Stripes challenge

Weekly Challenge #24 "String Theory version II: Stripes"

Oooh, I like this challenge. It gives me a good opportunity to use the patterns I created. At the top is 8 of Diamonds. The next is a new one - so far, not yet named, then Adeline, Coil, Brandywine, and Zhostovo. There are instructions to these patterns on this blog. Look at the right hand column. Zhostovo is listed under January. Brandywine was in April.

I think I'll try a few more stripes later this week. And I'll get the steps to the new pattern done and name it.  It's going to be busy the next few days. Several classes coming up.

Memorial Day ZIA

In honor of all the men and women who have served our country, I wanted to do a ZIA (zentangle inspired art) for them. This piece combines zentangles with white ink on red card stock with a star hole punch and strips of blue card stock. There is a white tile behind the star holes.

String Theory

The latest challenge from http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/ is called "String theory". In this challenge everyone starts with the same string and completes it as they choose. It's very interesting to go to her site and see the slideshow of what everyone has done.

In the first tile I tried to use only patterns with straight lines. When I got to the oval though, I felt the need to go with a more organic pattern.

The second tile combines several of the patterns that I've created. Both published ones and two sneak peaks of ones to come.

Gotta love the colors!

Gotta love the colors! Zentangles take on such different personalities when you add color.

Colored card stock paper, white pen and purple colored pencil. Some white chalk accents added too.

The Superstars!

 Tonight my son and his friends will have their sports award night to honor them for all their hard work in their chosen sports. they will get their stats, varsity letters, and hopefully the coaches will have a few nice things to say about each of them. I think they are all SUPERSTARS!

Zentangle clipboard

I've had fun using zentangle patterns on a variety of surfaces. On this one I obviously used a clipboard. The clipboard itself wasn't very expensive. I bought the office supply store brand when it was on sale.

To do a project like this;

-Tie the clip part together so it stays open and out of your way.
-Use gesso over the entire surface - aim for a nice smooth surface.
-Paint white acrylic paint on top.
-Use a Sharpie oil-based fine tip marker to do your tangles. Do NOT use your Micron Pigma pen. This surface will ruin it! The Sharpie pen takes some getting used to. Have a practice surface nearby.
-Varnish the surface when finished.

For Gymnasts

My son is a gymnast in high school. Those of you who have - or have had - kids doing athletics, know how long some of those meets can be. So I brought my tiles along to a meet and whipped out this one.                               Jumps. flips, going around and around the high bar - that's what was going through my mind as I created the string.

A little help from a special friend

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

My special friend for this challenge is 2 1/2 years old. She is my granddaughter who I am babysitting for this week. This challenge was to create a zentangle with a string that someone else created for us.  I couldn't quite get her to draw a string on the tile so I looked at the paper on her art easel for inspiration. I actually found several strings that I wanted to work with! The drawing in the photo is her masterpiece. 


I drew her strings as closely as I could on my tiles with a blue Micron pen. And then I couldn't resist shading with blue colored pencils. This was a good challenge and I think I'll look at her pile of drawings a little more closely before I leave!

The middle section of the bag

I truly haven't decided if I'm done here or not. On one hand, there is all sorts of space I could tangle, but on the other hand I kind of like having some white space too. I think I'll wait until the other side of the bag is done and decide then.

the right side of the bag

This is still a work in progress. but I wanted to keep you in on what is happening to the bag.

Here's another section of the canvas bag I teased you with last week. I am still deciding whether I want to add more. - (And since I took this picture I actually have done more.) Over the course of this week I'll gradually post more pictures of the other sections of the bag. Stay tuned!

home party pics

I am continually amazed at how the students in my classes take the basic tangles that I teach and create such wonderful tiles with them. Thank you to Sue L. for hosting and for keeping us well fed. I'm not sure if the wine helped us tangle better but it sure was nice!

Oof again and again

I don't know what happened to yesterday's post. Blogger was having some sort of problem. Since Thursday's post hasn't reappeared I just decided to post the pictures again.

 This is just a portion of a canvas bag that I'm working on. More will follow.

When I did the Oof pattern earlier this week, one of the comments was that it looked like a double wedding ring quilt. So of course, I had to take that and run with it!!!

Oof again

 I'm enjoying playing with this new tangle, Oof. I've been working on this canvas bag for a while. I add to it when the inspiration strikes. And Oof just had a spot that was crying out for it. Eventually I'll post completed pictures of the entire bag - but for now, here is a peek.

Oof again. In the previous post using Oof one of the comments compared it to a double wedding ring quilt - so I had to take it and run with it!

Colored backgrounds with Tombow markers

I've been having fun creating colored backgrounds for some of my tiles. So I thought I'd explain how to prepare them. When I work on the backgrounds it literally is playtime for me. Truly unexpected results with something new all the time.

Materials;
Tombow markers  (The link to Dick Blick on the side of the page is a good place to buy them - and the prices are good too)
            colors I used are # 835, 555, 245  - but I'm constantly trying out others!
clipboard
acetate page protector with white sheet of paper inside
water spritzer bottle
paper - heavy weight cardstock in colors - cut into 3 1/2" squares
            bristol vellum - cut into 3 1/2" squares

- On your page protector draw several scribbles of color with two different colors of the Tombow markers. Use the side of the brush to get lots of color down quickly. Draw different patches of color that vary in size, shape and intersperse with each other. The color will bead up and look like you haven't done anything but don't worry.
- Spritz the page lightly with the water. You will see balls of color form. Don't move or tip your clipboard!
- Lay your paper down onto the surface. Lift up and look. If you like what you see, stop. If not, lay it down again in a different area of the clipboard. Smoosh it around. Play with it! Tweezers can be helpful in lifting up and moving the wet paper. - Try wetting the paper first before you set it on the color. Experiment!
- Set the paper on paper towels with the colored side up. Your paper will probably be curling up by now but that's not a problem. Let dry
- Iron the paper on medium heat till the paper is flat again. Use a piece of tracing paper between the iron and your paper.
- If things got a little muddied and the colors ran together, just do it again. I frequently do mine twice so I have layers of colors.

In the top picture you can see backgrounds I did on pink cardstock, green cardstock, white cardstock cut into ovals, and bristol vellum paper.

When I do my tangling on these I will use a Micron Pigma pen in a color that coordinates - Probably a purple on the pink cards and a blue or green on the green paper. I'll then use a colored pencil to do my shading.

link to Tombow markers at Dick Blick - http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-5269178-10495307?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dickblick.com%2Fproducts%2Ftombow-dual-brush-pens%2F%3Fwmcp%3Dcj%26wmcid%3Dfeeds%26wmckw%3D21334-4031&cjsku=21334-4031" target="_top"><img src="http://www.dick-blick.com/items/213/34/21334-0109-5-2ww-m.jpg" border="0" alt="Tombow Dual Brush Pens"/></a><img src="http://www.lduhtrp.net/image-5269178-10495307" width="1" height="1" border="0"/>

Also - if you are on Facebook, Tombow USA has a page - and frequently runs contests. If you visit it and 'like' it. please tell them that you came through Sue Jacobs.

Mother's Day and the Cloisters

I knew I wanted to make a ZIA for Mother's Day. My mom is gone now but she would have loved it. When the Diva issued her new challenge it all came together in my head.

Mom loved dogwoods, especially when they came into bloom. And we have fond memories of the cloisters. So on the tile it made sense to combine dogwood blossoms with Oof - the tangle that was inspired by the cloisters.

The pictures Rick and Maria posted made me search through my family archives to find my own. The first picture of my mom in the courtyards was back in 1952. As a family we revisited the place in 1964.  - It's funny how both pictures were in the same courtyard. Rick and Maria have one picture there too.

Zentangle for preschool

What? Did I really say preschool? Yup!

I have to give credit to my sister. When I completed my CZT training in February I enthusiastically taught my sister and brother-in-law the techniques. My sister took the basic technique and ran with it. - Straight to her preschool. She had the kids do very simplified tiles. They did; dots, circles, wavy lines, rainbows, pebbles, or crossed lines. When they finished she called their mosaic a quilt. The finished 'quilt' is on display in the hall now!

They had great fun!

piece without a name

I've been working on a larger size piece. The drawing here measures 8" x 10". At some point I'll frame this too. I'm trying to come up with a name for the piece so any and all suggestions welcome. What do you see?

What Kate saw

Challenge #20 from http://iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/ is to find inspiration from the royal wedding. The pictures had me on overload with so many things to be inspired by. So I came up with what Kate might have seen from behind her veil as she walked up the aisle.

Tootsie tangle pattern

 I've been doing this pattern since I was a teen so at first I thought it wasn't really good enough to go into the collection of tangle patterns. I realized however, that gifts for children and new babies are an important part of why some of us do zentangles. Tootsie is a very simple tangle to do. I've shown mine with only four toes (like cartoonists), but feel free to do all 5. For me, Tootsie makes a great string. You can see that's how it was used in the tiles below.

We've all done hand prints with our children. How many of you have tried this version? Use acrylic paint and thin it with water. Spread it thinly across a disposable plate. Form a fist and ink the side of your hand as pictured. Do the other hand in the same way. Stamp both hands alternately on paper, cards, etc. Put your fingertips into the paint to do the toes. Pointer finger for the big toe and pinky finger for the little toes.

This can also be done on a T-shirt or canvas tote - Wouldn't that be a nice Mother's Day present!! If doing this on fabric, use a paint meant to go on fabric and don't thin with water.

If you do this on a t-shirt for mom you could add "My kids walk all over me"

2nd Banbury class May 1st

A second group of lovely, talented ladies tangled with me on Sunday. Click on the group mosaic to see some of the creative ideas they came up with.

By the way, regarding yesterday's question, yes, we know now. Everybody is happy. The details will be posted sometime in the fall.

Pink or Blue??

OK-  It's not my secret to tell. So I won't. And I don't know the answer yet. But later on today I'll be smiling a little more.