BLOG.SUZANNEMCNEILL.COM

Duct Tape Bracelet tutorial

Suzanne McNeill — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:45:46 GMT

Must have put the wrong link in the post for Marisa's wonderful YouTube tutorial...a must see...so here it is. Duct Tape Bracelet YouTube.

Off to Sante Fe

Suzanne McNeill — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:41:31 GMT

View a YouTube, join Marisa Pawelko, author of Crazy-Cool Duct Tape Projects, as she shows you how to make her Petal Point bracelet from colorful duct tape.

Marissa Pawelko with Duct Tape

May is my month for a little R&R... I am resting up to get in gear for my next class schedule and art adventure. Sante Fe, New Mexico is one of my favorite art stops. I go out to visit my sister Amy every year - and this year I am teaching a few classes.

Artisan is a fantastic art store full of every type of art material you could want or need. The Artisan store is BIG - and has a wonderful selection of decorative papers, canvas by the foot, paints, supplies and brushes for every art form. They will be hosting a mini-workshop for me in their Artisan Art Spot in June.

Zentangle® and Mini Journals Saturday June 8 1:30-3:00

If you love art journaling and want to explore Zentangle, come along and join the fun. We'll create a few Tangles and we'll make a mini journal with watercolors, markers, and shading. This is a great introduction for you. I'll have all the supplies so come tangle with me!

Mini Art Journals for Friendship traces and gifts.

I also adore the local stamp store in Sante Fe, Guadalupe's StampaFe Art Stamps. Every time I visit their store, I come away so enthused. When I use their fun stamps in a project or book I get many requests for how to purchase them. I am thrilled to be teaching workshops at their store in June.

Zentangle 102 - Zendalas, Colors & Beads Friday June 14 9:00-3:00

Learn new tangles and explore tangle variations.

Day by Day Journals Saturday June 15 8:00-1:00

Record your life's journey, design day-by-day pages.

Intuitive Art Journal Sunday June 16 9:00-3:00

Mixed media and creativity with color, paints, images and more.

Intuitive art journal - this class is so colorful, fun and creative!

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

Zentangle #120

Twister

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

The Gift of Zentangle

Suzanne McNeill — Wed, 01 May 2013 19:47:55 GMT

View a YouTube, Cindy Shepard shares great tips for drawing with gel pens and rubber stamps.

I am not sure I know where to begin... it has been exactly two months since I have been able to sit down and share anything on my blog. I have been thinking of my friends but life has been so-o-o hectic. Almost the entire two months I have been immersed in Zentangle® in one form or another. The "gift of Zentangle" has been all around me.

Meeting in Texas with Rick Roberts, Maria Thomas and Cindy Shepard.

It was wonderful to visit with Rick and Maria when they came to Texas for the National Art Education Association Convention. CZT's and other tanglers attending NAEA got together with Rick and Maria one night for a reception sponsored by Sakura. It was very inspiring to hear Rick and Maria talk of all the people they had met and hear stories told to them by teachers, and how the Zentangle method has touched their life as well as the lives of their students.

An opportunity to experience the force of Zentangle was presented to me by the 125 guest artists that Cindy and I worked with for the book 'The Beauty of Zentangle'. The art in the book is truly amazing - from classic black and white tiles to exquisite and intricate work from CZTs and tangle artists around the world. Each artist also contributed a short paragraph about how they were introduced to Zentangle and how they use it in their daily life and enjoy sharing it with others. It was so touching I wiped away tears a few times.

The book is posted on Amazon and is expected to be available in September.

Like the Trojan Horse, my journey with Zentangle is full of surprises. I was on a long flight and needed something calming to do, so I opened my sketchbook and began drawing tangles on this horse. A teenage girl and her mother sat next to me. The girl didn't say anything, but she watched me work through the entire flight. As we were gathering our things to leave, the mother said, "Amy was fascinated by your tangles, she has been learning them in her art class at school. She has a Zentangle book. Are you Suzanne McNeill? I thought I recognized you from the photo in the book." I nodded as she told me how much her daughter enjoyed my tangle art.

Hearing my name, Amy finally overcame her shyness and shook hands with me. "I can't wait to tell my friends I actually met you. I'm going to put a page about meeting you in my sketchbook," she beamed. "You have a sketchbook?" I inquired. "Ya. It's homework, so I left it home. My teacher is always telling us to keep the sketchbook with us. Now I know why. Nice meeting you." We parted with smiles and I had a story to journal in my own sketchbook.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

Zentangle #119

Tadpoles

Jewelry from T-shirt Yarn

Suzanne McNeill — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:39:25 GMT

View a YouTube, Lorine Mason shows how to make hair accessories and colorful jewelry from strips of T-shirts ... a wonderful way to recycle.

Lorine Mason and I in the Design Originals booth at CHA.

With a couple of T-shirts, scissors and Fabri-Tac fabric glue you can make some spectacular accessories and jewelry. Personally, I love wearing my T-shirt necklace with a casual pair of jeans as well as dressier items from my wardrobe. Lorine Mason not only shows several ways to cut T-shirts into yarn, she also guides you through the steps to custom dye T-shirt yarn into some really luscious color combinations. Her book 'Making Jewelry with T-Shirt Yarn', explains techniques for creating spiral necklaces, bracelets and rings as well as fabulous hair accessories and flip-flops.

Lorine and some of her favorite T-shirt students in California.

An exciting new art gallery has opened right on Main Street in Grapevine, Texas. Giddens Gallery of Fine Art hosts more than 20 Texas artists. I am pleased to say I am one of them. My new series of Narrative Paintings is hanging in the gallery. I really enjoyed working on this group of paintings. Each painted subject has a story to tell... it was such fun painting the subjects and then coming up with a narrative for each one. If you live near Grapevine I hope you get a chance to stop by and see Giddens collection of art work. My pieces will be up through the month of March.

My paintings at Giddens Fine Art Gallery in Grapevine, TX.

In April I will be teaching at Art & Soul in Virginia Beach. It is such a fun venue, and all the creativity recharges my soul. I not only enjoy teaching in this venue; I also love meeting new people and taking some fabulous classes from other instructors. If you are attending this event I hope to see you in some of my classes... or just stop by to say hello. Below is a list of classes I will be teaching with workshop number. There are also some videos on the Art & Soul website introducing the workshops I will be teaching.

Art & Soul Sketchbook

VA220 Weds/Thurs April 24-25 Treasures Unearthed - Patinas for Brass, Copper and Iron

VA164 Friday April 26 Zentangle 102

VA165 Friday eve April 26 Silk Scarves- Dyeing with Sharpie Markers

VA163 Saturday April 27 On Safari with Art & Soul Sketchbook

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

Zentangle #118

Picot

Fun and Inspiration at CHA

Suzanne McNeill — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:19:50 GMT

     View a YouTube , create a pop-up owl card using easy to do circular shapes and zentangle® patterns.

     Once again fun was had by all attending the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show in Anaheim, CA. Even though I have been attending these shows for longer than I would like to admit I still enjoy seeing my old friends, meeting new ones and getting first look at all the possibilities of the coming year with new ideas and products in arts and crafts.

My dear friends Karen Thomas and Suze Weinberg.

     The Fox Chapel/Design Originals booth was a beehive of activity. Demonstrations and make & takes were scheduled every day... all through the day. I enjoyed the opportunity to introduce some new Zentangle books, 'Zentangle 7', 'Zentangle 8' and 'Joy of Zentangle''.

The series of Zentangle books (Basics thru 8) have been so popular it was exciting to once again be invited to the R&M West Coast Enterprises booth to sign the latest in the series. I also had great fun introducing some willing participants to the creativity and value of Zentangle through some make & takes. My favorite was the adorable little Tangled dimensional owl card.

     On Monday I gave a 3 hour workshop to a large group of store owners... everyone was excited about the Zentangle buzz. I taught some new tangles and introduced creative ways to add tangles to scrapbooking, cardmaking and other forms of art making. A special thank you to Marie Browning of Tombow for her demonstration introducing color to Zentangle ZIA's.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

                        Zentangle #117

Stepping stones

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

Out with the Old

Suzanne McNeill — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:48:31 GMT

     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

Suzanne McNeill — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 21:40:06 GMT

                                  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

Suzanne McNeill — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 18:05:25 GMT

                                             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

Suzanne McNeill — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:18:35 GMT

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

Joy of Zentangle

Suzanne McNeill — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:55:55 GMT

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

Zentangle® 8 Monograms - Alphabets

Suzanne McNeill — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:08:24 GMT

View a YouTube, create greeting cards, stationery and gifts with elegant tangled lettering techniques

Personalize cards, stationery, even mail with elegant Zentangle® lettering. The book 'Zentangle 8' is a collection of monograms and alphabets from a wide variety of CZTs (Certified Zentangle Teachers). It's so much fun to see the individual styles of each artist who contributed to this book. Each letter of the alphabet is done by a different person.

There are 40 new tangles featured in 'Zentangle 8', each one sure to ignite your own creativity and energy. In the Middle Ages producing books was a very expensive and time-consuming task, most were drawn by hand and were commissioned by the wealthy class or clergy. These precious volumes contained highly decorative and gilded text, referred to as illuminated lettering. This illustration process is the inspiration for the letters and monograms in this book.

June Baty, CZT drew a fanciful letter and added a colorful background with watercolor.

Margaret Bremmer, CZT choose to trace around a chipboard letter as a negative space, adding tangles to complete the tile.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

Zentangle #113

Wishbones

Selling My Collection of Heirloom Quilts

Suzanne McNeill — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:07:26 GMT

Hello friends,

     Just a quick note to let you know that I will be attending the International Quilt Festival in Houston- October 31st (5:00pm -10:00pm) and November 1st thru 4th (10:00am - 7:00pm). My booth at Quilt Festival is #2060.

     The exciting news is that I am bringing my lifelong collection of heirloom handmade quilts, Redwork and vintage embroidered towels, pillowcases, doilies and pillows. I really hate to part with any of my collection, but the quilts and linens need good homes so I am making them available to collectors and friends.

     Many quilts and linens were featured in our Design Originals books. I will also have several Vintage books with me. With the purchase of $100.00 of embroidery, I'm offering your choice of one Vintage book FREE.

     Please stop by. I'd love to see you.
   And it is a great opportunity to share my private collection.

     I don't have time to take photos but if you are interested in something special, please email me and I'll try to save it for you on Wednesday night.

Sincerely,
Suzanne McNeill
suzannebmcneill@hotmail.com

Zentangle 7 - Inspiring Circles, Zendalas and Shapes

Suzanne McNeill — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 18:48:27 GMT

View a YouTube, create a meaningful 6 petal design Zendala using a plastic lid.

Zentangle® is becoming many things to many people. One of the main draws of this art form is the serenity and balance you can achieve just by adding the Zentangle practice to your daily life. I have always enjoyed symbolic art from different cultures, the mandala and the variety of line and form you can achieve with these simple circular shapes appeals to me.

A Zendala is a form of Mandala that is drawn on a circlular paper tile using tangles to fill each section of the design. Both blank Zendala tiles and pre-stung Zendala tiles are available from zentangle.com or from your local CZT (Certified Zentangle Teacher). In the book 'Zentangle 7' talented Zentangle CZT artists share their secrets for creating basic circle designs and shapes... how to add color, resist, layers and more.

Sandy Steen Bartholomew, CZT shares her technique for an eye-catching spinner Zendala using black and white cardstock, Micron pens and gel pens.

Angie Vangalis, CZT creates beautiful watercolor Zendalas.

Erin Koetz Olson utilizes templates to develop her amazing Zendala designs.

Certified Zentangle Teachers Margaret Bremmer, Julie Evans, Sue Jacobs, and Sandhya Manne also share their amazing art work and helpful tips for creating Zendalas. My thanks to all the wonderful artists for their contributions. I know you will enjoy the wide variety of fantastic art work and ideas in 'Zentangle 7 - Inspiring Circles, Zendalas and Shapes''.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

Zentangle # 112

Candy Corn

CZT Marketing Retreat

Suzanne McNeill — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 21:11:50 GMT

View a YouTube, wonderful tips and techniques from a variety of talented CZT's attending the Zentangle® Marketing Retreat.

Enthusiastic tangling attendees of the CZT Zentangle Marketing Retreat

My friend and fellow CZT, Angie Vangalis, hosted an enthusiastic group of tanglers this past weekend for the second annual 3-day Zentangle Marketing Retreat in Irving, TX. Angie is a brilliant artist and promoter as well as President of the Texas Lettering Arts Council. If you live in the DFW area look for her Creative Studio Nights available year round in Irving, TX. Angie shared insightful tips for branding a business, developing an online presence, how to "count costs", adding value to classes, new projects and materials as well as many useful resources available online. Everyone came away from the class really inspired to take their teaching to a new level.

Angie Vangalis leader of the CZT Retreat

Many of you know my love for classes and learning, this was a weekend filled with new ways to add variety to Zentangle classes and how to incorporate Zentangle into other forms of art. Zentangle.com as well as your local certified Zentangle teacher have beautiful Zendala tiles for creating your own tangled mandala. I gave a class at the retreat on how to create a mandala pattern on zendala tiles using simple materials. For color we drew the patterns with colored Micron pens and filled them in with watercolor pencils. An absolutely stunning effect, especially when created by such a great group of tanglers.

Cindy Shepard with her 'Stash and Smash' book.

Cindy Shepard, CZT gave a class in making your own Zentangle Smash Book. I loved putting my book together. We used cardstock, tissue paper, scrap paper and old envelopes. She details different styles of Smash Books and journal making in her book 'Stash and Smash'. These fabulous handmade books can be used to showcase your own Zentangle inspired artwork, Zentangle tiles and ATC's. They can also be an easy reference for new tangle patterns, inspiration photos for new tangles and experiments with new materials. They are so much fun to work in!

Sharon Payne and her high-heeled sneakers!

It was very exciting to see all of the Zentangle inspired art work on display at the retreat. Intricate pieces of framed art, tangled fabric and quilts, embellished boxes and of course Sharon Payne's high heeled sneakers. I met Sharon at Art of the Carolina's when she took one of my classes, I have been amazed by her skill and her wonderful spirit ever since. The YouTube video featured this week includes Sharon and her sneakers as well as many other tips and techniques from the CZT's who attended the Marketing Retreat.

Tangling on the Zentangle floorcloth.

Whenever you get a bunch of CZT's together you know they have to do a collaborative piece of Zentangle Inspired Art. I furnished the large piece we worked on at the retreat and am honored to be able to keep it as my remembrance of all the wonderful people I met.

If you are lucky enough to have a local CZT who teaches classes in your area be sure to contact them for their schedule, many of them have a variety of inspiring classes available ....and it's always fun to learn new tangles! To find a CZT in your area check out the list of CZT's on zentangle.com.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

Zentangle #111

Accordian

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

Zentangle Playday

Suzanne McNeill — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:54:54 GMT

View a YouTube - Fun Classes for Zentangle® 101, Silk Scarves with Sharpie® Markers, and Spirit Doll and Owl Gourds

PLAYDAY!! - sounds like tons of fun doesn't it. Normally associated with child's play, artists are much like a group of small children always looking for new adventures. I am an explorer by nature and make it a point to explore as much as possible when I travel. I decided to set up a couple of extra days of play for a group of fellow artists and tanglers who recently attended the CZT Marketing Retreat in Irving, Texas.

Touring Cowtown with MaryAnn Scheblein-Dawson, Michelle Robinson, Estelle Goodnight and Donna Lacey.

Many of the attendees had never been to Texas... so the first stop was Cowtown. The Stockyards in Fort Worth is the perfect place to experience the flavor of Texas. Even though I have been there many times, I look forward to sharing it with visitors... it's refreshing to see it from a new set of eyes.

From Fort Worth we headed over to the Arlington Museum of Art where three of my Zentangle Inspired Art pieces are on display in the 'Heartbeat' show curated by Lee Bowman.

Continuing a day of inspiration and art we moved over to the Dallas Arboretum to view the fantastic works of glass artist Dale Chihuly. His large scale glass sculptures are incredible.

After attending the 3 day workshop for Certified Zentangle Teachers we were all revved up for more Zentangle. I hosted an all day Zentangle workshop at Googly Eyes craft store in Irving, TX. We experimented with embossing on metal, drawing tangles on fabric, large tangles on canvas, and tangled beads as well as learning new tangles.

Teaching classes and attending classes is such a wonderful way to stay connected to other artists. The friendships formed between students and teachers is invaluable. I have taught many successful workshops over the years and love the excitement involved in developing new classes and the joy that comes from sharing with fellow creative spirits.

From my travels to my daily life, keeping a sketchbook is a must for me. It's great fun to relive what was going on in my life and the world when I look back at some of my sketchbooks. I am really excited about two new classes I am teaching at Art of the Carolina's this year. Turning Your Sketchbook into Art and Sketchbooks - From Boring to Fabulous. Both of these classes are filled with ways to add interest, personal meaning and energy to your art through sketchbooks. I hope to you see you there!

Zentangle pattern - enjoy and create!!

Zentangle 110#

Stained Glass

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

Talking with Teachers Interview

Suzanne McNeill — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:23:10 GMT

Hello friends,

     My fall teaching schedule is picking up. I am so excited to see long-time friends and meet new friends. Sara Naumann is a dedicated craft enthusiast and also teaches classes at CHA and Art & Soul. I really admire her art and appreciate being included in her blog on "Talking with Teachers". Check out this link for the interview.

     I'm off to the 4-day Zentangle Teachers Marketing Retreat and PLAYDAY - lots of classes, sharing, friends and great projects with Angie Vangalis CZT, Cindy Shepard CZT, Sharon Payne CZT and more. I'll share an interview with you in my next blog.

     Oh, and for my friends who live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, a few of my Zentangle and watercolor paintings are included in a curated show at the Arlington Museum of Art and will be hanging in the HEARTBEAT show through September 20, 2012.

Zentangle® 3-day Workshop

Suzanne McNeill — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:51:47 GMT

View a YouTube, learn how easy it is to emboss metal sheeting with Zentangle® patterns.

By now we all know how exciting Zentangle is for everyone who tries it and the value we as CZT's (Certified Zentangle Teachers) can give to others by sharing the process. I am often asked to teach Zentangle classes and workshops. Since I am supposed to be 'retired', I try to preserve time for my own creative endeavors... painting, traveling, sketchbooking and journaling as well as Tangling.

A fun 3-day Zentangle workshop at the Woman's Club of Fort Worth.

I try to limit my teaching engagements to 3 or 4 times per year. This year, Expo Artisan in Sante Fe, NM to be held in September, Art and Soul in Portland, OR (check out the videos for my classes under the class descriptions on the Art and Soul website) in October and Art of the Carolinas in Raleigh, NC in November are the venues where I will be teaching for the remainder of 2012. Occasionally I will add additional workshops to my schedule. If you are interested in attending a workshop please visit my website for updated information on the teaching schedule.

JoAnn Durham, tangling a peek-a-boo bunny.

Suzy Allen came to the 3-day class from Louisiana.

I decided to add a special workshop this year. Since I am a member of a truly amazing Woman's Club in Fort Worth, Texas, they asked me to offer a 3-day workshop to introduce Zentangle. It was nice to be among friends and not have to pack it all up for travel. I was thrilled to discover that attendees had even driven from out of state to attend the class. The whole experience was very relaxing... exactly what Zentangle is supposed to be. Included in the 3-day workshop were Basic Tangling, Zendalas, tangling on gourds, embellished tangling, embossing on metal, and more (see the YouTube).

Another local class I look forward to teaching is a Zentangle PLAYDAY in Irving, Texas. It will be Monday, September 3rd... a whole day of Zentangle fun. It is being held the day after the Marketing Retreat for CZT's hosted by friend and fellow CZT, Angie Vangalis. Workshop content, times and cost are contained in my previous blog post. You may email me at (suzannebmcneill@hotmail.com) for more information and registration.

Having been in the publishing business for so many years I want to continue to share knowledge from the world of Zentangle and the world of Arts and Crafts by authoring a few books each year for Fox Chapel Publishing. I really appreciate how much can be absorbed from books and how books afford those who are not able to spend the time or money needed to travel to workshops an alternative way of learning. My goal with each book is to bring a classroom full of information to you in the comfort of your own home and at your own pace. For me, having my own art and craft library of ready reference material is priceless.

Zentangle pattern. Enjoy and create!!

Zentangle #109

Zentangle tile by Carol Knight CZT

Escalator

Zentangle® by the Shore.

Suzanne McNeill — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:05:57 GMT

View a YouTube - 'Zentangle® at the Seashore' - Tangle on beach sand, in a sketchbook and on seashells.

It's been awhile since my last post, I've been having fun!

Just returned from the annual reunion with my family at Port Aransas, Texas. Several of us traveled by car and made stops along the way. We (all 23 of us) enjoyed floating down the San Marcos River on inner tubes and visiting the Inner Space Caverns in Georgetown. The wonder and beauty of the stalactites and stalagmites in this natural limestone cavern always take my breath away. I have visited them many times over the years. It also makes for a great stop in the summer heat because the temperature in the caverns is amazingly cool.

Family photo on the Port Aransas beach.

Even on vacation my art is never very far away (it never takes a vacation), my granddaughters really enjoy Zentangle so of course we had to find some time to tangle in the sand. We enjoyed 'sand tangling' so much we later took some of those same designs from the beach and drew them into our sketchbooks that I had tucked away for our trip.

'Sand tangled' fish (see the youtube) on the beach.

Tangling seashells with granddaughters, Nikole and Lauren.

I brought some Zentangle books with me too, the grandchildren love picking out new tangles to learn. 'Zentangle 6' has a seashell motif on one of the pages which gave us the idea of drawing tangles on seashells. This is another fun way to tangle with children, especially on a beach vacation.

It was so much fun to walk along the beach with the grandchildren drawing pictures in the sand, it reminded me of the recent movement 'Art Abandonment' - basically putting art into the world with no expectation and no rules, just filling the world around us with art. Free art for everyone to enjoy! The above link will take you to an article written by assemblage artist Michael DeMeng who has recently revised the idea and created an 'Art Abandonment' Facebook group.

I will be offering a Zentangle PLAYDAY on Monday, September 3rd at Googly Eyes in Irving, Texas. A whole day of Zentangle fun, 9am til 3pm - a $50.00 fee includes all materials. We will be learning new tangles from my soon to be published books 'Zentangle 7 - Circles and Mandalas' and 'Zentangle 8 - Monograms and Alphabets'. You will learn how to emboss tangles on metal, do tangling inside of a 'string' of webbing, fun peek-a-boo cards with 4 layers of tangles that build on each other. We'll also explore different techniques for adding coloring to our tangles and Zentangle beads. Please contact me via email (suzannebmcneill@hotmail.com) for reservations and more information. I hope that you can come.

Zentangle PLAYDAY on Monday 9/3/2012.

My friend and fellow tangler, Angie Vangalis has put together a Marketing Retreat for CZT's. It will be held August 31st thru September 2nd, 2012 in Irving,Texas. The Zentangle Playday is a great opportunity for those attending the retreat. It is scheduled to coincide with retreat dates and offer additional zentangle related activities in the area. I hope some of you will be able to attend the retreat, it is a unique opportunity for CZT's to learn new ideas for classes and to exchange ideas.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

Zentangle #108

Choppy Waves

Zentangle® Peek-a-Boo Card

Suzanne McNeill — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 23:36:19 GMT

View a YouTube, create a fun, surprise "peek-a-boo" card using stencils and Zentangle patterns.

     Making my own cards has always been one of my favorite craft projects. My friends and family really seem to enjoy receiving a card especially made for them. Since discovering Zentangle I must admit most of my cards now have at least a few tangled embellishments on them.

     When creating a card I often use a stencil or a template for my beginning design. Dreamweaver stencils are one of my favorites. They are made of a very durable metal and come in many whimsical styles and shapes. These stencils are the perfect size for card making and for embellishing with tangles. Even if I use the same stencil many times the result is always different, there are so many tangle patterns to choose from. When I want to add color I use markers, watercolor pencils or colored pens.

     I have amassed a vast array of punches to use for card making. A fun card to make is a "peek-a-boo" card. Use a large punch to cut a fun shape from your cardstock and to trace your stencil on - I used the bunny (above). For the peek-a-boo part of the card I love the magnetic punches ("anywhere on the page") ones from Martha Stewart. They are magnetic and can be placed anywhere on your card to achieve a perfect punch!

     'Zentangle 6' has 40 new tangles as well as ideas from a variety of artists using Dreamweaver stencils.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

            Zentangle #107

Artist trading card by Judy Lehman CZT

Nails

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

Zen-sational Butterflies

Suzanne McNeill — Thu, 31 May 2012 18:28:42 GMT

     View a YouTube, 'Zen-sational Butterfly Quilt Block', add a lovely butterfly motif to your next quilt with free-motion quilting and patterns inspired by Zentangle®.

Gulf Fritillary butterfly from the garden.

     This year we have had a beautiful spring in Texas. Not only the weather but the proliferation of butterflies is amazing! Sitting in the backyard is a true delight. I enjoy watching the butterflies dance from flower to flower. It's times like these I am so thankful my husband James is an avid gardener.

A painting of a butterfly inspired by my Sketchbook.

     I love incorporating butterflies into my artwork. One of my favorite art journals is one I created about the 'Adventures of a Butterfly'. I have done some art on gourds using the butterfly motif, one of them won an award at the Texas Gourd Festival. Butterflies are also the inspiration for my newest quilt pattern pack, 'Zen-sational Butterfly Blocks'

Butterfly gourd with Zentangle.

     Quilting and Zentangle are kindred spirits, both of these art forms give me a feeling of peace and calm. I especially enjoy free-motion quilting. Patterns inspired by Zentangle are perfect for this type of sewing, even though the designs are repetitive, each one is unique ... and best of all made by hand. Each pattern pack has a basic primer for Zentangle beginners, different options for each project as well as pattern appliques and tangle patterns. Happy Quilting!!

Zen-sational butterflies.

Zentangle pattern, enjoy and create!!

             Zentangle #106

Artist Trading Card by Sandra Westcott CZT

Zipper Teeth

     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