Tangling, tangling and more tangling!

Not a creature was stirring.. not even a mouse. Or the dogs. Or my minions. It was a silent morning and it has been GLORIOUS!

I spent it with my pen, my pencil and some tea and I feel refreshed after the busy holidays and happy. 

I hope your holidays were wonderful and that you did get some down time to recharge.
This is my first attempt at using Sam Taylors "Crease" and I love it. So simple, so much at the heart of what Zentangle is all about one. One line, then another and then a little shading and something so simple turns into something that looks so amazingly complex!

I liked it so much I had to do another tile to use it in. 

I'm already planning on adding it into some classes!

What are you working on today? Do you have time off this week as the year wraps up?

New Tangle pattern- BrrrSt

A long long time ago (cue the soundtrack to American Pie... ok scratch that but it's stuck in my head)
I stepped out a pattern I had seen in a church window.
I was in the car at the time and it was on the corner of a street that started with Br... that was all I saw. I think it was Bryant but I don't really know... I was paying attention to the pattern. But that's how it got it's name.
BrrrSt

I created a step out and posted it but it apparently didn't make the transfer over when I did some switcharoos on my blog and I wasn't getting many readers back then. I figured it had wandered off and didn't worry about it, I knew it had gotten pinned a few times on pinterest but that was all I knew about it.

Then in one of my CZT groups, someone asked about it and I dusted it out and shared it and everyone liked it. So I'm sharing it with all of you again, many for the first time.

(Glad I save so many random pieces of paper!)
I have something really cool in the works if you're interested in being in on the ground floor as well you can sign up for more details here 

Anyway, what are you making today?

Patterns, patterns everywhere!

One of the things I love most about Zentangle is how it's really opened my eyes to so many patterns in EVERYTHING. I just never really noticed them quite the same way before.
I'm working through all my patterns and putting them in a book. So that was my creative.

I have a lot more to do but I'm getting there!


I realized I didn't put up a prompt yesterday, so today my prompt to you is create something with a pattern. Your choice from there... Just use some type of pattern.
I look forward to seeing what you do!

What's really funny.. is that I didn't look at today's Bijouism before I wrote all that. :D

Deconstruct

Ever since I heard Rick and Maria talking about all the patterns they'd see in their surroundings, I started to notice patterns more. Now that I tangle I REALLY notice them. I see how they deconstructed patterns and made them into tangles. It seems like magic because I never thought that I could recreate some of these tangles when I first saw them. Now I'm excited to find a pattern to deconstruct and turn into a tangle. After all, I do have a unique perspective down here amidst the ferns, flowers and grasses!

Little bits of creativity

Working my way through my patterns, one per tile all on little Bijou tiles!

Love the way they are turning out.
They fit perfectly in sleeves designed to hold coin protectors. 

I'll add them all to a notebook eventually, for now I just like to look at them!

All the way to L...

I've mentioned a couple times how busy the weeks have been but I also realized I forgot to wish everyone Happy Mother's day! I did get the chance to make my mom a card. Here it is. (It's ok.. .I already gave it to her so it's ok if I show you!)
I do hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day!!!

Now... On to the Tackle it Tuesday challenge!
This week's challenge was L tangles. I looked at Tangle Patterns and instantly thought "OH! There are a lot of them! I'm going to create a string with TONS of spots! And I did.  I was almost sorry I had because this took forever and the kids started begging for food.... but.... then I was glad I did because I ended up with THIS!

And I love it! I love lacing as the string and I just think it's something completely different and other than the few minutes of "what tangles am I going to still use" and "am I ever going to finish this one?I'm hungry!" thoughts I did enjoy doing it!

The tangles I used for this one were (I'll go left to right, top to bottom)

• Lacing- as my string
• Leaflet
• Lazy Eights
• LinQ
• Longwood
• Lanterns
• LilyPads
• Lichen
• Luv-A
• LoobyLoo
• LLilly
• LaBel
• Lacy
• Lines
• Lukiline
• Linked
• Lace Curtains

I didn't do much shading on the background patterns or even a lot of embellishment because it was already pretty busy, but I think shading ONLY the lacing gave it a nice depth.

Now, to figure out what to do next... Hmmmm... so many blank surfaces.

More catching up and Ooohh... a Starbucks project!

So let's get to it!

2 catch up's bring me current on the Tackle it Tuesday challenege (Cheryl by Artful Creations runs this one and it's so much fun!) so I'll be ready for tomorrow!

Here is my J compilation.

I had only used one of these before, and I think I messed up a couple but I do think it was a fun one and I'm VERY proud of my circles.

• Jonqal
• Jilli
• JaJazz
• JalouiseJambalee
• Jax
• ssicup
• Jetties
• Jawz
• Jeewes
• Joy

And here is my K as well!
 I'm actually super happy with this one, I was going to go with more tangles, but as it came together I thought this was just about right!

I had only used Keeko before, but 2 are my new favorites!

• Kuke
• Kelp
• Keeko
• Krli-Q

Now what is this Starbucks thing? Well, the other day a friend told me that Starbuck was running a White Cup contest and I wanted to play since this is the type of thing I do anyway! I ended up with a half dozen plain cups and broke out my pens. My goal was to submit one every day til it ended, but you know.. time and stuff.

Here were the 3 I ended up submitting.

This one I just went freeform to get a feel for drawing on a cup. It's harder than it looks.

I think this is my favorite. It's the most detailed and Starbucks actually is adding it to their Pinterest board for the contest. 

I really liked this one too.

So there we go. I have a few others to get around to uploading, but 1 post, 5 projects. I think I'm back on track.
Hope everyone is doing good! What cool projects is everyone else working on? I really want to know!

How to Draw Budz

I've been drawing this pattern since... forever I think. I didn't see it stepped out anywhere so I thought I would do it.

I've called it Budz and I hope you like it!

Step 1: Make a loopy line. My example almost looks like cursive L's but it can be any type of swirly line you like.

Step 2: Add a swirl on a slightly angled stick, one motion anywhere on your curve. I opted to show you with it just across from each swirl. 

Step 3: You can either finish your flower on step 2 with a quick line up to the curve of your flower, or you can skip it and finish it off when you put in your teardrop shape for a leaf.

Step 4: Place a tiny line at the bottom of the teardrop shape

Step 5: Dots make things fun!

Step 6: I shade at the base of the flower and the curve of the leaf.

You can actually stop after step 3 and decorate it however you'd like, and this can be done in rows as a variation to fill a space. It's more versatile than it seems at first glance!

I look forward to seeing what you do with it! If you use it, please drop me a link so I can take a look!