This was a slightly more productive week in my corner of the tangling world than the one I wrote about in my previous Tangled Tuesday post – but only slightly, as we were still getting ready for our houseguests (who are scheduled to arrive TODAY!) and so I wasn’t able to take much time for tangling. But there are always a few juicy tidbits for me to share with you, so let’s get on with another Tangled Tuesday!
Tangling Goodies
Yesterday’s excitement came when I opened the mailbox and discovered a package from Zazzle containing the mouse pad I’d ordered from my own Ten Thousand Tangles shop. I know, I know – if I’m getting THAT excited about a mouse pad I probably need to get a life – but my reason for being particularly happy about this delivery was because the darn thing took SO LONG to get to me (a typical Canadian experience, I’ve discovered, when having something shipped via regular mail from just about any company in the US) and I was dying to see how my design had turned out!
So after my long wait, here it is…
Zendala “Vanity” Mouse Pad
…and I must say, I am incredibly pleased with how it turned out! This was my first experience with having my own work scanned for printing on a product, and I was a bit uncertain about the process – first, as to how the original pen artwork and pencil shading would translate into an electronic file, and then how that electronic file would look printed on an actual physical item. Now that I can see and hold the finished product, though, I can say that I’m genuinely happy with the result. I’m now coveting one of the notebooks (thought it feels wrong, somehow, to covet a product with my own design on it!), but it would seem that shipping to Canada for that particular item is cost-prohibitive and so I may end up being denied (not necessarily a bad thing, though, considering all of my upcoming BlogHer ’14-related expenses).
I also ordered a small-ish batch of Ten Thousand Tangles business cards from Moo (a great site, and the same place I got my Alphabet Salad Productions cards) – partly because I’ve had occasion in the recent past to wish I had some to share, but also to have for my time at BlogHer ’14 in case the topic of tangling comes up in conversation. I should receive the cards around the first week or so of July – it’ll be interesting to see how they turn out!
New Tangles
This week I learned Cadent Variation, Chads, Cheesecloth, and Circfleur, all from Joy of Zentangle. (If you’re following along in Joy of Zentangle you might notice that I’ve been skipping a few of the designs. This isn’t because I didn’t like or want to do them, but because I’ve previously learned them through one of my other books. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there is often overlap and some repetition between the various Zentangle®1 books.)
I also learned ConneSSes, which showed up this week on TanglePatterns.com. I liked the look of it, so I decided to give it a shot, and while it did take a little bit of practice I think I figured it out in the end.
On that note… if you haven’t yet discovered TanglePatterns.com, you NEED to check it out! It is a fantastic (and FREE) Zentangle resource which includes (among other goodies) a huge array of tangle designs (sorted into an alphabetical directory) with detailed instructions to help you learn to draw them. TanglePatterns.com is where I got every one of the designs I learned for my Tangling from A to Z project, and I just can’t recommend the site strongly enough.
Tangling-in-Progress
Still carrying on with my alphabet series, I’m currently in the midst of designing the letter G. I’m not sure how much (if any) time I’ll have to work on it this week, but we’ll see what happens!
Finished Projects
In spite of my busy-ness, I’m pleased to say that I finished another Zenletter this week!
Zenletter F
Once again I’m doing my best to look past the flaws that are jumping out at me – which is, I’m discovering, a bit of a struggle. I would like to get to the point where I embrace each finished piece, flaws and all, as being something beautiful just because it is, but I can’t say I’m there quite yet. All part of the journey…
Coming Soon
This week’s tangling goals include… taking a bit of a break! Seriously, while I might find time to carry on with my WIP and perhaps learn a couple of new designs, my main focus will be to enjoy visiting with my sister and friend for the time they’re staying with us. It might mean that next week’s Tangled Tuesday is a little sparse, but life happens! 
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!)
1 The 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.
{ 26 comments… add one }
Twitter: womenlinked
June 17, 2014
Enjoy your family time and make it a great week.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thank you, Fred!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
Both projects look great! And food luck with the upcoming week.
Salma recently posted… Watermelon Smoothie
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thank you, Salma!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
Both look fantastic! Zentangles are so relaxing to do.
heidi recently posted… Matthew James Allen’s Music
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thank you, Heidi! They really are.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
Twitter: http://sophiebowns.wordpress.com
June 17, 2014
I love the mouse pad. It’s very arty!
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thank you, Sophie!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
I love the mouse pad. It looks very nice
Have fun with your company!
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thank you, Kathy!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
Laurel –
Congrats on the mouse pad! It looks fantastic and you’ve got to be proud of accomplishing so much! As always, your alpha tangle is awesome. I just finished for tangle tiles whuch I will post this week, flaws and all
Sammy D recently posted… Bloomin’ Dilemma
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thank you, Sammy! I look forward to seeing your work!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
There is absolutely nothing like holding in your hands the physical proof of your hard work and/or talent! I know how I felt the first time I held a book I had written! There is nothing like it! That mousepad is amazing! Pity to have to use it – and not hang it up!!!
Diane recently posted… Banana Politics
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thank you so much, Diane!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
I am in awe…you manage the zentangles so well. I loved both! And I wonder why you are not completely satisfied with them…they look perfect to me
Lovely!
Kajal recently posted… The Heart Communicates
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thank you so much, Kajal!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
I really like the letter F. I like all the letters you’ve done though.
I hope you have a wonderful visit with your sister and her friend. They’re your first visitors from the Island, aren’t they? They’ll be first to see your new house and new life in Ontario.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 17, 2014
Thanks, Cheryl! Yes, they’ll be our first visitors from the Island – our first (overnight) visitors period, actually! Fun.
Laurel Regan recently posted… Photo A Day Challenge – June 1-16, 2014
wow!! the design is fabulous. I can’t even imagine how much patience you need to draw so many patterns. Beautiful work
Rajlakshmi recently posted… Convict Silos
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 18, 2014
Thank you so much!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Would you want a do-over?
Twitter: shyvish
June 18, 2014
That is one beautiful mouse pad! I would never get any work done, though
Shailaja V recently posted… Yelling Less- Tip Sheet #2- Dealing with disobedience
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 18, 2014
Thank you! LOL, I must confess that I occasionally stop to look at the designs!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Would you want a do-over?
I’ve heard that no artist, no matter the medium, is ever really happy and totally embraces their work. I don’t know how true that is, though I struggle with my own things on occasion. This is likely why it’s hard for me to even say I write blog posts decently.
But, we’re all a work in progress and thus our work in progress is exactly that! Have fun this week with your sister and friend!
Life Breath Present recently posted… Mostly Unedited Week in Review – 6/18/14
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 18, 2014
I do have a feeling I’m not alone in this struggle! It’s all a process, I guess.
Looking forward to a great week!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Would you want a do-over?
Both projects look really cool. Good luck on keeping the momentum going.
Kathy Combs recently posted… Angel Yard
Twitter: alphabetsalad
June 24, 2014
Thanks, Kathy!
Laurel Regan recently posted… Tangled Tuesday No. 8
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