Decorative Thank You

At our last Certified Zentangle Teacher training, one of our students arrived by train. Nancy (who works with us) picked her up at the train station. At the end of training, Nancy again drove her to the station. The student, Suzanne Wilka, now a CZT in San Diego, California [email] offered to pay Nancy. Nancy declined and asked her to send a Christmas card instead.

Well . . . ! Yesterday, Nancy received a small package. Inside was . . .

. . . and inside that were these.

Suzanne had backed them with felt. In this next picture you can see the whole of the container next to a US nickel to give you a sense of size.

Nancy was thrilled to receive such a beautiful gift. She added the silk cord and they both grace her desk lamp.

Thank you Suzanne, for helping to make our studio an even more beautiful place.

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Bar Tangling (& P.S.)

This was too good a story not to share right away. MH emailed us this morning to say . . .

Rick & Maria,

So I'm at this bar last night downtown having a beer with my hubby and two step-sons. I get bored (usually happens to me in a bar) and pull out my Zentangle kit.

A guy sitting next to me at the bar starts watching me draw. I get about halfway through my Zentangle and he starts asking me questions. What is it? How long have I been doing it? He thought it was "really cool!". He continued to watch as I tangled on, sipping my beer.

As I'm finishing up the edges, he timidly taps me on the shoulder and asks if there is any way he could have the Zentangle when I'm finished. I say sure! I add some colored ink and shading and give it to him. He fairly glowed.

Another Zentangle Seed Planted! Thanks, Folks! And Keep On Tangling!

Thanks for that story, MH. We'll also use Zentangles in restaurants - sometimes as part of a tip - sometimes to send a note.

P.S.
Here is Maria's contribution to Laura Harms' second challenge . . .

. . . complete with a subtle tint of morning coffee.

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One More Star

This one is from Marie English, CZT.

What a cool variation of betweed. Thanks, Marie.

Neat Anecdote
When Marie registered for Certified Zentangle Teacher training (info), we enjoyed the symmetry of her and Maria's names. Maria's family name is "Langlais" which is French for "English"!

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Simplicity Challenge

Laura Harms, CZT, issued a challenge on her blog. Her challenge was "simplicity."

She's doing a weekly challenge on her blog if you're interested in playing.

Here's Maria's contribution to her Laura's simplicity challenge.

A string, some crescent moon, with a touch of fescu echoing her string.

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Do you see what I hear?

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We are so grateful for this opportunity to have fun together with you in this wondrous playground of Zentangle. We wish for you everything good.

As our card this year says,

Wishing you a year all tangled in bliss!

About this card
Maria did the lettering. Maria and I tangled it. We worked on a large uncut sheet of our Zentangle tile paper. We used various sizes of Sakura® Pigma™ Micron black pens to create a suggestion of increased weighting from top to bottom. (This is the piece we described in our Work in Progress blog post.) This card is printed on off-white Lana print making paper.

I made this Native American style flute from cedar with peyote stitched Delica™ beads. It is one of the flutes I play on the instructional DVD that comes with our Zentangle Kit.

Our title is us having fun with the words to the Christmas song, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" The story behind this song is interesting to read. (Wikipedia link) (Lyrics) Now you know why we laughed when we received that last card in yesterday's post.

Click image for larger view, and click it again for even larger view.

Christmas Card Flood

Here are a few of the beautiful, emotional and thoughtful Christmas cards that we feel privileged to have received this season.

We had to laugh when we received this last card. You'll understand why when you see the card that we're sending out tomorrow.

Thank you every one!

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Tangle Colors

As a little girl, Maria had a recurring dream in which she discovered a new color. So you can appreciate why we enjoyed this iconic image that PB sent to us from South Africa.

Thanks, PB!

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Solstice Sparkle

On this long night of winter solstice MB's Christmas card brightens our day.

Thanks, MB!

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Graceful Envelope

Here's BN's Zentangle-inspired contribution to a recent Graceful Envelope event:

Congratulations. Look's like you had fun! We like how you took it to the edge.

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Teamwork

While Maria was out she started this Zentangle, but didn't have time to shade it. (Her food came!)

"I love it! May I shade it?"

"Sure."

What fun!

That first tile is colored by the early morning golden rays of sun shining through our window.

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Snowflakes

Toni Henneman, CZT, created this original Zentangle inspired art for her family's Christmas card.

Inside, along with a picture of her family, was this quote from Emily Warburton:

We are each of us a snowflake

of infinite design

Transitory dancers

on the window panes of time

Thanks for letting us share this, Toni.

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Sisters

Maria loves this picture of her (on left) with her sisters and this morning she made it into a stand up display.

She slit scored some grey mat board so it would stand up like a tent. She trimmed the photo with a deckle trimmer and glued it to grey mat board. Without using a ruler, she drew a string in pencil to define the border and then filled it in with perfs and a variation of zander.

Material used:

• Grey mat board
• Knife
• Deckler
• Sakura® Pigma™ black and brown Micron pens
• Pencil
• General's® Charcoal White™ pencil

Suggestion: When you add the white, add it sparingly. Don't highlight every bead of perfs.

Detail:

Total project time: About 30 minutes.

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Somehow . . .

. . . this morning just felt like a pokeroot sorta day.

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A Star, A Star . . .

We thought you might enjoy this contribution from Diane Lachance, CZT:

Hello Rick and Maria,

I have been wanting get something to share off my desk for some time. I enjoy, so much, all that others have been sharing.

Attached is a quick and easy Zentangle Inspired Christmas project I have posted to my blogspot. I used Sakura Micron black and sepia pens as well as Sakura Gelly Roll Star pens.

A Very Merry Christmas to All!

Diane Lachance, CZT
 

Thank you, Diane. Merry Christmas to you, too!

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'Tis the Season

SR from Australia wrote:

Thought I'd email you a Christmas card Zentangle I made. It's been coloured with watercolour.

 
Nice use of cirquital!
 
Thanks, SR.
 
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Work In Progress - #1

We're working on a new project that we'll show you when we're finished. In the meantime here is a detail shot of a technique you might enjoy, using different sizes of pens.

In this detail shot, we used a Sakura® Pigma™ Micron 01, an 08 and an 005.

We're having fun with this project and look forward to seeing how it comes out.

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One More Shoe

Penny Raile, CZT writes,

Rick and Maria,

I know I just sent you something, but I could not resist sending you my recent project - a tangled elf shoe!

Thanks, Penny. We love your "colorful" palette of tangles! Read more about this shoe on Penny's blog.

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Fundraiser

Deb Phelps Miller, a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT) in Ohio [email], recently sent us this,

Hi Maria & Rick

A few weeks ago, I taught a zentangle class to a group of 7th graders at a local middle school. Today, their teacher sent me some pictures of a zentangle inspired fundraiser idea the kids decided upon -- see attached photos.

Also, these kids are in charge in the school yearbook cover and are planning a group ensemble as the cover!

What great fun -- Deb Phelps Miller

What a fantastic idea and beautiful work!

We look forward to seeing the yearbook cover, too. Thanks for sending that in.

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Ticket!

Maria got a ticket for going just a bit over the speed limit yesterday.

Last night she said, "I know what tomorrow's blog can be. You know how we get all these emails about how Zentangle has a calming influence in stressful situations? Well, I was totally at ease and unanxious through that whole process - in fact, I was smiling. I think it's from all those Zentangles I'm doing."

And speaking of all those Zentangles she's been creating, here's one she created yesterday while waiting to meet someone (who was late).

Maria didn't even notice.


Slice of life.

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Dragonfly and Heart

We received such a sweet quilted treat in our email from CC, who wrote:

I did my first zentangle 2 weeks ago, when a friend shared with us what she learned at Art in the Carolinas.  I drew the 2 small quilts (pix attached, I hope) that morning, then colored, quilted and beaded them later.

She included these two gems:

Thanks, CC.

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Zentangle Gifts

As we said in our newsletter, for the rest of 2010, Maria will personalize a card and we will wrap your Zentangle order with a really nice silk-satin ribbon.

What we didn't say, is that we'll do that for any Zentangle items you order, such as presentation frames . . .

. . . or prints of our 102 Tangles.

If you place your order online, just write your information in the comments section. If you phone in your order, just let us know what you want written when you call. If you have any questions, email or call.

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Two for Tuesday

We think of tangles as a painter thinks of colors. You can use them "out of the tube." You can mix them. You can create different images with the same tangle/color.

Verdigogh and hollibaugh were the tangles on Maria's tangle palette she used most to create these two quite different Zentangles.

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Facets & Newsletter

We just sent out our Novermber 28, 2010 newsletter.  You can read it online here.

Here are some larger images of a new tangle, facets, for you to enjoy.

Thanks again to Nancy Pinke, CZT, for sharing this great new tangle with us. Be sure to read the instructions on how to create facets in our newsletter.

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Thanksgiving

Today is our Thanksgiving Day holiday.

We are thankful today and every day that you are part of our world and that you have invited us into yours.

And we're thankful we all have this great gift of creativity and the chance to enjoy it.

Rick and Maria

Ouch!

Nancy, who works with us, did something that disagreed with her right foot's fifth metatarsal. Ouch!

However with the help of some Crescent Moon and other tangles on her walking boot, she's healing much more stylishly.

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To the Edge!

I remember a bumper sticker that said, "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room."

Well, this Zentangle goes to all four edges and takes up all the room in between as well. You can clearly see where Maria drew her string for her tangles.

As I was going to photograph it, Maria asks (in all seriousness), "Do you want to add something to it, first?" LOL! Actually, this is the Zentangle that Zenry picked to pose with yesterday and he already added his strokes.

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Zenry

Meet Zenry.

At least we think that's his name. He doesn't talk much, but he loves to create Zentangles.

He's also quite a late riser. He apologizes that this blog post was later than usual.

For more on Zenry's background, see this post on Carol Ohl's blog. We ordered Zenry from Carol's sister, Cathy Helmers, who created him.

Thanks Cathy! Zenry is having a wonderful time exploring his new digs.

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Inspirations

Where do we get our inspirations?

Maria created this Zentangle after seeing Molly's illuminated letter. She loved Molly's interweaving of that black ribbon. So she used it rhythmically on this tile.

Maria always says, "I learn from my children."

Two Tiles

Here is one with one tangle . . .

And one with several tangles (and a bit of tomato sauce!).

Notice, in the upper left corner, how Maria is playing with pen pressure in a rhythmic and repetitive way. Although not designed for it, a Sakura® Pigma™ Micron 01 can range from a barely touching the paper thin line to a nearly breaking the pen nib thick line.

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Daily Zentangle

AC writes:

Hi there –

Thoroughly enjoying playing with your ideas [. . .]!

I wanted to share with you my new daily activity at work. How could I resist all those white squares??

I look forward to taking one of your classes in the future. Thank you!!

How much fun is that! Thank you for sharing your "days" with us.

Click image for larger view. (Blurs are redactions.) 

H is for . . .

. . . Hollibaugh.

Here is Molly's version of one of our Master Class projects.

Here are some detail views.

Molly's husband, Nick (Hollibaugh) created our tangle hollibaugh. You can appreciate a resonance between hollibaugh and Nick's creations here.

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