Just Winging It

Last week was my birthday and it was the best birthday ever! Because I got to spend it with 200 or so of my CZT family at ZenAgain!

My first birthday gift: A lovely journal from Rita Nikolajeva, a CZT from Belgium

And I got 130 CZTs plus Rick & Maria to autograph it.

My wonderful birthday gifts. I was such a happy birthday girl!

It is amazing how many lovely, generous, caring, and talented people are interested in Zentangle. How blessed I am to have been surrounded by them or four days!

The birthday girl, CZT Amy Broady from TN, CZT Tess Imobersteen from WI

Dinner with Bonnie Browning, Margaret Bremner, and Sue Jacobs.

The theme of the conference was “just wing it.” I very much resonate with this. When I left home 10 days ago, I only knew  where I’d be sleeping for 3 of those nights. Alexa and I always said that travel has taught us to think on our feet! Sometimes we plan for it as in this trip, sometimes it seems to happen no matter how hard we plan. But we always have good stories to tell.

I will admit that I am one of those people who does not like to be stuck on a schedule. I prefer to be in the moment and going with the flow. That is one of the reasons I so enjoy Zentangle.

When I saw that the diva challenge was reticula and fragments, I almost cringed. Among all of the fun and exciting things we did at ZenAgain, we also did several of these. I love the concept of reticula and fragments. It is a great way of creating new patterns. I love the result. But, I found the execution somewhat, dare I say, tedious. I did not feel creative. I felt like I do when walking on a treadmill: just waiting for the time to be done.

Barb Round, CZT from Vancouver Island demonstrating her reticula & fragments class.

I liked that kind of repetition better in quilting.  I like the more free-form tangles, like mooka, flux, and the new drawings.

I did square reticula and fragments at zenAgain, so I picked a triangular one: from the Zentangle Primer reticula F-3 and fragment H-16

Diva Challenge

Diva Challenge in Moonlight on the new Black apprentice tiles.

Diva challenge #2

A sampling of work from classes at zenAgain:

My first two 3Z tiles. I LOVE these things. Can’t wait to teach a class on them.

Our first 3Z table mosaic.

Our second 3-Z table mosaic.

3Z frenzy

New tangle? Yes, please. We got 4. Can’t wait to share them with my students.

Zendala from Margaret Bremner’s class. Moonlight pens from Sakura’s gift bag.

Gneiss – also from Margaret’s class. When in doubt – add sparkle!

Gratuitous photography because we had some lovely fall weather and who doesn’t love New England in the fall?