Explorations and Gratitude

What a week. I've felt so discombobulated at times, so confused. Trying to stay on course--a course of mindfulness and intention--has not been easy. Gratitude focuses my racing thoughts and gives me a reason to draw. I'm grateful for my gratitude journal and the gratitude strings. The process--taking time to be mindful of 3 things I'm grateful for every day--rather than the drawings themselves is what I appreciate.
This week I've been working on the latest Project Pack from Zentangle. Although I'm happy with my progress, and have almost finished the tangling, I still have a ways to go with painting and shading.  I'm looking forward to posting the 9-tile mosaic. Maybe next week????
Prior to starting the Project Pack, I had been exploring drawing on used teabags. Here in North Carolina, we have traditionally sought refreshment from the hot, humid summers in iced tea. Even though I'm a native, I've never drunk a lot of iced tea until this summer. Inspired by some tea bag art seen on Pinterest, I decided to take my Lipton's cold brew family size tea bags and see what I could do. I made this 5 x 7 inch card for my sister. Yesterday, I prepared some used coffee filters. To be continued...

With the intense heat that has finally hit us, I've been spending time in the garden protecting and watering the plants and even harvesting some green beans, Swiss chard, mint and basil. Here are the stars of the week:

Rose of Sharon

Gardenia

Cone flowers, a pollinator favorite!

Thanks for your visit! Have a mindful week.

Gratitude String

Zentangle. A method to mindfulness. A style of process-oriented art. A community. This is what comes to mind when I ask myself, "What is Zentangle?"
This week, I began leading a group called "Zentangle SparkPeople". SparkPeople.com is a free website that exists to help users with fitness and weight loss. During January 2012, there were 10 million visitors to the website. I've been on since 2007, when I started using it to track my exercise, get support from folks who suffered from IBS, depression and asthma. Some time ago, I joined a Zentangle group, which had gone inactive until I became the group co-leader last weekend. Learning the ropes, I've been trying to "visit" different members--a phenomenal bunch!-- and get a feel for their needs.
We are reviewing the 8 steps of the Zentangle Method. Quick! Without peeking, what are they? (If you had to peek, it's okay. But ask yourself, "Am I rushing my tangling, just to get to the finished product?")  Here are the 2 sides of the bookmark I made for my beginning students.  (Feel free to use these.)

Step one: Gratitude (and appreciation). Since our team goal is to "tangle with gratitude for 3 blessings every day", I've tried to think of what that might look like. Here are my thoughts:

• Use a string that divides your tile into 3 sections. Inside each section, in pencil, write a blessing. As you tangle in each section in ink, focus on your gratitude.
• Make a journal for your gratitude tiles. Cut an 8 x 4 in. cover and fill it with 10 sheets that are 3.5 x 7 1/4 inches.
• Appreciate your tools, be they paper and pen or twigs and petals. Appreciate the people who have made this possible, the time, the space, the ability. Some people take a minute to give thanks for the food they are about to eat. Why not give thanks for what we are about to experience and create?
• Divide your tile into 4 sections. The empty space is for the unexpected blessing.

There is so much to be grateful for, isn't there? But it can be so hard to stop, to step away from our crazy lives and breathe with gratitude.  For me, practicing gratitude is now like brushing my teeth. It's an important part of my mental hygiene!

How do you practice gratitude? Are you partaking in the full benefits of the Zentangle Method?

Thanks for visiting with me. I wish you a gratitude-filled week!

Drawing with your non-dominant hand

My right hand is recovering from a procedure I had done this week. (Nothing serious.) I miss drawing! This morning, I decided to draw with my left, non-dominant, hand. I'm sharing this post because this was a powerful Zen experience that made me slow down and accept my situation with gratitude and appreciation.

Thanks for your visit! Have a relaxing week.

Diva Challenge #365: Puf

Is it anticlimactic to celebrate post #201? In all my gardening frenzy, I totally forgot to mark my 200th post last week!
Puf, the tangle of the week, was one of my first, and my favorite tangles. I teach it a lot, but just call it Bales with a continuous line inner aura. (Puf would be easier for folks to remember, wouldn't it?!) I find continuous line auras  s o o o  relaxing. Since this week has been  s o o o  stressful, I enjoyed it on three different occasions: first in my 3.5 inch handmade journal and then in my art journal.

"We have 2 ears and 1 mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak." --Epictetus

Another journal page, sans Puf

"To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, today is big with blessings." --Mary Baker Eddy

After all the rain we've had, the stars of the garden this week are mostly mushrooms!

Thanks for your visit. I apologize for not getting around to see your work lately. Screen time and sitting are difficult right now. I hope to get back out and around the cybersphere soon!