I didn’t have the official Project Pack 26 kit.
But let’s be honest – I was always going to get involved.
I’d been counting down the days like a child at Christmas. I love the whole run-up to a new Project Pack – the regular tangle-along sessions with Zentangle HQ, getting to see what is in the latest kit and what the new theme is.
It blows my mind how it brings people together from around the world with just pens, paper and a YouTube account.
But as the Project Pack got going, something stopped and made me think. If I didn’t have the kit… there were probably lots of other people in the same boat.
Project Pack 26 focused on the elegance of limits
And that’s when it hit me – for some, not having the official tiles might mean never getting started. It would be a reason not to take part. And that didn’t sit right with me. And Zentangle are always encouraging people to work with what they have at home.
Project Pack 26 was all about the elegance of limits, and each day, we were encouraged to work on pre-strung Zendala tiles, which are circular tiles with the string already lightly drawn in. They’re lovely, but you can create your own DIY pre-strung Zendalas.
I started making short videos on my YouTube channel – just simple, easy-to-follow guides showing how to draw the string for each day’s lesson. Nothing complicated. Just a few simple things required such as a pencil, ruler, compass and a tile. Oh, and breaking with Zentangle tradition, an eraser for getting rid of unrequired pencil lines.
One person said I was their hero
And wow – it turned out to be one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in a while.
People reached out to say they finally felt like they could join in (one person even said I was their hero and that they love me!). Others said they’d stopped feeling like they were “missing out”.
Zentangle has never been about needing the perfect tools. It’s about showing up with what you have and giving yourself a moment to yourself. It’s about focus, flow and a little bit of happiness.
I loved making the videos. It felt good to know I was helping others feel part of the experience, kit or no kit.
There’s something surprisingly freeing about working with limits – and that’s what this project reminded me of again and again. The shape of a tile, the outline of a string – it gives us just enough structure to get our creative juices flowing.
I’m so glad we get to tangle together
So if you ever find yourself hesitating because you feel underprepared or unsure, remember this: you don’t need the full set of tools to take part. You just need a place to start – and to allow yourself to begin.
You can find all my Project Pack 26 string videos over on my YouTube channel if you want to follow along, or even just dip your toes in. They’re there whenever you’re ready.
And, of course, you can join in with the official Zentangle videos on YouTube, too. I want to include the Project Pack 26 purchase link in case you do ever want to buy it in the future – there’s nothing better than opening a fresh new Project Pack. The link is here.
Thanks for being here. I’m so glad we get to tangle together.
If you created any Project Pack 26 tiles after following along with my strings tutorials, I’d love to see your finished pieces. Share them with me by email at lisa@createandcalm.art or tag me on social media using #createandcalmwithlisa