Because we have so many new subscribers we want to remind you of our December custom here at Zentangle.

All you have to do is ask and we'll tie a beautiful hand-dyed ribbon on your Zentangle Kit and Maria will letter a special gift card for you.

  
If you place your order online, enter in the comments section what you'd like written. If you phone in your order, let us know what you want written when you call.

Whatever you order for the rest of this month - a Zentangle Kit, additional tiles, presentation frames, Ensembles, Prestrung tiles or our 102 tangles print - and whether it's a gift for someone else or yourself - we'd love to gift wrap it for you. Just ask!

Here's a recent email back-and-forth:

"EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD--I NEED 7 GIFT CARDS IN ALL WITH 1 NAME ON EACH CARD FROM ME.  THANK YOU SO MUCH--THESE ARE THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFTS!"

> Thanks for your order, Jan.
>
> Maria is using beveled gilt edged cards that she
> designed for Crane Stationery. They're really beautiful.
>
> Best, Rick
>
> P.S.
> I'm bragging, I know, but if you haven't already,
> you can see Maria's lettering and other work here.

"HI RICK...YES, I AM FAMILIAR WITH MARIA'S GORGEOUS WORK--I ORDERED "THE PERFECT PAIR" FOR SOME FRIENDS OF MINE LAST YEAR AND MARIA DID SUCH A BEAUTIFUL JOB AND THEY WERE THRILLED.  MY FRIEND IS A FELLOW CALLIGRAPHER HERE...SO SHE AND HER HUSBAND TRULY APPRECIATED THEIR GIFT FOR THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY.  I ALSO AM A BIG FAN OF ZENTANGLES AND LOVE YOUR E-NEWSLETTER WHENEVER YOU SEND THEM OUT.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, GIVE MY BEST TO MARIA AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU BOTH...HUGS,"

P.S. THE GIFT CARDS SOUND JUST PERFECT--A "GIFT" IN THEMSELVES!

We receive many wonderful comments. Every now and then we like to share them.

                             -----+-----

"I will admit to being a little skeptical of Zentangle myself - UNTIL I actually sat down and played with it! I treated myself to the 'official kit' for my 42nd birthday, last year; and since that time have incorporated tangling into several of my own creative endeavors.

"It IS relaxing. It IS much like a mini, mental vacation. It IS amazing to see what can come from changing ones perspective ("turning the tile"). It IS very much like "Yoga for the brain" (a la Sandy Steen Bartholomew).

"Something need not be difficult, complicated, or require a university degree to yield stunning, joyous, and personally rewarding results!

                             -----+-----

"You have once again made a miracle happen, brought a troubled boy some peace and confidence, and helped his gramma connect to him in our own personal way.  He's gonna be great.

"Best Regards, and again, my deepest thanks for what you have contributed to a hurting world,"

                             -----+-----

"Maria, thank you ever so much for personally creating such a beautiful card to send with my Zentangle Kit.  What a wonderful and much appreciated surprise.  I very carefully glued it inside the lid of my Zentangle Kit so I may continue to enjoy the card on a daily basis.

"Thanks to you both ever so much for creating Zentangles and sharing with the rest of us.  May your blessings be a thousandfold."

                             -----+-----

"Here's new email address!  Thanks for checking.  By the way, I have become a zentangle junkie!  I've taken two classes now at Queen's Ink in Savage, MD.  My life would be complete if someone would pay me to create zentangles all day!"

                             -----+-----

"A friend recently sent me an early Christmas present.  It was the Zentangle kit and it has had an enormous impact on me.  For the past several years the use of my hands has been severely limited.  Thanks to medical intervention and lots of faith, things have improved greatly.

"This has given me the impetus to begin painting and sketching again and life is good.  I also write both poetry and prose.  Today I am thinking of gathering my poetry, working on the new ones brewing; and then illustrating a small book of my work.

"I guess what I wanted to say to you and to my friend above all, is thank you for the introduction of this art form into my sphere.  The peace, ease of spirit, relaxation, sense of accomplishment and best of all banishment of depression are incalculable."

                             -----+-----

"This is Laura Liu, CZT, saying hello from Taiwan.  I have conducted 3 Zentangle workshops in my store in November.  And my Zentangle kits have all sold out. The attendees enjoyed the workshop very much! In Zentangle world, there's no language barrier!!"

                             -----+-----

"I just happened to take a Zentangle class in January, 2010.  About one week after the class [something happened] and I was unable to walk very much for the following 4 months.  I am normally a very active person so of course friends and family were convinced I would suffer depression.  Even the doctors kept asking me how I maintained such a positive attitude. 

"I showed everyone my MOUNTAIN of Zentangles that I had produced during this time.  I felt that every dot I put down on that paper was almost like transferring the pain from my body onto a piece of paper.  There were days that it was all that I could do and I sometimes tangled for 8 hours.  I do not feel that this is "doodling" but rather a form of written meditation that taps into healing processes in our mind and body that we are unaware of.  Maybe we think too much rather than just feel and have those "feelings" flow through our hands onto paper to help heal our minds and bodies.

"I have been wanting to write and thank you for sharing this art form with those of us who are creative but cannot draw a straight line.  Whenever I tangle something I feel like an artist.  I believe it gives people the confidence they need to get their feelings down on paper and out in the open. Everyone wants to feel like they can create art.

"Thank you again for sharing.  One day I hope to take one of your CZT classes.  It's on my "bucket" list!  : )"

                             -----+-----

"What I could have done with this relaxing and entertaining, creative art form had I met you and your techniques a bit sooner!!"

                             -----+-----

"I'm a high school maths teacher [in Australia] and I've only just discovered Zentangles.

"One of my classes had a 2 hour exam today.  Two hours for 13 year-olds is a big ask and as expected, they were getting very restless towards the end.  One student is notorious for being disruptive and he finished 20 minutes before the end.  He started by initially making as many different popping sounds as he could.  I gave him a bit of paper and told him to draw.  So then he made as much noise as he could by scribbling!  So I showed him how to do a Paradox Zentangle.  What a transformation!  He really went into a zone - and was quiet for the last 20 minutes.

"The Zen stuff really works. Thank you, Rick & Maria!"

We've been receiving images of some wonderful holiday themed Zentangle creations. We invite you to enjoy them with us.

   

   

   

For larger views and more information on these images, check out our blog. We'll be posting more there in coming days.

Although both classes are filling steadily, we still have room in both our Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT) seminars in February and May, 2011.

We appreciate that you understand Zentangle's potential - both as a benefit to others and as a way to create income as a Certified Zentangle Teacher. We look forward to meeting you and working with you.

February 22-25, 2011, Registration Form (pdf).

May 13-16, 2011, Registration Form (pdf).

Read more complete information and CZT reviews in our previous newsletter here.

 

Rick and Maria