As a sort of continuation of yesterday’s post, today’s happiness is brought to you by the satisfaction of a fun job completed – in this case, dividing all the goodies I bought and distributing them among 80 little treat bags, ready to be handed out to trick-or-treaters on Friday.
I enjoyed preparing them… and, happily, there were even a few pieces of candy left over for Peter and I, so we won’t be tempted to sneak from the bags. 🙂
→ The 100 Happy Days web site
→ My 100 Happy Days posts
Now on to Tangled Tuesday!
Tangling Goodies
This week’s newsletter from Rick and Maria at Zentangle®1 brought some exciting news – the release of the dates for the Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT) training seminars to be held this Spring and Summer. I am really hoping that I’ll be able to attend one of them, so that I can take what I’m doing to the next level and start sharing this wonderful art form with others.
I’ve been slowly adding to my savings and am quite pleased with my progress… but I still have quite a distance to go before I’ve earned enough to pay for the seminar and travel fees. If you haven’t already got involved and are interested in helping me get there – and in exchange, receiving an original piece of tangled art by yours truly to keep for yourself – please visit my GoFundMe page for information.
Every bit helps, more than you might realize… and I am truly grateful for everyone who has already supported me in fulfilling one of my dreams. Thank you, friends!
New Tangles
The better part of one evening this week was spent not learning new tangles, but rather setting up a brand new tangle practice sketchbook in order that I might carry on learning in the future. (If you’d like some more information as to how I go about cataloging the tangles I’ve learned, I wrote about my system in this post.) Believe it or not, I’m now on my fifth Moleskine sketchbook! I just counted, and it turns out that I filled the first four with some some 436 tangle patterns, all of which I’ve learned in the almost year and a half since I discovered tangling. Not too shabby, I’d say!
I set up the first pages in my new sketchbook with the remaining new-to-me tangles (at least, the ones for which I have or could find step-out instructions)* from AlphaTangle: A Truly Tangled Alphabet by Sandy Steen Bartholomew, and hope to get a chance to learn them this week.
* As I’ve mentioned before, there is often overlap and some repetition between the various Zentangle books, and this one is no exception, so several of its designs are ones that I’ve already added to my repertoire. Plus, the book is made up of finished and labelled tangle examples rather than specific instructions. I’ve managed to piece together instructions for a number of the designs from both TanglePatterns.com and the author’s Tangle Library iPhone app (more about that in this post), but there are several that I’ve had no luck finding – quite possibly because they are “official” Zentangle designs which are only taught at the workshops and not available online. (Guess I’ll just have to get myself to the workshop to learn them!)
Before I set up my fifth practice sketchbook, though, I finished off book #4 by learning Tami, JuJuBeedze, Podz, Znzu, Zailz, Beanious, Gnarly, and Cornman, all from TanglePatterns.com.
Tangling-in-Progress
I shared in last week’s post that I wasn’t satisfied with the black and white scans of my tangled alphabet. Well, I took the drawings back to the printer yesterday and had them scanned again, this time in high-resolution grayscale, and it made a big difference to the end result. Now I should be able to convert and edit the digital files, then start setting up monogrammed products for sale at Ten Thousand Tangles. That’s my big project for this weekend!
P.S.
Previous posts in this series are all tagged Tangled Tuesday.
For background on how I discovered and got involved in Zentangle, and links to further information and resources, check out my blog post For the love of tangling.
You can browse my entire tangle gallery at Ten Thousand Tangles.
And, if you’re interested in having a little piece of my art for yourself, please click on the GoFundMe button below for more information and also visit my Zazzle shop Ten Thousand Tangles. (Pssst… links to my international Ten Thousand Tangles shops are in the Alphabet Salad sidebar – just click on the appropriate flag and you’ll get to the place you need to be!)
1The Zentangle® Method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas and is copyrighted. Zentangle® is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at zentangle.com.
So… what made you happy today?
Please share!

Wifey came home with all the trick or treat candy yesterday. She also bought a couple of adult sized Baby Ruths for me… Now, if that ain’t love, what is?
Glad things are going so well for you, Laurel.
Myke Todd recently posted… Russian Doll (for Christine Gabriel)
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
That sounds like love to me!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
Twitter: RamblinGarden
October 28, 2014
I am impressed by treat bags. And here I am. I get the prewrapped candy at the store and then I put them in a bowl and hand them out. I do wear a witch’s hat, though – my personal Halloween tradition. Does that count as creativity? So, what made me happy? Seeing ginkgo trees glowing in the noonday sun, on a mild late October day.
Alana recently posted… The Bearer of Hope The Stinker of Stink
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
I say that whatever makes you happy is the way to go! I’m not sure why I have so much fun with the treat bags, but there you go. 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
Twitter: sanchlivinglife
October 28, 2014
Damn…I wish I was trick-or-treating at your place! You go through a lot of effort for that!
Sanch recently posted… First Kiss
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
It’s so much fun! And there are plenty left over, so feel free to stop on by. 😉
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
Giving out candy and creating the candy bags are one of my most favorite parts of Halloween. It seems like it may be one of your favorite parts as well. I have never heard of a Tangler before…. you really do learn something everyday if you pay attention. 🙂
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
It is so much fun! And the kids seem happy to get the treat bags. 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
Twitter: SensualSierra
October 28, 2014
I love your idea of the trick or treat bags! Kids don’t get that kind of personal treatment these days!
Sharon recently posted… 7 months later…
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
Thanks… I have a lot of fun with it!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
Twitter: vidyasury
October 28, 2014
How cheerful those goodie bags look, Laurel! I admire your tangling talent! ♥ I am enjoying your “Ten Thousand Tangles” site!
Vidya Sury recently posted… Cyberbullying – Should We Care?
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
Thanks, Vidya! 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
Twitter: nabanita21
October 29, 2014
The bags look lovely….And enjoyed going through “Ten Thousand Tangles”
nabanita recently posted… Lovely Uncertainties..
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
Thank you! 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
Twitter: 1951
October 29, 2014
Aren’t you thoughtful to make those cute bags!
Carol Cassara recently posted… Sicilian scenes
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
Thank you! I have a lot of fun with it. 🙂
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
Twitter: indywrites
October 29, 2014
Hope you attend the CZT and achieve your aim. The bags for trick or treat are very cool.
Four books are tremendous indeed.
All the best.
Inderpreet Kaur Uppal recently posted… Creative Rhythm Of Your Heart
Twitter: alphabetsalad
November 1, 2014
Thank you very much!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo Friday: Brightly Lit + 100 Happy Days – Day 49
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