Shelly Beauch and Brayd

Last week's Diva Challenge featured the tangle, Brayd, by Shelly Beauch (aka Michele Beauchamp CZT). I love Shelly's delicate and joyful way of tangling! Looking at her work instantly brings me to smile:)
  Even though I had the challenge completed last Wednesday, I'm just now getting to the posting part. Better late than not at all...

In my first tile, I had made a string of thick borders that converged in the middle. I filled each border with Brayd, and saw that the 'ends' of each  stroke could connect to the new ones I was making. I ended up with one big weave, which was fun, but the 'braydness' wasn't there anymore. I started the second one with a  more 'Shelly-like' spiral string, but I still couldn't stop myself (and why would I?) from extending the little double lines into spaces all around it.
    Thanks, Shelly, for some joyful tangle time!

Erin's Diva Challenge

Thank goodness for the Diva Challenges. It seems like lately that's the only thing that gets me to STOP EVERYTHING for just a bit and savor the joy of tangling. This week's guest challenge comes from Erin Olson, CZT. Erin and I met at the Zentangle Seminar (7) in Providence, and we had quite a few great conversations about Zentangle AND beading!
   Erin has developed some awesome Zendala templates that she offers on her site. She also has a weekly challenge, using her templates as your guide.
   When I come home from the beadstore, I want to plop onto the couch and watch some mindless drivel about various unreal housewives or better yet, an old black and white movie that lulls me to sleep. Yesterday, after a really long (but fun!) day, it was too early to do that, as I knew if I sat there, it would be hours before I moved. So before I sat down (in front of the tv, of course), I grabbed a drawing tablet and got ready to tangle. My printer wasn't working to print out Erin's template, so I decided to just freehand an organic version onto my paper. There is no way to be exact in this situation, so I let the template on the screen be symmetrical, while mine was off center, uneven and pretty much all over the place. Not a pretty string, but I could get past that.
    I started by opening up my tangle library to an arbitrary spot. (I also decided NOT to turn on the tv!) I landed on Squill, so I thought the center would take that on quite well. I then found the negative spaces around the inside "flower" of the template, and made those shapes (Paradox) instead of concentrating on the obvious shapes. Doing the negative (or opens spaces) shifts my brain into seeing a different way. This process helps me use the shapes as guides to other paths, rather than shapes to simply fill. Once I'm finished, I don't often remember how I got from one place to the next. I think it might be fun to make a video to watch later, as if someone else was creating it. I'm sure I would see lots of things I wasn't aware of the first time it was made.
   Thanks, Diva for always being there, and thanks, Erin for a really fun challenge. Thanks Rick and Maria for this magical artform.

Ins and Outs of Mi2

Yesterday I learned that I had another roofer's nail in one of my car tires. This is the second one in 6 months. So, the best laid plans of the day completely turned around, and I was gifted with sitting at the tire center with nothing to do but tangle! What a lucky girl, and I MEAN that! Lately my days have been quite full, and a little tough to set aside some time for tangling. I'm slowly seeing times in my new schedule where I can fit it in, but this opportunity was an added bonus! Plus, the Diva Challenge presented the tangle, Mi2 (created by CZT Mimi Lempart), which I did try a while back and loved, but hadn't played with it since. And, since I'm STILL into the aura play, I couldn't resist adding it to this tangle. And of course, I had to 'puf' it. I was a little disappointed that they had my tire fixed in record time, and I didn't get to sit and finish, but when the day was finished, I continued the first, and did two more before I went to bed. I have to say, I slept really well!! I love this art form.

Choices

Competition is tricky business. The world is full of it. Sure, even though we tell our kids that it's not whether we win or lose, it's how we play the game, we still set up score boards and rosters that glorify the winners. It's natural, I guess, but we do have a choice in our own perception. If we like competition, well, then by all means, participate in the game! If we feel that competition is inappropriate in a certain arena, then each person can make that choice to reconcile that in themselves.

     Just yesterday someone asked me who our new bead store's biggest competition was. My answer is, "We don't really have any." Yes, there are other bead stores in the area, and many of the big chains sell beads as well. That doesn't mean that for us there is a competition. We do what we do because we truly love doing it, and feel we have a way to serve the people who love it too. That's it. It doesn't have to be any more than that for us. We are not interested in being a step ahead of anyone else, or being first at the 'finish' line. Just as in the process of Zentangle, each day is a 'stroke', each person is an inspiration! So...

Thanks to Rho Densmore, CZT, for this week's Diva Challenge (#79!) Her message about the process is one that bears repeating. A recent post on the Zentangle blog also talks about the process of Zentangle and the personal gifts it is poised to give each of us. ...

"Would you enjoy a book better if you could read it faster? Perhaps you could read more books, but at what cost? When you can afford to read at a comfortable pace you can savor a turn of phrase, look up a new word, or gaze into an unfocused distance as you imagine a setting and see yourself in it."

I had a fun time with my tile this week. I was really inspired by Erin Olsen's take on this week's challenge, and I love the Auraknot vibe, so my interlocking circles had me deliciously dizzy with auras. FUN! 

Thanks, Rho, Erin, Laura, Zentangle, and all the beady and tangly peeps who joined in the inspirational fun of the week!

We Auraknot Crazy

Lately it's taken a lot to get my nose out of the bead bags. Starting the new bead store has been an invigorating, but intense endeavor. I have to admit that when I saw Zentangle's first invitation about the tangle that is now called Auranot, I was really intrigued, but alas, there were beads to count.
   When I saw the video on Laura Harm's blog, I knew I had to stop everything and do it. I was also inspired by the group of new Zentangle Intro students from our class the day before. When I woke up this morning, before I got out of bed, I grabbed some tiles from the nightstand and started to play. It was tons of fun to stay in bed and tangle with all the kitties patiently waiting for breakfast. After three tiles, they finally got to eat.
   Auraknot has now grabbed me completely and I've spent the whole morning playing and wandering my little pen over many tiles. WOW. This is more fun than I thought it would be! It took a little concentration, and at first I wanted to go in so many other places before I really 'got it.' I think that may be because I haven't tangled in a while. Once I started, my right brain was like a kid who had been cooped up in the house, finally gets to play outside, and doesn't know what fun thing to do first, so tries to do it all!! FUn Fun FUN!!! Let's go let's go!!!!
   Once I settled into a quiet, less spastic place, it was truly a calming and lovely time. I could feel myself getting more and more focused on each line as I made it. I could go on all day.
    I found myself adding more 'ribbons' to the outer edges of the stars, some of them curling around on themselves, but carrying their aura just the same.
    What an awesome tangle, Maria!!! Just when you think there can't possibly be anything more, here we go into an ever-blossoming space...
   Thank you, Zentangle. Thank you Laura!

Cadent is Calling!

Hi everyone, I know it's been quite a while since I've posted. We opened our bead store this past weekend, and now I feel like I can have a little breather. Even though there is still lots to do, there is a sense of relief that the doors have actually opened. It was a great weekend of seeing some old friends, but making new ones. The sense of potential always gets me going, so great fun! It's that sense of potential that always draws me back to Zentangle.
    The past month has had its days filled with beady activities and planning, and I haven't even picked up a Micron once. But--- today, it was Monday, and I knew the Diva would most likely be on her game, and yes she was. I was all of a sudden ready to tangle. I'm a little 'rusty' with my pen, and of course I picked one up that was on its last little drop, but still, it was great fun. And to do a classic like Cadent seemed just right for getting back in the swing.
    Looking at my blank tile, I was excited to quietly make my corner dots, my border and then a lively string. I love to monotangle and love busting through the strings. Since it had been so long, I had to remind myself that is was ok to go beyond the string and make up things as I went along. Funny how our 'shoulds' hang on so hard.
   I had a great time, and feel mighty grateful that the Diva and all of you are still playing with the challenge. It's just what I needed to start my 'day off'.

lovies,
carole

Beadstores and Zentangle...

Hey everyone, I realize it's been 40+ days since my last post. In the past month, Daved and I have made a decision to open a bead store in Dayton. It’s a long and wonderful story of how we ended up as stewards of a new place, but that’s for another day. The store is basically in existence for one reason: to give the Dayton bead/jewelry making/playing community a place to gather, learn, teach, party, relax, hang out, and yep, buy beads. We like our beads!

What does all this have to do with Zentangle? 

I know without a doubt, that if not for having been involved with Zentangle, it might have seemed impossible for us to take this on. Each day I am aware that no matter what decision needs to be made, it’s possible for it to come from an allowing and open space rather than a constricted “should”. The whole place is being designed one wall at a time, one piece of furniture at a time, one logo at a time (we tried so many!). The space is also being added to by lots of participants who are committed to helping it become something inspirational and meaningful for all who use it. Whether it's new chair covers, or bathroom decorations, or where a table might sit, each of these elements are cared for with an intuitive heart and eye by lots of people, so that each piece and placement connects to what has come before it. I can't tell you how many "visions" I've had for this space. They have all changed, and it looks nothing like I pictured it before we began. This is the thrilling part! Letting it all go so that it can become what it is meant to be. There is a plan somewhere that is not mine. It feels like we are all paying attention to what that might be, without knowing exactly what it is.

    We don’t know when the shop will open. Of course we have a date in mind, but we’ve had other dates in mind that didn’t happen. We are working diligently to move forward, one step at a time, feeling our way to what the next step is.

   So even though it's a bead store, it's so much more than just that. I am grateful for the experience, wherever it came from, and for me, Zentangle has been the cherry on top of that experience. 

   If you want to peek at the process, we are documenting our progress on our new blog. And I promise, that even though I may not have time to do tangly posts here at this time, I am living Zentangle every minute!

Thanks to everyone.

Carole