Stars!

I found a template for 3D stars on the internet somewhere.  I don't remember where or I would link you to the site.  I have seen the patteen is several places.  One place you may try is Dorian Eng's website: Little Bit of Heart.  Dorian does some amazing Origami type art.

I started playing around with these for fun.  I ended up having a lot of fun!  I tangled the stars and scanned them into my computer.  Then I printed them on card stock and colored them in.  After folding them, I decided I liked so much that I am going to give them out at Holiday Greetings favors at an Open House my husband and I are having.

Here's a picture of a few.

I found this stamp in my stash "always leave a little room in your Holidays for Miracles." - Thomas Wolfe. I stamped the back of the stars, then tied a string through them so they can be hung.

Gratitude on a String

This weeks Tickled to Tangle, It's a String Thing #67 required 3 things we are grateful for to be written in the string line in honor of Thanksgiving.

I drew out the string line and promptly wrote, Family, Health, and Home. These are things I am extremely thankful for all the time.  I drew the tile using the tangles, Crescent Moon and Cornerz.  Then I started thinking......

I thought about what I was really grateful for today.  Of course, as I said, I am always grateful for Family and Friends, my Health, my Home, etc.; but today I am grateful that I have the opportunity to pursue my interest and passion in art, the time to do so, and the means to explore with a variety of materials.

I love art.  I love creating.  If I couldn't create in some way, I would not be whole.  I am not really accomplished in any area of art, but I enjoy doing it immensely. I have been sewing for years, I love to paint furniture and create something new out of "stuff".  I was opened to drawing through Zentangle and I recently started crafting in glass.   I find a satisfaction in creating that I have never found any where else.  When I am upset, sad, or energized, creating gives me a sense of peace, accomplishment, and completion.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't create something.  Yes, I am very grateful for Opportunities, Accessibility, and Means.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.  I wish that you find your "happy place" like I have in art.

CZT Tangle Day at the Beach!

On Wednesday, a few of us got together for lunch and tangling at my house in St. Augustine.  Lunch was delicious, the conversation was fun and inspiring, the tangling was minimal (it's hard to tangle when talking!), and the comradery was comforting, supportive, and encouraging.

CZTs Tracey Lyon, Joan Delony, Carolyn Russell, Sindy P., and Adele Bruno.  Not shown: Dorian Eng, who also joined us after the picture was taken.

The others tangled a very special tile for me which Adele had created and drawn the string on each tile.  I now have 5 very distinct, beautiful tiles of my home address.  My husband wants to frame them to hang in my home.

It is so special when friends of like minds or interests gather.  This was definitely a day to remember.  Thank you all for sharing.

Birds of a feather

Lately, I have been working on Christmas gifts.  My new "hobby" is working with stained glass.  I love glass in all shapes, forms, and colors.  I have been fortunate to have taken glass blowing, fusing, and cut glass classes over the past 10 years.  These types of classes are few and far between (except for cut glass, which I attend every Friday).  I am still very new and green in all areas.
I enjoy working with glass as much as I enjoy Zentangle!

I am working on cut glass birds for all of my family.  I am thinking I will put all the birds on the table and let them pick the one they want.  I have 15 relatives, so I will make 20 birds.  Here is what I have come up with already.

I saw similar birds online and immediately knew I wanted to make some of my own.  I tangled the wings.  I kept burning my fingers with the melted solder until I finally found a "helping hands" tool.  Soldering is going more smoothly now.

I have 13 more to do and I have to have them ready by Thanksgiving.  This is when my entire (minus a couple of kids) will get together this year so we are exchanging gifts then.

Pais and Angel fish

This week, I started drawing a tile to submit to It's a String Thing #65 using the pattern Pais.  I had never drawn this pattern before, but I love drawing similar patterns like Flux.  I go so into drawing Pais that I completely abandoned the string.  As I studied the tile, it seemed to me there was only one of the other patterns of the weekly challenge that belonged with the Pais I had drawn.  So I added Angle fish, shaded and sent it on.
Happy Tangling!

It's a String Thing #64

This week, Adele Bruno, CZT of Tickled to Tangle posted a really fun challenge.  the string looked like triangles of different sizes stacked on each other -- kinda reminded one of Candy Corn.  So, the tangles came from the letters in CORN.

If you haven't tried out her challenges, you should.  They are fun and challenging!.  At any rate, check out her website on Tuesday when she posts the entries.  It is really great to see all the creativity and talent.

Happy Tangling,
Joan

The ease of zentangle

While spreading the word of Zentangle, I often run across people who see the finished product and announce, "Oh! I could never do that!"  Then, I set out to explain how YES, you can do this.
To help, I made the following two  Step outs to help the doubters understanding that I speak the truth!