Making (Zentangle®) Tiles

I’ve been experimenting with cutting 3.5 x 3.5 inch squares for Zentangle tiles from items I would typically put into the recycle pile. Some packaging is not worth it: boxes of protein bars are too small to be worth the effort (two tiles per box) and some is textured (Lindt dark chocolate bars) and some is a little too dark or heavy (like the quart size food bags). The one I’ve come to like – a lot – is the Wegmans Sparkling Water box. It makes 12 tiles – avoiding the parts that are perforated. Sometimes there is writing on the cardboard which reduces the number of tiles to 11. That is worth it! My old paper cutter is getting workout.

The golden brown on the right in the image below is the color of the box. Note that some of the tiles from the Sparkling Water box have imprints of the can tops…but that just gives me a ‘string’ on the tile before I even start!

I like the way the color of the Ultra Fine Point Sharpie blends into the cardboard too.

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The Zentangle® Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. "Zentangle" is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at zentangle.com.

3 free eBooks – January 2017

Furnishings – butterflies – tiles….3 interesting topics that seem to be my themes for eBooks this month.

Tracy, Berry B. (curator). 19^th Century America Furniture and Other Decorative Arts. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1970. Available from Internet Archive here. The objects were included in an exhibit in 1970 – with this book recording it all. I found the ‘other decorative arts’ even better than the furniture.

Weed, Clarence Moores. Butterflies. New York: Doubleday, Page & Company for Nelson Doubleday, Inc. 1927. Available from Hathi Trust here. I liked the vivid colors of the illustrations. Butterflies are generally colorful but the backgrounds were just a vivid in this book. Do you recognize the Tiger Swallowtail?

Campbell Brick and Tile Co. Designs for encaustic and geometrical tile pavements, also of encaustic, glazed, majolic̀a, and other tiles for hearths, fireplaces. Leicester: J. Fleming & Co. 1877. Available from Hathi Trust here. I like decorative tile…great ideas of Zentangles and (maybe) a renovation project for my house!