Sunday, June 15, 2014

EVOLUTION OF MY MOOKAS #8 : Update (finally)

Oh my! I did not realize that I haven't updated this blog in 10 months!  Sorry!  Last June, I started a FaceBook group, Zentangle Explorations. I had never started a FB group before and had to learn a lot of new things.  The group was designed to be a place where tanglers (and doodlers, etc) could post their works in whatever media they were working.  It was also to be a place where people could get not only inspiration, but also help to learn more about this new art form.  The group took off and grew much more rapidly than I ever dreamed it would. We are finishing our first year of existence and this week we registered our 1800th member and already are approaching number 1900!  As you can imagine, it was taking more and more of my time every day to maintain it. Also, I was teaching at the local Senior Center.  I teach a 10-week course to seniors who are just entering the world of computers and internet.  Many of them have never even seen a computer. By the end of the 10 weeks, they not only can run programs on their computers and use e-mail and surf the internet safely, they have learned how to care for their computer systems to prevent damage and wear and tear, etc.  On top of that, I have started teaching a Zentangle Inspired Art group at the senior center.  It meets once a month for 3 hours and is entering its 7th month of existence.  No, I am not a Certified Zentangle Teacher.  However, I am a ZTA, as you probably are too.  What is a ZTA?  That is a ZENTANGLE ARTIST, or perhaps more truthfully, a ZENTANGLE ADDICT!

Finally, I admitted I had too much on my plate and asked for help. The members of the Zentangle Exploration group are so wonderful and helpful.  I now have two co-administrators.  They have taken on some of the work of maintaining the group. It is wonderful! They are doing a marvelous job and I now have some free time to do things which I had let go for awhile. This includes working on this blog, doing some of my own tangling, writing some articles for the ZE group newbies, etc.  This week I posted 2 parts of a projected 6 or 7 part article about the different grids that are used in tangling and how they are used, how they can be used to change the basic tangles, etc.

And for this blog?  Yes, I definitely have some new things to post here.  As far as growth in Mookas, I have a new 'grinch' mooka, and 2 or three more that don't have names yet. I also need to post several new tangles.  I also have several new desert tangles in development. Oh, yes, some new sources for tangling materials, such as black round coasters to tangle on with white inks, colored inks, metallic inks, etc.  I have also developed a "Tangle Selection Kit" for those times when you just can't make up your mind what to use, or what project to start.  Actually, the paper part of the kit is available for free in the ZE files.  You just need the special dice (24 sided) to go with it.  (Will post the source in where to find ZT equipment here.)

As you can see, I have been very busy preparing to update this blog.  I plan to bring it up to date by next weekend.  This is just a  notice that the blog is active again and to whet your appetite. <grin>

Until next week, meet the Grinchy-ooka and Happy Tangling!