Frog template by Ben Kwok - Zentangle Inspired Art by me.

Here is a template by Ben Kwok at the group Ornation Creation  on Facebook that I started working on last night. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about using a representational template as the "string" for a Zentangle Inspired Artwork, but I think it is coming along nicely. Ben has some really cool templates to play with, I think I should have started with one of the Mandalas as it took me a while to get into the groove with this one, something non-representational might have been a better choice, but I am not unhappy with the way this is coming out. I'm too tired to work on it again tonight, but maybe tomorrow or over the weekend. 

Don't bother us... we're eating lunch...

My new job is going great. The first full week is over, and I am enjoying a nice snowy winter weekend, at home, doing a little Zentangling, some laundry, cooking and cleaning, and even had a visit from some deer in my back yard. These two came right up to the deck. I was filling the dish pan to do some dishes, when I glanced up out of the window above the sink and was startled to see them standing there. This photo was taken when I banged on the patio doors to get them to stop eating our poor little bush... they just looked at me and argued for me to leave them alone while they ate their lunch... I finally won the argument, and they high tailed it out into the woods.

I hope you all had a Happy Valentine's Day.

New Day Job

It's been quite a week. It all happened so fast, my head is still spinning. The big news is that I have a new day job that I started yesterday. It's for a distribution company that deals with convenience store products. Full time Marketing and Event Planning position.  I went for the interview and they hired me on the spot. I'm sure it had something to do with the great hair color & cut my brother gave me the night before, the "magic black boots" I had to borrow from a friend, and the fact that the previous designer that worked there is a friend of mine, that worked under me at a different job, and gave them a high recommendation for me before I even walked in the door.

It's a real full-time job, with benefits and a decent starting salary. I am so thrilled to have the job. I will be doing some things that I have not done "design wise" before, which will be interesting, and the trade show/company meetings they have once a year is the "event planning", which will take place in March.  I'm designing things for that like banners, posters, name tags, etc, and will be doing all the decorating (flower arrangements and decorations) for the meetings, meals and parties. The event is held at a big casino not too far from here.

Having to get dressed and go to work outside the house is a big change after four years of working from home. I was exhausted when I got home last night, but I am sure that was just the emotional stress of starting a new job. The people were all very nice and friendly. There is a temp designer that worked there for two months that is helping me get up to speed before she leaves next friday for another job.

The next couple of weeks are going to be crazy busy, as I will have to "moon-light" to get the designer who takes over for me at my other job up to speed and ready to take over that position, plus work the new job. But the magazines went to press on Thursday, so these would have been slow weeks for me at that job, and it shouldn't be too big of a problem. The timing for this for them was very bad, my old "boss" was in a car crash and has been in the hospital for over a week. I felt bad having to tell him I was quitting, but I have to do what is best for my family. Besides, he occasionally told me that "if the job wasn't working any more, that he wouldn't have any problems replacing me." We shall see.

Anyway, if I don't post on this blog very frequently for a while, there is no need for concern, now you know why. :)

Paper Roses Tangle Pattern I created

I think I have come up with my first tangle-pattern step-out. There is a pattern that it similar to it that I might have been thinking of when I drew mine, by Michele Beauchampe called "Popsicles", but mine starts with a heart and has more layers. I guess they call it a "Tangleation"in the Zentangle world. I received lots of comments and a request to draw the step out for the pattern, so I did. Patterns have been around forever, and I'm sure it has been done before, so I don't know, but I will share it anyway.

Hannah's Garden Update - Work in progress

My day-job work has been taking up a good deal of my time, but I did manage to find some time to work on this painting for the Hannah & Friends fundraiser. I added a touch of pink to the color scheme for this painting, I think it will look good when it is done. I might do a little more with this painting tonight after dinner, right now it is sitting on the easel breathing and waiting on me to decide when it needs next. :)

Progress on Hannah's Garden

This is what I got done on this painting since I last posted. Still a long way to go, but the day-job beat my butt today, it's 9:30 pm and I just finished up for the day... I think I need a little "couch potato" time... tomorrow is another day. :)

More work in progress...

Here is the progress I made on the painting last night. I really enjoyed working on it. Classical music playing in the background, painting, appreciating and admiring each step in the process. It's starting to feel very "garden-ish" to me, and since I am painting it for the Hannah & Friends fundraiser, I might just name it "Hannah's Garden"... we will have to wait and see if the name still fits when it is completed.