Zen Gem: Turquoise
· colored pencil drawing zen gem zentangle 
Turquoise. If you ask Google to show you images of turquoise stones, you‘re going to see a very wide range of colors and a large range of markings. This is because these stones are found all over the world, and each location has it‘s own special characteristics. This stone has long been used for protection against traumatic injuries. It was thought that the stone would shatter, thus warning the wearer of imminent physical danger. It was also used to decorate the bridles of horses, to protect them against broken bones from falls. Among the Native Americans of the Southwestern United States, Turquoise is believed to be a connector of Earth and Sky. It is one of the four “elemental” gemstones of the Pueblos; (the others are coral, jet and abalone shell). This is considered to be one of the Birthstones for December.
Daily Zen 2017052502
· distress ink drawing tile zentangle 
Blues. This tile was inspired by delft blue china pieces. It didn‘t actually turn out the way I hoped, but it‘s interesting in it‘s own right. It was fun experimenting with all the different shades of blue, and the Sand Swirl in the center makes a distinctive contrast with the rest. Zentangle drawn on Strathmore Bristol Vellum using a variety of markers with blue ink. Coloring done with Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Poloychromos colored pencils.