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The Votes are In...

The Votes are In...

Maria writes:

Well, now. How could we have ever predicted that there were so many creative, thoughtful writers in our Zentangle community? (On second thought, how could we not have!) The response to this blog post was so delightful. It took us a long time to go through them carefully and not rush. We could have chosen 50 we really loved, and yet would have struggled with even that limitation.

The selections we finally came up with are wonderful. We decided that we should have five "runners up" in each category so that it could give you an idea of how difficult it was to choose. The time, effort and passion in each story that accompanied the names was obvious. They were so much fun to read. It gave us a delightful insight into how our community thinks of their Zentangle practice and how it affects their lives.

If you haven't already, we encourage you to read through and enjoy all the comments and suggestions. It is a true treasure chest of short (short) stories.

Runners up for the group name for TANGLES:

  • INKLE by Clara B.
  • LUSTER by Rosemary B.
  • WEALTH by Viv
  • DANCE by Marita L.
  • PALETTE by Sue B.

Runners up for the group name for TANGLERS:

  • TANGREGATION by Darcie F.
  • TANGLELOTS by Mary Ellen Z.
  • SERENDIPITY by Eli H.
  • ORCHESTRA by Liane M.
  • DELIGHT by Ruth E. D.

    So, beat the drums and sound the trumpets! Here are our picks:

    An INSPIRATION of Tangles, by Elizabeth W.

    and

    A PENCHANT of Tanglers, by Carol L.

    Rick writes:

    We collected the top choices from among Zentangle HQ staff. Then Maria and I spent delightful hours together as we looked up words in the dictionary, researched word origins and checked in with the thesaurus. We appreciated the stories behind all of the suggestions. We pondered how different words would translate into other languages. 

    An Inspiration of Tangles

    Some definitions of inspiration:

    • stimulation or arousal of the mind, feelings, soul, etc., to special activity or creativity
    • something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create
    • a force or influence that inspires someone
    • a person, place, experience, etc., that makes someone want to do or create something
    • a good idea
    • an inspiring agent or influence
    • the act of drawing in; inhalation

    We loved these definitions and the idea that tangles are both inspired and inspiring.

    Some tangles are inspired by the beauty of patterns all around us. Some tangles are inspired tanglers who create new patterns. And each tangle comes with its simple step-out that inspires others to explore it in their own ways.

    Tangles also inspire. We hear so many stories about how, while tangling, new ideas, insights and answers are inspired. We also know from our own lives, how the process of tangling offers a wonderful metaphor that inspires a light-hearted and creative approach to the daily art of life.

    A Penchant of Tanglers

    Some definitions of penchant:

    • a strong and continued inclination
    • a habitual liking for something or tendency to do something
    • fondness, affinity

    Well that pretty well sums it up! We love that idea of doing something – for instance, tangling – because we like to do it, not because we are forced to do it.

    And there was one additional and playful reason we liked that name. A tangle is a pattern we draw in a series of repetitive strokes, usually with a pen. A chant is a series of repetitive sounds. So a pen-chant is a . . . (You get it!)

    Once again from us both, thank you all so much for playing along.

    We will send gifts and signed prints of the above proclamation to the twelve people listed above. If you're on that list, please send your shipping address to julie@zentangle.com.

    Enjoy!

    Rick and Maria

    --- + ---

    But wait! There's more...

    We received this lovely suggestion via email from Jody G., CZT that was too fun not to share.

    Jody writes...

    You will need to read betweed the beelines...

    A group of tanglers is a Drather because we’d Drather be tangling than doing anything else. We sometimes like to gather in a drewery where we enjoy the local favorites such as the FlooDriver or a RootMeer if you prefer non-alcoholic.

    If you get the Munchins there are usually pea-nuckles and pepper at the bar. It’s a very gneiss combination.

    Once everyone is done emingle-ing it’s time to swarm to pick out our favorite tangles from the Caboodle (name for a group of tangles) so we can get to what we’d Drather be doing in the first place.

    Well, that’s about it. I’ve got to hurry and close my windows. It looks like it’s going to rain.

    --- + ---

    Thank you, Jody for this gift and the smile it brought to our faces!

     

    Bijou

    36 comments

    • I’ve just started organising a regular fortnightly virtual session for my students and I’ve called it “Monday Penchant” – I really want to start using these words more :)

      Sue (Backyard Tangles) on

    • Wow. So many many wonderful creative works. I know tangling kept me sane during my husband’s illness. He died of LBD=Lewy Body Dementia Feb. 8/2020. I didn’t do that many tangles whilst he was so ill but I’ve returned to Tangling with a vengeance, going over my Zenthology handouts which I have in a binder. I am also practizing the use of gelly rolls. I love the newer practice books with the different coloured pages. Thanks for helping me keep sane. The after math .grief is not so intense this year. I think Tangling has helped me on a daily basis. Thanks for all you do , your creativity and for adding such wonderful tangles to the Zentangle repertoire. I ‘ve dubbed myself ’CTangles’. Eventually when I teach again that’s what my nom the plume will be. All the best.

      H. Carol Schmidt ~CZT 2014 on

    • Very clever. Congrats to the winners

      Harriet Udell on

    • Excellent choices!!

      Alicia on

    • Thanks for sharing the Amusing Post Script by Jody G., CZT. I knew that the play on words were tangle names, but with the exception of Munchins, pea-nuckles, and pepper, I couldn’t put a mental picture in place for the tangles. . . It was a fun refresher to look up the names and tangle them again.

      LLS on

    • Excellent. Wonderful choices! And I’m sure it wasn’t easy, but a lot of fun! :)

      Margaret Bremner on

    • Excellent. Wonderful choices! And I’m sure it wasn’t easy, but a lot of fun! :)

      Margaret Bremner on

    • Excellent. Wonderful choices! And I’m sure it wasn’t easy, but a lot of fun! :)

      Margaret Bremner on

    • Congratulations to everyone!! 👏 I’m so grateful to be among the worldwide Penchant of tanglers & will ‘forevermore’ view my collection of tangles as an Inspiration. 🤗 I just loved reading all the submissions and Jody’s witty & clever story made me laugh out loud! The completed picture above really is quite spectacular, Maria. Your artwork is breathtaking. …what a wonderful & treasured gift to the recipients.

      Jan ~ Sailandbejoyful~ on

    • WELL DONE

      Carole L on

    • WOW! Maria, the design was beautiful before, but your additions have made it absolutely GORGEOUS!!!! I am so glad it was you who had to make the decision! There were so many wonderful ideas! Congratulations to the winners! I hope that you will offer copies of that design for sale for us all, I have the perfect place to hang it above my drawing table!

      LLS on

    • WOW! Maria, the design was beautiful before, but your additions have made it absolutely GORGEOUS!!!! I am so glad it was you who had to make the decision! There were so many wonderful ideas! Congratulations to the winners! I hope that you will offer copies of that design for sale for us all, I have the perfect place to hang it above my drawing table!

      LLS on

    • What a fun contest with excellent results. Do you think with can get Merriam-Webster to add the new definition and pronunciation of penchant (Pen Chant) to the dictionary?

      Bette Abdu, CZT 1,4,28 on

    • Om…gosh!!! 😍😍😍 Huge congratulations to all the winners. Incredible creativity shown in the wonderful names and I loved all the different background stories that accompanied each name. It’s wonderful, now when we are asked what we do??? We have an awesome name to accompany CZT at the end of our names!! I love it ❤️🙏🏻 thank you to ZHQ for holding this fun competition, a wonderful way to pull us together ❤️🙏🏻☘️👏

      Angelina Arcari on

    • Wonderful and fitting selections—love these! Congratulations to the winners!

      Becky J on

    • Wonderful. Congrats to winners n honorees. Hope to see Maria n the entire ZHQ gang create signature calligraphy for these words.

      Nancy Needler on

    • Congratulations to the winners! The choices are spectacular! I was thrilled beyond all to be a runner up! Wow! Thank you and thank everyone for such amazing words.

      Clara Brunk on

    • Lovely choices and a fabulous selection process, with great attention to detail which I love. Congratulations to the winners and it was such fun to be able to submit suggestions and enjoy reading other entries – thanks for sharing!

      Michelle Dugdale CZT37 on

    • Ha Ha!!! what a wonderful choice and what a great choice of words from Rick and Maria explaining their selection. I love the way you think! Such a pleasure (and often a giggle) to read your messages and tangle with you. Pen chant….. love it!

      Loraine from Oz

      Loraine Chapman on

    • Lovely and congratulations to all the winners. It was so much fun. Thanks and I too hope you make that beautiful circular Forevermore drawing, penchant poster available to us all in some way! It is adorable. When it is updated to include an inspiration of tanglers and a penchant for their work of course hee hee lol x well done!

      Veronica Hodges on

    • I so loved reading everyone’s ideas. I can see why it was difficult to choose. Love the two you decided on. Just perfect. I am grateful for the inspiration you and the Zentangle community continue to provide.

      Lianne W on

    • Oh wow, how exciting! I love love love the ones you have chosen!

      Sue Bailey on

    • Hooray to the winning entries! Hooray for us! We are surely blessed to be part of this INTERNATIONAL group of loving individuals!

      LaJuania D on

    • I just love the meanings behind the words!! This community means so much to me and has rescued my soul in so many ways. Thank you, Maria, and Rick!

      Rosemary on

    • Congrats to Elizabeth and Carol!

      Anica on

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