Have You Tried ZENTANGLES?

After reading an article in the Nov/Dec Cloth, Paper, Scissors about the art of Zentangles, I was intrigued. I have always loved to doodle, with my journal the perfect place to do so. I gathered my Pitt pens and started off, enjoying the mindless joy of doodling. As I understand it, most Zentangles are created strictly in black and white; but then again, there really are no rules to doodling, so I indulged my need for color with a little punch from Prismacolor pencils.

There is a Zentangle site which explains all one would ever need to know about the art form and even more intriguing is the Zentangle Flickr group with oodles of patterns to satisfy your curiosity. As I compared my first attempt with the fine work at the Flickr group, I see there is a long way to go before I reach that level of intricacy, but I surely did enjoy my first go-round.

© Nancy Lefko

New Melange Team Slideshow

You can also visit Melange teams members via their blogs posted at the Melange Team Blog.

Cloth, Paper, Scissors

January is a wonderful month for me in terms of publications; not one I imagine I'll ever be fortunate enough to duplicate.

The January/February issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors features my painted fabric collages (aka "scrappy valentines") in the Muse Flash section. This type of collaging is taught in my current workshop at Creative Workshops, so if it appeals to you, come on over to Creative Workshops and join the fun.



Images © Interweave Press

Sixty-Eight!!!!!!!!!

This doll was presented to me on my 60th birthday. Eight years later, most of those writings apply more now than they did back then. Thankfully, there are some that are no longer pertinent at all. There are a couple that never did happen, but may yet be in my future.

In spite of what's happening to my outside, I ascribe to the thoughts of Gertrude Stein, "We are always the same age inside." Much of the time I feel wiser from years of experience, but still young at heart. This delightful book is my present from the very young at heart man who married me more than forty-six years ago.
Go here and click on the play button to see all those black dots in action.

"Interpret This" - A New Venture

You may have noticed this icon that recently appeared in my sidebar.
It is a live link to take you to the weblog, Interpret This! which features a group I've joined with the intent of keeping me on my "creative toes". We are eleven quilters who have committed to a challenge of each interpreting a given photo within a month's period throughout this next year. Clicking on that icon will take you there to see what's going on. Right now introductions of each member are posted.

Each of us will have a chance to choose the featured photo to be interpreted beginning in February. That photo will be posted at the beginning of the month with a teaser reveal from each of us mid-month. The big reveal of completed challenges will be over a period of a few days at the end of the month. You are invited to be involved with your comments and responses, too! Go to the Interpret This! Blog to become a follower so you can keep up with the posts.

Right now introductions of each member are posted. Each of us is working on a self-portrait that will be revealed at the end of January ... with teasers posted mid-month. Each of us have the option of posting about our techniques and decisions on our own blogs after our pieces are revealed.

Today I've played with a few photos of my face on Photoshop Elements. Then did some tracing and sketching. I was pleased that my husband recognized the result as me when I asked him who he saw in those few drawn lines of eyes and lips in a face shape. I have a number of those altered photos printed out and pinned to my design board. Now I'm staring myself down trying to decide on how to depict "me" through my choices of material and technique. You'll get a clue about those decisions if you go to Interpret This a bit later this month.

Cyber Friends

Since I began blogging back in 2005, I have become cyber friends with quite a few people around the world. These friends have become a part of my daily life. There are aspects of their lives, personalities, and creative endeavors that I know as much, or more, about than I do of my "real life" friends.

I've had the pleasure of meeting two cyber friends ... to add faces, gestures, and expressions to the images formed of them in my mind. The first was Kay of "Out of the Basement". She came to meet me at Good Good's Gallery when I was the featured artist a year ago last September. If I hadn't been so steeped in prairie flowers this summer, I'm sure we would've gotten together to "play". I hope that can happen next summer.

The second was Karen of "Threadstory" while I was in Chicago for the holidays. We met for a quiet cup of tea at Starbucks before going to my son's house. I wanted our initial meeting to be without the confusion and intrusion of kids, animals, and husband.

Karen brought some of her wonderful art pieces for me to see ... and touch.Hearing Karen talk about her process and techniques for creating these pieces while holding them in my hands was pure pleasure. The rich textures created by her embroidery are amazing. The photo I took of them spread out on the sofa most certainly doesn't do them justice (someone's little fingers readjusted the setting dial on my camera which I didn't notice until much later). All of these pieces can be seen and read about on Karen's blog.

I would love to meet any of you, my cyber friends. If you are in my vicinity either here in Tennessee or in Michigan please let me know. If I visit your area, you'll get an email from me.

It's Play Time!

What does one do for fun while the boys play with their new Christmas loot and the snow piles up outside? Well, journal, of course.


Gathering up my journaling supplies: watercolor pencils, markers, collage elements, glue stick and Moleskine journal, I was ready to settle down by the fire. The falling snow and the sheer beauty of winter (and knowing that I wasn't the one who'd be shoveling) was all the inspiration I needed.


The snow has been falling for days and, with nowhere to go, I have enjoyed a great deal of journaling time. Today the aroma of a roast in the crock-pot and the sight of boys playing in the snow was the calm that my muse needed to create page after page.


In addition to my watercolor pencils, I played around with my Caran d'Ache water soluble crayons and water soluble oil pastels for a bit of bold color.

Gee, winter can be fun after all, even for those who prefer the fireside to Jack Frost nipping at your nose.

© Nancy Lefko