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Monday, February 23, 2015

Sewing a Zentangle®, Strircles and an Inchie

This week, over at the Diva's, the challenge is to try using tools or materials you've never used before for tangling. I had my sewing machine out for a page I was doing for my art journal and thought, well, why not? Many of you know that my favorite tangle is Rick's Paradox, so here it is on a small (just shy of 4"x4") piece of lavender cardstock.
I added shading with a cool gray Fabrico pen. This should really be a fun week of seeing many different types of ZIA's (Zentangle Inspired Art).

For Square One on Facebook, the tangle of the week was Strircles. Not necessarily a favorite, but I had some fun doing overlapping beginning lines to make it more interesting. Then I had to add a few that had almost escaped but found themselves still attached with the string. A few black pearls slipped in as well.

And, finally, Every Inchie Monday and the word snail as a prompt. I'm so glad I don't work anymore. My daily commute on the freeway was close to two hours a day, often because the traffic was moving at a snail's pace! In case you can't tell, this is the view from the helicopter that was always flying and  reporting on yet another accident. (You can't see my car, as I am still miles behind LOL!)


And, in case you don't follow my other two blogs above, I am please to tell you that not only am I a Certified Zentangle Teacher and a Copic Certified Designer, but I recently passed all the testing to become an Accredited Spectrum Noir Colorist. I love learning and playing with all kinds of pens, pencils, paints and anything else. I'm still teaching Zentangle, but have added many other classes. This Friday, I have a class in Alcohol Inks that should be fun and the following week, we will explore water color techniques as used in art journaling. The week after that, we will explore colored pencils. How I love being retired!!!

Thanks for stopping by. I love reading your comments!


57 comments:

  1. Oh how I know that snail LOL One of ours, officially called the South-Eastern freeway is really the South-Eastern car park LOL Did you really stitch through the Paradox tile? It's awesome!

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    1. Thanks, and yes, Zoe. I also embroidered Paradox on a tee shirt a long time ago. It really is my favorite!

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  2. Beautiful, all 3. The Diva's tile is very special.

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  3. I'm impressed. I have a sewing machine. Somewhere. Which tells you how much I use it. I got my only "C" in school in home economics----the sewing part. It didn't help that I mixed up the bib and the pocket on the apron we had to make.

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    1. Oh, how I hated sewing. I still do with clothes 'cause I can never get it right. Once I sewed a zipper in facing the wrong way THREE times. I threw the dress in the garbage! It's easier to do on paper. Try it.

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  4. Love the circles & your idea for this weeks SNAIL is really great!

    Sally

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    1. Thank you, Sally. I'm just so glad I don't have to drive like that anymore!

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  5. I'm so impressed that you mnaged to keep your straight lines straight and still create a paradox. How fun!

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    1. It's easier than you might think, Suzanne. And, if you really look closely, it's not all that straight :)

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  6. I had a similar idea, although I didn't get as far as stitching mine - I charted mine on a cross stitch design programme. :)

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    1. Wow, I will have to head over and see what everyone else has done. Yours sounds intriguing!

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  7. Congrats on learning more arts, I think it is awesome that you have a new title! It is always a blessing to be able to teach others about your passion. I really love the work you did this week, so much time and detail in them all, but I really love the inchie. 2 hour commute!!! god bless you, I love the part where you say that we cant see you cuz your miles behind! ROTF I just love the take you did on this inchie. What a great job

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    1. I do love teaching, Freebird. I think I was just born that way! I used to listed to educational podcasts on my trips, so my travel time was never really wasted. Thanks :)

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  8. I would never have thought of trying to do a tangle on my sewing machine! What a great idea, and yours looks so neat and tidy and just really good! Super clever!

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    1. Thanks, Rachy. I went with a friend to a quilting show once where they had these big arm machines for quilting that you could try. Of course, I tried Paradox. So, that's what gave me the idea to do it on a tiny tile.

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  9. love how your inchies always take a slightly skewed idea on the topic. two hours on the road everryday is a major waste of life time. Love your other artworks, especially the stitching, and you are quite the accomplished lady

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    1. Yup, Kia, that's me...slightly skewed HAHA! Thanks!

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  10. Cool idea, It worked out perfectly.

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  11. Oh, you are not only so creative, but so FAST! I love your sewing machine tangle. I'm looking at my machine sitting on my counter right now thinking "why didn't I think of that?" Nice work! I love your snail inchie. I remember those commuter cardiac arrests too. Way back four years ago before I left it all behind and started my real life... I think now that you have submitted your Square One tile in its current form, you should add color and show us how it's done, Ms. Newly Certified! It looks like a beautiful mobile waiting to take shape.

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    1. I was fast because I had a "date" with my BFF to spend the day shopping. We do spend the WHOLE day, so I had to hurry and get my "work" done before I could go :) I hadn't thought of adding color to that tile, but maybe I just will! Isn't retirement just wonderful? I just wish I had more days in each week though LOL!

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  12. Your Rick's Paradox sewn tile turned out really cool!

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  13. I love your stitched tile. I have a craft sewing machine that is quite tiny that i could maybe try something like this on, but I'm not at all sure I'm ready for something like that yet. Great tile!

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    1. Thanks, Lezli. Remember, it's only paper. Go for it!

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  14. I like what you did with the sewing machine a lot. O Jean, I wish I was in your neighborhood so I could come to you to learn more about all pens, ink and so on. Congratulations!!!

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    1. Thanks, Anne. I sure wish you lived next door. What fun we would have. Our houses would NEVER get cleaned LOL!

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  15. Brilliant idea with the sewing machine. You did a great job with it.

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  16. I really like the way you used Paradox for the diva-challenge. The result looks great!
    Nice inchie too :-)

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  17. wow, your calendar is packed! I love your inchie, and I'm so glad I live in an area where the traffic is not QUITE so brutal...though Salt Lake does have its moments.
    i love it that you stitched Paradox right onto that tile! and the shading is really nice. Fun stuff!

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    1. Well, Heidi Sue, I am racing the clock now. I have so much I still want to learn. Most days, I actually zipped home, but those days of the circling helicopters are the ones that I remember most. I hate wasting time :) And, thank you!

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  18. This is awesome! Sewing...Zentangle...paper...how creative! Great job!

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    1. Thanks, Sheila. I actually enjoyed it, but Paradox is pretty easy to sew. I'm not sure I could do it with too many other tangles.

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  19. Beautiful and creative pieces this week, dear Jean! Great idea for the Diva-challenge and I like your Strircles tile. It´s time to try this lovely tangle by myself! Wonderful your fun inchie, too!

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  20. You are amazing, Jean! I wondered if there was ANYTHING that you hadn't tried, lol, and I love what you came up with! I am hopeless at sewing and wouldn't have dared use paper with my machine in case I broke it! Lovely and very original. Axxx

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    1. If there is, Annie, DON'T tell me or I will have to do it LOL! I actually think the sewing machine worked better on paper than on fabric though.

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  21. Nice paradox. and I really like the lavender tile

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    1. Thanks, Suzy. I love lavender and I love Paradox, so it was a win win for me :)

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  22. Wow! Stitching on card - love that idea! NIce work.

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    1. If you don't have a machine, Beverley, try it with hand stitching. You can use a pointed tool to make the holes through the paper ahead of time and then it is really easy.

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  23. Jean, I love your stitched tile! The square one is lovely too. The inchie made me laugh! I know I have been there! I am curious about your Spectrum Noir training.... Tell me more. (Congrats too!) Would love to be in your area and take a few of your classes, as they sound so fun!

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    1. Thanks, Kate! You can do the Spectrum Noir training online at their site. It was kind of like the Derwent Academy, free. I like free :) I am taking another Copic workshop next month, not free = expensive, because I just love to take classes as much as I love to teach.

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  24. Hahaha!! I love your depiction of snail!!! And yes, we have quite a few of those freeways that are always stopped up like that!!! I really like your zig-zag paradox!!! It looks great!!! Hey I wish, I could just sit down and chat with you and pic your brain a little. I just bought some Copics. I have been on the fence of buying those or Prismacolors. Anyway, I may be shooting you and email. Have a great week end!! :0)

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    1. Annette, I LOVE my Copics. I wish you lived next door too. I wish we all, us Internet buddies, lived closer.

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  25. Ps, I just realized that your paradox is sewn!!!!!! Now that is AWESOME!!!! Way cool! :0)

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    1. Yup, I did play with my sewing machine. I plan on using it more in my cardmaking and art journals. It is fun to sew on paper.

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  26. Love your inchie interpretation. I am so happy, that I can go by bike to my office.

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    1. Lucky you. Of course, now I just roll out of bed and head for my studio across the house!

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  27. Great work! I really want to try combining Zentangle and embroidery, but find it very difficult to do anything involving string while owning 3 cats☺

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    1. Oh, I do understand that, Stacie. My cat has unraveled many projects for me! I did embroider Paradox on a t-shirt though and I wore it to my CZT training!

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  28. Cool choices, Jean!! :)

    ~ Diane Clancy
    http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog/2015/02/my-diva-tools-trade-challenge-entry/

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