"It's a String Thing" #102 Tiles

Yes, here they are!
Just one week delayed as we spent a glorious week hugging, kissing, and being royally entertained by our beautiful (I'm allowed to say that:) grandchildren.  I was able to tangle on our plane flights and had much fun playing with Frost Flower.  More on that in Thursday's post...

This challenge employed a string with multiple loops and three lovely tangles.
Let's take a look ~

The first tile arrived from Scarlett Lockerman (Colorado) and a very warm welcome is in order as this is Scarlett's first submission ~

This is my first attempt at one of your challenges. I'm fairly new to zentangle (roughly 6 months) and I'm hooked!
All 3 of the patterns were new to me so it was a learning tile, lol. Actually I threw in a 4th pattern, uncorked, which was also new to me.
Thanks so much the inspiration in my evening tangle!

Tangled Tidbits - 

*alternating black and white spaces of Graancirkel
*great shading and sparkle
*surprise showing of Uncorked

From Anita Aspfors Westin (Sweden) ~

Here is my tile. Scanned. Sez seems so simple but I find it quite difficult to use in a proper way. Anyway, here it comes. One day I might like Sez and make it my friend.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*looks like a very friendly SeZ :)
*lovely white space around Frost Flower
*superb shading


From Roslyn Elliot (Arizona) ~

Here is my challenge. I think it looks like a frosty mug of root beer float! This is my first challenge and I thank you for doing this. I waited all day yesterday to get the post. I got it quite late and so had to sleep on it. 

Tangled Tidbits - 

*bubbly Sez and that analogy makes me thirsty!
*wonderful shading
*close detail lines of Frost Flower

From Sarah Antoinette (Michigan) ~

I used the string! On a 3.5x3.5 inch tile, on white, with a 01 Sakura black pen and pencil to draw the original lines in. This is a triumph in my tangling history personally. Never thought I could do something that kind of looks like what all of you great artists do seemingly so easily! Thanks for the challenge Ms. Bruno. Today I Zentangled! :)
(and on her blog)  

Tangled Tidbits - 

*CONGRATULATIONS on your 'new' tangling experience!
*lantern looking Graancirkel
*a light Sez

From Tina Kirchhübel (Germany) ~

every week I look forward to your new challenge. This week I found the string very difficult. So I just began to tangle without any plan and there came really one stroke at a time. This is my tile for this week's challenge.
Best wishes to your dad and greatings from Germany

Tangled Tidbits -
*how rewarding - one stroke at a time, no plan in mind...pure Zentangle!
*gorgeous deep black spaces
*neat lines and super shading

From Sabrina Kirjavainen (Finland) ~

I actually did two versions, first the one in colour and then the black and white one. Pick which ever one you want to show. :) It was fun to play with both elements and seeing how different both of them are.
With love from Finland
I also posted my tile on my new tangle blog  :)

Tangled Tidbits -
*how could I decide? - I had to post both :)
*multiple sparkles on Frost Flower
*generous grids of Graancirkel


From Jessie Plouffe (Connecticut) ~

Here is my submission for this week. I really love Frost Flower but
have never actually used it, so I wanted it to be the focus of this
tile.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*superb shading and sparkle
*Sez darkly outlined
*varying sizes of Frost Flower

From Henrike Bratz (Germany) ~

the tile I send you is my second try. On the first one I didn’t really take my time and then it wouln’t work out and I did’t like it at all.
So – this morning a made another attempt, got really focused and took my time. That made the difference. I especially liked to draw Frost Flower. It’s a nice feeling to draw all these parallel lines, skipping every now and then for a some sparkle!!

Tangled Tidbits - 

*taking time to tangle, breathe, relax...the results are magical
*dark centers of SeZ
*great use of white space and addition of


From Simone (Germany) ~

...The weekly challenges are a very good way to get to know new patterns and to practise them - and then to compare with the uncountable versions of this patterns by the several artists! This is amazing for me!
The patterns which we use this week are completely new for me - I like them all, but my favourite is "Frost Flower"
This is my result , see also the new post 

Tangled Tidbits -

* elegant and elongated Graancirkel on the string's curve
*shaded string line
*clusters of SeZ


From Yorkshire Tortoise (Ireland) ~

I really enjoyed looking at the results of last week's challenge and seeing all the different approaches to fitting just two tangle patterns into so many available spaces in the string. They were all different too.
I was very interested in the patterns you chose this week, especially Sez which immediately reminded me of the famous pre-Celtic tri-spirals. If anyone is interested in how tangling could be connected to prehistoric art you can read more about it on my blog

Tangled Tidbits - 

*a wonderful tile - and a wonderful history lesson, thank you
*dark center lines for Frost Flower
*continuation of detail lines and dots around the tangles


From Cheryl Stocks (Arizona) ~

Attached is my attempt at 102. To me, it ended up looking like fried eggs on a sidewalk. It's not something I've ever done, but it's been known to be hot enough to do so. I've never been, but I believe the town of Oatman has a day when they actually try to do just that.
I tell ya, the heat can really get to ya!
I was determined to leave all that white space and it took everything I had not to fill 'er up. Still trying to practice the concept of "enoughness."
Have a brilliant day and thank you!
on my blog

Tangled Tidbits - 

*lovely white space (and egg reminder!)
*lines of Frost Flower and Graancirkel are equally spaced
*nice bold lines of SeZ

From Beth Gaughan (North Carolina) ~

Here's my tile for this week. I like these patterns! They were all new to me. Sadly my pen leaked a glop onto my tile, but it looks kind of like a heart so it worked out.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*a heart and a wonderful reminder of "creative opportunities"!
*clever variation of Graancirkel
*loops of Frost Flower

From Lisa Preston (Georgia) ~

I loooved this one! Especially Graancirkel, once I worked a few variations in my sketchbook. It reminded me of jewelry or a Faberge egg or party lanterns. My husband specifically liked my "black pearls" so I guess I drew those pretty well!
This was the first time I went to the edges of a tile, so a new experience for me there...I think this one needed it.
The tile ended up a bit busier than I expected, but I'm pretty happy with it.
Looking forward to a Zentangle-y Monday!

Tangled Tidbits -
*yes to all of the above :)
*sparkle, shading, dark and light spaces - wonderful balance
*great depth achieved with Frost Flower


From Cat Trask (Oregon) ~

Sometimes "life" gets in the way, and as much as I wish that I could participate in your "It's a String Thing" challenge every week, I don't get to as often as I like. But this week I had no choice! As soon as I read about the challenge, I grabbed a Renaissance tile, an it just took off from there. It was the strangest thing.. first the string, then the frost flowers, then the Graancirkel, then SeZ, then.. well it just took on a life of it's own. Color, shading. Definitely one of my most surprising tiles, the way that it took on a life of it's own right from the start.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*don't you just love when that happens?
*dark, colorful, highlighted, shaded - wonderful!
*smaller Graancirkel against larger tangles

From Joanne Hawes (England) ~

Here's my it's a string thing using string 102 for the week. I like sez ( when I remember to use it, but then printemps is one of my fave tangles and there similar looking).frost flower is fun although it sometimes went abit wrong it looks ok :). Graancirle wasn't going to be on here as I wasn't sure where it would fit but it's sneaked on in some of the corners and dropped it's little circles in gaps in the frost flower. Also on  my blog 

Tangled Tidbits -
*Frost Flower shaded from the center
*three corners of Graancirkel
*layers of Printemps-like Sez

From Ilse Lukken (The Netherlands) ~

Here's my entry for this week. The result is a bit more grey than I had wanted, but that's the way my tile developed ;-)
You can find it on my blog as well.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*the grey balances well with the white spaces and dark lines
*bold Graancirkel
*darkly shaded Frost Flower

From Cathy Cusson ~

Good morning! I hope this day finds you in good health! This was a fun challenge, although I feel like my tile is somewhat bland. I don’t think it has any pizazz. Oh well, it was fun and very relaxing.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*overlapping Frost Flower
*an even lightness for all three tangles
*shaded string lines


From Karin (Germany) ~

I used all three patterns. When I first saw the string I thought that the spaces between the lines were too near to fill with those patterns but at the end it worked anyway
Kind regards!

Tangled Tidbits - 

*multiple sparkled lines of Frost Flower
*bold Graancirkel
*Sez filled loops


From Sally Sheldon (Massachusetts) ~

This was an interesting challenge. I didn't think I could put the three patterns (all of which were new to me) together. I struggled for a while and then this just came together. A few mistakes but that is what makes this all so much fun. They don' really matter to me. And then I rotated it from the original position. I am pleased with the result!

Tangled Tidbits - 

*"no mistakes" - that is so true in tangling
*a string line of Sez with a sparkled border
*varying sizes of Frost Flower

From Heidi ~

This week's string thing was a fun challenge for me. I enjoyed putting the tangles in it in various combinations, and played around a lot. I posted about it on my blog...
In the end, I decided to submit the monotangle with Frost Flower, and shading really bringing out the string. I am definitely going to play with sez more, too. But of all the playing around that I did for this challenge, this one was my favorite.
thanks again for a fun challenge!

Tangled Tidbits -
*all three just had to be included here!
*great clusters of Frost Flower
*super shading

From Lynne Harvey (California) ~

This week, I don't feel is my best work, and I didn't have time to try it more than once ... I liked the three patterns individually, but couldn't seem to get them to work together - maybe it is "art block" (or all the rain in CA has made my brain soggy!) I'm looking forward to seeing how others did this one, and feedback from Adele.
My blog 

Tangled Tidbits - 

*contrasting Graancirkel
*elongated Frost Flower
*beautiful shading


From Susan Theron (South Africa) ~

Here is my contribution, also on my blog...

Tangled Tidbits - 

*pretty Frost Flower cluster
*two sizes of Graancirkel
*loops of white space

From Linda Gonclaves (Pennsylvania) ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*curved Frost Flower
*darkened string line
*flowers for Graancirkel

From Michele Wynne (California) ~

What a great challenge! Frost Flower is one of my new favorite patterns and I was really anxious to get going on this. I was not familiar with Graancirkel at all and Sez has always eluded me. Well, it took several attempts to get the string to submit to the patterns. I really wanted to leave some white space (the two loops remained vacant in all of my attempts) but at the last minute Frost Flower demanded that space. This is also on my blog.
Thanks for everything you do!

Tangled Tidbits -
*sensational Sez
*deeply shaded Frost Flower
*grand Graancirkel

From Clémence (usually living in Paris) ~

Thanks so much for the challenge!
I did this one while in vacation in Brittany. All tangles were new to me and I especially liked Frost Flower.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*Graancirkel radiates from the corner
*tangles float off
*super shading

From Ingrid (The Netherlands) ~

Every week I am so glad I managed again to draw a tile!
This week was a tough challenge . A very free and loose interpretation of the string and tangle patterns, especially Graancirkel. I took it out of its grid. A lot of grey tones this time. I think maybe because the weather in The Netherlands is grey and stormy and wet.
And cold!!! It feels like the bad days of Autumn here.
Anyway I am happy with the result of the tile. It is what it is.

Tangled Tidbits -
*fabulous Frost Flower
*a surround of SeZ
*bead-like Graancirkel

From Protia Hyde (Michigan) ~

Enjoying the ever changing Michigan weather and I “hatched out” this piece amidst the swarming of mosquitoes, warm sun and lush green foliage of Michigan this time of year.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*light, medium, and dark variations of SeZ
*wonderful lines of Frost Flower
*great contrast in Graancirkel



From Juul (France) ~

Chère Adèle
Wow I managed to not only make my tile but even to send it to you!!!!! Last week I stopped after the "making" part,so you never saw my tile 101

Tangled Tidbits - 

*congratulations of seeing this through!
*single Frost Flower in a loop
*multiple aura for SeZ
*Graancirkel sections of black and white do not alternate, give the tangle a new look

From Jenny Hopkins (Australia) ~

Thanks again for a great challenge. I am not sure why but I love strings with "holes" in them.
Frost Flower could become one of my new favourites. I really enjoyed the mindfulness of all of the close, parallel lines and the challenge of seeing what happens where each flower meets its neighbour. I find the concentric circles of Sez very difficult, although I have to admit that I like the overall effect of the tangle.
I am looking forward to seeing what others have done with this one.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*masterfully tangled Frost Flower
*super SeZ
*background grid of Graancirkel

From Marla Mendenhall (California) ~

Hope your Dad had tangle-riffic birthday.
I'm LOVING Frost Flowers! Too fun. And clumps of SeZ reminded me of settled drifts of snowflakes.
Stuck to the string for the first one, but the second was JFF. Needed a bit of the frosty here in California too, with the temp in the nineties and uncharacteristic thunder storms pushing the humidity close to ditto. Flashback to those muggy days in Michigan, when the pressure of every step felt like climbing ten flights of stairs with an elephant strapped to my back ... Summer has definitely come to So. Cal.

Tangled Tidbits -
*a single strand of Graancirkel looped in the paper - so fun!
*intricately intersecting Frost Flower
*FABULOUS frosted window pane


From Felicity Strohfeldt (South Africa) ~

Great photo and sandy Uncorked. Was wondering if the west coast of Florida is similar to the west coast here. We have the most spectacular sunsets in winter. Almost too good to be true. I must get my technology geared to send you a pic or two. In the winter we have an influx of over 130 thousand black cormorants flying in from the sea from four in the afternoon until dark, too roost along the sandy banks of the river, that flows through town into the sea on the famous St Helena Bay. This was the first bay, where Vasco da Gama came ashore close to the southern tip of Africa in 1498 on his voyage to discover a spice route to India around the African Continent.
Anyway to tile 102. Also on my blog.  What can I say? Great tangle patterns! Mesmerizing Frost Flower by Karry Huen, I was completely carried away. I also enjoyed Sez by Rick Roberts. My tangle time became a latish night, so (Mmmmhuh) about Graancirkel by Magda Wellens. Bit squiffy in my opinion. Never mind, I enjoyed the complete content of this challenge and “carried away” is the operative of zentangle. I was carried away.
Thanks you for each week’s enjoyable challenge.

Tangled Tidbits -
*Frost Flower glows here
*SeZ, outlined and shaded
*delicate lines of Graancirkel

From Sharyn Penna (Massachusetts) ~
 ... I love the way Karry creates her Frost Flower ... I just can't achieve the look I want with straight line patterns. Looking forward to the showcase of tiles ... It's always a learning moment seeing everyone's techniques. Cheers!

Tangled Tidbits -
*perfs for Graancirkel
*sparkled SeZ
*softly shaded Frost Flower

From Lily (Hungary) ~

Tangled Tidbits - 

*Printemps-like SeZ
*fine lines of Frost Flower, some darkened, some dotted, all beautifully shaded
*wonderful white spaces

And now, the tile for honors this week was sent in by

Becky Welty (North Carolina) ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*Frost Flower lines are spaced further apart, yet the effect of the tangle is still achieved
*the entire string line and border is SeZ - a very clever approach
*very nice shading

Congratulations, Becky!

I have a little some thing coming in the mail for you.

Many thanks to the creative minds behind the tangles we used this week ~

TanglePatterns String 102 by Anne Marks

Frost Flower by Karry Huen.

SeZ by Rick Roberts

Graancirkel by Magda Wellens

Check back Tuesday afternoon for "It's a String Thing" #104

Results of "It's a String Thing" #103 will be posted on Wednesday.
Wait until you see them - they are sensational!