Thursday's Dream Schemes: The Frugal Frigate

This card by Laura Drahozal, who has been on the Dreamweaver Stencils design team since it's beginnings, reminded me of a wonderful Emily Dickenson poem that often pops into my head whenever I hear or see the word "Frigate" (of course an old fashioned word for ship). Here's her poem:

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry-

This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll
How frugal is the chariot
That bears the human soul

Reading has always been a wonderful escape for me and this poem says it all, doesn't it? Imagining and creating is very similar in my life, it really puts the mind in a relaxed state and the process doesn't cost a dime, pretty inexpensive therapy. 

Since I love this creation so much I asked my mom if she would offer the Frigate stencil and the Mermaid rubber stamp as a kit with some quality polyshrink plastic. The mermaid is of course much larger than you see on this piece of shrinkie. She did add a piece of shrink plastic to the kit that is high quality. I had  purchased some at a local big box store recently and it was horrendous and shrunk in a very uneven wonky way. So she has added a piece that is much better and worth using. Go to her Stencil with Style site if you are interested in the discounted kit. If you would like the step-by-step instructions HERE is a link to Laura Drahozal's post  from a few weeks ago. Beautiful job Laura!

Just a quick note to let you know that Wayne and I will be teaching a Sten-tangle class at the Cracker Jack Store in Redlands CA on Wednesday, June 3 at 5:30-7:30PM.  Contact the store for more details if you are interested in taking the class: 909 793 2200.

This quatrafoil stencil (LX7010) design was paste-embossed onto black paper with silver embossing paste (DSP) and then after it was dry Wayne used a variety of patterns and a micron pen to sten-tangle the image. Wayne is a certified Zentangle Teacher and I always learn a lot when I co-teach with him. Hope to see you there!

Zensdays: Dex and Bonzo = 35

This week the diva's challenge is a duo-tangle using Dex and Bunzo. (I realize I spelled it wrong in my title, but won't fix it because it will mess with the URL for the linky tool...oops.)  Read Laura Harm's post and join the fun on her blog. Yes, she chose two tangles which symbolize her 35th birthday. Hope you have the best ever Laura... I remember those 30s as being some of the most fun with my young daughter. And you certainly have a blessed family to celebrate life with, thanks for sharing their ups and downs with us. Glad Artoo is better.

I have never done Bunzo or Dex before.  If you are interested in giving them a try go to www.tanglepatterns.com to learn the easy step-by-step techniques. It was very fun, but the straight lines in the smaller Dex squares were a bit exasperating to me. Putting the design at an angle made me relax more and ignore the equal and straight syndrome. I couldn't resist adding color...I think I have the attitude that if I am not quite sure what to do then maybe throwing some color on it will make me happy and sure enough I felt better after playing with color.  I used LePlume markers because they were what was on hand. Then shaded with the Inktense watercolor pencils by Derwent. 

Sunday I also joined Daniel's Tangle-ation Vocation challenge using Mooka and am posting it again to encourage others to join his challenge. This week he is putting forth the challenge for the tangle Static, which I probably won't get around to until later this week. But I will give it a try. I have to admit that doing more challenges is getting me into trying more tangles.

Submissions: MNO-Challenge and Mooka Challenge

Ah....last week was busy and I am just now getting my ABC challenge done. I worked on it this weekend and we were doing MNO last week. Better late than never is my motto:M is for MUMSY (which I thought was perfect for Mother's Day), N is for NAVAHO which seemed to make a nice background and OVY had such a nice feel for a unique "ribbon" for my card. I am also entering this card in a challenge by Becky at her ToulaBoula blog. She is encouraging a "card" and I thought my MUMSY creation looked like a gift package and perfect creation for a card, so there you have it. 

I used the Inktense watercolor pencils by Derwent, (mostly on the Mumsy flower) which I like but am a novice at using them ...it seems like there are never enough colors (we have 24). On the background I used the LePlume pens...I love the tips on these they are so easy to get into tiny places where you want fine fine detail. Again not enough colors, but I guess that is one thing you just build with time or you purchase a large set. I like having a case or some way of storing them, so it is always tempting to get the case for them. On the OVY I mostly used Prisma Color pencils because it had the colors I wanted. I would like more colors, but would like to have another try at a different brand. If anyone has tried the Prisma Pencils and uses something else as well, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you like and why. Here is my piece M-N-O creation and I am reposting the piece I did with Mooka from Daniel's Tangle Corner challenge...this young man is in his teens and loves to tangle so I think it's nice to join when I can. Love it when younger people take the initiative to be not only creative but promote it as well. Yeah! Daniel!

Mooka with Tipple colored with Inktense watercolor pencils.

ZENSDAYS: May the fourth be with you...zen challenges!

Well it's the first Monday of the month challenge with Laura Harms (the diva) and highly recommend that you go to her site to get the full impact of her first week in May challenge. The first Monday is always a UMT (use my tangle) challenge...where she randomly chooses someone's tangle and this month the tangle is "Brella" by Bunny Wright a CZT from Canada. May is famous in Laura's household because they all love the Star Wars movies and seeing her tangle creation which is a wonderful ZIA by Laura is truly a must do. Today Wayne's Brella tangle is Star Wars themed as well....go to his Flickr site to enjoy his fun creation. I have to admit that in 1977 when the first Star Wars movie came out Wayne and I were going to college in the Chattanooga Tennessee area and had no clue how that movie would change the sci-fi movie arena.  As you can tell by my ZIA above, I just went down my own road and did loads of variations on Brella and only a couple of them were true to the original tangle...so be sure if you want to know more visit tanglepatterns.com for the step-by-step instructions. I used the LJ811 grid stencil to trace 16 of the squares and then started playing. Well, that is how it went down, I let my pens and colors dictate the end result. I used my Prisma Color Pencils on some of them, and the Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils on others...there's a learning curve there and I haven't reached the comfort zone yet, but had fun and that's more important to me than stressing about whether or not something was perfect. 

I am also doing the ABC challenge for a few weeks with Diane Clancy and Carolien (Zandipants). This week is JKL and the above tile is done with Jujubeedze, Knightsbridge and Laced.

Before the end of the week I hope to participate in Daniel's Tangle-ation Vocation and this week his challenge is MOOKA! I made Wayne try to guess which tangle Daniel had put forth as a challenge and one of my clues was..."a tangle I have never tried"...I actually am very excited to give it a go! Come back to see if I get it done.

YEAH...I finally did MOOKA! Of course the first is my ink version and then below I've posted the Inktense version of it. Thank goodness for Wayne standing by giving me instruction on the shading. That is something that I am lacking due to all the years of stenciling where you don't really have to shade to create the shape. Of course Zentangle is an art form just done in black and white with pencil shading if you want to add it, but I didn't on this first one. The second one is considered a ZIA or Zentanlge Inspired Art...hence the shading with color

Showers of Thanks and Showers of Creativity!

Birds on Bare Branches Stencil LG733

So it's the last day that the Dream it UP team is posting with me and that my blog is home to the team. But good things are in store for them as some of them continue on with the Stampendous team. Pam will be in touch and telling you all about how it will work. They have invited me to post with them if I want and of course I know that will  happen occasionally too. Wayne and I will continue to stencil and Zentangle and post weekly as much as possible...maybe even two or three times a week if the mood moves us.

I of course want to take time to thank all of the wonderful designers who helped me get started. Deborah March was our first leader and I learned so much from her. Pam joined the team and later headed or should I say "herded" this group of wonderful designers ever since. Thank you so much Pam for being that creative influence in all of our lives. Hope you are feeling better as I know you have had many struggles with a recent car accident...we are sending energy your way every day.

Today I am posting one of the first cards I did with a memorable technique called "Double Glitter". This is one of the first posts I ever did and if you would like to know how the card was made....click HERE to know the step-by-step process of this technique from that post. These birds remind me of all the colorful personalities that have come together to make this team and blog work. Many of you have let me use your creations on my blog because running this business has meant that sometimes I have not had very much time to create. It has been fun to see your wonderful creativity shine each week. This is also a  thank you to those who I've considered honorary members and have mailed or emailed me your card creations and instructions for posting. My heartfelt appreciation also to those of you who have dropped by weekly to support stenciling technique...kudos to you all for making us part of your weekly routine. Thanks for your showers of creative spirit that has enriched my life.

The past few years I have also been supported by Stencil with Style owner, Shirley Parlin, who continues to sell each and every Dreamweaver Stencils product. (Also known as "Mom" to me). This is a bit of an early Mother's Day tribute, but want her to know she is the best and always the most supportive force in my life. Thanks Mom! If anyone needs that hard to find stencil, she can probably still find it for you. In fact she sells some of my favorite Stampendous stamps and products as well.

Also, Stampendous now has a Dreamweaver Stencils YouTube site and many instructional videos are there showing you how to do the many many stencil techniques that are available with the varied products they now sell.

Be sure to stop by and see what the team is showering you with this week!  

Dream It Up!

Louise Healy

Alison Heikkila
Lyn Bernatovich

Kristine Reynolds

Pam Hornschu

Gill Wilson

Cindy Groh 

Leadonna Kimmel

Laura Drahozal

Jamie Martin

Zensdays: Labyrinths Challenge Dedicated to Iona

This has been I wild week of Zentangle goodness. So many challenges and I still want to do something for Daniel's pokeroot challenge. He is a teenager who has embraced Zentangle and even has a weekly challenge on his blog. Stop by to support him if you get the chance. A most amazing young man and quite the tangler. Click HERE to visit his site. And here is my answer to the pokeroot challenge...with a few cockles and mussels and a smattering of paradox as well:

Well, I am going to let you read Laura Harms' (the diva) challenge to us this week. It is quite a thought provoking idea for a zentangle challenge, I am still reading and learning more and more about labyrinths. Here is what she has to say: 

I've been taking a year long course on Mandalas with the amazing Scottish beauty Julie Gibbons, this is my third year exploring the Great Round of Mandala with her.  And it just so happens that Stage Three (which corresponds with the month of March) involves labyrinths.  I've been thinking about tangling a labyrinth ever since. 

I had wondered how well a labyrinth would translate into a Zentangle challenge, and then in my online travels i found a website which said:

A labyrinth is not a maze. Mazes are puzzles, designed to vex the mind, but labyrinths are contemplative designs, designed to focus the mind.  (source)

and i thought, that sounds much like tangling to me!  So i gave it a go. 

So take time to go to her site to see her creation, and see what others have been doing as well. You might even be inspired to join the fun.

My labyrinth shape is dedicated to a very dedicated commenter, Iona/Gail. The reason? She is from Norway and so is the labyrinth inspiration I have chosen today. Finnmark Norway. Besides Iona is very lovely about stopping by and cheering on the Dreamweaver Dream it UP team each Thursday. Thanks Iona! Have you been to Finnmark to see the labyrinths, Iona? Makes me want to stop by sometime to see these amazing stone structures. I know that sounds a bit simplistic, but who knows, I may travel to Norway yet. I've wanted to see Norway ever since I saw the "Song of Norway" when I was in high school. A  biographical movie about Edvard Grieg. And Wow! what fabulous scenery! 

I actually did two labyrinth creations...the second one that I worked on I am actually showing first as that is the one I like the most. The first one I worked on was a lot of practice at shading and trying to make the path clear. And I have never done N'Zeppel (the background tangle on each one) and I clearly need to work on that some more. "Practice makes progress" is my motto. So I am planning on using this tangle more often because I really did enjoy the results. Also if you want to see a most amazing labyrinth created by the Wayne-meister go to his Flickr site to see his take on this challenge. He never ceases to amaze me...

The tangles used for this Finnmark Norway labyrinth are:

Bridgen

Hached

N'Zeppel

My first try at the labyrinth string.

Tangles used:

Flux

Tipple

N'Zeppel











I also joined Diane Clancy and Carolien's challenge for their next in the alphabet series..."G  H I": The tangles I used are Grass Border, Hibred and Ixorus. Black card stock with a white gel pen and Ixorus was shaded with a white Prisma Color pencil.

One more tangle creation...in honor of my design team! This is the last month I will be officially posting with the Dream it UP team. I have been invited to post if I want but Stampendous will be taking a much bigger administrative role in organizing the team and putting it all together for a cohesive mix of their team and the Dream it Up designers. Thanks ladies for all you have done. This next tangle post was done by Louise Healy, a designer from the Chicago area who has been dedicated to stenciling and teaching everything and anything that you can do with Dreamweaver Stencils, including tangling. And she has been on the team from it's inception. This card front is one she tangled a couple years ago and it is so wonderful...thanks Louise for all your  support for our team over the years. Pam and I have appreciated your consistent work and dedication to the team. Thanks again for all the wonderful Zentangle ZIA pieces you've contributed.

The beauty of this is hard to see ...because it is done in 3-D. Louise tangled the rolling hills stencil (LJ910)  and then photo copied it, colored it with inks, pens etc. and then cut the pieces out and popped them up with foam tape. It really reminds me of the heartland of our country ...maybe even Illinois, where Louise is from or South Dakota (my old stomping grounds).

I hope you'll continue to pop by and see what is done with stencils and connect to see where the Stampendous team  is headed as well. Come by tomorrow for the Showers of Showers challenge...you could win a stencil of your own choosing.

Showers of Showers-Week Four

For the month of April, the Dream Team designers are featuring "Showers of Showers" as our theme. Showers could mean actual rains, mists or cloudy days. It could mean a physical element of your design (like a shower of embossing powder), or it could be showers of flowers, bouquets or candy and of course the obvious ...like a baby shower or wedding shower or even a retirement shower (I'm sure there is such a thing). As usual, we'd love for you to play along. Just link your creation on the Dream It Up! blog for a chance to win the stencil of your choice...bonus chances for incorporating Dreamweaver and/or Stampendous in your design. Here's what I'm showering you with this week...

Yes, I went with the obvious this week...a wedding is coming and I need a special card. Wayne made this one using the bride stencil (LJ924). He traced the design with an 01 Micron Pen and used the following tangles: Florz for the outside of the skirt, Shattuck was the border of the skirt, Yincut for the center of the skirt, and Printemps for the bouquet and her hair. If you want to know more about how the tangles are drawn step-by-step go to Linda Farmer's site www.tanglepatterns.com. If you want to purchase stencils and micron pens go to www.stencilwithstyle.com.

Last week I was in Oregon and we had a baby shower for our daughter. So I am sharing a card that I made for her shower. Sad to say it wasn't with stencils or stamps, but I enjoyed the process non-the-less and purchased paper and stickers at a local discount store to make it happen. I used what was at hand while traveling and was tickled with the results, so decided to share it with you:

This first picture is of the outside of the card. I had seen this on pinterest some time ago and tried to find it again to give credit, but when I did there were so many similar cards made and 'pinned' as baby cards that I couldn't figure out who to give credit to. So if you are the originator of this card I apologize. When I make a card which has a distinctive  design inspiration I like to CASE appropriately. CASE means "copy and say everything", in other words please give credit. So whoever came up with this idea I want you to know I really enjoyed the process. The easiest thing about this card is that it didn't require much for equipment and materials other than paper, a trimmer to cut the paper and a few stickers. Wayne helped me out by cutting the base of the chest by drawing a "bracket" or parenthesis symbol and then cutting through two layers of paper using an X-acto knife. You might also be able to use a frame die that you have in your stash. He also printed out the sentiment on the inside on a piece of vellum and I added a few more stickers around the words and again on the outside of the envelope.

My mom said she's never liked the portion of the saying, "puppy dog tails" in the little poem about "what boys are made of", so we changed it to "salamander tails" to go along with the appropriate sticker of a salamander or gecko or lizard or whatever that critter is to the left of the sentiment. Yes, the sentiment is a bit sexist and of course could be made for a little girl as well. I have a college degree in Biology and loved entomology, ichthyology, herpetology, and all those other "ologies" so of course it could be what a little girl is made of too. The white card in the background is actually the front of the envelope. 

I have really enjoyed this past year posting with the present design team. As they go forward there will be new things happening. Stampendous will be taking full responsibility for a different Dreamweaver blog in May/June. I will continue to have my Dream it UP blog and will occasionally post with their team. Wayne and I have started a weekly post called Zensdays (usually posted on Wednesdays) and will continue to tangle and "sten-tangle" and join different challenges throughout the week. So stay tuned, and for the next couple of weeks please show your gratitude to this wonderful team by visiting those members blogging this week and leave them some TLC in the way of an encouraging comment or two:

Dream It Up!

Louise Healy

Lyn Bernatovich

Kristine Reynolds

Pam Hornschu

Gill Wilson

Cindy Groh 

An InLinkz Link-up