"It's a String Thing" #176 Tiles

For IAST #176, I asked for tanglers to send in their favorite tile from the past year (or years) and to  write a few words about their choice.

The purpose was two fold:  to get a chance to revisit and re-appreciate their tiles and to present a manageable task in this busy Christmastime.

If you missed the chance to send in a tile, don't worry, there will be other opportunities.
I think it would be wonderful to do this every year and make it a Tickled to Tangle tradition, don't you?

There were tiles from IAST #142 sent in from opposite sides of the Atlantic, multiple tiles from a few tanglers, some festive ZIA, all wrapped up wiht very heartwarming notes.  Let's take a look ~

The first note arrived from Tina Kirchhübel (Germany) ~

when I read this week's "challenge" it was absolutely clear to me what would be my favorite tile of this year's IAST-challenges. It's my tile for It's a String Thing #143 with the string of The Art House Door. I love this tile -not only because it was the tile for honors in this week- but also it includes all easy-to-draw and some of my favorite patterns.
Swarm and Sandswirl are great patterns that I learned to love. And Tipple and N'zeppel are some of my favorite patterns from the very beginning of my Zentangle-life.
When I tangled this tile I knew that this challenge was a special one for you because of the Tickled to Tangle Art Show and I also knew that I wanted to do something special with my tile for you.
And then this great idea to integrate the mosaic from the door in my N'zeppel came to me. I think I can say that this was the best idea for a tile I've ever had and I really really love this tile.
I'm very grateful and honored that you had chosen it as the tile for honors.
I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
Greetings from Germany

From Susan (United Kingdom) ~

Hi, Thanks for another interesting challenge. I had quick look through my folder of tiles and this one stood out from IAST #127. I like the symmetry of it and the lovely Lily Moon string. It uses the tangles Puchong, (O), Printemps and Zonked.
Looking closer I realised that it was the first tile I ever sent in, in January last year, as part of a new year’s resolution to make some regular time for creativity. 50 challenges later I am still keeping to it and have joined a lovely friendly and creative community. Best wishes to everyone for 2017 to be another super year.

From Ragged Ray (United Kingdom) ~

What an interesting challenge - and one I enjoyed. Great to browse back through my IAST folders and see all those tiles. I narrowed it down to a few but this one really spoke to me. It was for Challenge #38, over two and a half years ago! I chose it because of the tangles - I remain firm friends with Aquafleur and use it often. Aura Leah appeared in a Facebook challenge last week that I never quite found time to do. And Axlexa and AA's have completely slipped my mind despite how striking and versatile they are. These tangles seemed to be hiding a message to me. About taking time to stop and look back, not just assuming that the best is always in front of you now or ahead. It's easy to forget the treasures you already have when you're busy looking for new ones...

From Gudrun (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) ~

I chose this tile because I love the tangels and the color combination
Thank you for your inspiring challenge and wish you peaceful Holidays and also peaceful 2017

From Lin H (Florida) ~

Hi Adele. Hope you're still enjoying the holidays! For your challenge this week, I've chosen my tile for IAST #142 (04/28/2016) that included Quib and Echoism, both original Zentangle patterns. I had added some Zinger which is also an original Zentangle pattern. I think it was the first IAST submission that I did in color on a Renaissance tile and I was pretty happy with the result. I'm looking forward to seeing what others have chosen to share again.

From Amy Barnickel (Florida) ~

Hi Adele. This isn't technically an IAST challenge, but I'm sending it because it is my favorite one of the year. It is the one I created in your introductory class, so it's my favorite because it started my whole Zentangle obsession! Have a merry merry Christmas and happy new year!

From Kate (United Kingdom) ~

It's quite a few weeks now since I've been able to send in a
contribution to your weekly challenge but things are now settling down a
little and the form of your challenge this week is a good way to 'ease
myself back in'! This is my tile for IAST 142 which used Quib and
Echoism and I've chosen this because, although it wasn't the first I'd
sent it was the first time I remember thinking 'Oh, I think I'm getting
the hang of this!'
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a Happy, Healthy
New Year!

From Shirley (Queensland, Australia) ~

Hi Adele, as I have only been with your “It’s A String Thing” challenge for four weeks and don’t have many to choose from. For “It’s a String Thing” #176
I thought I’d share with you and others a drawing of a Christmas tree using the pattern Mooka that I drew last year, Mooka is one of my favourite patterns to draw,
With this drawing I’m sending Best Wishes for A Very Merry 2016 Christmas and a wonderful New Year ! to everyone.

From Lily Moon (Hungary) ~

Dear Adele, here is my answer for your weekly challenge.
I have chosen this tile from IAST #131. This is one of my favourite tiles because I love the colors , string and the composition.
I wish you and your family a Merry christmas and a very Happy New Year.

From Hilary Merola (Chicago, Illinois) ~

Good morning,
I know this bird isn't very seasonal, and it's not even from one of the challenges. But I wanted to share it with you anyway. There's no interesting story here, I just enjoy adding tangle patterns to some of my sketches.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!

From Donna (Wisconsin) ~

Merry Christmas everyone.

From Ingird (The Netherlands) ~

Dear Adele,
I hope you all had some wonderful Christmas days!
The tile I chose for this week is my tile IAST # 124, just to stay in the holiday/Christmas feeling that is all around everywhere. Used are Eddyper and I think some simple Verdigogh version of mine.

From Felicity Strohfeldt (South Africa) ~

Sorry but I’ve included a few of my favourite tiles. They are tile 85 in 2015, the tile of Honour that week using Mumsy, Printemps, Kelp. Reasons: I remember enjoying the flowing, floral motion in this tile, the effect of dark and light and as you know I love detail. Tile 86 was the following week using your Easter string with Well-Mooka, Coaster, and Co2. Not perhaps the neatest finish, but I love the delicate, lacy look and as we celebrate the birth of Christ now we remember that Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day to fulfil the prophecy of Easter. Tile 170 was recently the tile of Honour using Oke and Jellylegs. I just love how this tile came out. I mentioned that week that I grew up in Paarl, Westerncape with its avenues of Oak trees. Gorgeous, green, shady trees in the hot South African summers. This tile shows me that I have come a long way on my Zentangle journey since starting it in 2014 and that amazing images have unexpectedly popped from my pen on this road. To have a tile of Honour is always an unexpected surprise and boost to keep the zentangle “zuices” flowing.
Thank you for your contagious, enthusiasm and encouragement through the years. You inspire all who participate in the IAST challenges each week. And, although you live way,way across the Atlantic Ocean, you’ve made all of us welcome in your home and we are able armchair-participate in your events and family occasions. So interesting. Thank you.

From Jody Genovese, CZT (New York) ~

I hope your Christmas was merry and bright, filled with love and laughter, family and friends.
I have chosen my entry from IAST #165, the string that resembled an ‘h’. It was to honor Hanny Waldburger and her beautiful new pattern PIB, but it was also at the time of hurricane Matthew when so much destruction affected so many people.
I would like to offer that H can also stand for:
Hello – your warm welcome to me as I began doing your wonderful challenge this year
Healing – something the world needs so much of
Helping – something we can do with a smile, or a friendly gesture such as opening a door
Home – a place we can always return to
Health – a wish for everyone
Happiness – to go along with health
Happy New Year – May 2017 be filled with all of the best that life as to offer.
Thank you Adele for all of your hard work on this weekly challenge. I look forward to it every week. Not only to challenge myself with the drawing, but to see all of the amazing talent and entries from around the country and the world. This is such an amazing community and I am thankful to be a part of it. May you be blessed in the new year.

From Lisette (Switzerland) ~

As I’ve participated only four times at IAST I’m sending you one of my first Zentangles - about four years ago. Since then my life has become so much richer through tangeling. I can express my joy when I’m happy and it gives me comfort when I’m in the doldrums, it gives me peace when I’m nervous and connects me with Mother Earth when I tend to “lift off”.
Thank you Adele and thank you to all those who spread the Zentangle Spirit. Let’s give PEACE a chance!
A big hug to everybody

From Jutta Gladnigg (North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany) ~

Dear Adele, dear Zentangle friends on this blog,
I am so grateful to you, Adele, for your marvellous challenge and for all your love that can be found in everything you do!
And to all participants - thank you, too, for the joy and inspiration that you have given me. It has been a wonderful time since I first arrived here, i.e. IAST 150, which was ’The Zensquicentennial’ and a good reason to celebrate.
With this tile (IAST 151) and its fireworks I would like to wish you all a wonderful and blessed 2017!
See you all next year!

From Jonesy (St.Louis, Missouri) ~

I chose this drawing to resubmit because I think this one shows the importance of shading, at least to me. Shading adds that something extra, and special, that the linework just can't convey on its own. I may spend 15 drawing, but an hour or more on shading.

From me, Adele Bruno, CZT (Florida) ~

My tile is from IAST #157.  It featured two tangles by CZT Lynn Mead: Abeko and Phroz.  I remember thoroughly enjoying tangling this and being pleasantly surprised by how shading transformed it.  

 A HUGE thank you to Amy, Donna, Felicity, Gudrun, Hilary, Ingrid, Jody, Jutta, Kate, Lily, Lin, Lisette, Jem, Shirley, Susan, Jonesy, and Tina for sharing their talents with us in this busy time of year.


Have a wonderful last week of December and
check back Tuesday afternoon for IAST #177!