Can you be both BLING and ZEN at the same time?

After MUCH experimentation, I have finally - FINALLY - achieved glass Zentangle-inspired jewelry. You do not want to know how many pieces of glass were sacrificed in pursuit of this endeavor.

At last, I'm pleased to make the collection available to the discerning Zentangle enthusiast!

I've made one collection that will appeal to the tile makers: larger squares, designed to look like the traditional "Z" string tile. The glass tile is strung on a 22" inch, double silken cord with a hypoallergenic clasp. You can see the individual designs on the Fused Glass page. Each one is $35 (US), plus shipping (which domestically will by $4.95 for priority flat rate).

I've made a collection of smaller pieces, with individual elements on each pendant, reminiscent of "rain," "printemps," and "pokeleaf." These pendants are suspended on 22" hypoallergenic chains. You can see those individual designs on the Fused Glass page as well. Each one is $25 US, plus shipping.

If you would like to order one of these necklaces, send me an email and we'll use the fine services of the PayPal organization to complete the transaction.

Whew! It's FINALLY here!

I've been working like a mad woman, preparing for the Autumn Goddess Retreat, where Zentangle will take (next to) center stage!

There will be a booth. There will be goods for purchase. There WILL BE ZENTANGLE!

It's in GAP, PA, so if you're close, drop on by.

For info about the event, go to http://www.autumngoddessretreat.com/.

I'll be posting a new schedule soon, plus news about TWO gallery opportunities for my artwork, and a fabulous line of glass Zentangle-inspired jewelry.

I promise I've been really busy on all this stuff, and not just slacking off on posting!

In other news: congratulations and welcome to CZT class number SEVEN!

Summmmmmmmmmmertime Snooze?

I am NOT a summertime person. Apologies to those who love to bask in the sun, loll about on the beach, and picnic in the park but I think you're nuts. Back when I was doing a daily writing project - which lasted several years - I found myself marking the day each fall when I could wear a garment with sleeves... a sweater could send me into raptures!

Now this summer, I've been staying inside away from horrible heat, terrible t-storms, and enormous earthquakes (well, OK, not E-normous, but I couldn't think of another adjective that started with an E and would work with "earthquake"). And I have been working... on new classes and new products and new approaches and all kindza stuff like that.

The big news, at the moment, is the new Autumn Class Schedule. I'm everywhere! Well, perhaps not every where, but lots of wheres. And I hope at least one of the wheres is where you are... I'd love to see you at a class. It's going to be a busy, busy season, and I'm already scheduling classes for next year! Check out the Class Schedule page for dates, times, and links to registration information.

p.s. Sneak peek into the future: in January, I'm having my first gallery exhibition!

Billy Preston in my head!

Will it go 'round in circles...

Since Laura posted this spiralicious challenge, I have had that tune worm tunneling through my brain. I really LIKE the challenge; I just hope the next one has a song I like more!

p.s. This image will also be in the 175th Anniversary publication for Laurel Hill(see yesterday's post) because the tangle pattern making the spiral is called "Trentwith," and it's based on an image from a grave marker there.

Perhaps in the fall, I'll organize a "tangle hunt" through the cemetery. Anyone game?

I'm a litle bit proud...

so I need to boast a little bit...

Laurel Hill Cemetery is hosting its 7th Annual Gravediggers' Ball and they asked me to do the artwork for the posters, invitations, banners, and program with.... ZENTANGLE!

Is this cool, or what?

Did you ever have to make up your mind?

• Say yes to one and leave the other behind? Oh, did you ever have to make up your mind? (Cue Lovin' Spoonful tune...)
  
  I, like so many others, LOVE the idea of seeing the same string in action... and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the idea of gettin' somebody else to draw me that string! Why IS the string part so stubborn sometimes?
  
  ANYWAY, I used the string. I used a random list of patterns. I tangled. Hmmmm. The last pattern I drew was Pokeleaf. Here's the tile before being "leafed." I just can't decide if it "needs" to have that additional pattern.
  
  The Arthur William Radford quote - "Half of art is knowing when to stop" - is running around in my brain!
  
  BTW, I use random.org, which has a nifty utility for randomizing a list of words, to act as a gigantic icosahedron.
  

From the TeeZeeTee Research Laboratories..

Problem definition:

• You want to have tangling supplies available wherever you are, whenever you need them.

• Taking a full kit along with you, while it gets you points for dedication, is a little awkward.

• Putting your beautiful tiles in a plastic bag gets you negative points for style.

What's a Zentangle artist to do?

I wondered the same thing myself when I realized (pause for head slap here!) that I own a sewing machine, I know how to sew, I can design things, I can make things...

And voila! The Travel Portfolio sprang into existence!

Whatcha got here is a durable duck outside (in a color suitable for tangles made with a fabric pen) and an inner flap/pocket/dohickey that's exactly the right size for a small grilled cheese sandwich or a stack of 13 tiles (13 is a Fibonacci number, btw) and a pencil, plus two on-board elastic straps for keeping your pens from wandering off.

The sample you see here is only one of several lining options. I'm selling the Travel Portfolio, fully stocked (with a .01 pen and a Graphic 1 pen) for $19 (usd) plus shipping (domestic rates are $4.95 flat rate).

I'm working on setting up the e-commerce site now, but if you're interested in the Travel Portfolio, email me and we'll set up a shipment. I've road-tested these for a while now, and they are durable and attractive! Fun stuff! Check out the Travel Portfolio Options page for color choices.

Lucky Draw

A.W., participant in the Zentangle class at the Philadelphia Calligraphers' Society Writes of Spring event, was selected to receive a framed Zentangle.

I love the box I found to send it in!

I went to a garden party...

My lovely friends at Elfant Wissahickon Realtors (Looking for a realtor? They are top notch: an unsolicited testimonial!) invited me to participate in the Chestnut Hill Garden Festival a weekend ago, and I had a GREAT time sharing Zentangle with folks who stopped by the booth.

In between passages of the Tiny Tot Trolley - rumble, rumble, rumble - I talked about Zentangle, showed off some artwork, and demonstrated some patterns.

And, I was captured on video! I'd like you all to imagine that the camera added about 10 (times 3) pounds, as it always does, and that the videographer had the "let's make Terri look sunburned" app loaded on his iPhone video camera, shall we? After all, what's a little "polite fiction" between friends?

Here's the link to the video: http://youtu.be/JIgiy7dr1x8

Also of note: I've updated the class schedule. I'd love to see you at an upcoming class!

Why bother?

A package arrived today, with the goods inside wrapped in that nifty invention of the modern world: BUBBLE WRAP.

Ahhhh, but look closely, grasshopper. You'll see from the photo that all is not right in Bubble Wrap Land. Bubbles are there; yes, they are.

BUT THEY ARE UNPOPPABLE! UNTHINKABLE!

Press one bubble and the air squirts out through the little connecto-channel to the adjacent bubble. Probably makes for better cushioning - no popped bubble, no areas of potential damage risk - but what the heck! One of life's little pleasures is squeezing until you get that lovely little popsnap.

Makes a lovely pattern, tho', doesn't it?

For a virtual simulation: http://www.puffgames.com/bubblewrap/

Be Bad

Lately, I've been thinking about impediments, notably what sometimes stops me dead in my tracks when I am working on something I really want to do. Simultaneously, I've been doing some reading about the topic of creativity and inspiration.

And something I've learned is that adults really, really, really don't want to be seen to be "bad" at anything. We take a French class at the local night school and we want to be composing love letters within three weeks. We start an exercise plan and plan to run the marathon next month.

I think we should give ourselves a break, grant ourselves permission to try something new and be bad at it for a while. So, go out there and be bad at something!

p.s. This is the topic of the current "TeeZeeTee Tidbits" newsletter. If you want to read more about it, just drop me a line at the email address teezeetee@comcast.net and I'll shoot you a copy and add you to the mailing list.

Not the FULL Picture

Laura, our well-loved DIVA, challenges once again! This time, it's draw with your non-dominant hand. I have to tell you: I totally love this one. I often do an exercise in my Creative Thinking classes that pairs people up and requires each partner to draw the other partner, using the non-dom hand. Similar "rules" apply: pen only, no eraser, just draw!

So, I embarked on my tile, string first. A little wobbly, but not so bad.

The tile turned out pretty well, too.

I found that I was holding my non-dom (for me, the left) hand still and moving the tile a lot more (lesson one: move the tile!)

I had to move slowly and deliberately, guiding the pen through each stroke (lesson two: duh!)

I made Crescent Moon first, as that's the pattern I generally teach first but decided to take a "risk" and include Betweed, which requires concentration (for me) and Trentwith, a tangle of my own, just to develop some more mastery over it (lesson three: don't be scared!)

I found that shading was the hardest part, as I couldn't quite get the pencil to "behave itself" (lesson four: let the tangle happen!)

Now, here's the REAL story. What the string can't show and the tile doesn't show is the amount of effort, concentration, and work (in a way) this tile was. What DOES show that is the following photo, of the nib of a brand new pen. Not so new, now.

New Classes!

WOW! The class schedule contains sessions in October! Talk about planning ahead!

Something V-E-R-Y cool is coming up - at least I think it's cool. The lovely people of the Philadelphia Calligraphers' Society host an event each year called "The Writes of Spring." Quite a catchy title, in my opinion.

This year, guess who gets to be in the spotlight? Or should I say "guess what?" Yep. ZENTANGLE.

They have invited me to conduct a workshop as a lead-in to their event. Registration for the workshop includes admission to "The Writes of Spring." A pretty good deal, I declare!

I got the BLUEZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

That diva keeps pushing me out of my comfort zone! I love, love, love "traditional" Zentangle: black ink on the creamy page. Now, she wants BLUE!

Blue-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, I got.

It was fun. I may do more.

What about you?

Check out the weekly challenge that Laura poses:

http://www.iamthedivaczt.blogspot.com/

Tropical Tangles

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Just returned from a vacation in Florida. The nice part? Temperatures in the high 70s. Not so nice? Returning on a 19 degree night.

BUT! While I was there, basking in the warmth of the back yard, I was admiring the tangle pattern on the palm tree... As you can see, it's quite tangle-worthy.

I'm working on deconstructing it!

Squeeze Play

Last week (or so), at the class at Laurel Hill, I was reminded of the value of stretching while making a Zentangle. We'd made our first tile, and I had everyone stand up and do the "breathe and stretch" thing. The sighs around the room were my reminder.

I also find that I can sometimes develop a "death grip" on my pen. I relax, but my fingers often continue feeling cramped.

So, I've dipped into my yarn stash and made a cranium ball. I've recently learned that these are actually hyperbolic planes, but my language brain has always been stronger than my math/engineering brain so I will continue to call them cranium balls. They are just the right size for squishing and scrunching fingers into. I'm going to make a batch and let people use them during class.

Scruncho-scruncho.

Breathing... breathing...

Themes arise, don't they?

First, there was Laura's challenge of the week: Breathe....

(Well, actually, there was something before that, which I will get to in a second.)

Then, I noticed the pattern on my wash cloth.

I've been thinking a lot about my alveoli... which brings me to the thing before Laura's challenge: my current bout of pneumonia...

And I noticed that Samson looks a lot like alveoli, and so does my wash cloth, and I need to remember to breathe to expand my poor plugged up alveoli. So, here's my response to both challenges... Breathe and BREATHE! The big empty space in the middle reminds me to OPEN UP and let the air in!

A Thing a Day - Brave Undertaking

I'm not veering off the path of Zentangle too far... I love it too much! But, every now and again, it's nice to try something new. So, I signed up for "Thing A Day 2011." Like many other "things-a-day" efforts, participants are encouraged by others to post something handmade each day. Unlike other efforts, this one runs for February only! (Smart move: the shortest month!)

I actually used to post a "Daily Notion," and I miss that quite a bit. So, I'm thinking this effort might push me back in that direction.

For my TAD-2011 project, I'm creating an "Odd Fellow" every day. I'm not sure if it's possible to read the explanation in the screen clip I have here, so I will explain. I'm the Creative Designer for a local library's YA Summer Program. A few years ago, I wanted the participants to create self-portraits that were collaged, jointed figures. I cut about a bazillion little bits from magazines and catalogs... all aimed at getting the kids to make figures from abstract shapes. Well! The kids grabbed all the "ready made" faces and other body parts, and I was left with a giant box of clippings! Now's the time to use them! (some of them, anyway!)

After TAD is over, I plan to photograph the fellows and participate in the Million Little Pictures project.

You can read about Thing-a-Day 2011 here.

You can read about A Million Little Pictures here.

AND, how cool is this?!?!? Just as I went back to the Thing-a-Day blog, someone else posted her contribution: A ZENTANGLE. So neat, this synchronicity thing.

This other thing I do...

I have another blog. It's called "Questions from the back of the card," and it focuses on my involvement in the Post Crossing community. Post Crossing allows you to exchange postcards with people all over the world. It's very cool, and I have received over 1000 postcards in the three years (or so) that I have been a member. (If you're interested in learning more about it, go to www.postcrossing.com.)

Each year, on my birthday, I start a new Post Crossing project. One year, I asked people to send their favorite words. Last year, I ran a "scavenger hunt." This year, I am concentrating on the BACK of the card and asking people to send me thought-provoking questions (TPQs). So far, I've received over 100 of those.

Now this card doesn't have a TPQ, but it might actually be my most very favorite card of all time. WHAT A GREAT SENTIMENT! I love it. PLUS, the artwork has some kinship with the art of Zentangle in that in combines simple images in a way that's unique and intriguing.

Anyway, I thought I'd share this and invite you all to a) open your mind with wonder and b) stop by at the other place, by clicking here.

It Pays to Save EVERYTHING!

A star? Can I tangle a star? Welllllll, yes! On this old (old but not quite vintage) bisque porcelain star I had sitting around. Too cool to pop into the "donate" tub, but no idea what it would be good for. Guess I know now!