Which Schway should I go??

Square One:Purely Zentangle is an amazing facebook group. If you haven't been there you should check it out. It's one of my favorite places to view Zentangle art because it's Zentangle in the purest form.
Every week they have a focus tangle, and to be honest I don't often participate. My head is usually to far into a million different ideas but most of my creativity comes from focusing my mind, so I've decided that back to basics is sometimes really important PLUS it pushes me out of my little ruts and comfort zones.

So...
This week it was Schway.
I've really only done this one, maybe once before? I don't even remember doing it once, but since I went through all the patterns to put in a binder when I got my certification, I'm sure I have.
I obviously did not love it since I've never done it again.
Ok, challenge. As I was doing it I struggled.. and struggled some more, but I persevered, because I don't give up on tiles. But I didn't know what to do with it.. it's more representational than most patterns and that was a problem for me. Which way does it go? Where do I put it... where does it stop WHICH SCHWAY DO I GO!!!!?

So here it is, and I don't love it, but I'm sharing it anyway because I think it's important to realize you don't have to love ALL the patterns, you don't have to like all your tiles.
Someone will. I guarantee someone is going to like this, and that's how art works.
Even if it's not something you think is your best or something you would have done someone out there is going to be in awe.

So go with the flow. Whichever Schway you end up. :)

Still thinking about a giveaway. Trying to decide. :D

Zentangle... My tangles, then and now

So there's really nothing new here today. If you've followed my blog for a while, you've probably seen most of these before. Some of you may know (or maybe you don't) but I'm an admin over on the Zentangle® facebook group. Feel free to come join us if you haven't yet! Anyway, we get a lot of people that question their work or are really hard on themselves.  I totally UNDERSTAND it, I just wish I could make them confident right away. :) But anyway, my point is we all start somewhere right?

I had a request to share some of my older work both there and here, so I'm going to blog about some of it and share it with you and also post it over there so people can see. As my friend (and gifted artist)  Cherryl Moote says, "Don't compare your chapter 1 to someone else's chapter 20."

This is the first piece I ever put together all on my own

So today, I want to share some of my early tangles as well as some of my recent ones, kind of a now and then to show growth.
It's been quite the journey!

I still don't like diamonds. I struggle with them. I find that I avoid patterns that contain them  actually. 

This is one of my "nemesis" tangles. I think because I had such a hard time with Amler, and never really was happy with the results I achieved. This one left me thinking "Can I do this?"

So, I actually GAVE UP on cubine here, I was like.. yeah... NOPE. That was the ONLY paradox I was successful at for the first 6 months and my purk is kinda.... lacking. But, this was the tile that made me realize I was hooked. 

I loved Betweed instantly. LOVED it. Had no idea where I'd ever use it other than Halloween, yet I find it's a mac and cheese tangle for me and I use it all the time!

So those were some of my earliest tangles. They don't look too bad, but I was so hard on myself. I see looking at them how much I've grown and I've decided that over the next week I'm going to redo each of these patterns and showcase them side by side to see how my style has changed as well. :) That'll be fun!

In the meantime, some recent work.

They're posted with their flaws and their uniqueness and the parts I love and the parts I can't "unsee" no matter how hard I try... but they are very straightforward in showing how much I've grown in my skills.

People ask how to improve. :) It's all practice and love and zen.

Deep breath, pick up the pen.
And go...

Happy September!

The holidays are fast approaching and before it starts I wanted to make sure that my facebook, etc is visible. If people don't know you are out there they certainly can't order from me right?
So I launched a contest on my facebook and I am giving points for comments here, etc. I'll be doing some fun things on the blog that aren't related at all, but I DID want you to know you can participate. You do have to like my facebook to qualify though. Once today's post is done, unless someone asks something I think needs clarified I'm not really going to talk about the contest over here until it's over. 

Liking or commenting on a fb post from Sept 1-Sept 30 2014, (current posts, no going back a year!) will get you 1 entry.
Sharing something on fb will get you 2 entries.
Comments on my blog will get you 2 entries.
Referring people to any of my social media will get you 3 entries. (I have to know you sent them, either they or you can make sure I know.
If you don't follow me on instagram, facebook, g+ or vine yet, you can get the 3 points for each you want to start.)
If you share a blog post or any of my social media stuff, tag me in it so I know or email me a link at whimsybykelly@gmail.com
On September 30th at 11:59 EST I am closing the contest. The winner will be announced by Oct 5. on facebook.
The prize is one custom pair of high top (or low top) Converse. I sell these for at least $100 a pair. If you prefer, I will do a messenger bag instead.
I will work with you to create a design of your choice in the size you select or you can have me just create something cool for you.
Winner will be selected at random from all the entries.
I will be placing all the entries into a box throughout the month and will finalize the first week of Oct.

Good luck, tell your friends. :)

Upcoming contest....

I'm going to run a contest through September on my facebook.
 I'm doing it over there because it's primarily for my business side. I want to increase my visibility before the holidays, I'm sure you all understand...  so I didn't want to do TOO much cross over to this blog, where I focus more on the creative parts but I did want to let you all know! You're all certainly welcome to participate if you'd like.
https://www.facebook.com/WhimsyByKelly

Anyway, it will start on Monday and run through Tuesday September 30th. The details will come out Monday, but for now...I want your guesses. What do you think the prize will be?

I have something I think is pretty awesome in mind, but I'd also love to hear what you think. You might even change my mind if you come up with something better! :)

Shameless Self Promotion Tuesday!

I don't know if I've shared this, because the original purpose of my blog was to keep myself creating, not to self-promote. Today I'm going to break that rule, because, well..I'm trying to get my Etsy shop really going somewhere. I don't know if any of you knew that, so I'm trying to spread the word about my shop but I don't want to be all spammy on here so I'm going to try and limit how often I talk about selling stuff. I'm always going to share my artwork, because it's what I do, and this blog is ABOUT my creative process, but I don't want to constantly be asking you to come buy things from me.

Today though, I am going to ask if you don't already, if you'd consider liking my facebook page, and if you are an etsy shopper if you would consider clicking "Favorite" on my shop. Also, if you wouldn't mind passing my link along to anyone you think would enjoy my artwork I'd really appreciate it.

I have added a few things and I hope you like them.

• Shops with more "favorites" are much more likely to get hits, hits equal sales and sales mean that I have more money to buy more art supplies which keeps me happy. 
• These kids of mine... sheesh, they are all about the eating. Did you know that a 13 year old boy can eat ENTIRE pizzas in one sitting? That makes them hard to keep in pizza so pizza money is helpful!
• I like seeing my artwork on people, or in their homes or anywhere really. It makes me happy. 

Ok, so that's that. 

Here are my links, gonna make this super easy! 

Etsy

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

I don't know how to use Tumblr, but my daughter is going to teach me, she said that especially my nerdy stuff needs to be on there. So, that'll be another project for another day. 

Now, I'm going to open my blog up to all of you today. Post in the comments. PLEASE!

Go ahead. Promote yourself. Tell us why you rock. Share your blog, pinterest, your instagram, your etsy, your facebook page, your twitter, your EVERYTHING! And then go look at what else has been shared, there are some amazingly creative people that visit my blog. Maybe they have something you want, maybe they will turn into a friend, maybe it's raining and your house too and you could use a fun day of looking at creations!

Spammy isn't always bad.