All posts by Suzanne McNeill

Out with the Old

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     What does a quilter give as Holiday gifts??… custom-made quilts of course.
     This year I designed a quilt for each of my 4 children, 3 stepchildren, their spouses, 13 grandchildren, 2 sisters and a husband (that’s 28 total). Thanks goodness we celebrated Christmas in Texas the Saturday before Christmas. We all gathered at my stepdaughter Kelley’s home in the country. It was a beautiful Indian summer day with open doors and  kids running in and out as they played with their new toys. Snow on Christmas is very rare in Texas but we had a lovely snowfall that day which I got to sit back and enjoy…travel on the roads was a little precarious.


    
     Another reason I am so glad I got to enjoy a laid back Christmas is because of all the work that went into putting my warehouse sale together. It was held December 29th and 30th…..and was very successful. Thanks to all those attending. One of my Zentangle® students, Suzy Allen,  drove all the way from Louisiana ….. she packed her car full, leaving only enough room for her two boys. A couple that drove from Fort Hood packed their vehicle to the brim as well and said it was well worth the drive. Jean and Greg Fox….notorious estate and garage salers filled their van twice!! Greg said they just left room for the cell phone both times.


Mary Davenport…stuffin’ it all in!!

     It was a little tough to see it all go, but it all went to good homes. Meg Mueller, owner of the fabulous Googly Eyes Craft Shop in Irving, TX filled her van over 6 times. Mary Davenport literally poured stuff from the boxes into her car so she could fit it all in….and came back twice! I am so thankful most of my 25 year collection will be put to good use and appreciated. My husband James served lemonade and cookies. Friends Angie Vangalis, Mary Davenport, Donna Kinsey, Judy Evans and Cindy Shepard chipped it to help price and sell my collection for me. Thanks to all of you for your help.


Angie Vangalis, me, Judy Evans and Suzy Allen.

     Not only am I moving into a new studio/office space I am also getting ready for the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show  in Anaheim, CA  January 11th thru January 15th. Design Originals and Fox Chapel Publishing have so many new books, and there are fabulous classes and demonstrations. It will be a good time to visit long-time friends and see all the new products. I have 5 new books for CHA, ‘Zentangle 7’, ‘Zentangle 8’, ‘Joy of Zentangle’, ‘Simple Steps to Sketch Journals’ and ‘Rust & Patina’. I also have some fun make & take projects planned for CHA. Please come by and visit me at booth #1279.


Make & Takes for CHA.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

                        Zentangle #116


Star Map

The Zentangle® art form and method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas and is copyrighted. Zentangle® is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc.  and is used with permission. Learn more at zentangle.com

MOVING SALE

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                                  BIG MOVING SALE

                            FREE homemade cookies to the first 100 people
                               Saturday December 29th 9:00am to 4:00pm

   Oh my goodness – the items for sale seem to be multiplying! Here are a few photos – soooo many things.


    
     Did I tell you that homemade samples make great gifts – or treasures for yourself? If you didn’t receive everything you wanted for Christmas – you are sure to find it here… and at a super bargain price.

Really – everything on the tables (samples, supplies, tools, etc.)  MUST GO!

handmade samples from books
books and more books
quilt fabric and felt
scads of art & craft supplies
desks (great for a big art table)
wire storage racks
office supplies

     The BIG SALE is at our warehouse, 2425 Cullen Street, Fort Worth, TX  76107. It is on Saturday December 29 from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Our building is located just a few blocks from Angelo’s BBQ… a great place for lunch.

     If anything is left it is 1/2 price Sunday, December 30th 9:00am to 1:00pm
     Don’t miss this one-time opportunity to take home lots of good stuff.

P.S. PLEASE help me find good homes for these treasures. Of course I want to keep everything but it just won’t fit into a smaller space.

Suzanne McNeill
817-266-3085
suzannebmcneill@hotmail.com 

BIG SALE

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                                                       BIG SALE

                          Free homemade cookies to the first 100 people
                        Saturday December 29th – 9:00am til 4:00pm

Hello friends,

     I have some exciting news. Or at least it is exciting for me! I am moving to a new location… a studio/office space in Arlington, TX close to my home. It’s my next big adventure… I am very excited and totally overwhelmed.

     The Design Originals warehouse has been my place of business for over 25 years. We have been packing and preparing to move for over a month. The warehouse is packed with all kinds of craft supplies, materials and tools.

                       books and more books
                       quilt fabric and felt
                       scads of art & craft supplies
                       handmade samples from books
                       desks (great for a nice size art table)
                       wire storage racks
                       office supplies

     The BIG SALE will be at our warehouse, 2425 Cullen Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107. It will be on Saturday December 29th from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Our building is located just a few blocks from Angelo’s BBQ so… a great place for lunch.
     If anything is left, it is 1/2 price on Sunday morning 9:00am to 1:00pm.

     The sale is being announced to art and craft friends on Facebook, twitter, my blog and friends’s blogs. Don’t miss this one-time opportunity to take home lots of good stuff.

P.S. Of course I want to keep everything but it just won’t fit in a smaller space!

     Bring a friend or email info to your friends.

Sincerely,
Suzanne McNeill
817-266-2085
suzannebmcneill@hotmail.com

Zentangle® Exquisite Beaded Ornaments

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     View a YouTube, add some tangles to your holiday celebrations with these exquisite, beaded ornaments.  




     It’s that time of year again, the holidays!!  A cherished season – filled with family, food crafting and making. Whether special recipes, handmade gifts or personalized cards I love seeing all the creative ways people have of celebrating the holidays.


Lucie and Susan Meeks at Zentangle Playday.
 
     When I hosted a Zentangle Playday in October and met Susan Meeks and her daughter Lucie I knew I had to share these beautiful handmade Zentangle ornaments with you. Their enthusiasm for art and Zentangle shines in these fabulous ornaments that sell for $20 and up (a custom charity sold one for $50).  



     Lucie helps in the design process – choosing coordinating colors, beads and glitter. Each ornament begins with readily available colored balls, cardstock and beaded fringe. Depending on the complexity of the tangles and beading they can take 4 hours to complete. Susan has made hundreds of them over the past several years and credits her good friend Sarah Orr with teaching her how to make them.


Sarah Orr and Lucie at a Holiday bazaar.

    Susan belongs to a craft group that meets off and on during the year. They make ornaments, needlework, cards and paper-crafts year round. “I enjoy teaching preschool to share my love for art. I also share art with my fellow teachers. We tangled over the summer at our school church camp”. Susan teaches pre-kindergarten at Bellaire Methodist School for Little Children in Texas. It is a school Susan attended as well as her mom and her daughter Lucie.

     Susan sells her Zentangle ornaments in her Etsy shop ornamentsbysusan ,click the link  to view her wonderfully inspiring collection. Thanks for sharing your how-to for these beautiful ornaments Susan and Lucie.  Happy Holidays.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!! 

                                                Zentangle #115

     

Doorknobs


The Zentangle® art form and method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas and is copyrighted. Zentangle® is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc.  and is used with permission. Learn more at zentangle.com

 

Joy of Zentangle

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View a YouTube – Create your own Zentangle® Puzzle Collage ensemble.


     Zentangle has been such a wonderful addition to my life and my art. I was very
pleased to be able to work recently with Fox Chapel Publishing as well as other Certified Zentangle Teachers to publish the ‘Joy of Zentangle’. Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas have
now graduated over 500 CZT’s. These CZT’s go out into the world to
share their own personal “joy of zentangle”. Many of the
teachers being certified  are coming from all walks of life. School teachers, artists, mental and physical health professionals are all finding unique ways to add Zentangle to their art, school curriculums, counseling sessions and work environments.


     ‘The Joy of Zentangle’ book has more than 100 tangle patterns, advanced tangle techniques, Zentangle Inspired Art, instructions for how to add color to your tangles as well as ideas for jewelry, fabric and 3-D objects. It is an inspiring read as well. I love the many personal stories shared by Zentangle enthusiasts from all over the world. They share how the Zentangle practice enhanced their lives and creative process. 


Collaborative Tile Ensemble from Fox Chapel employees.

      Cindy Fahs CZT, one of the editor’s for Fox Chapel, recently led a group of fellow office workers in a collaborative Zentangle drawing ensemble. Work environments can be stressful at times and taking a moment to relax can really change the mood of the office. Zentangle offers a way to calm the mind and quiet your thoughts. When done in a collaborative setting it produces a shared sense of accomplishment. Cindy used the Zentangle Tile Ensemble Kit, which consists of 9 pre-strung tiles.


Proud Fox Chapel tanglers.

    The simple joy of zentangle stems from the ability of anyone to create these wonderful little masterpieces. The minimal materials and limited space required make it very portable. Zentangle opens your mind to the world around you and the thoughtful intention of making one mark at a time can be very valuable. In this busy, busy world it is a genuine pleasure to be able to share such a positive and purposeful experience with others.  

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!



                                  Zentangle # 114

Andaluthia

The Zentangle® art form and method was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas and is copyrighted. Zentangle® is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc.  and is used with permission. Learn more at zentangle.com