Baby Steps for Bumpkenz



Here's a little TRICK to make working with grids a TREAT!



 



When Linda Farmer posted the new pattern Bumpkenz by Beth Snoderly I could not wait to work with it.  As a matter of fact, I liked it so much that I included it in "It's a String Thing" #12. 

 

(In my enthusiasm to get the message out, I misspelled the pattern name in my initial post.  My apologies to Beth and my thanks to Linda for bringing it to my attention.)  

 

Yesterday, I sat down to draw up the steps for the tangle in my pattern notebook.  Perhaps it was my mood or the distractions around me, but I had the hardest time learning it.  I'd start with a grid, slice it diagonally, and draw the Bumpkenz.  Every time I ended up with squished, odd shaped orbs - nothing as pleasing as the intended outcome.

 

It took the better part of the morning to figure out where I veered off the intended path.  In the process, I stumbled upon a little trick about grids.  I may be the last tangler to figure this out, but just in case this helps someone, here is what I found...

 

 

If a square grid is lined vertically in each direction like so:

 

 

 - the result in each of the smallest squares on the grid is a unit comprised of four triangles.

When you draw a tangle on the diagonal line in one of these square units, you work in a triangular shape.

 

 

On the other hand, if a square grid is lined vertically in each direction - in every other row - like so:

 

 

 - the result in each of the smallest squares on the grid is a unit comprised of two triangles.  When you draw a tangle on the diagonal line in one of these square units, you work in a square.

 



 



The latter is the base structure of the new tangle Bumpkenz.   I tried in vein to work it into the first type of grid and all too slowly realized why my orbs were so squished; the tangle was fitted to a triangle not a square as it was intended. 

 

Hopefully, I can save you some time and trouble by posting my notes.  I call them "Baby Steps" because I needed simple, simple steps! 

 

Give Bumpkenz a try - it's a lovely tangle pattern.  Check out "It's a String Thing" #12  and send in your tile.  I'd love to hear your stories!

 

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

 

Please feel free to leave a comment below. 

If you would like to hear from me, please use the email box located to the right.

 

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Photo and Illustration by Adele Bruno, CZT

"It's a String Thing" #12

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

String 017 by Joyce Bruns as posted on Linda Farmer's Tangle Patterns is the string we will use this week.  In honor of Joyce we will use three tangle patterns that begin with the letter 'B'.

String 017  TanglePatterns.com

 

Yesterday, Linda Farmer published the new pattern Bumpkenz by Beth Snoderly.  It's plump and full and pumpkin-like and too well-timed to pass up, especially since trick-or-treaters will come calling in just a few days.

We will use Bumpkenz, along with Bulb Lanterns by Livia Chua and Betweed an original Zentangle® pattern.   

All three tangle patterns "put me in mind" (as my Grandmother would say) of Halloween. This will be fun!


To Recap - Use: String 017
Tangle Patterns Bumpkenz, Bulb Lanterns, and Betweed

 If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...you get the idea! 

 Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:

     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          

     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    

                  with the letter(s) indicated                 

     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      

     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         

                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    

     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    

     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     

     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you never know who you will encourage and inspire.

I look forward to your emails.  

"It's a String Thing" #11 Tiles

Get ready for a feast.  This week's results are in and they are really spectacular. 

 

Joan Delony's tile is chock full of movement. 

 

The use of Jitterz in the middle of the tile seems to set everything in motion.  She adds a nice touch to Jetties with the variations in light and dark spaces.

This next tile is from UK's Ragged Ray.

It is stunning.  The tangleations that she created are just delightful.  The use of Jitterz in the mid sections of Jetties is inspired as is the Knights Bridge effect on Jilli. 

She writes,"The lesson I learned this week was to just play with the tangles and see what happens.  I started thinking that I couldn't easily see a way to work the chosen tangles into the chosen string.  So I just played about with them, and was surprised when something started coming together.  And in some ways it's different from my more orderly balanced tiles - which is surely part of the point, to take our art in new and unexpected directions!"

Yes, it is and you illustrate that beautifully in your work.

Mindy's approach to this tile was very elegant.  She chose to use Jilli in a large format and the result is glorious.

 

 

 



Mindy's lines echo so well the Zentangle® theme of 'deliberate marks' on a tile.  Her sparkle on Jetties makes the tangle shine and move.  The gradation in size makes Jetties appear as if it is exploding off the paper.  What a treat to behold. 

In her accompanying note, Mindy wrote that, "in zen, there is an expression: beginner's mind.  beginner's mind has more options."  (she doesn't use capital letters in print)

That's a good thing to keep in mind as we look at these strings and patterns - keep an open mind, look through fresh eyes, and stretch your imagination.  Thank you, Mindy.


This next tile from Sue Jacobs is a treat for many reasons.  First and foremost because it's her beautiful work.

 

Add to that, she created the tangle pattern Jilli that is featured in this week's challenge.  She dubbed "It's a String Thing" #11 - 'Double Trouble'.  That's a great name or it!
She also said that she managed to tangle her pattern in reverse and attributed it to turning her tile often "for the best angle to do the drawing." 
Thank you, Sue, for that reminder.  Turning your tile often is imperative - and you may just come up with a tangleation like Sue did!!


Jackie Becker said that turning her tile helped her as well.
 

She wanted to keep the curves even on Jilli and found that drawing them horizontally from left to right did the trick.  Jackie used aura and shading on Jetties to highlight the pattern.  Jitterz is a nice compliment the orderliness of Jackie's Jilli.  I heard a nursery rhyme in my head when I typed that :)

Sue Agnew said, "I've always thought that Jetties looks like buoys or fishing bobbers, which is why I strung them that way."

Bobbers strung on a sting line - what a nice touch that adds!

She also said, "I don't "do" spontaneous well, so Jitterz was a (fun) challenge." 

Thank you for taking the challenge because it is fun for us to see your wonderful results.


Here is Brenda Urbanik's pretty tile:

 

Jetties, Jilli, and Jitterz are accented splendidly here by her use of negative space.

 

She said that she found the string 'interesting' and hoped that she did it justice.  Yes, Brenda you certainly did! 

 

Kudos to Brenda, too, for your beautiful mark.  It's reminiscent of Zentangle with the dots and border that encompass your initials - very nice.

 

This next tile is selected for honors this week by virtue of the fact that it is only the second time Jenna Wheatman has sent in a submission.   

 



She writes,

"I'm new to zentangle.  I started about 1 month ago (self taught).  2 weeks ago I found I am the diva blog which I started to do and it was while looking through other entries that I saw someone who had linked to your site.

I thought I would give it a try, I've never done these tangles before, I noticed the shading is what really makes these look great, which is what I needed as I'm just learning how to shade.

I'm from the UK and zentangle is just starting to appear, I'm trying to find and official zentangle teacher close by..." 

It is amazing that very much like Ragged Ray and Jackie, Jenna is self-taught.  Not only is she self- taught, she takes the weekly challenges and uses them to learn - just what they are intended for.

She is also willing to put her work out there for the rest of us to learn from and that is very admirable.  Thank you, Jenna.

I have a little something in the mail for you.

Many thanks to all of the talented tanlgers who sent in their work.  You motivate the rest of us and we are grateful.

Stop by tomorrow for "It's a String Thing" #12 - just in time for Halloween!

Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below.  Google is still experiencing problems with the system though, so I'm sorry if it doesn't get through.
If you'd like a response from me, please use the email box located on the right.
Thank you!

Jolly Jack

This is one of my favorite Halloween decorations.  It is actually a lamp made of some type of plastic coated foam.  He looks very much like a real Jack-'o-lantern when lit.  His face is happy and the details in the vine and collar add to his charm.  I bought him years ago at a friend's store so on top of his good looks, he is sentimental too. 

 

When I pulled him out of the storage box this fall, I noticed he looked a bit 'long in the tooth' (pun intended!).  His edges are chipped and his colors are faded.  

 

 

 

What to do?  Silly question for a tangler, to be sure.  I grabbed my trusty Sakura INDENTI PEN and spent a relaxing morning bringing some new life to this old face.

 

 

Now he is all tangled and ready for Halloween...and I better put my pen down before the whole house gets tangled!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Nothing Could Be Finer...

 

...than Finery itself!
 

 

Following last week's "It's a String Thing", several people asked for further explanation on drawing the tangle pattern Finery, an official Zentangle® pattern by Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts.   I looked in my notes and found this step out to offer some pointers:



 

 

 

After your initial rows of double lines are drawn, the curve and direction of the connecting lines is important to the uniform flow of the tangle.

 

Work in every other row, making angled and elongated curved lines that move in the same direction.

 

I find that turning the tile 180 degrees and repeating this step makes it much easier to mirror the existing lines.  Is it necessary to turn the tile?  No.   I just find it works better for me.  There is an added ease in determining the direction of the curve when I look at it from a different angle.

 

The details of the pattern add more depth when drawn from the valley rather than the peak where the curved lines meet.

The shading follows that same idea.  Shade in the valley on this tangle for added dimension.

 

This tangle is especially fun because you can embellish it in infinite ways - whatever strikes your fancy.

 

Here is an example of Finery in a tile of mine:







 It's important to remember that tangle patterns are suggestions on how to achieve a specific outcome.  There is no right or wrong way to draw them.  It's all part of the magic of Zentangle®.

You can click here to view the tiles from "It's a String Thing" #10 tiles that feature Finery.  You will see many beautiful interpretations of the tangle.

While you are at it,  read about this week's challenge and give it a go - you will amaze yourself!

ENJOY!


Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below.
If you would like a response, please send me a note via email in the space provided on the right.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

In an open studio last week, a fellow tangler mentioned the late painter Paul Klee and this quote of his:  "Drawing is taking a line for a walk." 

For the past week I've mulled over this happy thought and played with possibilities to illustrate it. 

I chose the idea of using a continuous line, taking it for a 'walk' wherever it might lead. 

At first I wrote the words on a single line but could not go back to dot the 'i's' and cross the 't' without picking up my pen.  After a few variations, I found that when I stacked the words on three lines, the loops added above those letters could do the trick. 

I fully intended to finish the words and end my line with Mooka, but a curious thing happened - I thought of walking our dog... and there she is!

Adele Bruno, CZT

Which leads me to another quote of Paul Klee's:

"An active line on a walk, moving freely, without a goal.  A walk for a walk's sake."

Take a line on a walk today - you may be surprised where it takes you.
 
Have a wonderful Wednesday!


Note:
Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below. 
If you would like to hear from me, please use the email box located to the right.

"It's a String Thing" #11

It's Tuesday and here is your good news...

"It's a String Thing" #11 just may make you giddy!  It is based on words that contain double letters.  But before we begin here is CZT Sue Jacob's sensational submission for last week's challenge: 

It was buried in my inbox and with apologies to Sue, I did not find it until yesterday afternoon.  It seems fitting though, to have Sue's tile all to ourselves today and admire her work.  Fish Net hanging from a pole was a very clever idea - along with the shadow effect - and Fife is so plump and full.  Many thanks, Sue, for this gorgeous tile and for your tangle pattern that is featured in this week's "It's a String Thing".

We begin this odd numbered challenge with an odd numbered string -  String 013 by Jill Dobis found on Linda Farmer's Tangle Patterns.

Then, in Jill's honor, we will use just three tangle patterns for this challenge that all begin with the letter 'J' and contain double letters:  Jilli by CZT Sue Jacobs (who's tile is featured above), Shauna's Jitterz, and just to mix things up a bit - Jetties, an official Zentangle® pattern.

To Recap - Use:
String 013
Tangle Patterns Jilli, Jitterz, and Jetties

 If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...you get the idea! 

 Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:

     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          

     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    

                  with the letter(s) indicated                 

     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      

     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         

                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    

     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    

     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     

     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you never know who you will encourage and inspire.

I look forward to your emails.  

"It's a String Thing" #10 Tiles

Using only a few options for tangles and the same string, the multifarious (just learned that word and had to use it!) results for this week's challenge are a real treat to behold.

Ragged Ray said she was drawn to the shape of the string line. 

She said that she tried a few variations and really liked leaving the inner string lines white.  It is a striking look, especially with the added shading.  Using Fife as a border along with the of dark lines and spaces are thoughtful touches.

Brenda Urbanik created a beautiful tangleation of Fiore in her tile this week:

Her shading is wonderful too.  It's interesting that the string line disappears as her tangle patterns alternate. 

Audrie Weisenfelder sent in two tiles this week.  In the first one she used all four of the "Fi-" named tangles:

 

Her use of Finery and it's wispy curls create a pleasing contrast to the weighted Fife.  She created a nice touch with the intermingling of Fish Net and Fiore.  Here is Audrie's second tile:

 





What a pretty use of Finery with this string line - and the contrast with white on black is a nice touch.

Deanna Spence submitted this tile - complete with a sparkly background.

It's a treat to see what Deanna does with her tangles as they come to the edges of her tiles.  Note how she tapered off Fiore, creating an interesting edge (left side) as well as along the upper edge where Fiore seems to pull away from Fife.  Her shading of Fife makes it pop!

Sue Agnew sent in this pretty tile:

Sue has such a beautiful touch with her fine lines.  The aura added to Fiore creates a sweet variation and her shading gives it wonderful dimension.

Joan Delony said that this really challenged her.  She worked on five tiles before completing one that she would send in.  Thank you for your persistence!

The way Joan's Fish Net drapes over Fidget is very pretty.  Her Fish Net bends and moves through the middle of her tile adding a nice touch.  Her Finery scrolls are very graceful.

This next tile is from newcomer Jenna Wheatman from the UK.  Jenna found Zentangle on the internet and is self taught.  (You have our collective admiration, Jenna!)  She said that she noticed how shading is important in a finished tile and is adding it to her work now.  -

Her results are beautiful and very detailed.  Jenna created some very pretty tangleations here, especially to Fiore.

The tile for honors this week was created by Mindy.  Isn't it lovely?

Mindy used Fish Net and then again in reverse to create such a pleasing compliment.  Fife in the center section, with its curved lines and shading, appears bulbous.  Finery can be a challenging tangle, especially to maneuver around turns, but Mindy managed that with ease here.  The weighted lines turning into the center of Finery add wonderful movement.  Such a pretty piece, thank you Mindy.  I have a little something coming in the mail to you (again!).
 
One of the wonderful things about this challenge, as Sue Agnew wrote in a note, is that "she always learns from what others do."

Many thanks to all of you for sending in your treasures.

Through your work, we learn, are inspired, and build confidence in our own style.  Thank you!

Many thanks as well to the creative minds behind the tangles and string used this week:

Fidget by Sandy Bartholomew
Fife by Molly Hollibaugh, CZT
Finery an official Zentangle pattern
Fiore by Jana Rogers, CZT
Fish Net by Mariet Lustenhouwer
and Barbara Finwall and Linda Farmer for String 012

Coming tomorrow:  "It's a String Thing" #11

Note:
Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below. 
If you would like to hear from me, please use the email box located to the right.

One More Go 'Round

Ah, the weekend is fast approaching! 
My time today has been swallowed up with many wonderful people and things.  I did however make time to finish one more Zendala.



Adele Bruno, CZT

While I would have appreciated a dedicated time to work on it - that was not meant to be this week.   I stole the time in between obligations and found a surprising amount of satisfaction as a result.  

The tile sat on my desk and waited for my return again and again.  Bit by bit I tangled it, and within a few days it was complete. 

Now, I realize that if I had waited for an afternoon of uninterrupted time, I would not be posting a picture of it today. 

And there is the recurring theme - take time to tangle, especially in the midst of your daily demands.  You may have to steal the moments, but think of how much better you will feel and what you'll have to show for it!

Round and Around and Around We Go

James Michener's advice in my post yesterday made me sit for a time and tangle.  Since I was preparing for a Zendala class, I pulled out a few pre-strung tiles from my Zendala kit.

 

Inspired by an example of Maria Thomas' on this six pointed tile, I followed the existing lines, adding aura and Pearlz.  On the outside sections, I alternated Ennies and Courant.

 

The shapes in the center of this tile reminded me of paisleys.  I began there and worked my way outward.  I used Pearlz in the curved lines and rimmed the design with Betweed.

 

Take time to tangle today.  For something different, try your hand at the "It's a String Thing" #10 challenge and send me a picture :)

 



Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

My tile du jour - Adele Bruno, CZT

Will you tangle today?
Will you make time to sit down and loose yourself for just a little while and tangle today?

If you have any doubt that you will - if you have any hesitation as you weigh the demands on your time today - you will appreciate this wise quote from James A. Michener:

                     "Don't put off tomorrow
     what you can do today,
     because if you
     enjoy it today
     you can do it
     again tomorrow."

Take some time for yourself today and keep up the practice of Zentangle®.  ENJOY!

"It's a String Thing" #10

It is your good news day!  The "String Thing" is in double digits - yay!! 

This week we will be using String 012 from Tangle Patterns.  It was originally submitted to Linda Farmer's site by Barbara Finwall.

In honor of Barbara we will use tangle patterns that begin with the first two letters of her last name - 'Fi'.

On Tangle Patterns under 'F' there are four that begin with the letters 'Fi' and with this particular string, the challenge should be fun!


To Recap - Use:
String 012
Tangle Patterns that begin with the letters 'Fi'

If this is your first visit, welcome!  If you are new to Zentangle®, welcome! 

This exercise is for beginner and seasoned tanglers alike.  Use it as an excuse to keep up with your art work, take time for yourself, learn new patterns, share your talent...you get the idea! 

 Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines:

     * Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.          

     *Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin    

                  with the letter(s) indicated                 

     *Work must be completed on Zentangle tiles or on your 3.5" x 3.5" paper      

     * Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or         

                  scan your tile (300 dpi) and save as a jpg    

     *Email your jpg file as an attachment to -  brunoadelem@gmail.com    

     *Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.     

     *Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays.       

Send in your photos - you never know who you will encourage and inspire.

I look forward to your emails.  

"It's a Sting Thing" #9 Tiles

Happy Monday! 

Last week's challenge used tangle patterns that began with the letter 'Y' in honor of the string's creator, Yamit Fridman.  Here are the submissions for you to enjoy.  Look over them, study the way other tanglers use patterns, shading, and enhancements.  Use their work as inspiration, and keep up your practice of Zetangle®.

And speaking of the 'practice of Zentangle' - Ragged Ray sent an eloquent note with her tile this week.  In part, she said, "This practice really feels like it has a natural progression of learning within it - tangles repeat and build and warp earlier ones."  Her tile is a wonderful example:

                                    
        
She added texture with her tangle choices, beautiful lines, and shading.  Her gravel backdrop is a nice added touch too!

Brenda Urbanik's use of Y-Ful Tower and Yang make the middle of her tile flow so seamlessly from one pattern to the next.  Her choice to keep Yang light with aura and then use alternating dark and light Y-Ful Towers gives this great balance - such a pretty tile!

And speaking of pretty, Deanna Spence sent in this.  She enhanced Y-Ful Tower and added a whole new look to the pattern.  The dimension that it adds is just amazing.  Deanna, if you ever wanted to do a monotangle with this, I will post it.  I would love to see where you would go with it. (hint, hint!)

Jackie Becker used just two tangle patterns here and achieved such a nice look.  She added sparkle to Yincut and it shines.   I spy some shading too and it looks great!

Sue Jacobs wrote that she was reminded of wine bottles with this string.  Add to that, her love of color, and she's given us a purple hued masterpiece!

 Mindy's tile is next.  She used just a bit of Yew-Dee and the swirl of it draws your eye in, doesn't it?  Her Y-Ful Flower is shaded just so - it looks like cut and tucked in layers of paper.  Just beautiful!

 

Sue Agnew's take on the pattern Yew-Dee here is fabulous.  It curves and wraps, has sparkle and shading - just so pretty!  Sue also sent in this from Arizona (not Illinois as I mistakenly wrote last week) -

She said that it was not for the challenge, but she couldn't resist sending it in.  Why?  Because the string lines reminded her of wine bottles.  She tangled them in with Linda Farmer's patterns  Zin and Rosé.  Now, that is clever! 



And the tiles selected for honors this week were sent in by Joan Delony.   Joan said that she drew out her tile twice because she "played with shading".  Her work is a wonderful example of the effect that shading has on tangles and how it can be used in varying degrees to change the look and feel of a piece. 

Thank you for sharing your experiment and beautiful results with the rest of us, Joan.

I have a little something coming in the mail for you!

Many thanks to the creative minds behind our string and tangles this week:
Yang by Genevieve Crabe, CZT
Yincut an official Zentangle pattern
Y-Ful Power by Shoshi
Yew-Dee by Peg Farmer, CZT
Yoga by Margaret Bremmer, CZT
and Yamit Fridman via Linda Farmer for String 009

Check back tomorrow for "It's a String Thing" #10 - we are in double digits already!

Liza's Left Handed Tangle



Left Handed Tangle by Liza Buckley

Shortly after the "It's a String Thing" challenge began, I received this lovely email along with the picture shown above:

Hi Adele,
Thanks for the update.  Unfortunately a few days after the Zentangle class last month I broke my wrist.  My biggest disappointment is not being able to Zentangle!
My sister suggested I try it w/ my left hand, so I took your string challenge that week and drew it in my larger journal.  It's not as pretty, but the process was just as
meditative and relaxing!

Having read and heard about the therapeutic effects of tangling with your non-dominant hand, I wrote to Liza and asked if I could post her story and photo.  Her reply:

Thanks Adele - sure feel free to use my story.  Having this experience is teaching me a lot. 
One good thing is I can't multitask w/ 1 arm and using my left hand for tasks has to
be good for my brain!

Liza stumbled upon (pun intended) the proven benefits of using her non-dominant hand.
I am amazed at her stick-to-it-tiveness to press on and tangle despite losing the use of her right hand.  I admire her tenacity and drive to tangle.

A few months earlier, Liza traveled from Tallahassee (a four hour drive) to take my Zentangle class.  As it turns out, there are no CZT's in her part of our state.  She found the art form on the internet, as so many people do, and contacted me.   I am thrilled to say that Liza is going to the CZT Seminar in June, 2014.  By then, her wrist will be long healed. 

I am especially happy for her and for her future students in the Tallahassee area. 

Thank you, Liza, for sharing your story.

Isabella's IZA - A New Pattern

Last year, while camping with our daughter Isabella, I snapped a picture of this 'potato vine'.

Although very pretty, it is a nuisance here in Florida.  Not indigenous to the States, it was brought here from Asia in the early 1900's.  Its rapid growth and ability to choke out the flora it covers, make the vine a threat to native plant life.

Aside from its destructive nature, the leaves of the potato vine are quite pretty; beautifully symmetrical and brilliantly green.  I kept thinking that there was a tangle pattern in here somewhere and after some time playing with it, I came up with this:

I found that adding the additional lines to the outside sections of each 'leaf' added the weight needed to distinguish one from another without making them too 'busy'.

I named the tangle Iza for Isabella, our 'baby' girl.  She turned fifteen (yikes!) this week and I am posting it in her honor.  Being the youngest in the family, Iza is one of her many nicknames.

The first time I used Iza while tangling, this is how it turned out:

Iza can flow like the Zentangle® patterns Pokeleaf and Pokeroot.  It can be used in a vine like manner as well.  On my earlier post " Celebrating Ann", this card was pictured.  Iza is wrapped around the first and last letters of Isabella's name:

Isabella likes to use Iza in much of her own artwork.  Most recently, she etched the pattern into the sides of a piece of pottery she made it art class.  It turned out beautifully.

For her birthday, and since she is now able to drive (another yikes!), Isabella wanted her favorite car pictured on the cake.  I decorated it as she requested and then used white on white icing to tangle her pattern around the cake.  I looks a bit darker here because I took the photo without a flash to make the tangle more visible:

And there you have it:  a gift - a new pattern in honor of Isabella on her fifteen birthday with countless possibilities! Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!