CZT Hideaway 2013!

Just got home Sunday night from the Best Retreat Ever - the CZT Hideaway 2013 held at the Wooded Glen Retreat and Conference Center near Henryville, IN. It surpassed my every hope and expectation in every way. I'm deeply indebted to Lesley Gilliam and Angie Gamble for organizing and executing every single detail of this marvelous event to perfection. It couldn't have been better, and I couldn't thank them enough!

The facility was simply perfect. Tucked snugly in the amazing Indiana hills, Wooded Glen is spacious and accommodating, clearly lovingly cared for and ideally decorated. 

 The conference room was spacious and quiet, and we each had our own large table and fabulous, comfy chair.  It couldn't have been more perfect.

                                                                                         

The meals were freshly prepared and fabulous. Such a treat!

The Snack Bar is dubbed Racoon Run and is snacker's paradise! All the candy, ice cream, fresh baked goodies, nuts, fruit, fountain soft drinks and flavored coffees you could ask for....available all day and night at no extra cost to guests! Plus, table games, pool table, putting green, and an arcade game! 

What fun!

We got to meet so many wonderful CZT's from around the midwest and it was such fun sharing ideas, techniques, and talent. I learned SO much, and made great new friends!

The lovely Peg Farmer taught us her newly created tangle, "Yew-Dee". ♥

The talented Cris Letourneau demonstrated some shading techniques from her new book "Made In The Shade", and I finally got a copy of the darling Carole Ohl's "Tangle A Day". ♥

We got to meet and learn from the creative Billie Lauder as she demonstrated her dear Tangle Folk ♥

We got to see the amazing artistry of Bonnie Browning's tangled quilts. What a talent. 

Angie and Lesley let us play and play with Shrinky Dinks! Seriously, two of the sweetest ladies I've ever met. We made tangled jewelry! ♥

We took an awesome trail hike and tangled all the way. The weather was lovely, and so was the company and the activity! ♥

Our class mosaic:

It was just glorious. I'd had an incredibly stressful week prior to leaving for CZT Hideaway, so getting away, resting, relaxing, rejuvenating...tangling to my heart's content without that nagging feeling I should be "doing something else"...priceless. Thank you Lord, for this blessing. Thank you Lesley and Angie for working so hard to make the weekend so special for us. 

HOPPY EASTER!

CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY!

Charles Wesley

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!                                                             

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O Death is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Dying once He all doth save, Alleluia!

Where thy victory, O Grave? Alleluia!

 Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened Paradise, Alleluia!


Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN, INDEED!

God bless you as you worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords on this Resurrection Sunday!

Marvelous Mooka!

The Diva's Challenge this week is a Mooka monotangle. I love Mooka, so I entered a tile this week. I've only done the challenge one other time...for "Phicops", though I always love looking at everybody's work.

I had fun making it...I actually seldom get the chance to tangle for fun at my leisure. But now...there on the page...it looks a little like a tangled mess. Ok... a lot. Too bad. There it is. 

Don't leave me. Come back...I'll post something more interesting very soon!

Faith, Hope, and Love

"And now these three abide...faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthian 13:13

I was invited to submit a Zentangle® art piece for the annual art auction benefiting the Women's Initiative Network. This is a local non-profit agency that assists women in abusive and violent situations in finding work, teaching job skills and how to job hunt, acquiring business clothing, etc. Here is the piece I created for this worthy cause. It is entitled, "These Three Abide".

"These Three Abide"

Whenever I hear those three words, I am reminded of a song my sister taught me when we were children.

Faith, hope, and charity
That's the way to live successfully.

How do I know?
The Bible tells me so!

This is the largest piece I have ever done - 11" X 14". I had fun choosing the tangles to fill it, and used several I had never done before...cubine, punzel, striping, and scroll feather. 

I've named this lovely woman Evangeline. She, like her namesake, exemplifies strength and determination, bound together with cords of faith. Indomitable courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.  I like her - she makes me happy. Her face is lifted toward the sun, toward the future...confident, expectant, hopeful. 

...but I'm ready to go back to my little three and a half inch tiles!

THIS JUST IN.....
The The Diva is giving away one of Carole Ohl's wonderful "Tangle A Day Calendar"s!
oooh, ooh, ooh, pick me, pick me, pick me!!!!!