Zentangle Project Pack No. 12 - The 12 Days of Zentangle 2020 - Day 8

Maria writes: 

I am pretty sure you envision us all here at Zentangle Central, like little elves, getting all these videos done in plenty of time and basking in the luxury of completing a major project. When in reality, we are running around, willy nilly, filming, creating audio, and writing stories and doing photo shoots up to the very last minute. I'd like to think we plan it that way so it is not too predictable, but we intend to get them done ahead of time. It's just that there are so many important Zentangly things that need our immediate attention, or so it seems at the time.  

Molly plans the Project Packs months ahead so we have the time to order and assemble materials and design the lessons and record the videos. But about two weeks ago, Molly comes into my studio and says, "Mum, Mum! We have 2 prestrung Zendalas in this project pack. And each person gets two different designs (out of nine possibilities). I need you to create a lesson that will fit on any one of the nine strings." 

And as usual, I said, "Sure, no problem. I can do that". Then I began the journey of doing just that. I must have worked a week, going back and forth from one tile to the other (you can picture me starting to sweat, Zendalas thrown all over my studio.) But no one lesson I tried was comfortable on each of the nine strings. 

So, I let it rest a couple of days, and thought, "Okay, Bijou is always telling us to focus . . . I can do this. I can do this." (I actually had to do this!).  

And then, like a whisper from a good friend, it came to me. We always teach that Zentangle strings are (almost) always drawn in pencil so that you can use them or ignore them. It's your choice. 

That was it!

So I chose to ignore them! Or at least parts of them. I was then able to design something that would look fantastic on each and every prestrung Zendala tile, and still leave room for you to finish the remainder of your string with your favorite tangles . . . with love, as only you can do. 

And, I made my deadline! 

Alfie writes:

Maria's story inspired Bijou and me. We set up today's photo shoot with magnifying glasses and loupes and focused them on beautiful patterns we gathered from this magical world where we live.

Bijou is focusing your attention on a beautiful page from a Renaissance prayer book. Bijou is paying his attention to a beautiful quartz crystal.

We also spent our time setting up one of Maria's tiles and a tiny jewelry box for your focusing pleasure.

The Tumbling Santas focused on showing you the detail on a tiny tin notebook. (They also apparently want you to focus on them! They are like that you know, tumbling as they always do.)

Perhaps you can see why "Focus" was important enough to be a Bijouism. At least Bijou and I find it important because we can only focus on one thing at a time. And if those little cards were a bit bigger, we might have said, "Focus on what you want more of."

Bijou and I focus on patterns. We've noticed an interesting pattern: we get more of what we pay attention to and what we spend our time on. So now we focus our time and attention on what we want to create.

That reminds me of another Bijouism, "Beautiful and Beyond."

Ahh . . . I can spend my time on that!

"Enjoy!"