Zentangle - Cards

I have recently gotten very interested in Zentangle. It is an art form, technique I guess, where an image is created by repeating a pattern. I am the type of person that needs something to look at to be able to make a project. In other words I am visual in learning. Do the same thing with my sewing and quilting, mainly just look at the photos or drawings to see what to do next. At any rate, although I would love to try Zentangle out, and there is even a class at the local scrapbook store for it, I need something to look at. I can get a significant amount of "tangles" as the patterns are called online, but would like something already printed so have ordered a book of patterns. Will post all the info about the book when it arrives. I had to do the same thing with my embroidery embellishments and crochet, bought a book of stitches to learn how to do them.

Back to the point. When my oldest daughter was in high school, oh about 12 years ago, she took art. They had a project to do. Beginning by using water color paper and water colours to create backgrounds. Then they had to use designs to fill in what ever they made. I loved this fish and kept it all these years. So very unique and so creative, not to mention talented, my daughter C. is so gifted. We didn't know that it was called Zentangle at the time, but here is a photo of each side, completely different from each other, of the fish.



I think they are just awesome.








Can't wait for the book to get her, but enough is online that I can get started trying it out.



This is another card I made using the alcohol inks. As I posted earlier, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these inks. It doesn't show up so great in the photo but the card is a mustard yellow, the alcohol ink background was stamped with part of the Footprints poem, frame cut and corner punched from black card stock, used the same black for the butterfly punches. The edges were chalked for a softer look.



I was also trying to clean up my messy work space a bit so I could start fresh, had some scraps I just could not throw away so put them together in this little ATC with a butterfly theme.

I was all excited at how nice it turned out. See, I am still new to this type of craft as well. Then it hit me, I am not involved in swap that this little card could be used in. Guess I will just start a folder for hoarding, I mean collecting ATC cards for future use. They are so fun to make, great for using up scraps. Have also seen some talk on the groups about other types of projects that are smaller sizes and traded as well. I guess the next time I go buying supplies...I mean groceries (LOL) I will have to see about buying some baseball card protectors to hold my ATC cards and then find a couple of places to start swapping them.

May even have to give in and try my hand at an art journal. On the subject of new projects to try out, I found some groups devoted to "Altered Books" which at first glance looked fantastic. HOWEVER...after getting in to one of the groups, I doubt very seriously I can ever do a project like they do. They totally destroy books then put them back together, cover them up, carve up the pages and such. Ink, stamps, layers of papers, textures, embellishments are all added to cover up the majority of the pages and completely redesign the covers. All my life books have been so special to me that I just can't imagine desecrating one in such a way, seems almost sacrilegious to me. Now I know...they are just books, and for the most part the books used are bought up cheap at thrift shops, book sales, garage sales and such, and the work that I have seen done by these people is nothing short of spectacular. I admire their talents. I am just being honest by saying I have my doubts that I can do that to a book, but we will see, am going to give it a little time to see how it all sets.

On a really bright note, found out last night, my son and his wife are going to be having a boy. I couldn't help it, just had to go buy something male. He will arrive the later part of August. This will be my third, stinky grand baby boy, but hey, at least I know what to do with boys. And best part is, this one lives in the same town as I do. Am looking forward to being able to see him more than once or twice a year.

Off to check my email, do a little surfing, then make a quick supper and see what I can get done this evening. Thanks for stopping in.