Merry Christmas

Hi there everyone ... I would like to wish you all a Safe and Happy Merry Christmas and New Year.  

It has been an interesting year to say the least.   I will be taking the rest of December, and all of January 2012, off from my quilting business (Purrfectly Quilted).    Shop orders made through Jane Monk Studio from today until the 30 January will be processed fortnightly during January.

I hope next year will bring some great opportunities for us all to continue our obsession with Zentangle and stretch ourselves to see where we can take it in the context of our art and creativity.    So take care over the holidays, thank you all very much for your support through my blog ... it is nice to know I am not rambling on to myself sometimes.

Happy Tangling into 2012....Jane x

Mixed Media Postcard Swap 2012

Musings on Realities is having a 2012 Mixed Media Postcard Swap ... you make 10 mixed media postcards to send and you get 10 back.    

I am joining in this swap as it will give me something a little different to do over the holidays.  I have a couple of folders from when I was swapping ACT's - both fabric and fine art.    They are absolutely adorable to sit and browse through every now and again.  So Postcards will be added to my little collection.

Go and check out Shannon's blog post about it.

Cheers
Jane

My drawing before Zentangle

I haven't really been doing much drawing lately, but thought you might like to see some of my ATC's that I was doing before I had heard the concept of Zentangle.   Black and White was something that I have always loved to do, and mosaic type of ensembles as well.   Interesting I think.

Hope everyone is having a nice time getting ready for the festive celebrations and remembering to take some time out for yourself to be creative.

Happy tangling for now ... Jane x

Purrfectly Quilted ... thought you might like to know

I posted this over on my other blog Purrfectly Quilted and thought you might like to know also.....

I sometimes do Custom Quilting for customers. These quilts take longer to do than the usual Edge to Edge quilts as the quilting is individual and more often than not, designed by me. Sometimes I can have the quilt machine tied up with a custom quilt for two weeks at a time.

I do not have a computerised quilting machine - I use an APQS Millennium that is hand guided (this means that I move the quilt machine to create the stitches and patterns - it is all in my hands and head). I don't use a lot of rulers or stencils. I call it Freehand Custom Quilting and this allows me to use my artistic and technical ability.

Next year I will only be doing a limited number of custom quilted quilts, and I already have four booked in. So if you have something special you wish to be custom quilted by me, make sure you leave plenty of time and book it in well before you need it completed. This also means that I will have a quicker turn around for Edge to Edge and AllOver quilts ... so call me to arrange an obligation free quote to have your quilt quilted by me here at Purrfectly Quilted. (Contact: 0438 302 515)

Also, I have been working hard to bring you a project that you can make using my Zentangle for Quilters style of freehand quilting on your domestic sewing machine. January 2012 issue of Quilters Companion will feature my project and accompanied by a DVD ... I hope you all enjoy this project and the brief look at Zentangle for Quilters.

I will be teaching at the September 2012 Australian Machine Quilters Festival, held in the city of Adelaide, South Australia - both a domestic machine quilting class and a longarm machine quilting class - This second AMQF Festival is going to be a fantastic event and even Ricky Tims is coming - don't miss it!

I am also very very happy to say that I will also be teaching at the Taupo Sympostium Fabric Art Festival in New Zealand, to be held in 2013...which is really not that far away.

Happy Quilting for now .... Jane

Christmas Fruit Cake Muffin Recipe

I posted this picture over on my FaceBook page and everyone loved it ... so I thought I would share the recipe with you all here as well. 

I hope you enjoy them ... these are just mini bite sized little mouthfuls of Christmas joy.

Fruit Cake Muffins

300g unsalted butter

1200g – a mixture of currants, sultanas raisins, mixed fruit, chopped dates (really whatever you want to add as far as this type of dried berries go)

360g brown sugar

2 cups water

2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoon ground ginger (powdered)

2 teaspoon mixed spice

2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Mix all the above ingredients together in a large pot and bring to the boil, allow to cool.

Once coolish ... add the following and mix really well together:

4 beaten eggs

300g Plain

300g Self Raising flour (Sift the two flours together – although I only used  600g SR Flour as that is what I had)

Mix together all ingredients well.

Add mixture to your muffin pans/cases.   Cook at 170degrees Celcius for approximately 25 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

This mix makes about 40 – 45 normal sized patty cake sized muffins.   I like to use the mini ones.

When cakes are cooked and cooled, I like to add white icing and cherries on top.

I use the roll out kind of white icing  (Orchid White Icing) available at Woolworths.

I also make a little sugar syrup (1 part water to 2 parts sugar and heat in microwave until sugar dissolved)  brush this onto the tops of the cakes while it is hot and then stick down the white icing shapes.   Sprinkle with icing sugar/powder and then I put a glace cherry on top.

If you want to make a smaller batch, just halve each ingredient exactly.

Enjoy & Merry Christmas from Jane @ Jane Monk Studio!

7 Billion People out there now

 Did you know that there are now (proabably a few more) 7 Billion people in the world.   I know it was all over the news a little while ago ... I'm slow to catch up sometimes.     

You can see what number you were when you were born ...   

Apparently I am number  3,400,453,932nd person to be born.   
So in the 45 years I have been hanging about, we have doubled our population. Wow!

If you want to find out what number person in the world you are ... Click Here 

New Tangle Pattern - Fysh

I really am into circles lately and was revisiting my journal to see what I had done .. this was way back in May this year... then I thought ... did I show you this tangle pattern of mine ...   I call these ones Fysh.

 They remind me of sea creatures and go really really well with the Zentangle pattern "Squid" as a centre.

Here are a whole bunch of single ones ... they really do lend themselves to personalisation.


Enjoy and Happy Tangling for now ... Jane

Meant to say ... you can see them in my previous post of coloured flowers ... yep that's them Fysh there posing as flowers!  

I've been playing in my Journal

 I have been having fun with some ideas for String Lines ...  these ones are all running parallel horizontally and I have drawn a message in them, tangled the outside border.   These would be a great little gift tag or something like that for someone special.   Think of Christmas messages for your presents to those who are special to you.  (note here:  I celebrate Christmas, but if you dont' you could use the idea for your special celebrations throughout the year)

You could really go to town with these, what fun!

 And I have been quite immobile over the past week or so as a result of the SLE (lupus) that I have ... so I have been playing with my journal trying to cheer myself up! My hands can sometimes be quite wonky, so using watercolours help to make things look good.

This is something I truly believe - if you dream it, you will make it come true!  Dreams are the impetus to drive us forward to achieve that which we crave.   I used to dream of a little cottage overlooking the water and mountains when I was young ... for the past 12 years that is exactly where I have lived.  And I am sure I have seen my husbands face in my dreams before I met him!

It all comes down to Happiness ... it is life's contentment that makes me happy.  What about you?

 And here I loved playing with letters ... some styles are inspired by those I have seen in calligraphy books.   I am not a calligrapher, but sure would like to be able to turn a nice letter.

 Hmmmm ... thinking about all things fishing and my husband's story on how big the fish was that took his hook.

 Flowers, who doesn't love them with their glorious colours.

 And we all need sunshine in our lives.

Look ... more word strings ... almost all coloured in. 

Well ... I hope you are having a great week wherever you are.  I love Journalling in my down times as they make me take a look at how I am travelling and where I would like to head on my next adventure here at home!

Happy tangling for now ... Jane x

An Update on "Connections"

I thought you might like to see my progress on this huge drawing.  I've only shown you a little corner of it before, so here is the whole thing.

There are so so many circles, little circles and big circles.

You can see there is still a way to go with this and I only work on it when I need a little peace and quiet.

Connections.

Enjoy ... but don't copy.

Happy Tangling for now ... Jane x

Please don't call it a Doodle

High up on my horse right now!   I have noticed quite a few people calling what they do "doodles".   If you are intentionally using paper and pen, pencil or any other medium to make deliberate marks on paper - you are DRAWING (sorry about the raised voice).    Doodling is mindless, no direction, no intention and your mind is occupied elsewhere.   In a meeting, I doodle - my mind is concentrating on what the speaker is saying, or in some cases, what I am cooking for dinner.   While on the phone, I doodle - my mind is thinking about what I am saying, whom I am saying it to etc .... do you get the picture.

So, in my opinion (and you don't have to agree with me), when you intentionally draw something it is called a drawing.   When you intentionally draw something using the Zentangle method of string and patterns, you are tangling and you have created a Zentangle.    

I know that a lot of you, probably most of you, put in a lot of effort and thought into what you draw, so please don't degrade it by calling it Doodling.   You are drawing. 

Okay, hopping off the horse before I get bucked off for now.

Happy tangling .... Jane x

The winner is number 7

The winner is Number 7 ... that is Raylene (for Molly) 
I hope you enjoy it Molly.

Thank you to everyone for entering ... I hope you have been inspired to make your own book of tangles.

Happy Tangling for now ... Jane x

A Zentangle Tile Book Giveaway (Now Closed 1.11.2011)

 Last night I made this little book using a whole pack of pre-strung Zentangle tiles and a couple of blank tiles as the book inside covers.   I have also added a few blank tiles to the back.

The best thing about this "book" is that you can take the tiles out and change them around as the clips open.

 I used a nice sheet of velum for the covers.

I only had blue clips to secure the book ... but they don't look too bad.   They could be changed for ribbon or braid.

The book open.

Leave a post and tell me why you would like to own this book ...

I will announce a winner (at my discretion) on Tuesday 1st of November before 8am my time in Tasmania Australia.

Happy Tangling for now ... Jane x

A New Tangle Pattern - "Strata"

You may have noticed this new tangle pattern in a few of my tangles over the past months.   I thought I would share the steps with you.  Basically you draw shapes and connect them with straight lines, I like to use multiples of three going every which way.  If you look at my last post in the bottom left hand corner you can see this pattern and how I have used it.  Also the post before that, in the second photo - I have used Strata as the background for the Zentangle pattern Hollibaugh.   It reminds me of the, well, Strata of the earth.

I hope you enjoy it and show me some tangles that you create using this pattern.    Happy Tangling for now ... Jane x

New Tangle with a different string

 This is an A4 sized tangle - letter size for you Americans.
I wanted to do a tangle using my name as the string, so with my pencil I drew Jane on the landscape plane and Monk on the portrait plane.  You can just about see it now the tangle is finished.   I had fun doing this one.  
You can see here it is done in ink but not yet shaded.

This one is shaded ... I just love the magic that shading gives a drawing. 

Have a go at using your own name as a tangle.   This would also make a great gift, using the recipient's name - very cool I think!

Hope you all have a wonderful week tangling!  Jane x

A little more done

 I have done a little more of my latest large picture.   Those circles are taking hours to do ... but are quite relaxing and enjoyable.

This is a tangle that I completed in my journal recently.   My journal is nearly full and I will be starting another Moleskein journal soon.    This was the journal I took with me to Zentangle CZT#4 in October 2010 - seems so long ago and it has been an eventful journey so far.

Happy tangling everyone ... Jane x

Welcome New CZT's

I would like to congratulate all the new CZT's that have just completed training with Rick & Maria (Zentangle) in Providence last week.  There was even Michelle from my own home town here in Tasmania - so a big Congratulations to her also.   It brings back great memories of my time over there last year.  If you want to see more check out this posting from Zentangle http://zentangle.blogspot.com/2011/10/czt-seminar-7.html

Work in progress.

Zentangle inspired art ... work in progress - this is a quarter of the page and so far has taken around 20 hours.  I am using a Sakura Pigma Micron 005 pen on Archers hot pressed smooth watercolour paper.  10 x 17 inches.

I think I'm going to call this one "Connections"

Zentangle Inspired Quilting ... on DVD

 Last week I was here ...

 Yes ... at the Wiggles Hot Potato Studios in Sydney

 With this lovely lady
Clare Mooney - Editor of Quilters Companion.  (The one on the right is me ... hmmm I do look different with short hair, makeup etc etc!)

 In this room

 Using this wonderful brand spanking new top of the range Janome Horizon Memory  Craft 12000 - only being released this year. Nice.

 Showing you all a little bit of how I do things in a Zentangle way on a sewing machine with thread and fabric.  Those small stitched tangles on this quilt were done on my domestic sewing machine - they are the size of a traditional tangle tile - 3.5 x 3.5inches.

 There will be a project for you to do as well ... this is the "alternate" colourway.

 This is one of the blocks ... look familiar to you?

And then these lovely guys took lots of film of my very own quilts that I got together to take with me.  I needed four at least - only finished that stripy one on Monday last week!

So there you have it ... in January 2012 you will be able to buy a DVD showing how to do a little bit of Zentangle drawing, and a whole heap of my Zentangle inspired Quilting.  I'll keep you posted of the release date.   Initially the release will be with Issue 53 of Quilters Companion and the DVD will accompany that issue with the project that is in it.    I will also have a number of copies for sale.

It has been a very busy month or so getting ready for this DVD shoot.  I was nervous and it might show on film, I missed a few things that I wanted to say but they all were very nice and told me that I did well - only had to do one re-take!  It was a lot of fun to work with all these people and I learnt a whole lot of new interesting stuff!    So I am going to be a little quiet on the blog front for awhile as I catch up on some customer quilting that I need to get done asap.    Happy tangling ... Jane x   PS... I know I don't have to remind you that all of these images are my copyright - so please do not repost or copy them - I worked hard to design my quilts and pattern work.  thanx.

Toucan - Coloured Pencil Painting

My Toucan is finished ... I have used Fabriano Artistico watercolour paper and Polychromos coloured pencils.   I am pretty happy with it and my feather work is getting better, although I didn't quite achieve the nice curve of his shoulder.     Anyway this is just a quick post ... have some tangly news for you all next week.  Cheers for now ... Jane x  

Edit to add:  The correct name for this bird is a Keel Billed Toucan ... I used Faber-Castell Polychromos artists' colour pencils on Fabriano Artistico Hot Pressed Extra White Watercolour Paper - 300gsm.

Once again my photo reference was taken by Tambako

Almost forgot about my girl's photo

This was my girl "Shadow" on the weekend ... happily sharing our son's bed ... mainly because the boy cats were on my bed!

 Next week I will have a fabric feast for you all ... a reveal of one of my Zentangle inspired projects.

See you all then ... happy Tangling for now.  Jane x

This is the Life!

 Jet - basking in the sun on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning!

Merlin - always on the edge.

My boys are three years old this month and are still very playful like kittens when they are not being totally lazy!

Something Different

 Ice and Snow make ordinary things spectacularly beautiful.   These are some photos I took a few months ago now ... in the middle of winter. 

Enjoy ... I hope everyone has a great weekend ...  Jane x

A Challenge to make someone's day.

I have been watching everyone's weekly Diva Challenges  - they are great, fantastic and very inspiring.  But ... I don't see much else on your blog sites anymore ...    I thought I would offer my own challenge to you all!

Create a Zentangle tile (you know the ones - lol) 
You don't have to sign the back if you don't want to ... but add the date~! Make sure you take a picture. 

Then the next time you are walking down the street, stop someone and give it to them with a smile and tell them it is for them and wish them a great day!  If you don't feel comfortable doing this, or it is not safe to do it where you live - give it to someone you know.

Create a Zentangle for no reason other than to make someone you don't know smile!

Post your picture to your blog ... you can link back here if you like and tell us what the reaction was and how it made "you" feel.

Make more than one if you like.

Enjoy.
Jane x

An Update

The Macaw is finished....for now!

The Toucan has had some more done ... not there yet.

And I started a Lion's eye ... this will also give me some good practise at doing fur close up.  This one has a long long way to go yet!


Enjoy looking ... Jane x

I can if a Toucan

The next drawing is well underway .... this time I am using Faber-Castell Polychromos artists' colour pencils on Fabriano Artistico Hot Pressed Extra White Watercolour Paper - 300gsm. 

Once again my photo reference was taken by Tambako (you can look him up on Flickr).  His photographs are beautiful.

As you can see I am doing a few bird drawings.   I would love to do a series of Australian Birds, but need some reference photographs.


Can't wait until the weekend when I will be able to get back to this one ... Jane

Almost done

 Been a productive weekend ... this is the Macaw ... nearly finished now.

I thought I would go through what I had done, but am too tired ... some of the steps are shown below.   I might come edit it in the next few days and put in more of the base layer photos.

I am really happy how he pops off the page.   You know, I really didn't know that I could draw like this - well I knew I could draw - but not like this with coloured pencils ... I really do love it a lot - very satisfying.
Enjoy.  Jane

 Beak finished, doing more layering on the feather areas.   The beak has maybe 10 layers of colour.

 More layering on the feathered areas ... I ended up putting about 12 layers down.

 The black chest feathers are done and I am starting to put the feather details in on the orange/green areas.  Also more on the face ... lots of wrinkles on that face.

 A close up of the nearly finished pic...forgot to turn the flash off so the beak/face looks a bit washed out.

My work space