding each other and how each of them completes the other. It was a real tear jerker and even the minister had tears in her eyes. I am so happy for them.

We had bachelorette party for her at my place last Sunday. Five gals getting together for lunch, laughter, manicures, and facials. It was lot's of fun. I let the Bride to be look through my tangles and said she could choose 2 or 3 that I would frame for her wedding gift. She chose 9! She liked so many that she couldn't choose (Right answer!). I printed off copies of all 9 so she can switch them out into the frames I got her.

Today, for their wedding luncheon, I tangled up a lovely zentangle designed nut cup container for them using the bon-bon box template. I created the artwork, scanned it in, then printed it on card stock. It's an easy pattern to cut out on and fold, and it was fun to tangle. My friend and her groom, John, both teared up when they saw the little zentangle folded boxes I had made for them. They are the perfect people to make something special for; those who appreciate the love and time put into a homemade gift, are a gift for the giver (that would me moi!). 

Here's the nut cup design flattened out, what fun! So here's to another special wedding!

Part of a Dyptic

This is larger piece also, aproximately 5"x7". Some Knightsbridge, Diamond Pane, Mooka, Floatfest, Zenplosion Folds, and some orbs. This is going to be part of an ensemble, actually a dyptic.

CZT training is less than two weeks away, so I'm starting the big countdown! Can hardly wait to meet all you other tanglers and, of course, Rick and Maria. I'm so pleased that we will be able to experience the Oakhurst and not miss that priviledge. It should be a special event.