Zentangles---Taking Over!

Zentangles seem to be the only thing I can do lately. I am suffering from serious papercrafting withdrawal but can't seem to motivate myself to begin a project. There are too many possibilities!!! Do I do something Tim Holtz, make Christmas cards (of which I only send a precious few), make a scrapbook page, make some embellishments like paper flowers, etc---I can't decide and it's paralyzing. Can any of you relate! We have soooo many possibilities in the art world today and so many fabulous supplies, I find it daunting to decide which to work with. Whereas zentanges require only pen and paper. Voila! Problem solved. But I want to get back to stamping as well---and also I'm missing sewing and embroidery. If any of you out there have any cures or motivators for this problem, leave a comment. I'd sure like to know how others deal with this issue! Meanwhile, enjoy the tangles.

Bad News.....

Saw the doctor today after wearing my "boot" for six weeks and he wants me in it another six weeks!!! He said he doesn't think it is healing as he hoped and he doesn't really think the boot will do that much more but my ankle is weak it needs stability. I have to wear it when I go out but he said around the house I could probably go without it. If this is still painful or a problem in any way down the road they will simply go in and remove the chip. Ain't life grand!

The Fall Garden

I try really hard when gardening to have some things blooming until almost the first frost. If you're in a similar climate I suggest Japanese Anemones and sedum seiboldii. Look at the gorgeous pink color in the garden. Also this black eyed susan vine really took off in August and is just knocking itself out with blooms even now. Of course, grasses always look nice and they will even get a darker rust color in some cases. Even the herbs, lemon balm and chives in the galvanized tub are healthy and beautiful. And of course there are mums. These against the front of the deck are coming out after their bloom period because they have gotten so enormous. But this variety just comes back year after year. Enjoy.....before the garden sleeps for the winter.

A Wonderful Give Away!!!

http://michellepalmerart.blogspot.com/ Go check out Michelle Palmer's blog for a beautiful give away of her wonderful work. If you love her things, you know what I'm talking about. If you don't, all the more reason to visit. She is an artist extraordinaire! Have a great day!

More ZENTANGLES

Here's a few more for you to see. I'm trying in a few cases to "push" the limits here. Actually there are no limits. Do you know there are "community" zentangles that are several feet in length and width and everyone does a section? I think this art form is fascinating and it sure is getting me through a creative dry spell. I apologize for no paper projects....there is just too many things going on in my life that are drawing my attention and energies elsewhere. I hope I can remedy that soon! I really value everyone who visits!

What in the world????

Many of you may be wondering what I have been up to. Well, lots of family issues and the broken foot have killed my mojo. But I have found something to keep busy and I thought I should share it with you in case you'd like to try this. It's called Zentangle. It's an art form, doodling at it's highest level, a form of meditation and therapy and I LOVE IT! Below are some of the "tiles" I have done in a small journal I've been keeping. They start with my current drawings and go back to the beginning of this when I got into it last summer. I CAN'T draw and a lot of people can't but ANYONE can learn to Zentangle. I'm living proof. For info you can just Google Zentangle or email me and I can send you some of my favorite web sites. There are very few tools, it's very inexpensive (when's the last time you could say that about a hobby??) and it has marvelous benefits. Give it a try. It has wonderful "side effects" if you are stressed out.

I Love Fall

Here's a little chipboard book I did this week. I'm loving the fall weather we're having and it's my favorite season. I only wish it lasted as long as winter or summer does. This pumpkin shaped book was from Maya Road I believe. I used mostly K&Co. Tim Coffey Fall papers and various embellishments. All the pages were run through the Xyron before being adhered to the chipboard and then all edges were distressed with Vintage Photo. The dimensional pumpkin page that is the front cover was done in TH Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, and Rusy Hinge with Brushed Corduroy edges. I didn't show you all the pages because some are not complete. Have a great weekend everyone!

So Sweet!

Just wanted you to see the scrapbook page my daughter did with her little pug, Maggie. She cased the layout from ElizabethB on scrapbook.com. We all love this doggie so much. She's a senior citizen, as she will be 13 in February. Such a cutie!

Recycle 2

I order a lot from Ellen Hutson's store and she always sends you a yard of ribbon free and a little hand colored image. This stamp was a Lockheart (one of my favorite companies) and it was too beautiful not to use. A little grosgrain ribbon and designer paper plus some bling! A couple quick, simple cards I can use from recycled materials. Have a great weekend everyone. It's October----Yikes!

A Little Recycling

This little butterfly image was part of a thank you card I received from a neighbor for donating to the Leukemia Society. It appears almost hand painted so I cut it off the card and backed it with some SU Basic Grey paper along with some sunny yellow and a sentiment from stampingstudio.com. Simple and quick!

Think Micro Tiny.....

Some of you may remember that my daughter is a pediatric cardiac intensive care nurse. She's been part of a team caring for some preemies with heart issues and I just had to show you the blood pressure cuff and diaper for these micro mini babies. I laid out a six inch ruler to help you with the scale. The cuff, when closed is not even an inch in diameter and the diaper is so tiny you can't imagine. Even spread open it's not six inches across. I just found this sooooo amazing and wanted to share this with you and maybe you can shoot a quick prayer to the Father for these little ones. Have a great day!

A Wicked Halloween

Here's a card I messed with tonight. This is a Pumpkin Pie background and the cutout on top was done with the Cricut. I believe it was a free file from the internet. I brayered and sponged the spooky background on white paper using Apricot Appeal, Pumpkin Pie, Elegant Eggplant and a smidge of Black. The bat is a Tim Holtz die and the sentiment is from SU Wicked Cool and done on Labels 2 Nesties. Rubbed a little Rock Candy Stickles on the upper portion for a little sparkle, not sure you can see that. Really starting to feel like fall. And for those who have been so kind to ask, the foot is coming along fine. Aches sometimes but that's to be expected. Can't get around much and worst of all, can't drive!!!

Bad Blogger

I've been so bad about blogging lately that I apologize for my absence. With the broken foot you'd think I'd be getting a lot done. Not so! Anyway, I just wanted to show you some leaves I made with Tim Holtz new leaves die. I cut them from an old dictionary page glued to cardstock. Colored them with Spiced Marmalade, Victorian Velvet, Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo then ran them through a TH embossing folder for texture. I think they are very lifelike and plan on doing more, perhaps darker than these. Fall's really here at last!

Oopsy daisy!

This picture you see is not part of my Halloween costume or some futuristic legwear but an air cast on my right leg (and not a very good picture). I had a nasty fall one week ago and broke my foot. I had a soft cast under the boot for five days and will have to wear the boot for six weeks and hope this heals. The doctor said it was a bad break and one that will give me problems for many years to come, like aching when the weather is cold or damp. Good grief, can't they tell you something encouraging. Sometimes if it doesn't heal, they have to go in and put a pin in. Let's hope that's not the case. I actually have a matching boot for the other leg I had to wear two years ago for a bone spur on the left foot. If I got the head gear, I could be a Star Wars storm trooper for halloween. I can get around pretty well but can't be on it for a long time or the pain is too severe. Just one of those things life throws at you when you least expect it! Just wanted you to know what I'd been up to!!!!

Rumor's Untrue!

The rumors are not true! I'm still here, really! Just been burdened with many family problems and things to do. But I have a cutie for you today that I cased from Chat Wszekiki. I got my owls punch from SU about two weeks ago and had been itching to use it and I just love these little guys. They are a little fiddly because the parts are tiny but there's so much you can do with them. This is done on a flecked white cardstock using SU Chocolate Chip and the new Cajun Craze color. This is a beautiful rusty orange shade, much better to my mind than the old Pumpkin Pie. I used tiny bits of some old designer paper and the ribbon is also SU. Used the MS punch for the leaves and a few tiny Primas. Stickles on the scallops. The sentiment "You're never more than a thought away" is from Whimsical Words by SU. Can you see my new display helper? I have been wanting one of these metal flower frogs to hold my cards for photography and finally got a really nice one, kind of coppery tone to it. Just love it! Have a good one!

Clean and Simple

This is a 6" square card, quick and easy. SU Basic Black and DP with two ribbons layered. A black DP with a flecked white paper. Image is Inkadinkadoo, edged with TH Spiced Marmalade. A little MS punched bat tops it off with some bling. Hope you all had a nice Labor Day weekend.

A Quickie

I saw this card on SCS and I apologize to whoever made it but I decided to CASE it and didn't save the original owners name. It was probably the fastest card I've ever made. The embossed owl is a CB folder and the sentiment is from PTI's Autumn Abundance. Papers are all SU. A little bling for the owl's eyes!

The Witching Hour

Finally get to use my new Fall Jar Fillers stamp from PTI. This card measures 6 x 6". I love this image and it was so much fun to color. The sentiment is from the new Crafty Secrets Costume Cuties. The black is SU and the designer plaid is K&Co. Prima flower and black grosgrain ribbon. I edged all the white watercolor paper with TH Rusty Hinge Distress Ink. Also pictured is the envelope I made from the MS Scoreboard Envelope Maker tool with a sentiment from Costume Cuties! The same sentiment is on the inside of the card. Have a great weekend everyone!