Category Archives: Zentangle Tools

Oct31

So here’s the scoop…

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I am appalled that I haven’t sent out a message in two months!  But what can I say?  Life gets in the way all the time.  I joke with my friends that I have no idea how in the heck I was ever able to work a full-time job because, as of right now, I don’t have enough time to do all that I do and fit a full-time job in!!  I never understood what people meant when they said they “retired” and didn’t have enough time.  Well, that’s the case.  Between the regular grind of just doing household chores, shopping, and keeping up with my family, I find that all the other activities I want/need to do eat away at what little time I have.  I do work part-time, so that takes up several days, and I still do my classes so that takes up some time.  But I have been trying to do artwork of late and that, along with helping out a new project get off the ground (I’ll tell you more all about that in the paragraph below) has been keeping me hopping.  I’ve been trying my hand at Gelli printing (which I am enthralled with), collage, papercutting, and in general, watching YouTube videos on how to create things (I guess that REALLY takes up time).  I WANT TO DO IT ALL!!

But here is one of the newest projects I’m involved with…ThomGallery.com.  It’s been quite a crazy ride over the last month or so.  You can read all about it at the blog on ThomGallery.com.  The core people of the project have been trying to get the program off the ground and we’ve run into some obstacles.  We originally had a beautiful Victorian home in the downtown area that we were beginning to fix up, but the lease fell through on us.  So now we are looking for a new home.  I’ve posted a picture of the original place we had, so if you know of anyone who has such a marvelous piece of property that they want fixed up, we’re willing to do the work (we’d love to trade some of the leasing fee in exchange for that work).  We’d like it to be somewhere in the downtown area and have lots of room for all the visions we have in mind.

Original THOM Gallery

Original THOM Gallery

Please “Like” our Facebook page here.  And bookmark ThomGallery.com.  We have our First Annual Muse Art & Talent event scheduled for November 15, so keep checking the website for details.  We are looking for artists to participate, so if you are interested in that download the entry form here.

Finally, if you are interested in helping us financially, we have a GoFundMe campaign going.  Anything you can offer would be so very much appreciated.  

AS A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU – if you donate $5 or more you will receive a bookmark from me; if you donate $10 or more I will make you a Zentangle tile with your first initial; if you donate $25 or more you will receive an original matted Zentangle tile; if you donate $50 or more you will receive all of the above.  If you donate $250 or more you will receive one of my abstract paintings using three colors of your choice – paintings are one of a kind, so I cannot tell you what they will look like.  Some pictures below are representational only.

IF YOU DONATE, please let me know by commenting below or sending me an email – emeraldcitytangles@yahoo.com.

Love to all of my followers who put up with my ramblings!!  B 🙂

Zentangle - Collision

Zentangle – Collision

 

Green Abstract

Green Abstract

Horse & Rider

Horse & Rider

Beginning of Collage

Beginning of Collage

 

 

 

 

Aug9

Cool Idea and Upcoming Newton Workshops

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I came across a really neat video on my Facebook page with instructions on making a flower card, and wanted to share it with you if you haven’t already seen it.  This would make a really neat card for someone (think: Birthday, Hello Friend, Get Well, Mother’s Day, etc.), especially if you tangle the flowers.  Unfortunately, I can’t seem to embed the link, so if you want to see how it’s done, go to my Facebook Fan page,  EmeraldCityTangles, and check it out.  While you’re there, if you’d “Like” my page I’d be most appreciative.  Feel free to share with others you know who may be interested in this type of fun idea.

I’ll also be offering two workshops at the Carriage Factory Gallery in Newton, Kansas.  I’ll be there on Saturday, September 13, 2014.  Two workshops will be available; Introduction to the Art of Zentangle (beginner), and Tangle Print Impressions, where you’ll learn to make a relief print.  Come join us if you have never had a beginner workshop, or come see the new workshop I’ve put together.  We’ll have lots of fun tangling and learning together!

HAPPY TANGLING!!  Bonnie 🙂

 

 

 

Jun6

Zentangle a la Carte

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I’m cooking up something to tantalize your tangling tastebuds!  I’ll be holding a Zentangle a la Carte in Newton, KS, at the Carriage Factory Art Gallery, on June 22 and July 6.  You pick and choose from 5 different courses!

cooking pot

Here’s the List:

  1. Zentangle 101
  2. Zentangle Too – Beyond the Basics
  3. Framing on the Cheap!
  4. Zentangle Paperweight
  5. Tangled Ink & Watercolor

Choose 2 workshops and receive free, as our gift to you, a 3-piece Zentangle Pen Set or 12 pre-strung Zendala tiles, or 20 blank white Zentangle tiles!

Go to the “Workshops and Demos” tab to learn more.  If you did not receive my most recent newsletter and would like to be on the list, please email me.

Happy Tangling from the Land of OZ!

May19

Katazome

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Katazome scarves - silk

Katazome scarves – silk

I recently had the fantastic (well, Zentabulous!) opportunity to spend some time on the East Coast.  My dad, who is a comic book artist, is headed towards his 89th birthday!  We’ll be having a family reunion/party for him when he hits 90, but this time was special for me to spend alone with him and his wife, Sue.  If you are interested in learning about his comic book career, you can visit him at Sam Glanzman.  He lives on 10 acres just outside Oneonta, NY (for you non-NY’ers, it’s 80 miles West of Albany).  Oneonta is a wonderful, vibrant, college town.  There’s lots to see and do (Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame is a great draw very near there).  It was a great visit and we had perfect weather!

While visiting, I decided to take advantage of being on the East Coast and also attended a week-long art camp.  I was in heaven!!  No phones to answer, no paperwork to push, no deadlines to meet (from the J.O.B.)  It was just full days of learning the art form of Katazome.  Katazome is the ancient art of a Japanese method of dyeing fabrics using a resist paste applied through a stencil.  We learned from a teacher who tutored under John Marshall, who is well know in the art here in the States.  It originated from Keisuke Serizawa, a Japanese textile artist.  In 1956 he was designated as a National Treasure by the Japanese Government.  Absolutely unbelievable work, so delicate, so innovative, so beautiful!!  Here’s a link to a video that you can watch…Keisuke Serizawa.

So, Serizawa tutored a woman (sorry, I don’t know her name), who tutored John Marshall, who tutored my teacher, Jenny Hermenze (of Vermont).  So we were very honored to learn under her.  We learned to design and cut our stencils out of this absolutely marvelous paper, which, by the way, they are apparently no longer producing (too bad because it was just incredible to work with – but apparently very expensive and painstaking to produce -sheet goes for about $50 each), screen the back of the stencil with silk netting, make/cook up the paste resist, apply the paste to the fabric with the stencil, dye the fabric, etc.

This all took place at Snow Farm in Williamsburg, MA.   A wonderful nonprofit organization that teaches any number of craft skills to those who are interested.  Their classes run about $800 for the week, but it includes the classes, mostly all of the supplies, accommodations, and food – yes, let’s talk about the food!  Wonderful meals 3 times a day…we certainly didn’t go hungry!  You can visit Snow Farm to view the campus and see what they offer.

Here’s a picture of one of my completed projects…and a contest!  The first one** who emails me at EmeraldCityTangles@yahoo.com and tells me what the tangle name is on the blue scarf located on the far right will receive a beautiful Zentangle envelope (5.5″ x 7″) made from the green Lokta paper from the original Zentangle kits.  These envelopes are no longer being produced so you can’t buy them.  I have 10 in stock that I will be using for future give-aways so keep your eyes open on future posts.

Happy Tangling!

Bonnie

Jan4

A New Year Has Begun…

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Already into 2012!  Wow!  So what to offer you for this new year?  I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite blogs, although if you are hooked on Zentangle you may already be going crazy googling every Zentangle site you can find.  It boggles the mind!

First and foremost, of course, is Zentangle.com, Ze Beginning and End of Zentangle 🙂  It is the site that Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts, the Founders of Zentangle, offer.  Oh to be a Certified Zentangle Teacher…that is the quest. Young tanglers, old tanglers, in-betweed tanglers.  Get your Zentangles here!  Lots of fantastic information and inspiration to be had.

My next favorite is Linda Farmer’s (CZT) site (although I admit that favorite may not be the best of terms as all of them are my favorites!).  I was fortunate enough to have met her at the CZT 7 Certification Program that was held in Rhode Island last October.  Her site is TanglePatterns.com.  Elizabeth Barrett Browning said it best, “How do I love thee [Zentangle]? Let me count the ways.  I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my [Sakura micron] can reach…”   Well, you get the idea.  How many patterns are on TanglePatterns.com??  I’ve tried to count the ways, but, alas…more than the stars!  Although this is a free source, many of us who tangle know the amount of time and effort that goes into Linda’s site, so may I suggest you consider a small donation/subscription.  In fact, if you know of a tangler, gift her/him with a subscription.  Yes, I know it’s free and they can go to it any time, but what a neat thing to do.  Do up a little Zentangle in a card and let them know you have purchased a subscription in their name as your gift to them.

Another favorite (and, again, there are too many to mention, so forgive me all if you are not listed here) is Margaret Bremner’s site,  EnthusiasticArtist.blogspot.com.  I love her crisp lines!  As you scroll down the left side of her main page site, you’ll see that there are links to tangles, videos, and other tidbits of interest.

Unfortunately, I can’t list everyone here at the moment, but I hope you enjoy those few that I’ve shared.  I’ll share more as time goes on and if you know of a way for me to list all the blogs and sites I come across, let me know and I’ll do it.  I just don’t know the process if there is a way.  I’m always open to learning, so any knowledge you want to share is certainly welcome.

Until then, Happy Tangling from the Lollipop Guild in the Land of Oz!

Dec19

As the New Year Approaches…

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Another year is going to soon pass and we will be moving in 2012!  Life is an amazing journey that changes minute-by-minute, providing twisty turns that sometimes take you to places you never dreamed of!  If you had told me a year ago that I would be blogging (such as it is) and learning more about websites and the technology that is out there, I would have thought, oh boy, are they ever wrong!  I do enjoy learning but the technology piece is challenging.  I so admire my children and their friends…they have a special knack for it, as if it were placed into their DNA.  So, when I have challenges, I usually turn to my techie friends to help.  Although, it’s always better to teach someone to fish…so, I’m doing my best to learn from them and do the fishing myself.

In viewing and reading through other blogs, I realize how important it is to you (my readers), and to me (so I can learn more) to include neat things for you…so, my New Year’s resolution is to include content that is informative, creative, and FUN!  Without a little fun in our lives it would be too dull.  And Zentangle provides just that.  Creativity and fun.

With that in mind, here is a link to a neat “Tangle Catcher” pattern from Jane Monk Studio.  The Tangle Catcher was conceived by Jane while at Zentangle Training in Massachusetts USA … it s based on the same catcher that we used as school children,  but this time with Zentangle patterns on it.   http://janemonkstudio.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=20

From all of us in the Land of Oz…we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Dec7

Sakura of America Partners with Zentangle® to Create Exclusive, Licensed Drawing Sets

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Sakura of America Partners with Zentangle® to Create Exclusive, Licensed Drawing Sets.

Such an exciting event!!  Sakura micron pens are a wonderful tool to use when creating your Zentangles.  Little did I know when I first started making Zentangles how much I would fall in love with these pens.  They come in all sizes and colors.  Get Your Tangle On!!