Thursday 20 June 2019

InaFlux Explorations

  I've been playing around with Debbie's latest tangle, InaFlux... exploring different possibilities with it. Here are some pages from my sketchbook.



  This new sketchbook takes coloured pencils quite well.


  Here's InaFlux in a gird.


  I also worked on a pre-strung Zendala. I'll be doing another tile with the same string to show you how you can start with the same string but end up with completely different results.


  Lastly, here are some cute pictures of baby Charlotte. She's fast approaching her first cake day.

  Doing stretches in the morning is very important.


  "Five more minutes, mum..."

  And this was taken last Sunday, when I took my mum and little Charlotte out for dinner. She likes to wave at people and say "Ah!" and "Wow!" very often. It's a bit odd, but very cute.

  I'll see you again soon. Till' next time... Keep tangling!



Monday 17 June 2019

connections

  We've done up the signs on the front of our studio's doors!

  Debbie's friend, Ruth, sent some flowers as congratulations. So sweet of her. :>

  Two weeks ago, we used Flux as the Tea & Tangle: Tangle of the Day. Here's my tile. I'm developing a class based on it.

  Then, the following week, Debbie released her new tangle "InaFlux" during Tea & Tangle. Although, at that point in time, it didn't have a name and I referred to it as "the Flux flower thingie". hahaha



  If you'd like to learn how to draw the tangle, you can find it towards the end of this post.


  My favourite way of using InaFlux is by having single stalks bloom into a bouquet of Inafluxes. I drew it on this Travelling Tangles Project tile.

  This tile was from  Lynda Scott Abbot. The background colour is a paprika tint, which is so clever and fun. I wanted to let the colours show through. I added InaFlux, and completed the border. Then added some background shading with a brown watercolour. Shading for InaFlux was done using coloured pencil. White highlights were added using Uni-ball’s Signo Broad pen.



  I just received this photo from a workshop I taught in June at Fuji Xerox Towers. I'm not too difficult to spot- front row, wearing a flower crown, and wearing an apron.


  I think it's with these group pictures where I really take a moment to think about the amount of students that I've taught... It's been three good years, and counting. Of me sharing the Zentangle method with others. Of me teaching classes and workshops. The many little connections I made along the way... Hopefully planting the seeds of inspiration and creativity, and the idea that "you can do whatever you set your heart to".

  From large workshops like the one you see above...

  ... to smaller ones, where it's more cozy like the one below.


  I'm always so grateful to be given the opportunity to share my passion for Zentangle art with others.

  Here's one more photo, this time from a private class that I taught in a student's home. She and her friends get together about once every two/three months for a dinner-Zentangle session. It lots of fun and we even have dessert after class.


  Another student that I teach at Toa Payoh Central Community Club sent me this photo of something she created in her sketchbook. She has been taking my weekly classes for almost a whole year now, and it shows. I'm so SO proud of her.


  Lastly, a little something fun to end this post....

  Here's a tile I created in my square sketchbook for 7F5R's bi-monthly challenge on Facebook. This was for June's Week 1 and 2, where we had to use a diamond string. I really liked this tile. Might use it for a class...


  And that's all I have for you. I'll see you again real soon. Until then, keep tangling!

Tuesday 4 June 2019

Peacocks, and owls, and cats... oh my!

  It’s been a busy week. There were days when I felt overwhelmed with how much work there was to get done, but Debbie has taught me how to prioritise and do what’s most important first. My planner has been my best friend. Otherwise, I don’t know how I’d remember everything there is to be done.

  It’s a learning process. And in between, I find the time to recharge with art. Most of the past week has been spent preparing for our June classes. Here are some sneak peaks for what’s to come.


  I’m not sure how to explain this new “Rotating Riddles” class but you’ll get to see how fun it is by watching this nifty little video of how the tile looks like as each side is rotated.

Available Sessions – Pick one:

Price: $65


  The beginnings of my "Blissful Butterfly Techniques" class.

  Let your creativity soar with this enchanting, advanced tangle techniques class. Building up from a larger tile, you will experiment with tints and colours and proceed to create an enchanting layer of tangles, before finally finishing off with a brand new technique from our Certified Zentangle Teachers. A magical class that is suitable for both adults, and kids aged 7 and above.

Available Sessions - Pick one:

Price: $65


  I won't be starting the new term of my weekly classes at Toa Payoh Central Community Club this week because it is a public holiday (Hari Raya). Classes will only resume next week. 

  May was a great month. So many good vibes, and such creativity. Here's what my students created.



  I especially love this mosaic. My tile is the one in the middle.

  Perhaps you'd like to join me for next month's classes. We'll be creating a peacock, an owl, and some fishes!


  Last week, I also taught a workshop at Fuji Xerox Towers. A one-hour lunch workshop…. So quick that I blinked and we had already put our tiles together for the class mosaic. (Alright. Maybe it didn’t finish that quickly… But it sure felt like it.)


  At the end of the workshop, I was making small talk with the organisers of the event... One of them pointed out that I was carrying a Jujube bag, which is technically a diaper bag, but it's hardy and I love the print of my bag (it looks so tangle-y) so I carry it everywhere... I told her that I have an eleven month old baby and she said "Oh! You don't look it." hehe

  I've only lost half of my pregnancy weight but I feel good, and I think that's what's most important. Slow and steady we will go. Otherwise, I have no complaints. Motherhood has been treating me well. I'm still learning to balance all of my responsibilities... Being a daughter, a wife, a mother, a teacher, a business partner/owner.... Such is life, though. We all will adjust accordingly, eventually.

  The little bubbly is now 12.7kg (27.9lbs). Still smiley as ever.

This is her favourite monster.

Coconut tree

Before haircut...

After haircut!


  7F5R is selling collar charms to help support Project LUNI. Project LUNI helps street cats in Singapore with TNR (trap-neuter-return), feeding, fostering, socialising, and rehoming of kittens.

  We have brought in a range of stainless steel collar charms for your pets. The charms come in ten beautiful colours. So there’s a perfect colour for even the pickiest pet. With each purchase, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Project LUNI, in support of their work.

  Here are pictures sent to us from a customer. This is Yoshi...

... and this is Ginko.

  If you'd like to support the cause, click here to buy some of our collar charms.


  We also held our first class in our new studio. It also happened to be our first Airbnb experience. Our student, Luiza, flew in from Brazil. Here’s what she and I created during her Zentangle 101 class.


  After the class, she went back to her hotel and did a few more tiles. She really took to tangling like a duck takes to water.


  Here's to the first of many more classes to come. :)