Ladies Night Out Class/Party

My sister, Joanne DèLeon is a very successful realtor at The Group, Inc. in Ft Collins, CO and as a "thank you" to some of her clients she hosted a ladies night out by treating them to a Zentangle class/party last Friday evening.  It was held in the Group's meeting room (beautiful facility) from 6:30-9:00, and it was my largest class so far.  Joanne served wine, beer, iced tea and some wonderful munchies.  I made and brought the chocolate covered strawberries. The ladies all had a great time learning the art of Zentangle!  I took some pictures of the set-up prior to the party and some pictures of their tiles, but got so busy teaching I forgot to take pictures of the group of people (note to self).  I also made some fun name tags inspired by this video by Joanne Fink.   I can't thank my sister enough for asking me to teach this class!  I hope her clients enjoyed it as much a I did. 

Challenge #30 Initialize

While our DIVA takes some much needed time off, we have another wonderful guest challenger and CZT, Christina Vandervlist at stART taking us in another string direction.   This week we are using our initials and overlapping them for our string.  Another great string idea and challenge!  Thank you, Christina.

Mandala Monday

Just playing with another Mandala/Zendala and adding color with Sakura Gelly Roll Pens.........oh how they sparkle!

Challenge #29 Creative Genesis

This week over at Casa Diva's we have a guest challenger, Sue Jacobs/CZT from Chicago.   Sue came up with a great idea of using a string to create a string.  Find anything around the house to use as a weight, tie a string to it and let it drop on your tile. I found a necklace with a heavy pendant to use. I love this idea and it gives me one more thing to talk about with strings in my Beyond the Basics class.  Thanks Sue for hosting the challenge this week and for the great idea!

More Mandala/Zendala Fun

At my "Beyond the Basics" class I spend about 30-40 minutes on strings, tangle enhancers, shading techniques and then we complete one tile with tangles that take a higher level of concentration. After that I let the students pick what they want to work on......more tiles, ensembles, zentangle inspired art, or mandala's/zendala's.  Recently I met with a really nice lady from Texas who had taken a basic class there and was here in Colorado with her family visiting her mother on vacation.  She requested a private "Beyond the Basics" class and she choose to work on mandala's/zendala's.  We made the same template from scratch, doing a little math, etc...and sat down and had fun talking and tangling together.   Of course, the time flew by as it always does when you are tangling and we didn't finish, but we did email each other our results.   As in true Zentangle fashion, even though we started with the same mandala outline (string) we ended up with our own unique results.  She also said she would call me next year when she visits Colorado to play with Zentangle.  How nice to make another new tangle friend.  So good to meet you "M"!

New Black Zentangle Tiles!

My long awaited (not really long, it just felt that way) box of goodies from Zentangle arrived this week.  I felt like a kid at Christmas checking out all the new products (toys) that Zentangle is now offering.  What fun!  The new black tiles are fabulous!  Maria's advise about the gelly roll pens was to hold them very lightly and just "tickle" the paper and I found this worked beautifully.  Thanks to everyone at Zentangle for your hard work in developing and getting us all of these great new products to play with!

Challenge #28 Trip to Tripoli

TRIPOLI is the new tangle introduced by Rick & Maria at Zentangle this week.  I had the feeling that this would be the challenge for the week from Laura, the one and only CZT diva, so I started playing with it a little last night.  I love this tangle because it has so much potential and variety, but I will need to play with it more because I am having some trouble getting all my little triangles the same size, turned the right way, and the same distance apart.  Normally, I would wait and work with this more, but I have a full week planned and I am not sure I will have the time to get back to this again.  So, I am posting my 1st attempts, one on a tile and the other on a small piece of Stonehenge paper that I had left over from another project.  I applied a color pencil wash to it first and then tangled.  I had fun experimenting with color, trying a new tangle, and really enjoyed the process of creating.  So after reading the post on the Zentangle blog today, I am not waiting for time to try something "better" to post!  Thanks,  Rick and Maria for that great post!  Thanks, Laura for another great challenge. 

Challenge #27 Duo-Tangle

In this challenge the Diva has us using only 2 tangles, Dex & Verdigogh.  These are two very different tangles, Dex with straight lines and Verdigogh being more organinc.  This was one I had to sit and think about for awhile.  Instead of starting with the usual string I decided to draw all the large black squares of Dex and use my white Gelly Roll pen to draw Verdigogh on top of those squares.  I then extended the Verdigogh branches with my black pen in some area but not in others.  After that I completed the outside lines of Dex.  

I have always admired the way that Maria Thomas weaves her tangles together and continues one tangle with another by using the same lines.  She makes it look so easy and the results are always so beautiful!  This is something I need to continue to work on, because I love how it looks.  I can see it, but getting it from my mind to the paper.....now that is something else altogether!  Practice, practice practice, and continue to enjoy the process.  :)

Challenge #26/Spiral Out

This week's challenge is to make your string a "spiral".  I love spiral's and I needed an easy challenge this week.  Thank's Laura!

Challenge #25 Zendala Magic

Oh yeah!  I love Zendala's (Mandala's made with Zentangle patterns)!  Laura Harm's (our one and only Diva) is spending some much needed time off with her mother, but in true Laura style she didn't delay the weekly challenges that we have all come to love and look forward to each week. Instead, she arranged for a guest challenger, Geneviève Crabe/CZT from Canada came up with this week's challenge for us.  I had the pleasure of meeting Geneviève at our CZT certification class 4.  She is a very talented artist and you can view some of her wonderful Zendala's here. Thanks Laura, and thanks for the great challenge, Geneviève! 

I have never made a Zendala the size of a tile before, so that was a lot of fun!  I am looking forward to doing the large Zendala template when time permits.   

New Tangle- FANFEATHER

My sister-in-law, Karen, who is a wonderful quilter has once again given me inspiration for another tangle pattern.  She does this without even knowing it.  In an earlier post from last week, SEE HERE, I talked about it being her and her husband, Pete's 50th wedding anniversary for which I made a Zentangle Inspired Art piece.  At that party she gave everyone a hot-pad that she made from her various scraps of material.  She has been making hot pads for years, and I am lucky enough to get some every Christmas, so I haven't bought a hot pad in years.  Well, looking at the hot pad my daughter Lindsay picked out for her new apartment this year, I noticed this fan pattern and thought it would make a cool tangle.  Karen doesn't know that her work was also the inspiration for one of my earlier tangles, ECHO, SHOWN HERE.  I will be letting her know today and I will be looking through my other hot pads....who knows there may be more tangle patterns there.

Fanfeather is a really basic, simple pattern, but it can be used in so many ways and variations (different directions, as a border, etc.)  It kind of looks like a branch when the stems are wider, and a feather when the stems are thinner. In the directions, I made them wider to see them better.  It definitely looks very organic.  Hope you enjoy it!

Here's my inspiration, the directions, and a tile with it included.  (Click on instructions to enlarge.  Also note:  1-3 are the steps and 4-6 are different ways to use it)

Drawing Day 2011

This was my contribution to Drawing Day 2011.  Zentangle Inspired Art, size 7x7 done on scrapbook paper.

Mandala/Zendala's

Every now and then I get in the mood to do a Zendala. When I don't want to take the time to start from scratch and do all the math, (rulers, compass, protractor, etc.) I go in search of some Mandala templates.  There are a lot of them posted on the web and blogs where people are kind enough to share-Yeah!  I used a couple of Joni Feddersen's again.  Thanks Joni for sharing these on your blog! 

Challenge #24 Stripes

This week's challenge from the Diva is use only stripes as your string.  I enjoyed not having to think about it a lot and just drew some simple stripes and tangled in them.  I went for big and bold...........

Happy "50th" Anniversary K & P!

My sister-in-law, Karen & brother-in-law, Pete celebrated their "50th" wedding anniversary on May 27th.  They had a very nice BBQ at their home for family and their out-of-town guests on Friday. (picture in their backyard)  Then they  hosted a big wonderful dinner party at the Embassy Suites on Saturday night for friends and family.  The cocktails and the dinner were excellent and the desserts to die for-yummy!  We enjoyed viewing their slide show, which was a walk down memory lane for many.  A very nice way to celebrate this milestone in their lives, and a good time was had by all!  Congratulations, K & P! 

I made this Zentangle inspired piece of art for their special occasion.  The frame I found had patterns on it that looked like tangles, leafs, perfs, etc.  

Challenge #23 String Theory

The Diva's challenge this week is for everyone to use the same string.  I went ahead and just followed her lead and after I drew the string the she provided,  I got out the legend and icosahedron die from my zentangle kit.  When I first got my zentangle kit, I used to do this all the time.  Roll the die to figure out which tangle to use next.  It was fun to bring those back out again and essentially get back to the basics.  I liked that the Diva decided to leave one section blank so I did that too, with a different section.  The tangles I rolled on the die were:  Msst, Shattuck, Nightsbridge, Hollibaugh, Tipple, and Flukes. 



 

Challenge #22 "A Little Help From My Friends"

This weeks Diva challenge was to have someone else draw the string on your tile and then you tangle it.  I asked my daughter, Lindsay to help me out with the string.  She has never taken my Zentangle class so she didn't have any idea about what a "string" was.  I told her to just draw a line of any kind on the tile and I would take it from there.  She didn't think about it, just took the pencil and whipped out a string and said " Like that?"  Exactly like that!  Here's the before and after...........

Challenge #21 - OOF

OOF is the latest "official tangle" from Rick and Maria at Zentangle.  If you missed it, you can see instructions here, on their last newsletter.  Oof is really a fun tangle that has so many variations and possibilities.  Although it did take a little practice to get it down, and you definitely need to follow the instructions until you do.  The diva's challenge this week was to do a tile using the new tangle, OOF.  I started my tile with a large OOF and then filled it in with smaller OOF's (one half-done), and then added different variations inside each.  Another fun tangle & challenge! 

Congratulations U.S. Army Ranger-Justin De'Leon

Our family had quite the celebration here in Colorado last weekend, and what a Mother's Day for my sister, Joanne. Her son, my nephew, Justin De'Leon earned the U.S. Army Ranger tab after successfully completing the Ranger course.  The U. S. Army Ranger School is an extremely intense 61-day combat leadership course.  It has been called the "toughest combat course in the world" and "is the most physically and mentally demanding leadership school the Army has to offer".  Two of my siblings live in Colorado and two of my sisters and one of my brothers came out from Wisconsin to join in the celebration, so 6 out of the 7 of us were together (which doesn't happen often).  Joanne and her husband Tim, Justin's dad, had a really nice BBQ on Mother's Day in Justin's honor with family and their close friends.  I couldn't pass this occasion without making Justin a zentangle inspired art piece. 

But wait, that's not all!!!  The next day, Justin got engaged to his high school sweetheart, Julie.  Congratulations, Justin and Julie! 

 As you head to Germany next week, and then are deployed to Afghanistan, know that you will be in all our thoughts and prayers.  May God bless you and keep you safe.  We are all so proud of you! 



Letter "S" for Sonia

Happy Birthday to one of my soul sista's, Sonia!  I had the pleasure of working with Sonia for years and we became really good friends.  Our birthdays are 5 days apart (same year) and last year we were both fortunate to be able to retire from our long careers with the federal government.  We retired within weeks of each other and had a combined farewell party.  A couple of months ago, Sonia and her husband moved to the Texas coast and bought a home on a canal, so she is living the good life.  I can't think of anyone who deserves it more.  Sonia had diabetes since she was a child and was the recipient of a kidney and pancreas transplant some years back.  She continues to do well!  What a treat  to be able to see her enjoy sweets for the 1st time in her life!  We are looking forward to the day we can go visit them and do some fishing.  Happy birthday, Sonia!  All the best to you! 

Challenge #20 "Royal Wedding"

Our challenge this week was to tangle with whatever inspiration comes to us from the "Royal Wedding".  I didn't get up early enough (2:00 am our time) to watch it live, but I did set the DVR.  Although I saw bits and pieces of the coverage when I did get up, just in time for the balcony kiss (2), I watched the entire event later that day.  I love weddings, and this one being history in the making, how could I not watch it all!  As Laura said, there was so much to get inspiration from that day.  I was really fascinated with the hats. I love all the hats that Catherine Middleton wore before she became the Duchess of Cambridge and then all the hats at the wedding!  I wish we wore fancy hats more for weddings and special occasions.   Some were so beautiful and others were pretty crazy!  Here's a sample in case you missed it......

       

And the craziest hat of all was worn by Princess Beatrice (Fergie's daughter), and the inspiration for my tangle.........

 

I know I didn't put a lot of thought into this one, just drew her hat, outlined it in color pencil, and tangled around it, but it was fun looking at all those hats again! 

It also made me think about the last time I wore a hat...on my wedding day, which was exactly one month after Prince Charles and Lady Di.  Remember, it was 1981, LOL!!!