The deck is complete!

I am so proud to say that I completed this enormous project! (See this post for the details.) My deck is called The Five Elements, which I chose to model after Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Metal. These 52 cards (plus one bonus) are now in North Carolina awaiting the big swap day. I can't wait to see the 52 cards I get in return.

People have asked, "Is it hard to give them away?" My answer is surprisingly, no. I think I went in with the intention that these cards would be gifts. In some ways, it made me even more perfectionistic--I wanted each one to bring a smile and a "wow" to its new owner. But as time ticked by, I found a groove and let them flow.

In my upcoming posts, I'll share more about my technique with color and give you a closer look...

Start now!

I'm a very slow and methodical person. Some of this is my nature and some of it is a symptom of the lovely condition called Perfectionism. Being careful and purposeful has its benefits, but it means that I'm not very prolific in my endeavors. There are so many tangles to be tangled, books to be read, songs to be song, that sometimes I feel frustrated getting through only the tiniest sliver.

This week I decided that Carole Ohl's beautiful Tangle-A-Day calendar will be used as a quick start meditation each day. Nevermind that I haven't tangled on any square before January 21st. Starting now is the way to ensure your goals are reached. Now isn't over on January 1st!

This calendar will be a place for "ten minute tangles"--a place to try things out and mess them up. It won't be something I aim to show off. It's a collection just for me to enjoy with no pressure to impress. So often I'm getting ready for a class or working on a project to give away, I forget to schedule time to just play.

So...purely for your inspiration, here's a peek at my week, with all its loveliness and wacky attempts at Tripoli.

What do you still want to begin? Start now!

One down, 52 to go...

A wonderful CZT named Sharon Lynn Payne recently gave us Zentangle teachers a challenge: to create a deck of 53 Artist Trading Cards to be swapped with fellow CZTs. The Artist Trading Card (ATC) is the same size as a baseball card. For many years, artists have designed these small cards in a variety of media and traded them with colleagues, either in person or by mail. Receiving a hand designed ATC is like a acquiring a mini masterpiece; it's something to be treasured.

I was so excited to join my first Zentangle swap. Not only am I looking forward to receiving 52 treasures from my talented colleagues (the 53rd cards will be compiled into a special gift deck for Rick and Maria), I'm loving the structure of creating a large scale project. I love to dream big, but following through to the end can be challenging. Seeing everyone else's works in progress (and finished decks!) online has been so inspiring. Our deadline is March 26th and I still have quite a bit of work ahead of me. But that's okay--it's fun work, and I always do best under pressure.

I created a theme based on the Five Elements. Here are the first samples from my Water cards:

Stay tuned to see how the rest are coming along!

Welcome to the World of Zentangle®

Hi everyone!

Six Giraffes is about to get tangled--with Zentangle, that is!

What is it?

The Zentangle® Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas created this entrancing art form as a way to make drawing accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages and abilities. 

My Story

Everyone has their own story of how they came upon the art of Zentangle. A good friend introduced me via Pinterest a few years ago. It took me awhile before jumping in, though. After the toughest year of my career, while simultaneously planning my wedding, I began learning patterns online as a way to de-stress. Instantly I was addicted! My puzzle solving brain was satisfied and happy. I spent many evenings with pen and sketchbook in hand.

The following school year, I was excited to introduce a Zentangle practice to my first graders. Mindfulness practices were already part of my curriculum, and I had a feeling that the kids would love it as much as I did. I was right. More on that later...

Later that fall, my teaching job became exceedingly overwhelming, and I began to see that I was ready for a change. Tangling became my comfort and meditation. It soothed my anxious mind and helped me to slowly embrace a new way of doing life. I made the move to leave the classroom, and as a symbol of that change, I left for the Certified Zentangle Teacher training a week after school let out.

Your Local CZT

Since then, as a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT), I've had the honor of sharing this art method with many children and adults. While it's possible to teach yourself to draw the patterns from online resources, taking a class with a CZT allows you to experience the intention behind the method. You see, the Zentangle method is about more than drawing. It's also about mindfulness, risk taking, openness, and inspiration. Consider taking a class! But be careful, you might become just as addicted as the rest of us. 

Look at this friendly bunch of CZTs! I'm in the center.

Let's do this, '13!

 

I am already on fire this year and I'm so excited about lucky year '13! Big changes await on the horizon.

A special goddess guide has come into my online world this year, and her name is Leonie. Her philosophy on bringing out the goodness and shining potential in women is irresistible. So I became part of her circle. One of the many benefits to this is her Outstanding Incredible Year workbook and planner.

I've been slowly working through this puppy for the past few weeks. It's filled with planning pages, space for reflection, and my favorite, a closing ceremony for 2012. How can we move forward without reflecting on the lessons learned and giving space to release what's no longer needed?


Check it...

I'm ready to make my Action Book. This book can take any format you wish, but it is a place to write down specific steps toward achieving your goals. As I envisioned this book this morning, a funny voice inside my head said, "Wait--you think you can make a list of steps and follow through with them all on your own?" It got me thinking about a Creativity Group some friends and I had a few years back. We got so much done when we set clear goals with our partners and coaches. And now, who do I think I am, assuming I'll be able to write steps down in a book and actually do them on my own?

BUT...

 

 Why do we rely on other people to make sure our dreams come true?

Isn't it funny how tricky it can be to actually get things done? Aren't these goals OUR DREAMS? Don't we want our dreams to come true? Now I know that dreams are just made for bringing up our resistances, and that's what typically stands in the way of us shining brightly. But what if we took away our attachments for just a brief moment, and looked at that resistance as a treasure? A sign marker for Opportunity. We have all experienced that flood of pride and release that comes with accomplishing something large or difficult or just plain undesirable. Isn't the push worth the reward? 

Someone once asked me, "Have you ever regretted a time you took a big leap of faith?" I thought for a moment and had to admit that those times, while scary beforehand, had been important foundations to some of my greatest accomplishments.

What about you?

What actions will you take this year to make your dreams come true?

 

Aaaaaand we're back!

I finally realized a few years ago that it actually takes until November before I feel truly settled with a new group of students. During the first week we learn names and stand-out characteristics, some likes and dislikes. After the newness wears off and the kids begin to feel safe in their new environment, truer patterns of behavior emerge. In mid to late October I learn about things that have been flying under the radar--the unknown math skills a certain girl possesses, the lack of phonetic knowledge covered up by a good visual memory. Initial feelings of "Oh no...how did I not notice?" lead to a revised course of instruction.

So here I am, just coming out of the whirlwind of the intense initiation into the new year, already two viruses down, lots of laughs as well as struggles, and feeling like I have a deeper sense of each individual's strengths and needs.

My teaching partner and I have already revised our previous year's math curriculum to move deeper into problem solving, and we recently met Pete Bowers, who completely turned around our ideas about word study and spelling instruction. We presented at a large-scale conference our school hosted, and tomorrow we're visiting the Wonder of Learning exhibit in Monterey, an exhibition based on the Reggio Emilia schools in Italy.

Needless to say, we keep ourselves busy.

But school life is not my only true passion, and so I continue my quest to maintain a work-life balance and devote time in accordance with my heart's desires. I began this blog with the intention of teaching myself how to write regularly, how to make time in the midst of an otherwise full life.

November arrived and several moments of madness pointed to my need to sign up for NaNoWriMo (otherwise known as National Novel Writing Month.) And so I did. This morning.

(I say this succinctly to encourage the idea that this is no big deal, but my ego wants to shout: THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL!!!)

It's five days in, but I don't mind. Whatever I get done toward the 50,000 word goal will be far more than I've been getting done for the better part of 7 1/2 years (the official moment I decided to Become a Writer.) I'm entering into the endeavor with a sense of play, the practice of non-editing, and radical self-belief. It's all an exercise in letting go of fear, anyway. Let the writing be wild and reckless! I have a good supply of band-aids and lots of Halloween chocolate. That should take care of any serious injuries that occur.

Alright! I'll let you know how it goes. Feel free to bother me about it. I'm sure I'll need all the encouragement I can get!

The seventh new year

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Many people celebrate January 1^st as the start of the New Year. For me, I find that the beginning of September is a more organic time to renew and restart the yearly cycle. As a teacher, I continue to hold to the new beginnings we all experienced as children. New clothes, new office supplies, new friends and teachers…

Seven has been coming up as a magic number for me recently. So many things come in sevens—days of the week, wonders of the world, continents, oceans, the seven-year itch… And then there’s that idea that every seven years our bodies regenerate all their cells. (This seems to be only partially true, but it’s fair to say that our bodies of seven years previous are very different than the ones we inhabit today.)

I am entering the seventh year at my current school. A couple a weeks ago I started the yearly ritual of reorganizing and setting things up anew. I thought my big project was going to be to fix up my files, but suddenly my assistant and I were tearing apart cupboards and reorganizing supplies with an irresistible fervor. It was as if my room was begging for its cells to be regenerated.

My workspace is much more than a 9 to 5 location for me, and probably the same for most teachers. It’s not only our office, it’s our creative studio, research lab, theatrical stage, psychological couch…it’s a place for big ideas to be discovered, feelings to be revealed, and bonds to be strengthened. Magic happens there. That magic is our daily reward.

Spending time in the classroom over this three-day holiday weekend does not exactly feel like work, it falls more in the categories of personal renewal and setting intention for the year ahead. We true teachers dedicate our long hours because we care, because we know it makes a difference, and because it fulfills our need to be in the service of others.

Many friends have been setting their intentions in the Black Rock desert this week, and part of my heart joins them there. This year I am deeply grateful for the time to create a fresh space in which my little co-workers and I will learn and grow every day.

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I wish you all a bit of renewal in this transition between the seasons…

Happy New Year!