A Busy Little Elf

Life has been very busy lately.  I've had a lot of school work to do.  This has been compounded by a super-migraine that has surpassed all other migraines.  You have never experienced a migraine until you have had one in your eye.  I now have a greater understanding for headache pain.  

The best part of the last month, however, was getting to design Christmas cards for two good friends, Taiya and Sandy.  It was nice and relaxing to work on something creative.

A view of my workspace.  I really do know where everything is.

I've been wanting to do something with this stamp for several years, so when Sandy told me she wanted a wintery scene with snowy trees I knew exactly which image to use.

Taiya asked for something Zentangled, so I drew this Christmas tree for her. 

I was really pleased with how the cards came out.  And Sandy was so pleased with her's that she ordered some birthday cards.  I'm über excited about the chance to excercise my creative muscles.  I'll be sure to share a few along the way.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  May you experience the warmth of the season.

-Jennifer Gayle

It's Official!

I was so excited this past Monday when I opened my email and saw my tangle, Floor Too, featured on TanglePatterns.com by Linda Farmer, CZT.  I had submitted the tangle back in November and wasn't sure if it would ever make it.  It's such a wonderful honor to be included among so many talented artists.

Like many others, I was inspired by a pattern that I saw while I was out and about.  One day in early November I was riding an elevator when a woman walked in.  She had the most interesting shapes on her sweater.  As soon as I got home I started playing with the pattern in my sketch book and my tangle was born.

I hope you enjoy Floor Too!
-Jennifer Gayle

*Linda Farmer prefers to swap steps 1 and 2 for better alignment.  

Try it both ways and see what works best for you.

Weekly Diva Challenge #117–Schway

Welcome back to the Diva Challenge.  As part of my return to balance I decided to take up the Diva Challenge once again.  This week featured the new official Zentangle pattern schway.  It's a very simple pattern with a great tessellation feel.  I've had some challenges using schway with other patterns, but I did a large monotangle that looked quite nice.  To spice it up I added some color using watercolor pencils.  I think it turned out pretty good and the ombre paint job gives it an interesting stripe effect.

 Before

After

I got the idea for some creative angles from fellow Tanglers.

Have fun with schway.

-Jennifer Gayle

Taking Time for Creativity

This January I undertook a new challenge in my life- graduate school.  I am working on a masters degree in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Gratz College.  It is something that I have wanted to do for many years.  I knew going into this that there would be a lot of work, but I really had no idea how much.  I was completely overwhelmed.  As a result I spent all of my time reading and working and I closed off all of my creative outlets.  I stopped Zentangling.  I stopped card making.  I stopped everything.  And, lo and behold, I got burned out.

As I started to burn out I noticed my neglected sketch pad on the coffee table.  I picked it up and started to doodle.  Then I started doodling some more.  And I started to find myself relaxing.  I know that is one of the key purposes of Zentangle, but until I experienced it for myself I didn't really believe it.

I am now taking breaks from my reading to Zentangle whenever I start to feel overwhelmed.  As the final week of the semester looms, along with two research papers, I'm sure I will be Zentangling a lot.  The most important thing I have learned out of all of this is that, no matter what, you have to take time for creativity.

-Jennifer Gayle

Doing the Diva Dance

This week's challenge marks the great milestone of the 100th Diva Challenge.  To celebrate Zentangle co-founders Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts created three new tangles–Waltz, Foxtrot and Rock-n-Roll–that make up the Diva Dance.  To celebrate I have created a tile using the Waltz and Foxtrot.

Happy 100th, Laura!

-Jennifer Gayle

Weekly Challenge #93: New Official Tangle "Bunzo"

This past week Zentangle co-founder Maria introduced us to a new tangle, called Bunzo.  Our challenge this week was to create a design using Bungo.  I've been suffering from a terrible migraine for several weeks now, so I kept my designs rather simple.

Due to my migraine I wasn't able to get last week's stripes challenge posted in time.  I did get it finished to I thought I'd share it.  I had just purchased a set of metallic gel pens so I decided to go a little crazy.

I hope that everyone is safe after the wrath of Sandy.  Have a great week!

-Jennifer Gayle

Weekly Challenge #91: "Beads of Courage"

This week's challenge was in honor of Laura's son Artoo's second birthday.  Artoo suffers from a rare neurological disorder called Moebius Syndrome.  Recently Artoo has begun participating in a wonderful program called Beads of Courage.  Created as a way to help children cope with chronic illnesses, Beads of Courage allows children to tell their story of courage and strength through strands of colorful beads.  Artoo's strand, already over fourteen feet long and not nearly complete, was the inspiration for this week's Zentangle creation.

I, personally, am rather pleased at how my drawing came out this week.  I used real lampwork beads as my inspiration.  It was also a good exercise in shading.  I love the use of shading in Zentangle, I just often get lazy and leave it out.  This is a good inspiration to start using more shading.

-Jennifer Gayle

Weekly Challenge #90- "String Theory XIII"

This week's challenge had us going back to basics.  One of the foundations of a Zentangle is the string. It is a guide line drawn within a tile that helps inspire the placement of the tangles in the design.  This week we were challenged to use this string as the foundation of our Zentangle:

You can find this string and others, as well as an explanation

on the importance of strings as TanglePatterns.com.

I found this week's challenge particularly challenging.  Like many others I have developed a habit of not using strings when I design my Zentangles.  Forcing myself to work within the confines of the string really made me stop and think about the tangles I wanted to use and how they interacted with the surrounding tangles.  I am not particularly thrilled with the outcome, but I believe the challenge has inspired me to start playing with strings and to push myself to go out of my comfort zone.

-Jennifer Gayle

Weekly Challenge #86- "Break Free!"

This week's challenge was to 'color outside of the lines'.  We were to break free of our boundaries, which could be as simple as breaking the lines of our Tangle borders, or be as elaborate as our mind could take us.

While my Tangle seems simple enough, I had only two patterns and I stayed within my tile, for me this was a great break towards freedom.  While I love the pattern Jalousé (the linear one) for its whimsy, I probably would have never used it for that very quality- it's just not my style.  And Binial (the string of 'bubbles'), I loved it as soon as I saw it, but knew I would never find a way to use it.   That is, until I was encouraged to break free.  So, this is my take at freedom...

-Jennifer Gayle

Weekly Challenge #85: UMT v. VII Copada

This week brings around another new month, which means another 'Use My Tangle' challenge.  This month's tangle comes from Margaret Brenmer, CZT.  Her wonderful tangle Copada was inspired by the onion topped domes of the East.

Copada in its base form is a linear tangle.  I sat for several hours staring at a blank sketch book trying to come up with an inspiration for this week's challenge.  At one point I was digging through my bag of sketch books when I caught my thumb on my circle template.  I decided to see what Copada would look like in a circle.  I was really pleased with the sun-like effect that it achieved.  I combined with Verve to complete the effect.

-Jennifer Gayle

Diva Challenge #84- String Theory v. XI: Blind-Sighted

This week's challenge was all about giving up control and leaving our design to fate.  Our Diva, Laura, challenged us to close our eyes, put pencil to paper, and draw our strings blind.  (For those of you not familiar with Zentangle, the string is a light pencil drawing that is the foundation of the Zentangle drawing.)  

I had every intention of photographing my string before I started drawing, but I was so excited when I figured out what I was going to do that I was halfway done before I realized I forgot.  If you look closely though you can see some of my pencil lines.  

I decided to make this a Monotangle.  I've been playing with some new Tangles lately and Diamonds and Squares is one of them.  My string seemed perfectly suited to some experimentation.

I hope everyone is having a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

-Jennifer Gayle

Diva Challenge #82- UMT v. VII "Brayd", Plus a little something for the Hubby

Like most husbands, mine has always taken care of me when I was sick.  He's fixed the chicken noodle soup and pulled out the extra blankets.  This year, however, he has gone above and beyond the usual husbandly duties.

After breaking my foot last July, then spraining it the week I get out of the boot, I developed a nerve disorder call Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).  Because of the extreme pain it causes I have been on crutches since October 2011.  My dear husband has done just about everything for me.  He has been so wonderful throughout all of this.  I was thinking that he deserved a medal, but I decided to make him something even better.

My husband absolutely loves it.  He keeps it next to the bed and flips it to a different card each day.

This week's Diva Challenge was the first of the month so it was an 'use my tangle' (UMT) challenge.  The tangle this week, called Brayd, is designed by Shelley Beauch.  My first thoughts when I saw Brayd went towards a border.  I had hoped to put a monogram inside, but my handwriting skills aren't that advanced just yet.  I do think the medallion in the center fits quite nicely though.

-Jennifer Gayle

Diva's Challenge #81- Guest Post-Relay For Life

This week our Diva is dealing with some sick kiddies, so CZT Erin Olson was kind enough to step in and present us with a challenge.  In celebration of Erin's upcoming participation in her local Relay for Life she presented us with a Zendala challenge.  Zendalas are a combination of Zentangle and mandalas.  Their repetitive nature is meant to be meditative.

The challenge was certainly a change of pace, especially since I had never done one before.  I rather enjoyed working on the Zendala and had originally intended on doing two.  That was before the coffee table got in my way.  I've been on crutches since last October and coffee table has had it out for me for months now.  :-)  It finally got its shot Tuesday night.  I ended up rolling over it and landing on my right side.  I ended up finishing my Zendala with a sprained wrist.  Although this was my first, I look forward to many Zendalas in the future, once I get my revenge on the coffee table.

-Jennifer Gayle

Zentangle Inspired Art Journal #28- Fruit

I have recently discovered the Yahoo group Zentangle Inspired Art.  The community and resources are wonderful.  After I broke my fourth pen nib in six months many people offered suggestions for alternatives to Micron pens.  It was greatly appreciated.  I am also looking forward to participating in one of the many swaps that the group hosts!

Another thing that the group provides is a weekly prompt for some Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA).  This week's prompt was fruit.  At first I was rather stumped.  I could't figure out what fruit I wanted to use–I didn't want to draw a round orange.  So I Googled fruit for some inspiration and there it was, staring right back at me.

I broke up the apple based on the positions at an Apple Store–Specialist, Creative, Genius, Back of House, and Manager (they get to be the little leaf).

I really enjoyed doing this one.  It was nice and relaxing, as a Zentangle should be.

-Jennifer Gayle

The Diva's Challenge #78- Auraknot

"Are so!"  Seriously–Last week Rick and Maria debuted a wonderful new tangle named Auraknot.  It is a tangle that is beautiful in its simplicity, yet so versatile because of its simplicity.  As you can see from the website it has numerous variations.  Take a moment to visit the Diva's home page to see her variations, as well as everyone else's.

I am particularly happy with my response to the challenge this week.  I had spent several days practicing Auraknot before the challenge, so I felt a little ahead of the game this week.  The only problem I was having was that I couldn't draw a straight star to save my life.  They were all coming out 'wonkie'.  That's when I decided to embrace my inner 'wonkie' and just go for it.  I decided to use a variation of Mayflower by Ellen Wolters that I like to doodle in my sketch book.  It turns out that I can draw curvy lines a lot easier than straight ones.  Who would have known.

-Jennifer Gayle

The Diva's Challenge #76- Home, Plus a small gift for a friend

As usual our lovely Diva, Laura, presents us with a fun and thoughtful challenge that really makes us take time to sit back and reflect on how we are going to respond in the form of a Zentangle®.  This week she gave it a new twist.  Since the Canucks are celebrating Canada Day this weekend, and we 'Ole Yanks are celebrating the Fourth of July next Laura decided that this would be a good week for us to take a look back at home–be it nation, state, town, street or living room–and interpret it in Zentangle® Inspired Art (ZIA).

My first ZIA has more of a national feel.  There is a broad stripe and bright star (which unfortunately is so bright it can look greenish depending on how close you are to the monitor :-).  You are probably wondering what the heck the C is doing there.  When I was young and would go to summer camps we would sing our patriotic songs.  One of my favorites was "My Country 'Tis of Thee."  But it never made sense to me why we would sing, "Of Thee I 'C'.

When I was a child do you know what I thought the Fourth of July was for?  I thought it was to celebrate me!  That's right, I'm a firecracker baby, as they say.  My mother always made sure that I had the best birthdays possible.  This ZIA is a bit of an homage to her.  The wording on top is the beginning of the song that she wrote after I was born.  She sang it to me even after I graduated college.  Of course she always called me her Sweetie Pie.  And the heart it a drawing of my first tattoo, which she payed for on my eighteenth birthday.  It was a great day!

Finally– My friend Taiya's birthday was this past Sunday, June 24.  I have a small ZIA just for her.

-Jennifer Gayle

Eccentric Circles–Who Knew Circles Could Be Nutty Like Me

When I first saw the title of this week's challenge, "Weekly Challenge #74: 'String Theory v. X: Eccentric Circles," I thought it must surely be a typo.  I'd heard of concentric circles, but never of eccentric circles.  So I looked it up in the dictionary.  Geometrically speaking it means, "not having the same center; not concentric: used especially of two circles or spheres at least one of which contains the centers of both," as opposed to peculiar or odd when speaking of a person.


I am still struggling with strings and and since this was a string challenge I have eccentric circles all over my sketch book.  What I present to you is a close version of Striping.  I personally love it for the optical effect that it has.

If you'll also indulge me–I have been having problems with my migraines lately and have missed the opportunity to upload my Tangles from the past two challenges.  

Weekly Challenge #73: UMT v. V: Bridgen-

The small Tangle is the first one that I did.  I like it for its simplicity and it's kind of cute, but I keep having this nagging feeling it needs something.  The second, the Christmas ornaments, I'm sharing with you in their raw state.  I haven't done any shading yet because I haven't decided how I want to color them.

Weekly Challenge #72: "Tanglation Nation-Crescent Moon"-

This challenge proved to be a bit difficult for me, but it also proved the idea of going with your first instinct.  The pattern that I ended up with is actually the first one that I drew, but I set it aside to try to draw something more 'exciting'.  After several frustrating days I returned to my first pattern and found success.  

And don't forget, June is Migraine Awareness Month.  For information and support go to Migraine.com.

Feelin' Groovy- Challenge #69

This week's challenge is what our diva, Laura, dubs a "use my tangle" challenge.  Anyone is welcome to submit a tangle pattern they have created and at the beginning of the month Laura chooses one, with the help of her trusty random number generator, to be our inspiration for the week's challenge. This week we were challenged by Eden's 'Groovy'.

Like many others this was a pattern that I had tried in the past, but was frustrated with it so I put it away for another day.  When it was assigned as our challenge pattern I spent the first two days filling up pages in my sketch book trying to get my foundation lines to match up.  I looked at the first few posts and saw the mention of Simon and Garfunkel's song, 'Fellin'Groovy', I decided to pull it up on the iPod and give it a listen.  After relaxing a bit I realized I was trying too hard.  Once I relaxed the foundation curves fell into place and the rest just fell into groove, so to speak.

This first piece is really more of a ZIA homage to "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)", by Simon and Garfunkel.  The cobblestones are a more rustic form of Brix by Carol Ottaway and the 'dropping petals' are Frairum by Molossus.  The overlap shading doesn't show up quite as nicely as I would have liked, but the most important part it that I was enjoying myself and feelin' groovy.

This is actually the first piece that I did.  I wanted to play with the shading of the Groovy so I picked a background that seemed to appropriate- Hopscotch.  I think the shading came out quite nicely.

I'm really glad that we had this pattern as our weekly challenge.  No longer will it sit, forgotten and alone in a corner of my sketch book.  Now that I more comfortable I definitely plan to use it more often. 

-Jennifer Gayle

The Diva's Challenge for the Week: Duo Challenge v.IV Strircles and Hibred

I was very excited on Monday when I saw what this week's challenge was.  I love working with Strircles.  It's one of the big, bold patterns that can so easily be manipulated into an optical illusion.  I did have to look up Hibred since I had never used it before, but it was a simple pattern and I felt I would have no problem coming up with a design that would beautifully showcase the two patterns.

So far you may think the challenge sounds simple- all you have to do is use two patterns.  But that is the challenge- you can only use two patterns.  I spent the better part of the week creating a great Hibred tangle that wouldn't work with Strircles, creating a great Strircles tangle that wouldn't work with Hibred, or coming up with a master idea only to realize that it had an extra pattern or two.

In the end I sort of cheated.  The main tangle evolved from a sketch pad doodle.  This morning it suddenly developed some holes which revealed a patch of Hibred underneath.  Fascinating really.  :-)

-Jennifer Gayle

Amanda Day

This week began with Earth Day, which brings us to our challenge: create a Zentangle® or a Zentangle® inspired art piece to celebrate our planet.  Since Laura's son Chewie has decreed the the earth shall henceforth be known as Amanda, we are dedicating our tangles this week to Amanda Day.  I have created something simple, but I have enjoyed coloring outside the lines, so to speak.

-Jennifer Gayle