Feeling a Zen Zone coming on...

"Reach high,

for stars lie hidden in your soul.

Dream deep,

for every dream precedes the goal."

- Mother Teresa

Today is a zen day!

Zentangle day that is!

blank notecard by inkspired

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

Have you caught the zentangle bug?

Love to doodle?

Draw random designs?

Then ZENTANGLE is for you!

original zentangle design blank notecard by inkspired

I have doodled for years.

Drawn all sorts of things in the borders of all my school notes,

numerous notebooks and sketchbooks,

and on church bulletins!

blank notecard, www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

"Dancing with the feet is one thing,

but

dancing with the heart is another!"

- anonymous, a very prolific writer

original zentangle design blank note card by inkspired

So, what exactly is 'zentangle'?

Well, it is a catch phrase for drawing repetitive designs,

aka: doodling!,

usually with pen and ink,

but can also be pencil, colored markers, and more.

zentangle turtle on hand woven recycled paper scrap

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

While the art of repetitive drawing has been around for centuries, there has been a recent revival in the arts and crafts world thanks in a large part to Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Their use of repetition combined with meditation type thinking has been coined as “Zentangle”.

palm tree original zentangle design by inkspired, 2013.

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

To put it simply,

you get to doodle with a purpose,

in an abstract way, or a representative way

with any writing utensil you may have at hand!

There are no wrongs or rights.

What a freedom for the artist

or the wanna be artist

or the non-artist!

:0)

Now, I hear people say all the time

"I'm not creative".

Hogwash!!

We are all created in the image of G-d.

The Bible states that very clearly,

both Old Testament and New Testament.

Is G-d not creative?

Just look at the intricacy of a leaf....

csillacserep.wordpress.com

lacy leaf, www.flickr.com

or the humor and design of a platypus....

www.biolligado.com.br

www.livescience.com

or how about the patterns and designs we find in nature?

tropical discus fish

www.panoramio.com

Do these not show the creativity of a Creator?

I think the answer is a resounding

YES!!!

So, logically,

if we are created in the image of God,

and God is a creative being,

and is named

'The Creator'

therefore, 

we must be also

creative!!

ocean coral reef

www.wikimedia.com

In fact, nature has many inspirations for zentangle.

Look around, see what patterns you can see!

Doodle!

Remember, there is no wrong zentangle.

blog.lib.umn.edu

Goddess, part of my Goddess zentangle series of blank notecards

by inkspired

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

an original inkspired design 2013

I hope I have inspired you today to try out this wonderful creative outlet!

DO please share your images.

I would love to post them in a future blog!!

:0)

What is your favorite drawing medium?

Just leave a note in the comments section.

We can work out what size I need for posting your creations too!

Forest Tribal Goddess

original inkspired design, Goddess series, blank note card

until next time,

inkspired

www.inkspired.etsy.com

www.collagepaperpainting.etsy.com

www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com

and on pinterest:

kkloberdans

August's Gladiolus Flower and Meanings of Flowers

hoi

(Dutch, for a very informal 'hello')

Time to Sing

original ooak Collage Art Doll by inkspired

www.inkspired.etsy.com

Today I will cautiously try to publish a new blog.

I'm feeling a little 'gun-shy'.

I haven't heard from anyone yet on whether they have experienced

the same problems with blogspot,

or if I am just a favored blogspot "let's-pick-on-someone" person.

That feels too much like Junior High and High School

where you know everyone is staring at you!

Ah, what a horrible time period.

I do not understand people that say high school was the best time of their life.

What?

They seriously need to move on and create a new life for now!

Do I ever wish I could go back and do things over?

Not really.

I like the maturity and wisdom and mellowness that age offers.

If I hadn't gone through all that angst & experiences both good and bad

I would not be the person I am today.

I kinda' like the person I have evolved into.

Not the body,

wouldn't mind a new one of those!

:0)

duck billed platypus rubber stamp

http://www.vivalasvegastamps.com/

Let's have a little fun with gladiolus' today!

I will not write a book.

I will not write a book.

I will not write a book.

Perhaps we will just have a little fun with gladioulus'!

Leonid Afremov painting

Gladiolus is one of the flowers for the month of August.

Poppy is the other one, which I will save for another day.

The Gladioli flower is commonly referred to by the name of its' genus -

Gladiolus,

the plural form of which can be

Gladiole,

Gladioluses

or

Gladioli.

http://www.wellpromo.com/

 

Gladiolus spikes are available in a wide variety of colors including

white, yellow, orange, pink, purple and red.

Quite the flower rainbow!

 

The genus gladiolus has 260 species,

250 of them are native to sub-Saharan Africa,

mostly South Africa.

About 10 species are native to Eurasia.

Most of the more than 10,000 named Gladioli cultivars were probably derived

from just seven species native to South Africa!

These were first brought to European gardens in the late 17th century.

So what did a Gladiolus in a bouquet mean

to that Victorian Lady who received them?

Well, there were several!

Hopefully the other flowers in the bouquet helped express the correct meaning.

The gladiolus flower signifies remembrance.

It also expresses infatuation,

telling the receiver that she (or he) pierces the heart.

It also stands for strength of character,

faithfulness,

and honor!

but wait.....there's more!

The Gladiolus means Love at first sight.

Oh dear, there are even more....

The Gladiolus symbolizes sincerity and loyalty.

glads n cake by http://www.mamamin.com/

For those of you who are into 'elements',

the Gladiolus flower is Fire.

"I know that if odour were visible, as colour is,

I'd see the summer garden in

rainbow clouds."

- Robert Bridges

'Alaska Glads' by http://www.edenbrothers.com/

There are several interesting stories about how the flower got it's name,

legend and lore about the flower

and some more meanings!

I am saving these for another day, as

I will not write a book.

I will not write a book.

I will not write a book.

Really!

Feelin' kinda punky today, so that's it for now.

:0)

Drop me a comment, let me know what you think,

what you would like me to cover,

what kinds of subjects you would like in the future.

I have not recently done a craft,

or art tutorial,

or focused on a project.

I plan on adding those in again.

Have suggestions?

I won't know them unless you comment!

I do love to blog....

:0)

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

http://www.proflowers.com/