Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

Man’s mind, 

once stretched by a new idea, 

never regains its original dimensions.

                                                                                                    ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

IAST #159 Tile by Adele Bruno, CZT
Printemps - Maria Thomas, Partay - Margaret Bremner, CZT, Palrevo - Karry Heun

"It's a String Thing" #160

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

Let's get started with this string inspired by the number six (it's a very angular number six) ~

IAST #160 String by Adele Bruno, CZT

Finding that I sometimes take for granted the elegance of certain tangles, I was pleasantly reminded of the beauty of both Fengle and Shattuck.  Students in my last few classes have asked questions about them and gave them high praise.
Let's explore them both this week, spend time getting to know them, and use them with this string.

Now, at times, Fengle begs to be its own string and if you prefer to tangle along using it as your string, by all means, do.

Below are the links for more information and step outs ~

Fengle
This link will take you to the Zentangle newsletter from March of 2013 where Maria and Rick illustrate Fengle's step out and an introduction to the world of possibilities this tangle holds.
(At the bottom of the newsletter, they announce the CZT Seminars for the fall - I attended the September one - very nostalgic!)

and

Shattuck - both by Maria Thomas, Zentangle co-founder
Many of my students consider this a "go to" tangle.  There are countless ways to embellish this tangle.

Simply pencil the string line onto your tile and tangle away! Keep in mind that string lines are suggestions and let the patterns lead the way.

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines: 
* Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.
*Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin or contain the letter(s) indicated
* Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or scan your tile (300 dpi or higher) and save as a jpg
*Email your jpg file as an attachment to - brunoadelem@gmail.com
*Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.
*Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays. 

Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle® enthusiasts all over the world.  WHEN YOU SIGN YOUR NAME, PLEASE INCLUDE WHERE YOU LIVE.  
FOR EXAMPLE:   ADELE BRUNO (FLORIDA)

PLEASE NOTE: It is not necessary for you to have a blog or website to participate. 
In order to eligible for the drawing, you must send in your completed tile.

If you do have a blog or website, I will add a link upon request. 
Please include the site specific URL. 

I look forward to your emails.
HAVE FUN!

"It's a String Thing" #159 Tiles

Spirals were theme this week as we used a string inspired by the very lovely Printemps by Maria Thomas as well as Printemps itself.  We paired it with one free form tangle and one grid based tangle and the results are very festive. 

We welcome first time contributors from Switzerland, Canada, and the United States - and there is even a birthday to celebrate!

Let's take a look ~


The first email arrived from Trudi (Woodview, Ontario, Canada) ~

Once again these are not Tangles I would have used, you keep us on our toes. Palrevo I had to keep repeating to myself left upper, left lower...no other left! My fingers just wanted to put them in the wrong corners, left or right.

Tangled Tidbits -
*clusters of Printemps fill the string
*Palrevo features multiple line configurations


From Talia (London, United Kingdom) ~

Please find my tiles for this week and last week attached.
I have really enjoyed doing both of these. Printemps is one of my favourite tangles and I almost used it in IAST 158! Luckily I chose to use Navaho instead otherwise I might have had Printemps overload!
I have also decided that in order for me to really like a tile I've drawn it has to have a lot of black in it. So both of these times are very pleasing to me (and hopefully everyone else too).

Tangled Tidbits -
*large Palrevo features thick lines
*sparkled Printemps pop on top of black string spiral

Tangled Tidbits -
*Navaho layering stands out against the deep black background - wonderful dimension
*Drogon lined string line

From Renee (Tennessee) ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*dotted highlights for Printemps - makes them look so happy :)
*alternating brown and black lines for Palrevo



From Linda (United Kingdom) ~

The sun is out and we have a bank holiday weekend coming up here in the UK so Partay is a particularly apt tangle

Tangled Tidbits -
*Partay and Printemps mingle - notice how each one is shaded
*Palrevo fills the strings doubled lines



From Hilary (Chicago, Illinois) ~

Another challenging project! This is my third attempt; I kept getting lost in the string. Even now I'm not sure I got it right.
I decided to go with tiny bits of Printemps and Partay in the scrolling parts and a minimalistic version of Palrevo. Palrevo was new to me and I even enjoyed practicing it.
As always, thanks again for your great challenges and your help with the enhancing our tangles.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*very detailed fields of Printemp and Partay mix
*uniform details of Palrevo make for a pretty variation


A very warm welcome to Patricia (Switzerland) ~

Her's my tile for challenge 159!

 Tangled Tidbits -
*curved Palvero grid
*Printemp covered string lines filled with Partay -notice how the dark squares repeat in Palrevo and Partay


A very warm welcome to fellow CZT, Vicki Mitchell (Moscow, Idaho) -

As this is my first try at this, I hope I interpreted the rules correctly. My string might have been better, but round things are not my forte. I wasn't sure how I was going to fit Palrevo into such small curves, but the next thing I knew, I had three sections filled. Printemps similarly appeared where it is, and Partay filled the border. By then, I was free-associating on other patterns that began with P -- Pepper, Pokeroot, and Pokeleaf. Ria Matheussen's Paravan, crawling out of the border in the upper right corner, tried to crowd too much in too little space.
For shading, I chose my trusty Prismacolor watercolor pencils for the colors and and a graphite pencil for the black. Partay needed something extra, so it was colored with my Derwent metallic watercolor pencils

 Tangled Tidbits -
*sparkle and shading for Palrevo
*lovely lines and sparkle of Primtemps


From Rebecca I (Stamford, Connecticut) ~

This was SUCH a fun challenge this week! Really enjoyed putting these tangles together, and in this really fun string! Think I'll have to do another tile with a completely different combination - lots of,possibilities!

 Tangled Tidbits -
*Printemps changes size with the string's spaces
*Partay plays outside the string

IAST #159, round 2!
https://flic.kr/p/LthjHh
Liked this one so much, had to do a second one! ;-) 

Tangled Tidbits -
*layered Printemps along the string with added sparkle
*smaller grid for Palrevo with thick black lines



From Amy Barnickel (Orlando, Florida) ~

I'm making a series of art cards that feature hearts, a la Donna Dowless, Orlando's official ambassador of love. So I decided to weave some hearts into my printempts pattern this week.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*heart lined string filled with Partay bits - how fun!
*shading along the string's curves seems to magnify Palrevo


From Aloyna Pakhomova (Toronto, Canada) ~

I love this challenge! The string was not simple, but interesting and really challenging. And I like the result.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*shading along all curves gives the illusion of roundness
*each Primtemp is shaded



From Val Steele (Johannesburg, South Africa) ~

I really wasn't sure how to tackle this weeks string and tangles. A grid based tangle in curves and crescents? Well I just picked up my pen and started. And I'm very please with the final product.
Thanks Adele for making me not have to think, but to go with the Zentangle flow.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*don't you just love when that happens - and the results are as happy as the experience
*black lines and shading for Palvero
*shaded background for Partay



From Henrike Bratz (Germany) -

tomorrow is my birthday. Between today’s baking and cooking I sat down at my small table at the window and enjoyed tangling #159. It seemed to be quite a challenge to make the tangles and the string meet in a natural and oranic way. I just started with some printemps at the bottom of the tile, a bit of partay here an a spuare of palrevo in the corner and bit by bit it became easier to go on. You just have to begin SOMEWHERE. So thats another lesson or the same lesson over and over again actually ... One stroke...

 Tangled Tidbits -
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
*shading defines the string lines
*large sparkle and weighted down strokes make Printemps pop
*Tipple flows from Printemps into Partay


From Sabine (Germany) ~

it was a really challenge this week for me and my brain:)) But at the end I drew two tiles.
The first is an Renaissance-Tile which didn't make me satisfied. For me it looks too restless.
One day later I drew a pure black and white tile and I enjoy it.
With many greetings from a very hot and sunny Germany

Tangled Tidbits - 

*layers of Printemps shine with highlights

*Palrevo grid curves with the string

 Tangled Tidbits -
*Palrevo tapers to a point - grand sense of movement
*Printemp - overlap, change direction, and stand out against the black background


From Ingrid (The Netherlands) ~

Thank you for the warm sunshine you send to the Netherlands! Finally we enjoy some warm/hot lazy summer days here and it feels so wonderful and relaxing!
Also relaxing was this week's tile to make. At first it puzzled me how to do it, but I picked up my pen and started. Curious to see how it would end. That is always the best way to make a tile! I blackened the background of Partay instead of Printemps.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*very pretty negative Partay - compliments the dark circles around Printemps
*shading adds depth to Printemp clusters and bold Palrevo



From Gesine (Germany) ~

this one definitely wanted to become a Palrevo monotangle. I just couldn’t help it – sorry, Printemps and Partay ;-)
Greeting from hot Germany

 Tangled Tidbits -
*fabulous vortex of Palrevo
*single sections of the tangle accent three corners




From Pat (Florida) ~

I enjoyed these patterns and strings

 Tangled Tidbits -
*ribbon like string lines filled with Printemps
*large grid for Palrevo contrasts with dainty Partay



From Linda Goncalves (Pennsylvania) ~

I had fun working with all three. Would have liked to make the Palvrevo with smaller squares but didn't have time.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*larger Palrevo compliments the tinier Printemps and Partay
*sparkled Printemps




From Gabriela Garcia (Alberta, Canada) ~

I have been following your challenges for a while now but have always been a little bit shy of showing my tiles, so this is the first time I have summoned the courage to finally send my work. I loved this organic sting and it was really great working with the patterns. Thank you for posting all of the challenges; I really enjoy them.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*rows of neatly fitted Printemps fill string's sprial - segmented, shaded, and highlighted!
*circles and squares of Partay - notice that each is shaded



From Michele Wynne (California) ~

Thanks for another challenging challenge. Getting these 3 patterns to play nicely with each other was not easy for me. I love this string and I will definitely save it for future use. The watercolor on the tile seemed to want to function as a second string. I don't really know what I was going for here but I really enjoyed drawing it.
Thank you for all you do.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*remarkable sense of depth created with shading, tapering of Printemps, and the spiral curling through and over the band of Palrevo
*colorful sprinkling of Partay


From Sue Agnew (Tucson, Arizona) ~

This week I was determined to get out of my comfort zone and use a wonky grid for Palrevo. However ... it just didn't happen with this string, so I'm back to "grid behind, string in front." I appreciated your Printemps tips ... the one thing I did differently is I first drew the outside circle and then started the spiral from the middle. I like the way Partay looks, especially more sparsely scattered as in the bottom space. So it was a fun (and smudgy) exercise.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*straight grid compliments the Printemps lined string
*'sparsely scattered' Partay accents but does not overwhelm the white spaces



From Jane Glotzer (Boulder, Colorado) ~

Love how my #159 came out...although my shading looks much harsher in the scan than in real life, but what can you do?
Wasn't sure I'd be able to get this one done, but I love, love the Palrevo pattern...and I haven't done it in a while...so that's probably what convinced me to get it done last minute! A touch of Printemps...no official Partay, but there's definitely a celebration in there somewhere--:) Love how the spiral string is emphasized and how the empty space sets off everything else...(and I have used coffee ink before and was also reminded by your IAST contributor two weeks ago about using it, so this is photo paper stained with coffee!)

 Tangled Tidbits -
*white space accents the tangles - black background highlights Printemps
*detail lines for Palrevo (like Amy's above)


From Susan Theron (Velddrif, South Africa) ~

Mine. I loved this challenge.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*single grid spiral of Palrevo features thick and thin lines, shaded curves
*Printemps tapers to fit the string



From Marla Mendenhall (California) ~

Tuesday... A new challenge is posted. I get out my little notebook, sketch the string, and sample the assigned patterns. And then ... I stare into space. Maybe minutes. Maybe longer. Maybe I go to bed "staring" into my inner space. At some point in the next day or so an image forms in my mind. Once the first tile is done, I find myself thinking of alternate placements for the patterns, and it starts all over again. Staring into space ...
Tile #1 was my first "Ah-ha": Palrevo on the squares of Partay. In Tile #2 Palrevo took on an a more arrowed form, and placement for the confetti pattern didn't immediately present itself, so I threw a bit of a Partay in the corner (pun intended). In Tile #3, Palrevo's angles morphed into curves (hopefully not trespassing on another pattern unknown to me) and Printemps spacecraft flew in for some fun.
I do love these challenges (You can't tell, can you?). Better than the New York Times crossword, even more so since I have an increased chance of finishing!

 Tangled Tidbits -
*Palrevo Partay squares - ingenious!
*shadowed string

*weighted lines under spiraled Palrevo

*perfect touch of Partay

 *saucer shaped Printemps
*curves repeat in all patterns
(Marie Thomas' Beelight is similar to the curved and ever so pretty Palrevo)
*Partay filled double string line
Thank you, Marla!


From Julie Bazuzi (Washington State) and here on her blog ~

I'm trying something new (to me!) this time... renaissance tile style.Your Tips on Tangling Printemps was very inspiring and I used tons of overlap in this tile. I think it looks a bit like a layer cake!

Tangled Tidbits -

...a very yummy layer cake!  

*aura-ed Partay - a great variation

*layers and layers of tangles bubble up - delightful dimension added with shading and highlights

From Lin H. (Florida) ~

It was fun this week tangling on a Renaissance tile for a change. I love learning new tangle patterns and Partay and Palrevo were both new to me so thanks for including them in the challenge!

 Tangled Tidbits -
*black and white perf filled double string lines
*Palrevo border with white and brown lines
and I must add, beautifully presented on a TTT frame!


From Anita A Westin (Dalrna, Sweden) and here on her blog ~

Here comes my entry for this week...

 Tangled Tidbits -
*white on black and black on white Partay
*sparkled, golden Printemps



From Ulrike Brenn (Germany) ~

From the beginning I saw Palrevo as decorative edge. Over a starry sky from Party. I thought so around the spiral would certainly be nice. Unfortunately Palrevo was too small and lost its charm.
I had almost given up the idea with the decorative edge. Suddenly the idea was there, to place them around the edge ... and is not really a nice decorative edge?
Reminds me this tile on a birthday card and Palrevo are many gift. Or houses with trees.
Sometimes I encounter patterns, where I think, they are so striking that you should shade in no way ... and so it is here.
It's just simple a small simple Birthday card...

 Tangled Tidbits -
*varied size of Palrevo around the border as Printemps softens the angles
*delicate spiral of Partay circles and squares



From Felicity Strohfeldt (South Africa) and here on her blog ~

Challenge 159 was so exciting. Printemps by Maria Thomas is of course a favourite and the pattern is always rearing to be of assistance in many ways. Your string is fascinating and begs to be seen, so I kept to it. The Printemps really suit the circular movement. Partay by Margaret Bremner, amazingly worked in the rounded lines and Palrevo by Karry Huen, although only a small section remained to try it in,has provided a stable background for the circular swirling feel of the rest. Was great to shade the final drawing. Thoroughly enjoyed this challenge.

Tangled Tidbits -

That is a delightful description of your tile, Felicity.

*Printemps rimmed string lines, shaded into the white spaces

*pretty variety in Partay

A very warm welcome to Jennifer (Switzerland) ~

Attached is my tile for challenge 159. I just found your blog yesterday – it’s very inspiring. Still very new to tangling: I started on 3 August and am going to do a basic tangling course next weekend at Zenjoy with CZT Hanny.
It was fun and challenging using your guidelines. Hope you have a great weekend!

 Tangled Tidbits -
*incredibly detailed spiral of Palrevo
*sprinkle of Partay softens the corners


From Simone Menzel, CZT (Germany) and here on her blog ~

Your string for IAST#159 is just beautiful and inspiring, as well as the tangles you chose:
Attached [are]the result...

 Tangled Tidbits -
*white on black Printemps
*gilded Palrevo
*shadowed Partay pieces



From Karin (Germany) ~

back from holiday I can join your challenge again
This is the result.
Greetings from Germany

 Tangled Tidbits -
*weighted lines help define the string against Palrevo
*black background of Printemps
Welcome back!


From Denise Fairbank (New Hampshire) ~

I loved working with the oversized Printemps string and using the three P's for tangles! Palrevo is new to me and was fun to use on a smaller scale within the string. I like how it adds a lot of detail while being so simple to create. Thank you for another interesting challenge!

 Tangled Tidbits -
*clusters of Printemps, shaded deeply and sparkled pause along the string's curves
*dense Palrevo and light white space


From sra (India) ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*brown Printemps lined strings
*one shaded aura near each Palrevo black square


From Jenny Hopkins (Australia) ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*Palrevo in the doubled string line spaces, follows the curve
*lightest touch of Partay's triangles accent the string line
*bubbly field of Printemps


And now...

the tile for honors this week...

was sent in by...

Traci Frogley (Missouri) !

Traci writes ~

Good afternoon from Missouri where it's hot and sticky! I'll be so glad when Fall arrives.
I took two stabs at this week's challenge but certainly don't expect you to show both. Just wanted to share.
The first one seemed so busy once I finished it, so I decided a second, simpler tangle was in order. I definitely prefer the second

Tangled Tidbits -

*Printemps lines each string line - with aura and shading

*simple and elegant Palrevo

and speaking of simple and elegant...
*each tangle takes its turn in the doubled string sections
*addition of a vanishing point and shading adds wonderful sense of depth

Congratulations, Traci.
I have a little something coming in the mail for you.


Thank you to all of the contributors to this week's challenge.

Many thanks to the creative minds behind the tangles we used along with my string:

Printemps  by Maria Thomas, Zentangle® co-founder  

Partay by CZT Margaret Bremner

Palrevo by Karry Heun


Check back Tuesday afternoon for "It's a String Thing" #160!

Tips for Tangling Printemps

Maria Thomas' Printemps is a featured  tangle this week in "It's a String Thing" #159. ( Click here for all of the delightful details. )

Below are a few notes about Printemps that I hope you find helpful ~

Have a wonderful weekend!

ENJOY!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

“Great things are done 

by a series of small things 

brought together.” 

                                                   ~ Vincent Van Gogh

Sea of Printemps Zendala by Adele Bruno, CZT

"It's a String Thing" #159

It's Tuesday, your good news day!

IAST #158 featured so many fabulous tiles, that it influenced the creation of this week's string.

Weighted down stokes of the tangle Printemps and double lined strings appeared several times.  I used a combination of these wonderful ideas to draw the IAST # 159 string ~

IAST #159 String by Adele Bruno, CZT

The tangles we will use include :

Printemps (of course!) by Maria Thomas
This is such a versatile pattern and it makes a great filler.  I will post my notes about this fabulous tangle on Thursday.

Partay by CZT Margaret Bremner
The simplicity of this pattern along with its festive nature will win your heart.

Palrevo by Karry Heun
This is a fun grid based tangle.  It will compliment the roundness of Printemps.


Simply pencil the string line onto your tile and tangle away! Keep in mind that string lines are suggestions and let the patterns lead the way.

Here are the (Not so) Official Guidelines: 
* Challenges are posted on Tuesdays.
*Use the string posted for the week and patterns that begin or contain the letter(s) indicated
* Submit a photo of your tile saved as jpg or scan your tile (300 dpi or higher) and save as a jpg
*Email your jpg file as an attachment to - brunoadelem@gmail.com
*Entries are to be submitted by Saturday evenings.
*Photos and 'Best of Show' are posted on Mondays. 

Send in your photos - you will encourage and inspire fellow Zentangle® enthusiasts all over the world.  WHEN YOU SIGN YOUR NAME, PLEASE INCLUDE WHERE YOU LIVE.  
FOR EXAMPLE:   ADELE BRUNO (FLORIDA)

PLEASE NOTE: It is not necessary for you to have a blog or website to participate. 
In order to eligible for the drawing, you must send in your completed tile.

If you do have a blog or website, I will add a link upon request. 
Please include the site specific URL. 

I look forward to your emails.
HAVE FUN!

"It's a String Thing" #158 Tiles

This week we saluted the XXXI Olympiad with a string inspired by the Rio 2016 logo.

We also used our own 'Gold Medal' patterns along with Lily Moon's new tangle Drogon which garnered many compliments from our contributors.

Let's take a look ~

The first tile arrived from none other than Lily Moon herself (Hungary) with a ZenHug ~

First of all Thank you for have chosen mine Drogon, I'm honored. And now here is my response for your weekly challenge:

 Tangled Tidbits -
*string line of Drogon - notice how Lily tucked one line under another
*weighted down strokes of Printemps
*shadowed Florz


From Joan Delony, CZT (Florida) ~

I have been tangling every morning for the past 2 weeks and have been enjoying it. I got new glasses and now I can see. :)

 Tangled Tidbits -
*besides being able to see ;) - there is no substitute for daily practice (below Henrike and others echo the similar sentiments)
*multiple shading techniques - shadow, perimeter, along a tangle's lines...
*sparkled Bunzo



From Lori Byerly (Washington State) and here on her blog ~

Thanks so much for introducing us to new patterns in your weekly challenges. It's always good to try something new and stretch my tangling muscles. It also adds to my collection of patterns and that gives me more to work with any time I tangle. A double gift.

Tangled Tidbits -
*large and lovely Drogon
*center of Amoeba ties in with Drogon
*shading adds wonderful depth



From Traci Frogely (Missouri) ~

In addition to Drogon (which I really like!) I used my new tangle 'Thongle" and the step out can be found here: https://flic.kr/p/Jwhh4iI also liked this week's string. Thanks so much for the challenge!

Tangled Tidbits -
*delightful pattern in Thongle
*weighted lines of Keeko
*sparkle and shading of Drogon's black perfs



From Karen Aiken (Alberta, Canada) and here on her blog ~

Here is my tile for this week’s challenge. I’m afraid I don’t have any ‘go to’ tangles other than FLUX but I expect with experience and time that will come. I enjoyed the string and Lily’s DROGON, and just added tangles I enjoy drawing for the rest. (There is a big OOPS on the DROGON but I’m ignoring it. Ha!)
DROGON - Lily Moon
ABEKO - Lynn Mead
REVOLUTION - Sandra Chatelain
FLUX
HUGGINS BLACK PEARLS

Tangled Tidbits -
*'Go to' tangles do come with time and practice - and with both, they also change.  I do think that the tangles we choose can be influenced by examples we've seen, feelings they evoke when we draw them, if curves or straight lines speak to use at any given time, etc.
*beautiful black spaces accent Flux
*curved fill lines of Drogon
*fine lines repeat in all patterns



From Juul (France) ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*a happy combination of tangles
*doubled string line filled with sparkled black perfs
*good balance of light and dark


From Hilary Merola (Chicago) ~

In keeping with the Olympic theme, I decided to use the colors of the Olympic flag: green, yellow, red, blue, and black on a field of white. In addition to Drogon, I used Ona and Bala because I wanted tangles with similar elements. I also tried to keep them very simple. I was concerned that with the color, it might get too chaotic!

Tangled Tidbits -
*great approach to the tangles, simple and colorful makes for a lovely ZIA
*tangles change with each string section



From Trudi (Woodview, Ontario) ~

Well this was a fun one! When I initially did it I tried to represent the Brazilian Flag with white stars in the blue Huggins. Thing is when you color every other Huggins all blue it now looks like squares! So plan 2, leave the stars out and just draw Huggins in blue. Unfortunately I don't know the names of the other Tangles as I didn't record the names of Tangles when I first started. Now as I learn a new Tangle I write down who made it and the name. Drogon is of course in green. The 6 might just be a sparkling stripe and the interior is a jewel I think.

Tangled Tidbits -
*pretty green Drogon
*striped and sparkled string line really shines, especially with a golden gem inside



From Amy Barnickel (Florida) ~

I started this on Wednesday and got so frustrated because it was looking really ugly to me, but I tried to use the "mistakes" as inspirations and I didn't end up throwing it away or starting over. I just kept with it and now I actually kind of like how it turned out, even though my drogons are not perfect and my African Artist NEVER comes out right. I am really challenged by those wavy line patterns. Anyway...here is my #158. Happy tangling!

Tangled Tidibts -
*Thank you for that lesson in tangling, Amy.  Good things happen when you persevere "one stroke at  a time"
*alternating up and down Drogon
*beautiful Ann


From Val Steele (Johannesburg, South Africa) ~

I was so excited to do String 158. At the end if the month this 1958 baby will be 58.
I found a lovely string idea by Margaret Bremner on "I am the Diva's" 2010 Blog. The idea is to hold 2 pencils together when drawing the String.
Well I happily started Tangling and just love how my tile turned out.
Imagine my dismay when I realized that I had used ABEKO as the feature tangle instead of DROGON!
It just showed how I was in a tangling zone at the time. Zedbra and Onamato join in too.

Tangled Tidbits -
*Happy Birthday to you Val!  Don't you just love when numbers line up that way?
*doubled string line, complete with twists
*beautiful Abeko border

Here is my 2nd contribution for this weeks challenge - I've used Drogon this time instead of ABEKO like my first attempt. Other patterns are Zedbra, Onamato and Zinger.

*bright border of Drogon
*super shading and sparkle



From Ragged Ray (United Kingdom) ~

I didn't used to think I had a 'go to' tangle - but now increasingly I think I do - but it's a type of tangle - it's that alternating black and white thing on a flowing tangle. Ones like Bunzo and Antidots and sometimes Barber Pole. They all morph and blend for me and can crop up anywhere that they like on my tiles. And so that's what happened along the string line - and then I painted in gold paint (which doesn't shine as much in the photo as it does in real life). And as for Drogon - can you have too much of a good thing - too many lines and tiny orbs? I don't think so - I just couldn't stop drawing it!

Tangled Tidbits -
*your comments remind me of a Mae West quote:  "Too much of a good thing can be wonderful."
*wonderful, wonderful repeats of lines, perfs, stripes...
*sublime shading


From Julie Holland (North Carolina) ~

I got some tiles finally and here is my IAST tile for 158.
I had fun doing this one. I am still new to zentangle, so I really enjoyed finding new tangles to use.I used Dragon Air by Norma Burnell inside the loop with "ahh" as the center. I also really like the Angel Fish tangle, sorry do not know who that one is by, I think the other is cadent and also not sure what the one in the left corner is, but I have been using it alot!! I have a notebook that I have been putting my favorites in, but have not been putting the names of who they are by, I will from now on! Thanks again for the challenges, they are teaching me so much.

Tangled Tidbits -
*both light and dark perfs for Drogon
*dotted centers of Cadent
*Angel Fish twists



From Renee (Tennessee) ~

Tangled Tidbits -
*glowing, shaded and sparkled perfs of Drogon
*Purk filled string loop pops against the deep black
*weighted lines give Flux a layered look



From Anita A Westin (Dalarna, Sweden) and here on her blog ~

Hi Adele! Thank´s for another great challenge! I love Drogon! And the string is whow! Comments in my blog...

Tangled Tidbits -
*shadowed Beadline string lines
*light and airy Drogon aura-ed to the border lines
*striped Huggins



From Karen - The Creative Miss L - (Caberra, Australia) and here on her blog ~

It’s been quite a while since I’ve participated in an IAST challenge. I’m participating this week because you have featured a tangle by Lily Moon. I have long admired her work, so thought I’ld like to use her tangle.The first tile is simply Drogon with some swirls, or could it be Paushalov?, in the middle. The second uses Drogon plus Cadent, Bales, Huggins and Nzeppel.

Tangled Tidbits -
*soft white highlights
*shading and highlights of Drogon border add depth

*Drogon covered string line - notice how it tucks under like Lily's - how fun!



From Jutta Gladnigg (Germany) ~

"A Tribute to 'The Albatross‘ "
Such a cool string! I drew the 16-string, turned the tile 90 to the right and suddenly there he was - in my imagination - Michael Phelps, „The Albatross“ in all his grandeur…
I was drawing for hours with a grin on my face, sometimes even chuckling, whenever I looked at his goggles, his long arms and legs, his huge feet grabbing the starting block, his swimming trunks… And stroke by stroke he came to life with drogon, chemystery, knightsbridge and jonqal…This is a tribute to the greatest swimmer of all times, winner of 5 gold medals and 1 silver medal in the Rio 2016 Olympics. Congratulations!

Tangled Tidbits -
*What a fabulous tribute!
*dark perfs of Drogon repeat in Chemystery
*super shading



From Denise Fairbank (New Hampshire) ~

As usual, I enjoyed this week's string challenge! It's been fun watching the Olympics this summer and it was fitting to tie the challenge in with the Rio 2016 theme. I used the suggested tangle of Drogon, which is amazing! I will definitely be using that one again. The other three tangles I used start with the letters R - I - O, in keeping with the Rio theme. I used Retro, Iza, and O. I am happy with the way the tile turned out. The tangles really worked well with the string--I love it when it all comes together!!

Tangled Tidbits -
*Using R-I-O tangles was very clever and they blend beautifully together
(I appreciate the use of Iza and O )
*a touch of black around Iza anchors the center
*long, rounded arcs of Drogon



From Montse (Madrid, Spain) ~

I've been traveling, so I haven't sent any tiles... Here's my tile this week. I used drogon (Lily's patterns and her tiles are beautiful!) and shattuck (I love it: I paint it a lot), indy-rella (I've learned it recently) and joyce block (I think are a pretty star, indy + joyce).

 Tangled Tidbits -
*elongated line of Drogon, with arua and shading - a beautiful focal point
*softly shaded Shattuck
*Yes, a very pretty combination of Indy and Joyce



From Cheryl Stocks (Arizona) ~

Thank you for the opportunity to settle down, relax and create. Seems like all of a sudden there isn't quite the time available for all that.
Wasn't quite sure what was going to develop with this new tangle as it looked quite formal. But all of a sudden all I saw were butterflies, hiding in plain sight. Thus, the title.
Your efforts for all us tangly people richly deserves a medal.
on my flickr feedand on my blog next week

Tangled Tidbits -
*"settle down, relax, and create" - that is a marvelous mantra
*Drogon butterflies, of course!  Thank you for finding them, Cheryl
*wonderful use of white space



From Ingrid (The Netherlands) ~

A very nice challenge with a new tangle. The other tangles I used are Citrus by Adele Bruno CZT, Sanibelle by Tricia Faraone CZT, Knight's Bridge by Zentangle and Amoebe by Linda Dawson. Nice how this tile turned out.

Tangled Tidbits -
*gorgeous group of tangles
(I love the Citrus!)
*curved Knightsbridge
*lager and softly shaded Drogon



From Michele Wynne (California) and here on her blog ~

Thank you for a very inspiring challenge this week. I've been wanting to use "Drogon" since first seeing it last week. It's such a relaxing pattern to draw. The added comfort zone of my "Mac 'n Cheese" faves made this a real joy to draw. I started it very late one night, just intending to lay down the string on one of my pre-made watercolor tiles and before I knew it, I was done;-)

Tangled Tidbits -
*awesome arc of Drogon
*Drogon's curves repeat in neighboring tangles
*highlights and shading make this ZIA shine



From Hilary (Spain) ~

I struggled with all the colours but decided that the Olympics and Brazil etc. are a celebration. The colours of the Brazilian flag therefore joined the party!
Drogon reminded me of feather headdresses and fans from Rio carnivals so I used Vicki Bassett's Showgirl as my 'go to'.
A lot of tiles seem to being sent around in a postal relay at the moment so I thought Carole Ohl's Baton was an idea that fitted.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*clever tie-ins with the Olympics and the tangles' names

*baseline of Drogon with repeating perfs above

*a peek at the rings

From Annie Taylor (Spain) ~

,,,I'm happy to take part again this week with the Rio 2016 string. First time of trying Drogon, and it won't be the last. Just enjoying the last of the Olympics today.

Tangled Tidbits - 

*white centers of Dorgon and deep shading

*black perfs of Drogon slip away and onto the string's circle

*detailed shading throughout

From Jane Glotzer (Boulder, Colorado) ~

Here's my #158...I played around a little with Drogon...I hope I did it some justice--:) Lily Moon's work is so amazingly beautiful! After I had done those two sections, I was left with three open areas in the string...what to fill them with? I thought my usual "go-to" tangles like Pokeleaf or Bunzo or Antidots would make it too busy and conflict with the Drogon...so then I thought about a grid background type pattern...Bales? Florz? Cadent? Surprise! Another opportunity to practice my 'Nzeppel--:) Some simple shading and I was done: another light and airy piece. It doesn't really say "Olympics" but I still like it!

Tangled Tibits - 

*multiple sizes of Drogon - with one lovely large one in the string's circle

*grand use of N'Zeppel for a grid based background

From Jonsey (St. Louis, Missouri) ~

Tangled Tidbits - 

*super shading and highlights - wonderful dimension

*large, overlapping Crescent Moon

*touch of color, lovely ZIA

From Kate (United Kingdom) ~

My contribution to this week's IAST. I've added your tangle 'Sand'. It's
a lovely grid pattern that allows itself to be stretched and squashed
into some very unforgiving spaces!

Tangled Tidbits - 

*tangles compliment each other, share black perfs

*beautiful Sand  

(I like your your description of Sand and will quote you :)  Thank you!)

*Dragon aura-ed inward with a black perf center

From Julie Bazuzi (Washington State) and here on her blog ~

I've been using group challenges to push me out of my comfort zone for the last several months, learning a couple of new-to-me tangles like Drogon every week. So I had to flip back through my sketchbooks and older tiles to recall my go-to patterns!
Classic Zentangle patterns Mooka, Poke Leaf, Flux, and Zinger were shoo-ins. Nebel is a newer addition I've come to appreciate, and Niuroda is another new-to-me tangle I have been itching to try out. Oh, and I sprinkled a tiny bit of Cruffle in there as well.
You can also see pics of before and after shading on my blog: Cheers!

Tangled Tidbits - 

*an elegant blend of tangles

*tile within a tile

*double Drogon diamond

*soft shading

From Aloyna Pakhomova (Toronto, Canada) ~ 

I liked the string, but Drogon tangle was a real challenge. Couldn't make it monotangle, add two other tangles, one of which is my own "design" (upper left corner) - yellow gem.

 Tangled Tidbits -
*one circular Drogon in the string's loop
*black perfs of Drogon along the string lines
*original tangle - inspiration is pictured below...

*very pretty combination of tangles, complete with sparkle

From Henrike Bratz (Germany) ~

I’m happy about my latest tile because I tangled it in a special place:
You know about my walk. And while walking I kept thinking about my Zentangle “practice”. I did not find enough time or space for tangling during the last few months. And I find the longer I didn’t tangle the harder it gets to sit down and start again. It’s never really about the time. So wouldn't it be good to do just a little bit every day? Just a small bijou with a single pattern to keep hand and mind familiar with the feeling and the process of tangling? And then I had a brilliant idea. Back home I made some changes in my bedroom. Two chairs I never sat in went out. And I bought a tiny little table and placed it just in front of the window looking in my neighbor' garden. I had always wanted in desk in front of the window! A lamp, some decoration for the windowsill .... It’s only for tangling and writing letters or diary. No work allowed.
So my tile #158 is the first one tangled in this new and special place!

Tangled Tidbits - 

*Thank you for taking us through your decision to create a dedicated space for tangling, Henrike.  

I am confident your resolve will inspire many other tanglers.

*clean, crisp lines

*Tripoli with Olympic ring background

*wonderful details - sparkle, weighted lines, highlights, and shading

  

From Gesine (Germany) ~

here is my Olympic contribution!
Besides Drogon, which I wanted to try since I first saw it, but never did so far, I used mostly original Tangles that are introduced in the book “One Zentangle a day” by Beckah Krahula, which was my first contact with Zentangle when I got it for Christmas in 2015. The tangles are: Tipple, Purk, Fescu, Finery and Florz. I also used Sand Swirls by Karry Heun, which was one of the first Tangles I got from the internet when I started looking there (and stumbled across this blog…). And the last one is Diva Dance, a rather new acquaintance of mine (also an original Tangle), which I used frequently since then. So this tile really features some of my “Gold Medal” tangles -looks a bit like a congregation of sea monsters to me 

 Tangled Tidbits -
*"sea monsters"...must be the field of blue and ripples of Diva Dance :)
*It is a treat to know how you were introduced to Zentangle
*pretty arc of Drogon
*pleasing blend of brown, black, shading, and highlights



From Marla Mendenhall (California) ~

Ah, the Olympics. Whatever did we do in the years before video streaming? Just missed most of the fun stuff, I guess, or ended up buying the VHS tapes, right? Well, at least one of my three favorite events was covered extensively via network. For this challenge I've given a nod out to them all, and the patterns I've chosen? Quoth Billy Joel, "Don't ask me why."
Tile #1 Floor Exercise Gymnastics. Graceful, fluid, energetic movements, but powerful and edgy too. Patterns: Drogon, ING, Y-Not and M-Pel (my pattern).
Tile #2 Synchronized Swimming. All of the above adjectives, multiplied, and in water!Patterns: Drogon, Meringue (sort of), Dansk and Msst.
Tile #3 Rhythmic Gymnastics. Ribbons and hoops and balls and clubs, whirly and twirlydancing. Patterns: Drogon, Paradox, Mooka, Ribbonz, and Folds.
P.S. I LOVE Lilly Moon, and I fear I have done less justice to her beautiful pattern than it deserves, but I'm adding it to my go-to faves and I'll practice, practice, practice!

 Tangled Tidbits -
*Billy Joel, or no Billy Joel, I am still curious as this is all so inspiring!
*M-Pel has so much energy

*gorgeous 'water' inspired tangles
*Drogon black perf repeat

*Drogon curves to fit the bottom corner
*marvelous Mooka, Ribbonz, and Folds burst from the string's '6'



From Lin H. (Florida) ~

The tangle Drogon was new to me and it was a fun one to learn. Along with that pattern, I included Dragonaire (Norma Burnell, CZT), Frost Flower (Karry Huen), and Echoism (Zentangle original). Thanks for the challenge, Adele!

Tangled Tidbits -
*sparkled Dragonaire
*striped Drogon - great idea and it ties right into the thick lines of Dragonaire
*and beautifully presented on a TTT frame!


From Susan Theron (Velddrif, South Africa) ~

Florz is one of my "mac and cheese" tangles and I like to use it when I need a simple background.

Tangled Tidbits -
*an echo of Lily's choice for a background - how fun!
*Drogon filled string lines
*shaded white space of the string's loop



From Felicity Strohfeldt (South Africa) and here on her blog ~

The Olympics challenge was a lovely idea and a definite zentangle challenge too. Lily Moon’s beautiful new pattern Drogon needed some practice to master. Then the real challenge was, which favourite tangles do I choose to add? Golly in the end I seem to have gone totally overboard. I settled for first ever tangles patterns learnt. Printemps by Maria Thomas and Hollibaugh by Molly Hollibaugh. I love Flux, so I used both Rick Robert and Maria Thomas’s versions adding some tipple too. I also enjoy Cadent by them. I decided to try Rio by Carli Sultanik to celebrate the successes of the Olympics.

Tangled Tidbits -
*large sparkles for plump, pretty Drogon
*Flux filled string line
*perf filled Hollibaugh



From Sharyn Penna (Massachusetts) ~

Drogon is a tangle I'm going to be using often ... It reminds me of a tufted comforter.
With the Rio games closing, I'll remember those who demonstrated good will and those who broke barriers. I loved the selfie taken by the two athletes from North and South Korea. Two runners who tripped and fell and then helped each other rise and run ... one lives just a few miles from me ... Local girl (who lives just a few towns away from me) made the world smile!Cheers to a week that brought out the best of most.

Tangled Tidbits -
*...very well said, Sharyn
*double string line with Olympic ring filled loop
*fabulous field of Dragon
*photographed on a TTT frame!



From Jenny Hopkins (Australia) ~

It was great to try out a new tangle and combine it with familiar ones that felt right.
Thank you again for providing such inspiration.

Tangled Tidbits -
*large and smaller Drogon, complete with sparkle
*pleasing use of light and dark
*aura-ed Drogon



From Susan (United Kingdom) ~

Hi, One of my go-to tangles is Ballenchain by Sandy Steen Bartholomew. I couldn’t resist using it for our Olympic theme.

Tangled Tidbits -
*tangle morphs into Olympic rings
*string's shape appears in bottom corners
*single sided Drogon


From Lynn Gotham (Palm Coast, Florida) ~

The tangles I used are:
Drogon by Lilly Moon
Phicops by Brad Harms
4 fun by Mina Hsiao
C-chain by Emily Perkins
Links it by Suzanne McNeill
Rio by Carl Sultanik
and Enyshou an original zentangle

Tangled Tidbits - 

*colors of the Olympics, complete with the torch and rings, create a festive ZIA

*dark and light perfs of Drogon

From Sabine (Germany) and here on her blog ~

thank you for using the new pattern Drogon from Lily M. It's a charming tangle and I'll use it more. Here is my contribution for this week: Drogon with my "Goldmedal-Tangles": Snaylz Trail (Andrea Shuman), Eddy (Suzanne McNeill), Knot Rickz (Cheryl Cianci), Garlic Cloves (?), Echoism (Zentangle) with O (Adele Bruno).
With greetings from Germany

 Tangled Tidbits -
*striped centers of Drogon, aura and shading
*pleasing contrast of black and white spaces accent the tangles
*O filled Echoism (I love that!)



From Jessie Plouffe (Connecticut) ~

Here is my tile for this week! In addition to the Drogon, I used three of my favorite official tangles: Purk, 'Nzeppel, and Mooka.

Tangled Tidbits -
*plumply topped Mooka
*Purk filled string loop - great depth created with overlap and shading
*large open center loop of Drogon



From Becky Welty (North Carolina) ~

I'm home from vacation and excited to be back to entering the challenges again. I did tangle while I was away. It's one of the best ways to relax, and it just starts to become a part of who you are. Besides, going away to new places are great ways to find new patterns and inspirations! Here is my tangle for this week. In the spirit of the Olympics I decided to add the tangle Rio to mine. It was a little bit of a challenge, just like the games for all the athletes. It's great to be back!

Tangled Tidbits -
*That is very well said, Cheryl. In the daily practice of Zentangle it "becomes part of who you are..."
*bold Rio back ground
*graceful arc of Drogon



From Debbie (Ohio) ~

Cadet, baton and drogon.

Tangled Tidbits -
*doubled string line with ribbon like twists
*full, rounded arcs of Drogon
*delightfully detailed and shaded Cadent



And now...

the tile for honors this week...

was sent in by...

 Sue Agnew (Arizona) 

Sue's note was so entertaining and her choice of tangles tied in thoughtfully with the Olympic theme.  She wrote ~

I've decided that if I were to have an Olympic sport it would be sitting quietly in one place for several hours completely absorbed in making tiny marks on nice paper with a fine-pointed pen. I wonder what kind of costumes we would have to wear ... hopefully not like the women's beach volleyball!
When I saw that we could use our favorite "gold-medal" tangles and that the string was loopy, I first thought "goody, I'm going to outline it" (which I used to love to do but it seems to be sorta frowned upon) and then second that I could put Bucky inside the loop (I love drawing Bucky but I don't like the way the edges look so I like to use it in a bounded space). I was afraid you'd said we could choose ONE gold-medal tangle so I carefully didn't re-read your instructions till I was done. So anyway, here's my Olympics tile. I'm not sure that the tangle outlining the loop is actually a tangle; just something I like to draw; but anyway it reminds me of medals on ribbons. Bucky (official tangle) is named after Buckminster Fuller, who was a "20th century inventor and visionary who dedicated his life to making the world work for all of humanity, working to solve global problems surrounding housing, shelter, transportation, education, energy, ecological destruction, and poverty", and that fits with the "stewardship of earth" theme of the opening ceremonies. In the upper right is Cubine (official tangle), which reminds me of the athletes' rooms in the Olympic Village (although I'm sure theirs were roomier). Bottom right is Flukes (official tangle), which reminds me of overlapping flags. Upper left is Cadent (official tangle), which looks to me like terra cotta tile roofs that I'm sure are abundant in Rio. While I was drawing Drogon (Lily Moon, diagonally) I started seeing someone in a flowing butterfly costume, which if they weren't in the opening ceremonies they should have been. In the bottom left is Footlites (Carole Ohl), representing that the games have been in the world spotlight.
I give you ... a perfect 10 for bringing this community together (and for not taking a hop on the landing).

Tangled Tidbits - 

*absolutely entertaining commentary - Thank you for the uplifted spirits, Sue.

*all the tangles share the same grid points

*signature "Sue sparkle"

*Footlites morphs easily with Drogon

Congratulations, Sue!

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

Special thanks to Lily Moon for her beautiful new pattern Drogon and many thanks to all of you for you beautiful "Gold Medal" tiles.

To the Olympic spirit that brings out the best in all of us, CHEERS!

Check back Tuesday afternoon for "It's a String Thing" #159!