Zentangle workshop for Calligraphers

I'm on the steep learning curve, out-of-my-league here.   On October 8th, I'll be teaching a full day zentangle workshop to the Utah Calligraphic Artists guild.  This is a group of incredible, amazing, dedicated artists in every way, and yet, they invited me to be their fall workshop presenter for one day...(breathe, exhale, focus.....whew.)   The thing that makes me the happiest is that Jonathon is coming along, all the way from Tennessee, doing the techy stuff, power point presentation, and being the hands-on demonstrator.  I'm practicing daily, just to have some samples ready.  I've defined my responsibility as giving the essentials needed, showing lots of possibilities, and encouraging original, creative thinking.   Since the second day of the workshop is about laying down gold leaf, ala Illuminated Letters, taught by the local calligrapher and bookbinding extraordinaire, Louona Tanner (see Reggie Ezell's photos of the year for her work), we'll design some letters, and then move along to borders.   I think zentangles will be a dynamite jumping off point for calligraphers to design borders to go along with their lovely letters.   Here are a few sample ideas I've been doodling with, just for fun:

Invitation:   If you have any zentangle samples, photos of your projects, ideas, etc.  please send them along.   I will give you 15 minutes of fame at the workshop, and you will be presented in the Power Point.   The workshop is still open, and you can sign up for either day, or both. 
See the UCA website for details.

Easy Gourmet added to the repertoire

Once in a while I stumble upon an idea.  We really like the Naan Tandoori Indian-style bread, and the garden is going crazy on us,  and I'm bored with the nightly zucchini, green beans, tomato and basil meals, with occasional beets or potatoes.    Here's the easy as pie pizza we've grown to love, since it's a variation on the garden.  The size of this is about 7 inches diameter, just enough for one full meal.   Add a salad, or carrot sticks and cucumber slices.

We prefer the whole wheat Naan bread, but the one that was available was garlic....still good.

And the easiest sauce on the planet:

Our favorite is the basil pesto.   Didn't like the cilantro sauce, but the sun-dried tomato is a good choice.
Here is our recipe:
Very lightly saute the vegetables, just until soft.  (I had zucchini and onion today)
Lightly brush the edges of the crust with olive oil.  (optional)
Lightly and sparingly brush the bread with one of the sauces.  (or two)
Top the bread with whatever you have in the refrigerator....we keep some fresh mozza, artichoke hearts, fresh kalamata olives, sometimes mushrooms, and some freshly grated parmesan. 
Place slices of fresh tomato on top...our Juliets work best...not quite as juicy.
Liberally spread fresh basil all over.
You can see it's heavy on the vegetables, and light on the sauces and cheese.  (I would have put a bit more fresh mozzarella, if I'd had it.)  (oops, I forgot the basil...oh well, still good.)
Bake @ 400-420 for 8-10 minutes (no more, just enough to heat through, since the crust is already cooked.)
Devour.
Feel satisfied.
Feel smug, because it's so healthy.
  YUM.

It's Offishull---I are a ar-teest.

Well, I've denied for years that I'm an artist....because I've never had an art class, because I can't draw, I have no eye-hand coordination, and because I don't spend my time making art.  (those are my working definitions of an artist, I guess.)   Today I graduated from art class, with an official certificate. 

 And today, I got the gold star on my forehead for the best bullet, complete with tabletop reflections.   Wahoo.   I have arrived.

Now I have true confessions.   I didn't do homework except to make eight color wheels with various shades of the primaries.  And I cleaned my brush on a scrap paper, which looks like this:

Everyone decided this was the best work I did ever....Isn't that a compliment, when you're just messing around?
And finally, with the bizarre weather here that goes from 97 degrees to 49 degrees in 24 hours, this is a gorgeous double rainbow that appeared over our house. 

We didn't find the pot of gold....but now I know how to paint it.   I have arrived indeed.

A silly giveaway....I should keep it a secret

News Flash:   The author of the book I blogged about called Drawing Lab, Carla Sonheim, is offering a Silly Class for one month Sept. 15-October15.     You can find her link to the right on my blog list.    It sounds like a lot of fun, and we should all do it together.   Another blogger has paid for the class and is donating it as a giveaway on her (blog, click here). so if you want some seriously silly fun, enter the giveaway.  I hope I win!!.  I hope YOU win.   We're all winners.  Yea.