"It's a String Thing" #52 A Very Happy Birthday Tiles

One year of "It's a String Thing" and it is a very happy birthday.

When the challenge began last August, I could never have imagined this wonderful community we've come to enjoy, the gorgeous art work shared, the friends made, the joys multiplied, the seasons celebrated, the tangles learned.

I cherish the notes that accompany your art work.
I appreciate knowing things like the temperature of the Baltic Sea, that a tile was drawn by an open window on a warm Seattle morning or lakeside in Ontario on vacation,  that winter is approaching in South Africa or a heat wave swept through British Columbia.

I recognize inner artists awakening and  confidence building.

I enjoy the descriptions of how tangles take on a life of their own and how new ones are developed and named.

I celebrate when I read that Zentangle® was just discovered and a self taught tangler takes the plunge and submits a tile for the challenge.

I delight in recognizing the particular style of an artist when I view an entry.  (I can usually guess who tangled it, and I love that.)

I could go on...and will in posts to follow this week, but for now - here are the tiles with just a little catch.

I usually edit out the personal compliments because they are just that - personal.  My goal is to present the art work with the artist's comments and make positive observations we can all learn from.

This week is a just a bit different.  I am posting notes as (mostly) written so we can all soak up the love and celebrate!

From Lily Moon ~

Here's my tile for your special weekly challenge. Happy 1st Anniversary Adele :)
... I wish you good health and a lot of strength for your additional works and for your wonderful and inspirational blog. (Blog link)
A large hug:
Lily

From CZT Joan Delony ~

Congratulations on making it one year! I remember when you started. It's a String Thing has become a popular challenge. Best Wishes for the future. Please attach my website

From Linda Bladen~

I'm attaching my tile for this week. I used all of the tangles and really enjoyed doing this tile. The sun was out and the birds were twittering away in the garden whilst I was happily tangling away.
Lotus Pods is a tangle which doesn't appeal much to me - I'm not fond of tangles with a lot of black areas, but I was pleased with how well it worked here as the candle flame. On the other hand I do love tangles with lots of line work so I really was in my element this week with A-Fog, Meringue and Roscoe. I'll be using all three again soon I know.
I've added this tile to my blog here
Best wishes

From Audrie Weisenfelder ~

Another auspicious occasion; and a chance to celebrate! ...
Here's my birthday entry. First I tried the string out on a Twinchie, then followed through with a full sized tile. It was fun and easy; in true Zentangle fashion, one tangle after another just fell in place. On my blog

From Ragged Ray ~

And Happy Birthday to the Challenge!
I can't believe it's been just over a year since I discovered Zentangle. I can't believe it's been nearly a year since I've sent tiles to you. Zentangle, the Challenge and you are now an established part of my week! ... this world of little tiles and tangles is perfect and I love it - and I'm sure it will be with me for life. And who knows where we might end up - the possibilities are literally endless! Thank you as always for your boundless encouragement! I'm not sure I would have got even half as much out of it without you.

And thank you for your compliments on Kitl and for choosing it for the challenge. I set myself the goal of trying to create one tangle this year and I've already done two!
And so to this week's Challenge. A tile for you. With a single candle burning bright within a dark and ancient cave. To think our distant ancestors discovered fire and also the desire to make marks on the walls of their caves. The drive to paint and draw and decorate our world has been with us from the beginning. And we carry on that tradition in our own tangly way!

From Meridiana, with her blog link ~

A very warm welcome to Joya ~
                      I'm Joya and I want to participate to the actual "string Thing". Happy first birthday :-)
                      My blog 

From Lori Byerly ~
                   Happy Birthday! It's a lovely milestone to reach. :)  - and her blog link

From  Cheryl Anne Day-Swallow ~

Another cool challenge. Thank you !
I named my art piece Zentangle CupCake
A Zentangle cupcake, such a treat
Happy 10th birthday, now lets eat !


Candle wick was made using A-Fog
Candle flame outline was made using Kitl
Candle flame was made using Merigue
Frame was made using Roscoe
Frame corners made using Kitl
Frame twinkles made using Lotus Pods

A warm welcome to Cheryl Stocks ~

I wanted to do a more traditional Zentangle this week. I chose to keep the candle part as white space and worked around it, utilizing all the tangles in the box! Reminds me of a woman in a long dress and a cape, but that's just what I see. I hope it's a fitting prezzie for your blog challenge first birthday. Thanks for the chance to slow down and meditate.  (Link to blog)

From Cathy Cusson ~

 Here is my challenge - realized only after scanning it the background tangle - one side is different than the other! Oh well, I will do better next week. I like the variation, just wouldn't have put it on the same piece!

From Carmela ~
                             ...I wish you Happy Birthday on the First Year and 52 beautiful string things 

                             which gives me much pleasure to make them. (blog link)

From Jane Glotzer

Here's my entry for the anniversary string--
I started with a bit of Meringue for the flame...
Lotus pods for the candle...
Roscoe in the background...wasn't too happy with it until I started the shading...wow, what a difference it made--:)
Finished with the border that I thought was going to be more Lotus Pods, but then just decided on a simplified version of some Black-Eyed Peas.
I started participating in your challenges around #34, and I've seen so much growth in my work just since then...keep up the inspiration for us all...sending a big, sincere THANKS and Happy Anniversary, once again!

From Jocelyne Pigeon-Bernier ~

First, good first anniversary of your blog. It's a lot of work, but you managed the challenge very well!
Here is my project this week. I did it more "clean" and added a touch of fantasy, a colored flame. ;-)

From Peggy Kohrmann ~

Happy first birthday!! I love your continuous line candle!
I went with the expected choices for the candle, Meringue for the flame and A-Fog for the candle.
Roscoe and Lotus Pods are my background. Footlites seemed to be necessary for this celebration so I added it.

From Sal ~

Hi
Another zendala – I could have made any number from the candle-in-a-square string.
Template here 

From CZT Sue Jacobs ~

Happy Birthday to you and your challenge. It's hard to believe it's already been a year!
I enjoyed the new tangles that were included here. I think Roscoe may be one of my new favorites!
(Link to blog)

From Christine Forrester~

Thank you for setting the challenges for the last year.
I used Meringue and Kitl for both candle and bows. I had to add a touch of Tipple and CO2, Ahh and Joy, and used glitter pens. And I had a little help from my cat.
She wanted to get in on the celebrations.

From Anna Houston, CZT~

Here's my entry for the Happy Birthday challenge. Not my favorite but an interesting challenge to be sure.
Congratulations on a year of fabulous challenges!

From LonnetA ~

Happy Birthday to your wonderful "It´s a String Thing!" ... 1 year ...wow!
I thank you very much for making it possible for us to take part in this challenge!
Also your weekly presentation of all pictures with your kind and warm-hearted comments is really fabulous and laudable!
For all this ... thank you, Adele!:-)
Your Birthday String is so lovely and I had a lot fun with this. For my tile I used all the five tangles and my special favorite is Roscoe!
My blog-link

From Melanie Ringler ~

Happy First Anniversary on your It’s a String Thing Challenges!
Attached is my submission for this week.
You can find it on my blog here.

From Sharyn Penna ~

You created a stunning anniversary string for this week's challenge. I started a tile and abandoned it half way...I had no focus that day. The next day with a clear mind and clean tile everything connected.
Congrats on this one year milestone! Hoping there are many many more zenniversaries for A String Thing! Cheers! 

From Jackie Becker ~

Happy String Thing Birthday! So excited for you. While my tangle is very basic, my "thanks" to you for continuing this challenge from week to week is far more than I can express.

From Debra Yabczanka ~

                  Happy Birthday!!!!

From Sue Agnew ~

My one big regret is I didn't find out about this till like #3 or #4 ... but congratulations on your first anniversary!
I really tried to bond with Roscoe but couldn't quite figure it out. So I stuck with Meringue (a natural for the flame) and A-Fog as the candle, and Lotus Pods as the background.
Welcome back! And thanks for a fun year!

From Annemarie~

It's time to say 'thank you' to you, because you provided all these challenges for us.
(Blog link)

From Henrike Bratz ~

I did a small Bijou for your anniversary.
Happy tangling

From Kirsten Bish ~

Here is my entry for the challenge. Sorry to get it to you so late. Congratulations on one year on the blog! I love how it challenges me to learn new tangles like Rosco. I loved this one so much, I got a little carried away. 

From Lucy Banta ~

Happy birthday to your string challenge! That's quite an accomplishment, and I'm thrilled to have been a part of the celebration (and thank goodness for your extended deadline).

I loved all the tangles you selected, but only used three in your candle string (Kitl, Meringue, and Lotus Pods).

Here's the link to my blog post.

From Kia Richardson ~

Congratulations and happy first birthday for sting things. I've done this particular tangle three times because, unfortunately, what seems to be a recurring theme, I didn't read the complete instructions and I missed the particular tangles to use. But my second and third attempt just didn't cut it. So, it's late Sunday afternoon and I don't feel like doing a fourth. Therefore you get my first attempt, which was done with celebration in mind, using the tangles, parteh, partay, ornamation (and something I can't identify in the flame of the candle).
Don't worry if you don't want to publish it. I just wanted to celebrate your achievement.

From Ingrid Coventon ~

                            Happy birthday I wish you to!

A warm welcome to Janice L Johnson ~

I am attaching my entry for It's a String Thing #52. Thank you for having this challenge and Happy Birthday.

From Caroline Moore ~

Happy Birthday Adele! I loved this week’s challenge, especially the candle shape and my new favorite tangle, Kitl! I love tangles where the possibilities are endless. I’ve also posted this challenge on my website.
Thanks for your continued fun challenges!

From Jenna Wheatman ~

Here is this weeks string challenge. All the tangles were new to me, I love the tangle meringue. As usual I tried to get the tangles to blend with one another but it mainly turned out with lots of meringue.

Congratulations on reaching your 1 year anniversary of hosting 'Its's a String Thing' challenge. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into posting these challenges and also sharing your lovely work. I have been inspired so much by many of your projects and the tiles shared by others around the world.

And from Deanna Spence who has the great distinction of being the only tangler to submit for the very first challenge and the 52nd. - along with many in between!

Happy Birthday "It's a String Thing" and happy birthday to us all!

Many thanks to the creative minds behind the tangles used with my string in the challenge this week ~

They include:

Meringue by CZT Kelley Kelly
A-Fog by Kathy Redmond
Roscoe by Vicki Bassett
Kitl by Jem Miller AKA Ragged Ray
And for sentimental reasons, we will also used CZT Margaret Bremner's pattern
Lotus Pods.  The very first challenge featured this wonderful tangle.

Tomorrow we start a new year!