Fabulous Fabriano Part VIII

Our trip to Fabriano, Italy, continues...

(Here are the links to past posts, just in case you are just joining this journey:  Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII)

My husband, Lou, and I returned from lunch with tangled gift in hand for our museum tour guide from the morning, Claudia.  We walked through the museum's entrance, again through the gift shop, and this time we were greeted with a crowd of eager shoppers.  Claudia was nowhere in sight.  

We inquired of the jovial, English speaking clerk who had given us the excellent cafe referral, if Claudia was available.  He explained that she was giving a tour and that we could find her upstairs.  "Just look for her in one of the rooms," he said.

Feeling very timid, I thought to just leave my gift, complete my shopping, and slip out.  Upon Lou's urging, I agreed to brave the now crowded upstairs and look for Claudia.   

We found her giving a tour to a group of about fifty eager subjects - in Italian.  She was animated and in full tour guide mode.  We waited in the hallway as the group left one room and entered another.

Claudia was so intensely attentive to her group, that she walked right passed us, still explaining something, that we were much to hesitant to interrupt her.   We stood aside as she lead her tour group to the next room.

A bit dejected, I suggested to Lou that we stick with the original plan and just leave the gift for her in the office.  

"After all," I said, "we still have shopping to do."

One step back into the crowded gift shop, and from behind the register, the kind gentleman with the booming voice and thick accent asked if we met up with Claudia.  

"No," I said, "she was very busy."

He repeatedly brushed his hand back and forth in the air as if to say "Nonsense!"  

"Just wait in the hallway until she finishes in one room and moves to the next, she will be happy to see you," he exclaimed, still waving his hand.  

He said it in such a commanding way that we had no choice but to go.  And go we did!  Back up the steps to the hallways, peering in the doors until we spotted Claudia and her group again.  

This time, she was finishing up in the last of the tour rooms.  We waited until she closed her presentation, answered a few questions, and began to direct her charges down the stairs. 

Finally, finally we made eye contact and her face lit up as she recognized us.  I handed her my little gift and explained that the frame was one of my own that I designed and had made in Orlando and that my artwork was completed on a watermarked tile.  (Earlier that morning when we had our own tour with Claudia, we discussed Zentangle® so she was already familiar with it.)

She excitedly unwrapped the frame, loosened the zendala from the magnet, and immediately held it up to the window to observe the watermark.  "Ah!" she said approvingly.  

Much like my gift exchange with Mario at Marche del Grillo, this moment had an immediate and forever feel to it, one that embodied all of the goodness of Zentangle, and kindness and gratitude, along with the joy of a shared passion.  Absolutely magical.

And very quick!  Lou snapped this one photo before Claudia was pulled away by a member of her tour group.  

Left with our heads spinning just a bit from our brief and wonderful reunion with Claudia, there remained one last thing on my wish list - the purchase of paper.   We found our way back down the steps and into the gift shop, victorious for having met up with her.

There were a handful of people ahead of me in line and it afforded me some time to consult my list of what I intended to buy and just how much would fit into my suitcase - very much a study in contrasts! 

Off to one side of the room were large drawers that housed sheets of gorgeous paper.  Other patrons were purchasing them and were left to figure out how to take them home.  One woman asked for tape, and walked across the entry hall to a display room table, and rolled up her own precious cargo.  

Little room in my suitcase, and many more miles of travel in Italy, discounted that possibility for me.

I turned my attention to the shelves on the wall on the opposite side of the room.  They held small, colorfully covered, handmade books made of the most beautiful deckle edged paper.  

Book purchased from the Paper and Watermark Museum, Fabriano, Italy
~Adele Bruno, CZT

Checking my list, like Santa at Christmas, I began to pile the books up on the counter.  The jovial clerk offered to check the stock and brought out even more.  When I informed him that I was taking these gifts back to Florida, to my friends and students, he held up his right index finger as if to say, "Then I have just the thing!"

From under the counter, he opened a drawer and produced glorious red envelopes of the same hand pressed paper.  He demonstrated by taking one of the books, inserting it into a scarlet envelope, and then into a brown paper bag marked with the museums information.  

"There!" he said.  "I will give you an envelope and bag for each!"

A few of my purchases, complete with envelopes and bags...

Again, that flood of unexpected joy filled my heart and all I could do was smile and say thank you - repeatedly.

He placed my treasures into one larger shopping bag and sent us on our way.  

To be continued...

A Lucky Friday the 13th

Tickled To Tangle Frames are now in stock!

Yes, it is Friday the 13th...
It is Odd Day, as the date reads: 11/13/15 - the last consecutive odd numbered date this century...
It is the third Friday the 13th of the year - the most possible in a calendar year...

But that is not even the big news today...

The best news is that just in time for Christmas Wish Lists, my inventory is stocked and frames are now available for purchase.  Now that is something to celebrate!

If you've been thinking of ordering, now is the time.
If you have a frame or two on your wish list, send this link to your Santa.

Orders made through December 20 will arrive in time for Christmas and each frame will feature a festive red ribbon on its packaging.

Tickled To Tangle Frame ready for Christmas - Adele Bruno, CZT

These frames are really two fold gifts:
1. They are a gift from my heart, especially designed to beautifully display your tangled treasures.
2. They support the work I do here on my blog as well as fund the designing and manufacturing of  even more tangled products.


Enjoy this Odd Day, and remember to make your list and check it twice.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Sold Out!

The popular response to my frames for Zentangle® tiles has been overwhelmingly positive - so much so, that the initial production of the standard size has sold out.

But don't you worry!  Additional frames are in production and will be available for purchase by November 14.

Tickle to Tangle Frame and tile by Adele Bruno, CZT

Side view of Tickled to Tangle Frame by Adele Bruno, CZT

Customer reviews have been very complimentary.  Here is just one example:

Just wanted to let you know how thrilled I am with my new frames! They are better than I had imagined! Funny story: My husband heard me raving about these when you made your announcement a few weeks ago. He ordered them for my birthday, unbeknownst to me. He was torn, no pun intended, as to whether or not he should open the box you sent, addressed--in beautiful calligraphy!--to [me] not [him]! Well, today is my birthday, and when I unwrapped the box and saw the beautiful address, I knew something was up!
These are truly gorgeous. We both love the weight and feel. (No more tiles blowing off the little easels when I turn on the ceiling fan!) The finish is lovely. These feel like future heirlooms :)
...Congratulations on conceiving and bringing forth a truly handsome and functional piece of art.
Best,
J. S.

That note captured everything I'd hoped a truly satisfied customer would feel - and more.


If you are looking for just the right Christmas present, look no further!

Think of the possibility of giving a frame to a friend or family member and then sending your tangled tiles to them throughout the year.

When you purchase a frame, you are also supporting the work I do here on my blog and I am most appreciative.

Make your list and check it twice!

The direct link to my SHOP can be made by clicking the photo to the right, or by clicking here.

Debut of my Frames for Zentangle® Tiles

"Ready or not, here I come!"

Remember playing tag as a child and yelling those words after a long count with your head down, eyes covered?

That is how I feel today.   

I've spent time with my head buried in setting up a website and eCommerce store to sell my frames.

I'm looking up now, a bit foggy from the concentrated effort, and ready to yell, "Ready or not..."

 - half to myself and half to whomever will listen :).

Below, I've included a picture of my three frames together, the story of how they came to be, and  my new website information.  

First the finished project -

Tickled to Tangle Frames by Adele Bruno, CZT

Next, in an effort to inspire others to follow through on their idea(s), here is my story~

As it turns out, it is more than just a story of how an idea turned into a reality.  It is a story that illustrates what anyone can do with an idea:  pay attention to it, believe in it, nurture it, share it, and watch it grow into a reality.

Early in my tangling experience I realized that the commercial market for frames did not support the size of the 3.5" square Zentangle® tiles or the Zendala tiles.   On occasion, I could find one at a craft store, but not the quality I was looking for.  

Determined to design a better alternative, I concentrated on these main points ~

*custom size

*quality material

*ease of use

*branding

Quality was paramount to my design.   I sent my initial drawings to my brother Dave and he made the first prototypes from a gorgeous, heavy gauge steel.   He took my sketches and turned them into something I could hold, feel, and admire.  It was permission to pursue the next step, not to mention the affirmation of having someone else believe in my idea.  Because of that, I am forever indebted to him.

Since, on any given day, I tangle multiple tiles, the ease in changing out a display was another consideration.   (When I attended the CZT 10, Molly said that her mother, Zentangle co founder Maria Thomas could tangle up to 15 tiles a day.  I aspire to do that!)  If the frames were made of a quality, magnetic steel, this would be an easy solution.  The right magnets could compliment the artwork they held up for display.

The first ones I ordered were just the right size and shape, but were humorously strong. When I tried to attach a tile to my frame with one, it flew out of my fingers with such a force that it left an imprint in the tile - lesson learned :). 

This is the winning  magnet - a black nickel plated rare earth neodymium magnet.  It has a pull of just over a pound - perfect for the job and very pretty.

As the details of design and production needed to be decided,  I had the good fortune of meeting Joanne Fink of Zenspriations®.  That sentence reads lightly, but I do mean "the good fortune". Joanne is a generous soul and she delights in connecting creative minds.  In a meeting with her and her very knowledgeable assistant, Dawn, and through their questioning, I was able to formulate and focus my business and manufacturing plan.  

Determined to have the frames made locally, and through a lead from Joanne, I found a metal fabricator here in Orlando.  Lessons on the properties and finishes of steel followed, decisions were made, and over the course of a few months, through some trial and error, the frames became a reality.

In late January of this year, my friend Sindy went with me to pick up the freshly coated masterpieces. What a blessing it was to have her there, we were like two giddy school girls on a playground.  

The frames were dangling from hooks along rungs of large wheeled racks.  The deep black matte finish was baked onto the steel and these huge racks were wheeled into a large oven.
This is a photo of me with the shop's owner, Dave, as we inspected the goods ~

It was quite a sight to behold.

In order for the frames to hang on these racks, a small hole had to be drilled into each base.  

That lead to the next step - finishing off the frame with a signature charm.  This was another learning experience spread over a few more months.  I spent countless hours on Google and YouTube learning about jewelry making and stamping.  Eventually, I found Steel Stamps, Inc. and with the help of my daughter Nancy, firmed up my logo art work and ordered a die cut stamping tool.

With hammer in hand, I pounded out the logo charms, added a touch of black to accentuate the logo, and adhered one to the base of each frame.

Sindy ceremoniously purchased the first frame.  She signed only the $5 bill and joked that I might need the $20 to reinvest - and she was right!  

Over the past few months, I have sold more in my classes.  Debbie bought the first Zendala frame ~ 

My friend Tracey Lyon, CZT bought the first Four Tile frame - so exciting!

Lori Byerly was awarded one in a random drawing from entrants of "It's a String Thing" #100 - The Zentennial.  In an email she wrote, " It is a lovely frame display. All my friends were taken with it and hinted about future Christmas gifts."  She also pictured it on her blog.  

The reviews from other purchasers have been as complimentary.

I am happy to announce that my new website is ready:  www.adelebruno.com 

It is still a work in progress, but you can find my frames by clicking the SHOP! tab on the top of the main page.

Initially, I am able to fulfill orders from the forty-eight contiguous states.
As an introductory bonus, there is one flat rate for shipping.

Please stop by and take a look.   "Tag you're it!"