Zentangles 101...

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a class at Scrapbook Cupboard in Bridgewater given by artist Toni Henneman, a certified zentangle trainer. Shown here are the three designs I created under her guidance and instruction (a bit primitive, but okay). I took this beginner class out of curiosity because I had heard so much about zentangles; I now look forward to an intermediate class.
A life-long doodler, I have learned how to create art instead of just doodles. As promised, the practice of creating a zentangle proved to be a focused, calming activity...I think could just get lost in the doing and forget everything that's happening around me! Such fun!

So pretty, so delicate, so pink...

No....it's not a new baby girl! It's the beautiful ATCs I have received from my dear friend Judy as we begin our third year of swapping. Such a lovely surprise when I opened my mail, to see these cards...a breath of springtime to warm my mid-winter blues. Judy wrote "This year my inspiration comes from the devastation in Haiti. It makes me think about our good fortune, with gratitude."
Thank you, Judy, for these bits of hope.

Something new...

A recent session at Scrapbook Cupboard in Bridgewater resulted in the creation of this metal sampler. Working with metal is relatively new for me, though I have tried it once or twice before, but not to this extent. With each sample we learned a new technique for altering the sheet of metal - embossing, debossing, antiquing, etc. We used a variety of tools, molds, paints and inks to achieve the various effects. My favorite sample is #4 (middle row, first column). To better view the image, click on it to bring up an enlarged photo.
I've also been working on ATCs for recent & upcoming swaps, which I will share as soon as I get them scanned.