Friday 20 December 2013

Zentangle Inspired Christmas Cards

These are my two submissions for The Diva's Weekly Challenge #148: "Merry Happy" where her brief is:

"In the spirit of the Holidays, this week's challenge is to create a piece or tile for your own holidays. Whatever you celebrate, however you celebrate."

My two cards have basically the same layout but didn't start off that way. Both, however, were the result of persevering & finding a way round mishaps (or perhaps I should say opportunities since there are no mistakes in Zentangle).


tangles: Huggins, Hurry

The first was going to be a large ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Artwork) simply matted on gold cardstock before mounting onto a card base. I'd tangled all of it including a wide frame of Meer & had shaded the Huggins (using Derwent Coloursoft pencils with a paper stump & Sansador) when I stopped to sort out the sponges in the little pot I use for keeping a small amount of the Sansodor for dipping my paper stumps into. In so doing a drop of Sansodor landed on my artwork but thankfully only on the frame portion. Chopping off the frame meant that I had a square slightly smaller than a Zentangle tile which I mounted onto a 4 inch square of black cardstock with rounded corners. The snowflakes are die-cuts (using Spellbinders Shapeabilities Create-A-Flake Three). The stars were drawn using a Pinflair Stepper Template.


tangles: Cruffle, Flux

The second card uses an Official Zentangle Tile edged in black ink (Memento Tuxedo Black Dual Marker) mounted onto a 4 inch square of black cardstock with rounded corners & another 4 snowflakes as in the first, red cardstock instead of gold & a black card base. My mishap here occurred as I was going to shade the leaves using a single green Derwent Coloursoft pencil with the paper stump & Sansador. Despite heat setting my Sakura Pigma Micron penwork it smudged badly whereas in my first card it had not. The only difference between the two was my substrate: in the first W H Smith 220gsm white cardstock & in this one the official tile. I salvaged the tile by layering 3 shades of green pencil to achieve the shading of the leaves. I was rather pleased with the result for the baubles really gained definition against the brightness of the leaves. A white gel pen was used to add highlights on the berries.


inside of cards

Both cards have the same internal design - a simple white die-cut (Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Sixteen) edged with the Memento Tuxedo Black Dual Marker forms the message panel.

13 comments:

Aquarius said...

Well rescued - brilliant use of Zentangle for these two seasonal cards.

Jean said...

Isn't it great when redeemed mishaps become beautiful cards! Yours certainly have they are both lovely.I have to say the red one is my favourite, I suppose because of the traditional Christmas colours.
Jean x

Gill said...

Two beautifully executed cards Paula. I particularly like the red one. Perhaps because of the more traditional colour. Your tangling knows no bounds!

jackiescrafts said...

2 lovely zentangle cards

Happy Christmas

Jackie x

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Hi Paula, Both of your zentangle designs are beautiful. The star outline looks great overlapped and the ornaments are my favorite, the green pops. What wonderful card/gifts these will make! Seasons Greetings, Shirleyx

Sally H said...

Two stunning cards, Paula. I love them both x

Alice said...

These turned out great, Paula! They are so pretty, love the stars and how you did the insides. And the cruffle - you know I love those :)

Anne's tangle blog said...

Both are really great, my favorite is the frist one.

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

Your line work is very pristine, and your compositions are very harmonious. I especially like the Christmas ornaments, because the matting and greenery really draw the eye into your focal point. You definitely used the "opportunities" that came about during the creative process to your advantage. Thank you for sharing these marvelous Zentangle cards, as well as for your encouraging words and friendship throughout the year. May you and your husband's Christmas and New Year be filled with the hope, peace, joy and love that can only be found in our Lord.

Miranda said...

Hi Paula, some lovely tangled Christmas cards you've made and indeed so true like you said...there are no mistakes......
Also thanks for all your interesting and lovely comments on my creations during this year! Wish you joyful days and we'll 'meet' again next year! warm greetz Mirandax

alexandra s.m. said...

Hello Paula, I love them both.
You always amaze me with your talent, your eye, your patience and the originality of your work!
Thank YOu~

Claire said...

hi Paula, your zentangling is wonderful as always. Such creative designs and well rescued too! Wishing you a very happy Christmas
Claire xx

Daniele OBrien Design, CZT said...

These are both lovely, your process is so Zentangle. Making it work, beautifully done!