Zentangles

I'm really liking the look of the new blog, but a few little tweaks to be made and stuff to add.

I came across Zentangles a couple of months ago and fell in love with it. Through my internet searches, I located a certified Zentangles instructor in my area. We touched base - booked a date and I send the word out to my friends. Amazingly 26 people responded - we had to do TWO classes. The classes were held this past Sunday at my home studio.

Here are some of the results.......

Closeup of Zentangles (1st one from second class)

Closeup of Zentangles (1st one from second class)

Zentangles - 1st one - second class

OH - this is SO COOL - I can download MULTIPLE pictures at the same time!!!!!!   I am SO EXCITED.  AND ADD CAPTIONS. 

Zentangles - (2nd one from second class)

Zentangles - (close up of 2nd one from second class)

Zentangles (close up of 2nd one from second class)

Zentangles (close up of 2nd one from second class)

Let me explain - Deb ran each class through TWO Zentangles. But what is amazing about this process - EACH CLASS received the SAME INSTRUCTIONS. Can you believe how different they all are?????  I honestly thought it would be more complicated than it was. I am hooked - now just to find the time to do that.

And the first class - well this is what they did......

Zentangles (2nd from first class)

Zentangles (close up of 2nd from first class)

Zentangles (close up of 2nd from first class)

Zentangles (close up of 1st from first class)

Zentangles (close up of 1st from first class)

Zentangles 9close up of 1st from first class)

Ooops - I see I did not get all the pictures from the first Zentangle from the first class.

But again - see how different they are with all the same instructions.

Zentangles - there are a few books on Zentangles - here is one that I purchased recently

Zentangles - you can also buy a kit

Zentangles - and this is the small kit that we got on the day of the class. These are my two Zentangles. 

Here is the first class - so focused. Oh yes - this class was very focused.

Zentanges - even the teens were pretty focused although they had a HAM IT UP moment when the camera came out. 

Zentangles - here is the second class and who would be poking fun at the camera in the back?????

Zentangles - oh yes - TWO trouble makers!!!!!   Whose names would be Marian and Ronda!!!!!!!

Then Deb did a demo on the long arm machine to show us how you can translate the Zentangles to fabric. My machine is still reeling from that experience - it didn't know what to make of someone who gave it a good workout!!!!

And what did Deb create on the machine?????

This is the Zentangle she did in the second class in about TEN minutes

This is the Zentangle she did in the second class in about TEN minutes - Wow - blew us all away. 

I think everyone went home with a great new skill and had a lot of fun. Deb brought samples that she had done on fabric and on paper. All were spectacular. Thanks so much Deb!!!!! 

If anyone is interested in taking a class on Zentangles - let me know. I am going to try and book Deb for a class in the fall at my home studio. I believe we are also talking about an advanced class where the focus will be on more complicated designs. If you are interested - let me know and I'll get it organized. 

At our last guild meeting, one of the members - well our President - Sheree brought in two Zentangles that she had made on fabric. Both of them were fabulous. 

Zentangle on fabric by Sheree

Zentangle on fabric by Sheree

Wow - very impressive.

And what have I been doing. Well I was working on a "secret" project. I had selected a UFO from our small group - Mary, Linda, Halina and me (oh dear - did I use the right form - me, myself and I - I have friends who are VERY grammar minded). I had chosen the red/white. Well it isn't so secret any more - Linda was here on Thursday, Mary was here on Sunday and I've just posted some pictures of the darn thing because it was on the design wall on the weekend. So if you want to have a good look at the red/white quilt - here it is. 

Variation of Drunkard's Path - Group exchange

It is a slow process to put together and is evolving slightly as I sew it together. I'll keep you up to date - I have until April 18th to get it together. That is when our next little get together happens. In the next day or so - I'll try to show you how we did the blocks. I should be OK to meet that date keeping in mind I have a ton of other things to get ready for The Brampton Quilt Show - Remember the date - April 30 - May1. 

Customer quilt

I also managed to get another customer quilt done. Yeah - got a couple more to get done this week. Oh yes - no rest for the wicked!!!!!

4th of July quilt

And the binding and backing for the 4th of July is complete as well. And I am NOT putting these quilts in the cupboard with the rest. They are residing beside the quilting machine. Yes - I am planning on getting some of my own stuff quilted. Go figure!!!!!!


Let's see - this is going so quickly this morning and so smooth - I will post the pictures I took from Monday Motivators.

Robin's little bird

Robin's little bird - take two

 Robin was making these ADORABLE little birds. I WANT one - I hope she is going to make one that I can buy from her!!!   I think there were other types of birds. And she did an AMAZING job sewing them together. They were perfect!!!!

Daphne's little snap bag

 Daphne finished her snap-top bag. The top of the bag uses metal measuring tape to close. Of course - we all had to try the snap!!!!

Tiny Town

Robin was also working on Tiny Town - a quilt by Bunny Hill Designs. I just love this pattern (which I recently purchased) and hope one day in the near future to be able to start it.



This whole business with eBooks and Audio books if pretty amazing. Remember I was reading 168 Hours - well I wasn't able to finish it before it expired and went back to the library. No LATE FEES. Then I was able to take it out again and when I went to listen to it yesterday - it picked up EXACTLY where I had stopped before. How cool is that!!!!!!

I also borrowed a couple of eBooks and I read those on the iPad. Well I listen to the audio books on the iPad as well. HEY - have you noticed - all things technological are PERFECT these days. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Anyway I can prop the iPad up and read.

Especially when you are eating by yourself - I prop the iPad up on the table and read away. And to turn the page - just tap the screen. I can read in portrait or landscape mode - the iPad automatically converts the text to the proper layout. And here's the best part - no pages turning BEFORE I want them to turn - no need to prop open the pages - I LOVE IT. the book I am reading is called "Things I Learned from Knitting". It is pretty funny and MOST could be applied to quilters. There is one part that I think is very appropriate to quilters - the author talks about Startitis. This does NOT mean that you are ADD or abandoning earlier projects - its just means that you are DEEPLY DEVOTED to our craft. Here is quote from the book "By exposing ourselves to as many projects as we can, we're actually strengthening our bond with and relationship to knitting, which is, after all, all that matters."   IS THAT NOT COOL OR WHAT!!!!!!

The book is called Things I Learned from Knitting ...... whether I wanted to or not by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.

Now here is another piece of EXCELLENT news. For those of you NOT in the loop - new magazines arrive at Chapter's on Tuesdays and Fridays. I know - more than you cared to know. But even better than that - when I arrived at the cash - she asked me for my iRewards card (which is a lifetime one - not sure how much we had to PAY for that). She then informed me that magazines NOW QUALIFY FOR A DISCOUNT with the iRewards card. It's 5%, but 5% is better than 0%.  I was so excited!!!!!   This is just brand new!!!!!!!   Hurray for Chapters to FINALLY bring that in. So this is the magazine that I bought yesterday. I do NOT like the quilting on the front, but a couple of neat things inside. Yes - I know I should read it - rip it and file it, but no time for that!!!!!

Oh yes - I forgot to tell you that when I am reading my ebooks on the iPad - whenever someone plays their turn in Scrabble - a little pop up window tells me. Then I just hit a button and go to the game, play my turn - then back to the book. How COOL IS THAT!!!!!!!   I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my iPad.

Two more things - all this has been pent up inside for the last couple of days and I have to get it out. Well not really as these next two things happened yesterday.

My dogs LOVE to bark whenever anyone comes to the door. Yesterday was no exception. I was quilting and they are barking their heads off. I went to check and find TWO COPS at my door. OH OH - what's going on. It seems that in BROAD DAYLIGHT a house that I look directly on out my front window was broken into. Around lunch time. Apparently they just kicked in the front door. This house has one of those little glass porches on it. I drove past that house about 1/2 hour before it happened. Just pays to keep your eyes peeled. So I am going to keep my barking dogs - they should be a good deterrent (I hope) from any burglars. Of course - we have NOTHING of value in the house, (well besides my iPad) unless it is a quilter. Then - yes it is worth kicking down the door!!!!

OH MY GOD - I can CUT and PASTE here too. I think I have died and gone to heaven!!!!!!

OK - big points for anyone who knows what this next picture is. I think Joyce might know if she thinks hard enough especially about current events.






Did anyone guess??????

It is an
Interval Hypoxic Training Workout System


And what does that mean????   Well it is what people use to get used to high altitudes - like when you are about to climb Everest. Speaking of Mount Everest - my cyber friend, Heather, has arrived in Nepal and will be getting to Everest base camp soon. I have put a link to her blog on my blog. It is very hard to read - I have to change the font colour.

Anyway - when I went to the chiropractor yesterday for my shoulder - he actually does very little of the traditional chiropractic work (the neck cricking stuff). It is all changed and very modern and little machines and such. Well I needed some treatment on my shoulder (old war injury which Alwin is aggravating with the heaviness of the weights he makes me lift) - so I go to the room where the laser and ultrasound machines are and guess what I see. Yep - one of these machines. Apparently it is the big thing - good for improved blood pressure (not that that is a problem for me), improved cholesterol (I don't think that was an issue either), improvement in asthmatic conditions (I could always use improvements there), improved libido and sex drive  (who has time!!!!), improvement in blood sugar (no problem in that area - I don't think), improved cardiovascular fitness (yep - I'll take that any day), increased energy and feel younger (yep - that's for me) and last but not least - WEIGHT LOSS (OK - I'm in!!!!!)

Apparently people are using it for training purposes - increased blood flow - low oxygen will increase the red blood cells which will do all those things above. Marian thinks I should just move to Denver!!!!!   I thought I would give it a whirl for cycling. The effects last about 3-4 weeks after you stop the treatment and it is EVERY DAY for one month. That will be tough, but I'd like to try it. I'll let you know who it goes.


Well - there you have it - I'm in LOVE LOVE LOVE with my new blog. I hope I haven't bored you and yes - I will be changing font colours on the sidebar to make it easier to read.


Have a GREAT DAY!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!