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What is Zentangle?
Linda Farmer, Certified Zentangle Teacher

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Zentangle Storage Ideas

Zentangle Tile Storage PocketsIf you’ve been wondering how to preserve and store your collection of completed Zentangle® tiles, reader Angela Gamble from Hagerstown, Indiana, has found a solution that works for her and may just be the answer for you too.

Angela posted her find in the comments on “How to draw BOX SPIRALS”, and I’m reposting them here for future reference. Photo courtesy of Angela.

* * *

“I too have been looking for a storage solution for my tiles. I’m so excited because I just found an online store that carries plastic storage sheets (they fit in a 3-ring binder) that fit 6 Zentangle tiles perfectly! I also have yet to read where everyone keeps/stores their completed Zentangles and when I came across this store with these storage sleeves, I was thrilled and called the owner immediately!!!

So here’s the scoop: The online store is http://www.cropstop.com (out of Rhode Island) The owner has created a special web page within her online store just for these storage sleeves that hold the Zentangle tiles perfectly. The storage sleeves are sold: 5 sheets per package for $4.50, 10 sheets per package for $7.50, and 25 sheets per package for $14.00. Enter the word “zentangle” in the search engine on the upper right hand side of the home page and it will take you right to these storage sleeves.

When I spoke to the store owner I explained what Zentangle is, how we use the tiles, and how this particular storage sleeve she carries fits our tiles perfectly. Guess what? She agreed to give us Zentanglers 10% off our orders by using the code “zentangle” when checking out. How great is that!!! (And just so you know, I do not work for her, nor will I receive any compensation for however many of these she might sell. I just wanted to help out all the wonderful people who like me, love to create Zentangles, but just don’t have a “place” to store all of our completed tiles.)”

How do you store your completed Zentangle tiles?

Please feel free share your storage ideas in the comments below so we can all benefit.

74 comments to Zentangle Storage Ideas

  • Pam Nixon

    I store my Tiles in a photo album,

  • Sarah Garrity

    Oh my gosh! I’m so excited I have been looking high and low for plastic sleeves for tiles! I kept going to baseball card sites and they do not sell any variations in sizes. I never thought to look at a scrap booking site! Thank you so much, the search is over!

  • Moe

    My method is not very creative. I’m currently using one of those accordion file folders. In the front is a pouch for my pens and then I use a pouch for my blank paper, mini notepad of designs, fancy scissors, circle template. This is followed by three more pouches labeled “Circles”, “Squares”, and “Other Shapes” for my finished designs. A few of the back pouches have small blocks of water color paper and then the last one has two of Sandy Steen Bartholomew’s books. I like to keep it all in one spot so when I’m in the mood I can easily grab everything without going hunting. Unfortunately this is more for function than for displaying.

    • Jan

      Moe thank you so much for sharing your idea. I just stumbled onto Zentangle at the end of 2013 and have a few supplies. I also like to have everything all in one spot and have not been able to figure out what to do. Your method, with the accordion file, will do it for me. Thanks so much!

  • Adele Fruetel

    I, too, use a photo album, one picture to a page. This works well for me because not all my zentangles are 3 1/2″ by 3 1/2″.

  • Martha Moore

    I, too, have discovered a photo album that has a 3″ square (approximate) opening on the front for my “favorite” tangle. The sleeves are for 4×6 photos but it works nicely. I prefer the sleeve idea posted here, though, and will be ordering some soon. Thank loads!

    Martha

  • andrea

    thank u soooo much , Angela, for posting the website for the storage sleeves that fit the Zentangle tiles 🙂 i like things neat, and easy to get to – so they will be perfect for me …
    …and thanks Linda, for the info on the official Zentangle tiles -i will get some for sure! (my moleskine journal is NOT watercolor paper or the accordian type but i do enjoy working in the journal (also, paper is not pure white either-which is why i want the official Zentangle tiles)…

  • Brilliant idea, I’ll be searching this out today. I hope they ship to Australia.
    I wonder if anyone would like and idea for transporting Zentangle tiles and drawing supplies around in your purse/handbag? I posted about my solution here on my blog Creative Thoughts and Inspirations.

  • Marianne Schmitt

    Just ordered from cropstop.com……….the order with 10% discount went through like a dream….Thank You for the info. Can’t wait to receive my order !!! Happy tangling everyone 😉

  • Awesome idea Angela! I was just pondering on storage solutions and was going to do a blog post to get ideas how everyone else does it. I keep all my ‘best’stuff in a portfolio album but I love this idea for all my other tiles so I’ve just ordered some pockets. Thanks for the tip!

  • Estelle

    Thank you so much, Angela. I have looked several places for something to store my tiles. I just went to your source and placed an order. I am soooo tired of carrying my tiles around in a little box.

  • Angela Gamble

    I’m so glad you all are happy with the storage sheets I found! I wanted to also let you know that the sheets are 100% acid & lignin free & are archival safe. You can be rest assured that your tiles will be safely stored for years & years to come!
    Angela

  • Marguerite

    Angela You are the girl. I wanted to display my zentangles at some of the craft shows, I will be participating in and this is the PERFECT solution for folks to look through my works. You are officially at the head of the class. Marguerite W. Meara

  • andrea

    your lovely photo of the tiles in the sleeves are on the cropstop website and your name is mentioned 🙂 thanks again i LOVE it! i will be ordering this week …

    • Angela Gamble

      Good eye Andrea! Yes, I originally took the photo for cropstop.com to use to show the storage sheet w/ Zentangle tiles in it. Then I shared it with Linda here @ tanglepatterns.com for all of you to see. I have just been trying to help everyone! 🙂

      On another note, several ppl have commented that they use a photo album. I’m curious if the albums used are the 4″x6″ type? I like the idea of using this size to be able to carry with me my favorite Zentangles.

  • JenTh

    I recently realized a photo album could hold the ZT tiles, and most of the other small tangles I have done. I originally looked for sheets that would hold the 3.5×5 photos, but they are pretty scarce. I settled for a 4×6 holder sheet size.

    I didn’t like the tiles running around loose in the photo sleeve, so I used a small square of double-sided tape (archival friendly!) to secure it to the left side of a 4×6 index card. That way I have a bit of room to write the date, title and any other info about the tangle. I usually run my index card through the printer to add the tangle info. That way it’s legible!

    (I just realized that I am pretty anal about the order and organization of my tangles, and tangles are anything but! Maybe tangling is my way of breaking away from that behavior?)

    I found the index cards in a pale green that complemented my photo album. I didn’t want slightly off-white paper on a crisp white index card. The not-quite-white on white combo is not very pleasing to me. Maybe it’s that compulsive organization thing–the paper looks “dirty” compared to the background. Regardless of the reason for not liking the white cards, I think the green looks nice. :o)

    I also have a pack of 5×8 index cards which I trim down to fit in a 5×7 photo holder sheet. This accommodates the tangles I have done that are bigger than 4×6. The only one I have done that is larger than a 5×7 sheet is framed and hanging in my living room.

    • Linda Farmer

      Thanks for sharing, Jen. This is another great way to store tiles and I like that you can also display dates etc. with them. Colored cards are a nice way of matting them too.

    • ElseT

      I like this idea. I might use black cardstock as my 4×6 background, though. That will make the tiles pop!

  • Hi, Angela,
    Thanks for discovering these store pocket pages that can fit our zentangle tiles. I just ordered the 25 page package so I can store 150 zentangles.

    Could two zentangle tiles in each pocket so when you flip the page you can view a zentangle on the back of your page?

  • Angela Gamble

    Absolutely! Two tiles fit with ease to double your storage space. Playing around, I’ve found I can store 4 tiles in each pocket. This allows me to store 24 blank tiles i one sleeve. Hope this helps!

  • Thanks! I ordered some of the storage sheets. I had been keeping my tiles in a portable CD holder, but this will be much better!

  • Amy Broady

    I placed my first order with Crop Stop last night…bought the 25-pack, and can’t wait to get it! Almost bought two, as I was wondering if they’d be a good item to have in stock for students to buy. Would it be okay to do that? (I am new to the “retail” scene) Do any other CZTs offer them to their students, and if so, how much do you charge?

  • Ann

    I found this neat way to store my pens its a Mont Marte Pastel Box 3 Drawer Wood just perfect for storing pens and pencils and everything else you need to zentangle. its designed for pastels but just the right size for storing pens as well. single layer so you can find the pen you want easier. Especially if like me you have so many different types of pens for my different moods.

  • Barbara

    I have ordered from Crop Stop many times. I used their storage panels to hold my greeting cards and my embossing folders. I just got an email from them and I saw they had these pages to hold the Zentangles. I think I will order some right away!

  • Janet

    Hi, I have been trying to do a bit of tangling for a few months now. I love this site but have never posted before. Does everyone keep all their Tangles? I tend to use mine on greetings cards. My latest idea was to photograph them first so I still have a record of them.

  • sue

    I’m a Calligrapher with some bookbinding knowledge, so I am binding my tangling into a variety of ‘books’ which I make myself. My next one is going to be an accordian style, so I can spread it out on my sideboard and see all the tangles on one side at once. Accordian books are not hard to make and what I like is that I can put my own ‘slant’, not only into my tangling, but also into the displays !

  • Julie

    I just have to put in another plug for Crop Stop. I don’t think I’ve ever had an order arrive as quickly as the one I placed with them. Awesome service. I do wish the pages were a little narrower as they do stick out a bit on the right side of my notebook, but no problem (I just trimmed off the edges).
    They are doing a great job of protecting my special tiles.

  • bev

    hi i have just found zentanged this is great thank you for your ideas

  • Why save them? Why not give them away? In keeping with the zen theme, I’m learning non-attachment by creating my zentangle drawings on Strathmore blank “stamping” cards (with envelopes) which have a smooth and perfect finish for tangling. I then use them as greeting cards to keep in touch(more personal than e-mail) with friends or family, by snail mail. So why save them, when you can share them?

  • Linda Farmer, CZT

    Another tangler, Jenn, recommends the We R Memory Keepers Ring Photo Sleeve Protectors 12″X12″ 10/Pkg 9 (4″X4″) Pockets WR50034 – “another sleeve protector that can be used for storage. thought I would share. I also use a 4×6 photo album or index card box to store Tiles in.”

  • Heather Harris

    I use 6×9 inch photo albums to store my tiles. I put a colored piece of card stock behind the tile and then insert both into the “pocket.” Gives a colorful background to each page and shows off the smart black and white of the completed tile.

  • I followed the suggestion and ordered some of these “Zentangle card holder”. As stated, they are perfect for holding Zentangles. Additionally, I found out something great about them. You can leave the cards in place and put the whole sheet in the scanner. Scan on photo quality at a little darker than normal and you can print out perfect copies . . . no white-outs in the darkest areas! The only problem is that the bottom half inch of the page is cut off by my scanner. I have tried other plastic photo holders but had problems with them leaving large white spots in the blackest areas. Not this one!

  • KAREN BOLTON

    Great storage idea! I am new so someone may have already discovered this! There are little tin giftcard holders at Walmart that are the exact size. Remove the inside. The little ribbon on the outside of the box makes it easy to open. Holds about 20 or so 🙂
    Karen Bolton

  • Bren

    do the top drawers in the pastel box fit the tangle cards?

  • Francesca

    I am new to Zentangles :c) I went to the site everyone is talking about…very nice site BYW. THX!

  • Catrina

    I can’t seem to get to the cropstop website. I think it is down 🙁 I would like to order some of the plastic inserts for my zentangle tiles.
    Does anyone know if the company is still functioning?

    Thanks and happy tangling!
    Catrina

    • Kim

      Catrina- I just checked, and it it still working. It may have been down the day you tried, but it’s good now. It is even offering pens and supplies as well. Good luck! -Kim 🙂

  • BJ Thompson

    If you want to store your Zendalas, you can use CD sleeves.

  • catrina

    Hi BJ – where do you find CD sleeves?

    • BJ Thompson

      Hey, Katrina,
      If you have an OfficeMax near you, you can buy these to fit into a three ring binder. If not, anything you can put a CD or DVD in can be used to store your Zendalas.

  • Mincka

    I’m a bookbinder and made a small sized book and instead of the cards i draw my zentangles in there. Works well and is handy to cary with me

  • Consuelo Morales

    I actually purchased these a few weeks ago and I came by them through Ebay and was so thrilled when I got them. The tiles fit nicely and the plastic is nice and clear. The price is reasonable and you can fit quite a few tiles. I do have two ways to store my tiles and one is using these sheets where I put the tiles I love the most and I have another smaller binders I put squared paper and there i keep my collection of learned tangles and each is label with the name of the creator, the name of the tangle and any other notes I like to have on hand.

  • Dianne McNeil

    I have these pages, I love them.

    Does anyone know how to make the circle with R inside on the computer?

    • Linda Farmer, CZT

      Hi Dianne, while I can tell you how to do it, the best thing is to show you and others asking themselves this question how to find out for yourself very easily:

      Use Google and search for either: how to type trademark symbol on mac, OR how to type trademark symbol on pc.

      Google is the font of much useful knowledge! And you never know what else you might learn along the way …

    • Dianne, If you are trying to put it in a website, the html is ® If you are adding it to something in Photoshop you hold the alt/option key (on Mac) and then the letter R while you are in text mode.

  • To get the registered mark (circle enclosing an ‘r’) press and hold the [alt] key and type (while holding the alt key) 0174 the release all the keys.

  • Judy Lisette Martin

    I agree with Jan Severs on about giving your tangles away. I make a list of people who need a card, or might like one, then find that I am more relaxed tangling, as I have a purpose. I have made upper and lower case stencils of a font I like, about 2″square, and kept the resulting letters too so that I can either tangle round the letter, or inside it. You can buy alphabets quite easily from lots of on-line art and card making suppliers, or ask a friend with a cutting device, unless you have your own. Then I make it into a card and sign it on the back. It makes the card more personal. I draw a string inside the letter, just as a guideline.( Its fun and results in happy recipients, who might, like one of my last weekend, want to learn how you did it, so that’s another happy Tangler in our ranks.)
    Of course you could always make them into cards to sell for charity, or like one of the CZTS,make them military personnel on a tour of duty.

  • Maria Victoria

    Microsoft Office Word—on your toolbar, choose Insert>Symbol. You will find various symbols and characters including trademark. Here’s one of the many sites that may help.
    http://www.thebestdata.com==== to make a registered trademark symbol in word 2007. Simple and easy to understand explanation accompanying screenshot. Includes a shortcut to insert symbol.

  • Judy Lisette Martin

    Dear Linda, just an update to my story.I was puzzled as to why my GP had taken me off my strongest high blood pressure medication, though I had been dizzy.I can be somewhat slow of thought at times 🙁
    She explained that my blood pressure had gone down and was staying down, so I don’t need it anymore. That medication was very strong, and I’ve been on it for longer than I can remember, so I was amazed!:-)

    She had no explanation – but when I thought about it, I had 🙂 and so have you!!!
    Love and blessings Judy Lisette Martin

     

  • Amanda Oldridge

    Hi Dianne

    Just to let you know that if you have Microsoft Office Word you will find this symbol under “symbols” under the insert tab. I am sure that most word processing programs have this symbol in them.

    I found it on my mac and my daughters PC.

    Hope that helps.

    Mandi

  • Dianne McNeil

    Thanks so much for the tip concerning registration symbol

  • Linda Farmer, CZT

    Recovered comments that were accidentally deleted:

    5/22/2014

    sunny Henderson – As for storing/transporting supplies, I am using a small makeup bag measuring 6x4x2 inches. It holds two small sketchbooks, 7 Sakura pens, a mechanical pencil, a blender, a pair of readers, an eraser pen, an kneaded eraser, and a pale gray Prismacolor marker. It’s perfect for tossing into my purse for art to go!
    My completed tiles are in a ziploc baggie, however, so, yeah…

    ***********************
    5/23/2014

    Pat Dressel – I was given a leather folder that can I can use a small sketch book in it. I carry my pens in a zentangle cloth bag. I like the small binder as it helps support my work. I keep it in car and take it into restaurants, doctors appointments etc.

    Marci – I am new to zentangle. I didn’t think about storing them. When I first started my local craft store didn’t sell any supplies so I have been using 6×6 card stock. I have only done about 14 so far just learning the patterns and what not but when I complete one I just hang it on my bedroom door.

    Sherri – I am new also to Zentangle. I punch a hole in the upper left hand corner and put them on a ring. I was thinking it would be easy to flip through if I got stuck for a pattern. However, I like the idea of keeping them protected.

    ***********************
    5/26/2014

    Lou – Hello Ann, do the tiles fit in this box as well, or just the pens?

    ***********************
    5/29/2014

    ZaBeth Marsh – that is an awesome idea!

  • As a followup, We R Memory Keepers also now make single 4″ x 4″ sleeves (search “WE R MEMORY KEEPERS-Instagram Albums Made Easy Photo Sleeve Protectors”). They also make albums to fit, but I just bought some 1″ round rings at an office supply store to put through the holes, and then have the whole thing on a hook where visitors can easily take them down and flip through them!

    Also, I display my favorite tiles in a great 16-opening collage frame (search for “Umbra Gridart 16-Opening Picture Frame”) – the openings are 4″sq, so I cut black drawing paper to make little matts.

  • Jamie

    At a thrift store I recently found a two-inch stack of 3.5″ diskette sleeves that fit in three ring binders, four to a page. I can put eight tiles in each sleeve because both sides are clear. The vinyl has some texture to it which obscures the image a bit, but it’s much easier to flip through the pages in a binder than shuffle through stacks of tiles if I’m looking for a particular tangle, or inspiration or whatever. I give many away, and this also makes it easier to find a tile that I think will suit a particular person.

  • Sue vH

    I use some of my tiles when I go geocaching with my grandson. I put them in a plastic sleeve and we leave them in the cache when we find one. Hopefully people will google the Zentangle.com and the word will spread!

  • Elinor

    I’m very new to the awesome world of Tangling and I love it! What about laminating Zentangles and then, using a previous suggestion, punch a hole in the corner and put them on a (keyring) ring? 🙂

  • Abbie-Stuart Fox

    Because not all of my Zenatngles are 3.5s,I purchased a scrapbook to keep them in. I am disappointed that the plastic sleeve takes away some of the “life” of the art. I think it is too thick (I purchased it at Michaels). Do you have any suggestion for me? I’d like to have them all in one place and not sorted by size. Thank you.

  • Michelle Smith

    May I suggest the We R Memory Keepers Fuse Tool. Yes, they sell this on HSN but I’m sure you can find other places as well. You can make your storage sections as big or as little as you want with protective sheets. I find this awesome for using for storing my finished or even other pages, in a 3 ring binder and it all stays so neat. Hope this helps someone. Plus you can use the fuse tool for a whole lot of other awesome things as well. No, I do not work for them nor will I get any pay back for this hint..just wanted to pass it on.

  • Marlene Hanson

    I am new to zentangle by a few months and don’t know what i did with out this amazing art form. Have always loved to draw since i was a child and this brings back so many memories.
    Your sight has been such a great source of information, thanks for all you do.
    Have also wondered how to store our tiles and i thank you for the tip of the plastic storage sheets. I’m ordering soon.

  • Clare

    I display my completed zentangle tiles in a scrapbook sticking them on co-ordinating papers using glue pens. This protects them and is nice to look back on my projects and makes them easy to store.

  • Jill

    I found these albums on Amazon they are made specifically for these size tiles and work perfectly. The second is a book of various size tile to be drawn on..

    Studio Series Artist’s Tile Album Hardcover – November 15, 2014
    by Peter Pauper Press (Author)

    Studio Series Artist’s Tile Sketchbook (tile art) Hardcover – September 30, 2014
    by Peter Pauper Press (Author)

  • Rafael

    Hola, muy buenas a tod@; yo he buscado unas cajas de la abuela; que usaba para guardar fichas con resumenes y apunte. En este caso, la que mas me vino por su tamaño, ha sido la de unas recetas de cocina. Madera de las antiquisimas, con un broche muy antiguo, en donde los enrredos entran olgados. Haciendo una reparticiòn con carton, quedò lugar tambien para las plumas mas valoradas. Todo en una caja en la que tambièn recuerdo a mi abuela y recuerdo que la creatividad es la inteligencia jugando. saludos a tod@s atte:WRT

  • MaryBeth Buschmann

    I am using plastic sheets that hold 12 completed tiles It works great I purchase these online from Dick Blick, Art Supplies.

  • Rosemary Turpin

    I`m so far using a lucky find of a rather tall photo album that only holds three tiles per side, and the book holds 300 tiles – but I`m up to #298 (since June 2015) and I`m not sure where to go from there. Maybe if I can get rid of some no-longer-relevant 3-1/2 x 3-1/2″ photos, I can reuse those pages, but I have to do the getting-rid-of first!

  • Cynthia

    Linda & Angela, thanks for the info for storing our Zentangles. To update it: do not put “Zentangle” in the search spot on http://www.cropstop.com. On right side is a category spot, hit it and then scroll to bottom. You will find the word Zentangle. Hit it. She now has more products for us. There are clear plastic sheets for storing our patterns too !!! Plus more. Have fun tangling and organizing.

  • Nancy Pearson

    Angela. I purchased the sleeves you talked about in the above article a few years back. I get 6 tiles per page because I use both sides of the plastic page. I purchased a thick 3 ring binder to keep them in. i have placed them in chronological order and it is fun to see how I have improved and also how pretty these tiles are even my beginning tiles. It would be nice to keep on a coffee table for others to look through–like a coffee table picture book. I appreciate your suggestion on how to store our Zentangles. Thank you for sharing! Nancy

  • shelby lazeren

    i use binders with page protectors. and drawing notebooks.

  • Liz Wells

    Thanks for the ideas you have all given for storing tangle tiles. Another thing I do with the tiles is to set the graphite so that it will not move or fade after completion. You can buy setting finishes at art supply stores or cheep hairspray achieves the same result.

  • MrsBleezzy

    I had originally dedicated a section of wall in my small apartment, to-witch I would use poster tack to adhere my completed tiles, and Zen Drawings, and even my finished Zendala’s. Needless to say…After tangling nearly everyday for a year I ran out of wall space, despite me rotating my wall display with favorites. Since then (approx. 3 years ago) my finished art(and this is just horribly wrong) is just shoved, randomly into a nilla folder, in no particular order. Now, I have taken some photos with my cellphone of some finished works. But an album such as mentioned in this post would be really nice. My patterns that I’ve learned along they, well that’s an entirely differant story, one for another day.

  • Cathleen J Mullins

    Hi Linda, I ordered some storage sheets from cropshop today. They no longer offer any discount for zentanglers. Thought you should know.
    Love,
    Cathy

    • Linda Farmer, CZT

      Thanks Cathleen, I’m not too surprised because that offer was a fair few years ago now but many thanks for taking time to let people know.

  • Larokin

    I currently have a reasonably curious form of storing my tiles. I first poke a tiny pinprick hole on the edge of my tiles, then i varnish them to make the paper stiff and resistant, and then I weave string or wire through that little pinprick, making a ring or chain of Zentangles.

    If you use epoxy resin on top inatead of varnish, and a small drill instead of a needle or pin, you can also make keychains that way!

  • HikerGirl86

    Yes, they no longer offer discount. Note: I found photo storage pages for 3.5×3.5 tiles on Amazon work great. As well as CD pages for Zendala. And Slide holders (2×2) for Bijou’s. I am ordering the individual sleeves here from CropStop.

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