Following Yonder Star

Hey there tangling friends!



The season of Advent is upon us and our lives will be frazzled for the next few weeks, but my eye is on the journey to the stable and the true reason for the season - whilst battling through stuffed shops, wading through piles of cards to be made and then written, the annual fight with Sellotape and wrapping paper and hurried conversations as we rush to the next task.













There has to be some slowing down, pausing to reflect on the Gift of Love, stopping to spend time with your loved ones. I may just be able to help you slow down a little, take half an hour to mindfully colour these stars I've designed for you. Concentrate on the strokes of the pencil and shut out the din of all those demands, meditate on what Christmas means for you and your loved ones.

Here's the link...Christmas Stars

Here are the progress shots of the process of drawing stars. I used a compass, protractor and ruler to draw the circles and mark off sections to give me as many points of stars as I want. As you can see, there are some with 4 points, 5 points, 6, 8 and 10.

I'm hoping to do a tutorial for this type of mandala after Christmas to show you all how easy it is!

Here are a couple of the stars with added colour.

Have a blessed Advent.

Wholehearted Inspirations - Kind Words for the Soul

Hello my tangling friends,

I have taken the plunge and created a Facebook group called Wholehearted Zen, Gems and Inspiration. I keep doing these brave things and the support from the tangling community is amazing. I am blessed to be part of it. 

Click here to join us. 

This is the picture I have drawn for the group

I wanted to be able to share my drawings with a little inspiration too. So each drawing should have some Zentangle inspired art and an inspiring quote – this could be anything uplifting…as I’m a Christian I will sometimes post Bible or faith-full quotes…everyone is free to post from any faith or none, from any Holy book, from poetry, from inspiring people, or even just one word.  I’d love to see gemstones on your pictures too. ALL are WELCOME.

The first group challenge is to share your favourite quote - what has really inspired you? Helped you through tough times? Or captured a memory perfectly?

Hope is an anchor for my soul Hebrews 6:19

This is my favourite, inspiring and comforting Bible passage.

















This is my first go at a black gem. I'm rather pleased with it and will definitely be doing more. The grey paper always shows off colours really well. I'm still learning to shade with colours and coloured paper some how makes it easier.



Never ending Grace. 

Be still. Breathe. Take five minutes to calm yourself in the chaos of modern life.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10



(Click here for the link to my turquoise ebook tutorial)

This drawing was great fun! Reminds me of a jungle with the stripes and leaves! It also reminds me that sometimes I just have to have faith and let go of worries.

Finally, here's a sneak peak at what else I'm working on.

Sssshhh! Christmas is Coming...

This last week or so, I've been trying to start plans and preparations for (sshhh!) Christmas. I've decided to hand make our Christmas cards, as I've done for the last few years. This year I'm working on black paper, to add a little sparkle, and on tan paper, which is helping me to learn how to shade with colour pencils.

I'm not sure why coloured paper lends itself more easily to working with coloured pencils, but you can see on these tiles how much more effective the colours are, as opposed to white paper. It seems to really make the drawing pop off the page and I'm so pleased with the results. These drawings will be great on Christmas cards, probably with added glitter if my kids help!!

I have used Eni Oken's Glow on the Dark technique for these black paper snowflakes. There's also a turquoise gemstone in the middle of the top picture.

The blues on these two pictures aren't showing up as well as in real life, you'll have to take my word for it that they look great!

This week I have also drawn a large snowflake mandala, the template of which is listed on Etsy. Children and adults will love to colour this, giving you an hour of mindful relaxation during the crazy chaos of Christmas. You can use blues like I have to make a snowflake or you could use reds and greens, turning it into a Christmas wreath. There's a turquoise gemstone in the middle of this one too! Get my guide to drawing turquoise stones here...Turquoise Guide

Get the snowflake mandala download here...Snowflake

My Coloured Snowflake Closeup

All the wintry designs together

Turquoise has taken over my life!

What a busy and exciting week I have had. The launch of my Guide to drawing Turquoise Gems has been slightly nerve racking, but the feedback I've had from friends and buyers has been amazing. Just one of the reviews...
"I am so happy I ordered this. It's the perfect addition to my library. There are a number of really good and useful tips and it will certainly help me in creating those gorgeous gems."

I have coloured this A5 design, which shows some of the many different colours of this stone. You will receive this sheet blank when you download the Guide, but only for a limited time. (It's an A4 sheet, which has two different designs on it, ready for practicing those stones!)

Find the Step by Step guide here...
Guide to Drawing Turquoise Gems with free practice sheet

I also finished the mandala that I have put the blank template of on Etsy. Of course, I had to colour it turquoise! Find the downloadable design here...Mandala blank template

The completed Mandala is now framed and you can buy it here...
Framed Blue Chakra Mandala

Well, after all the fun and excitement, I really needed some time to switch off and get into the Zen Zone. So I spent some time with a new to me tangle pattern, Fun Cycle. I love this pattern and can see many possibilities with it - not least adding a few gems (probably turquoise!) 

Finally, I have drawn some turquoise stones that have a hint of purple...

Thank you for reading. Sending oodles of blessings to you.