Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

October will be here soon, and I'm getting an early start on the patterns for 2026 Inktober Tangles. Please see my Inktober Tangles 2026 Introduction video for information about Inktober and my plans. https://youtu.be/D9mf4gEFcvc Inktober is meant to encourage us to put pen to paper every day for a month. It's not a contest, so don't worry if you can't draw every day. Do it when you can and have fun learning new patterns.

I will be drawing on 2" square Bijou tiles in both white and tan colors, but you can use any supplies you have on hand. I will use a variety of pens, graphite pencils, a white charcoal pencil, and possibly pastel pencils. Other supplies are blending stumps (tortillions), an eraser (optional), and we might use a white gel pen for highlights.

This year, I'm planning to show 5 patterns in each video, and I will begin uploading my videos in the last week of September. You will be able to click within the video to get to the pattern that you want to see. Fewer videos is easier on me, but you still get instructions for all of the tangles. Inktober requires many hours of preparation for me, so I apologize that I won't have other videos ready until I'm finished with Inktober.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'm looking forward to sharing new tangles with you!

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1 week ago | [YT] | 135

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

Thank you to everyone who has followed the first nine tiles in my Easy Banner String series. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have! This shows my tiles that I plan to display in a 12" square frame. They are not in any particular order. This was fun and I'm glad to have the first ones finished. Video number 9 will be released this afternoon.

I've been asked how many of this series I will do, and I'm planning to make videos for nine more Easy Banner String tiles. I will make the second group slightly different by using a straight banner string across the center and by adding color. These will still be fun and easy to do.

I've mentioned that Inktober Tangles will start on October 1, and this year I'm planning to record a video for each day. This time I'll use 2" square tan Bijou tiles. I haven't done this for Inktober in the past, so it will be a fun change. I'll be sending out more information as it gets closer. It will take time to get 31 videos ready, so I might not get two videos per week in September.

Thank you to everyone who has been posting in the Community! I love seeing your tiles!

3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 128

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

Today I'll be working on a video using a new pattern called "Shan" that was gifted to me by my dear friend Theresa Fleming. One of my favorite things about Zentangle is all the wonderful people that I've met through the years. Theresa and I chat often and when she created this pattern, she asked if I had a nickname when I was growning up. My grandfather used to call me "Barbara Shan" and then my mother started calling me Shan. I loved it and I love this new pattern that Theresa created in my honor. I hope you'll enjoy playing with it as much as I have. The new video will be ready sometime today! I'm showing the step outs and two tiles that were created by Theresa.

1 month ago | [YT] | 126

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

Hello friends! Today I'm planning to turn on the "Community" option for the Not Perfect Zen channel. Subscribers will be able to add posts, including photos, so you can engage with me more easily and share your awesome work with others here. This is new to me, so I'm hoping it works well for you.

This weekend I plan to start a new playlist called "Easy Banner String". It is what I've been working on since my surgery because it's easy and relaxing. Each tile has only three patterns that will be fun and easy to learn. As you can see in the photo below, you can do them in color or black & white. When you get several, they can be arranged into a mosaic.

I will be releasing the first video hopefully today, and hoping to have two videos per week again! Let me know what you think!!

1 month ago | [YT] | 157

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

Cancer Journey Update
I know there are many of my awesome YouTube followers who don't have social media accounts, so I want to let you know how I'm doing. It has been three weeks since the surgery that removed the right lobe of my liver. The string on this tile represents the center of my incision, which looks like a peace sign or the Mercedes Benz symbol. It is a total of 12”.
I started physical therapy this week to try to get my strength back. I’m looking forward to having more energy. The dog is happy that I’m walking with her again.
I’ve been working on tiles and ideas for videos but it’s still too uncomfortable to sit at my desk for long. It will be a few more weeks before I can make videos again.
Sending love and much appreciation for all of the prayers, comments, and emails. You make me feel better. 😘
The patterns in this tile are Meer, Printemps, Nzeppel, Mooka, and Striping. All are from ZHQ.
#cancerjourney
#fightingcancer
#cancersucks
#zentangle
#notperfectzen

3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 230

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

102 Tangles of Zentangle Poster and Videos

Today, Zentangle HQ released their list of patterns that they identified on their "102 Tangles of Zentangle" poster. This poster introduced me to Zentangle in late 2017 and in the summer of 2024 I decided to try to name all the patterns. I appreciate the help from fellow tangler Linda Genaw (timefortangling.blogspot.com/). We named almost all of them correctly!

Also in the summer of 2024, I made videos to show each of the 102 Tangles. The playlist is here: www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

You can find the blog from Zentangle here: zentangle.com/blogs/blog/102-tangles There is a link to the new HQ list of patterns.

4 months ago | [YT] | 49

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

Happy St. Patrick's Day tomorrow! This tile shows my pattern called Shamrukas with Leafbows by CZT Brenda Campbell.

My tutorial is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzoAO...

Heather Hartwick Gladden also has a fun tutorial for my pattern here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHhcj...

#Zentangle
#notperfectzen
#zentanglelovers
#onezentangleaday
#shamrukas

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6 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 73

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

I want to share a website that shows a calendar of upcoming Zentangle classes. It's called Rejuventangle and it's a great resource.

You can find it here: rejuventangle.com/

6 months ago | [YT] | 58

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

Great news today. I saw my oncologist and he said there is no evidence of cancer! I was so happy, I bought the MD Anderson t-shirt to announce it. I'm so very grateful to all of you who have supported me with emails, kind comments, and sending prayers up for me. I love you all and I look forward to making more fun (not perfect) videos in 2026!

9 months ago | [YT] | 408

Barbara Langston CZT - Not Perfect Zen

Happy December and happy holidays to all of my Zentangle friends! I want to remind everyone that I have a playlist with several videos to help you with Christmas tile ideas. Here's the playlist:

www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

In one of my latest videos, I showed how you can use old Zentangle tiles to decorate new holiday cards. One of my previous videos also uses your old cards (or you can make new ones). Check it out here and have fun!

9 months ago | [YT] | 11