Quality, not quantity?

I feel like I've done a lot of tangling this week, but don't have a lot to show you! Let's see.

My gratitude for Monday focused on some nice weather, and feeling particularly energetic and "comblée", a French word that beautifully expresses the "cup runneth over" feeling that I can't find an English word for right now! (I love how every language has words that can't be conveyed in other languages.) I spent a relaxing afternoon on a card for my daughter's birthday.

Lots of fun making my daughter's birthday card

Inspired by Susie Ng, I decided to try a transparent Zenbutton on an old demo tile. More fun ensued.

Somehow, my mood had changed by Wednesday, and I had to show gratitude for ups and downs.

I played around with some graphite, and Jody Genovese's new tangle, Twilight.

All week long, I've been getting ready for my first ATC swap, through our SparkPeople Zentangle team. The theme is "Summer".

Looks like I had more to show than I remembered! Another lesson for me to take the time to be mindful and grateful whenever I feel any lack or shortage in life. And to remember my motto: "I have what I need and I need what I have."

Wishing you a mindful, grateful week! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Focus?

I miss the Diva and the focus that her challenges gave my (our?) life. I understand and endorse her need to move on. I'm trying to find a focus for this week's blog post.

Let's see.

I have been tangling every day in my gratitude journal. This is a simple pleasure. Usually, my drawing surface ends up about Bijou size, and I usually have 3 sections, where I note 3 things that I'm grateful for every day. Usually, I use my comfort tangles, but more and more, I'm trying to integrate some new things as a way of working on my memory. (I never browse or look at step-outs for this journal.) This week, I was looking for something different, and used a random number generator. 49. Diva Challenge #49!  The Red Thread Challenge from guest blogger Cris Letourneau. If you haven't done this one, I highly recommend it! I integrated the IAST #254 into the drawing on the right.

One of the members of our SparkPeople Zentangle team launched an ATC challenge this week where the theme is summer. I recently bought some Zentangle ATCs to try. (I know. I'm probably the only person in our community who hasn't done these!) Since I've been drawn to dingbatz of late (see above!), this is my first attempt. (I accidentally picked up an 08, but really like the bold line.) 3 more to come.

I picked up my art journal again on one of those hot and humid afternoons where I hunkered down inside. My prompt was "mother", and I chose the Rumi quote "We are born of love. Love is our mother." Since my dad was an avid photographer, there was only one photo in the archives with him and my mom. And a guy in a bear costume.  Before I glued the photo down, I tried some "hidden journaling" in pencil. I like that effect.

I went back to another journal page that was incomplete and filled it in with some stamping, stenciling and tangling. Thank you, Michele Wynne, for the bleeding tissue paper tip. Great for covering up and filling in! There's a teabag in there, too. And an unhappy, beet-stained ATC dingbatz.

Looks a bit out of focus, doesn't it?

How are you finding a focus sans Diva? Do you prefer having a structured challenge or do you like to find your own challenge?

Thanks for sharing. Have an inspired week!

From this morning's walk, I wish that you may "abound in well-being and peace"!

Outside the tile

(This post is a long time coming. My internet has been  s l o w  as molasses, so much so that I couldn't get pictures to upload when I started this last week. And then there are power outages. Like the one that just happened!)

My tangles have taken me "outside the tile" this week. An old sheet that I scored at last weekend's estate sale called out to me! Memories of Maria's beautiful napkins danced before me, so I ripped up the soft sheet and started tangling with a brown Identa-Pen.

After the napkin, I ventured out into envelopes. I used a template from The Postman's Knock. Then I scanned my work and saved it, so that I can use it for more envelopes.

The grand finale of the library classes this summer was sponsored by the Durham MakerLab. Another "outside the tile" experience! We tangled and produced paper fidget toys. This was a challenging project, but the high school kids were up for it and did a great job. Folding card stock can be frustrating, so I scored the folds, which made a huge difference in how it all came together.  Due to privacy laws, I didn't get any pictures of the kids and their work, but here's a demo I made.

Thursday, I taught a "lunch and learn" in an engineering firm. Funny, we stayed "inside the tile"! We used Adele Bruno's string for this week, and some celestial tangles.

Have you tangled "outside the tile" recently?

Thanks for visiting! Have an inspiring week!