All About The Content (CONTEST INFO!)

It's Monday, the beginning of hell-week for me. Lots of stuff going on. Big projects due, exams going on all the way through next week. It seems to me that I should be incorporating something fun. So.... I believe it's time to lay out all the rules for the contest, and give you enough time to work on it.

Work on what, you say? Well, slow down, I'll get there in a minute.

Who can enter? Anyone. Unless it's illegal or prohibited for some reason there, and then you can't. I also believe you need to be over 18.

Can you trade what you win for cash? Nope. I'm broke people. I filled up the car with my children's education this week already, their hopes and dreams will be going in the next tank - so cut me a little slack.

How many times can you enter? Once. Now, you CAN play for both by entering in two different entries (I'll explain,) one for each of the main prizes. But you cannot enter in more than once per main prize, which are as follows:

A brand new, fabulously warm and snuggly, cuddle-wrap blanket! It is identical to my own in pattern - so what you see is what you're getting.

I'm 5'10, so that's how long it is on an actual person. This is a $38.00 value. But with the added nostalgia, snuggly soft warmth, and the fact that I got my hands on what was likely the very last one left in the entire state - it's worth more than that. I have been looking for these blankets since I was a kid. They're wonderful.

Or you can play for an original watercolor, which will be backed and matted, ready for your frame. Obviously the watermarks won't be on it. The title is "Lunar Blaze", it's watercolor with metallics. It has a painted area of 9 x 12, but matted and backed it will be ready for a 12 x 16 frame (this is actually a common size frame, and should be easy to find - all you will have to do is pop it in.) I'm checking my matting stock, but I believe it will be matted in metallic gold. I may have the option to offer it in a deep dark flat blue instead, but I need to go foraging in my supply room to find out.

This is a real painting for sale in my online gallery, with a value of $150 (US, so that's what? $3 Euro?) I will list it as unavailable/sold in the gallery just as soon as I finally have time to edit my site in June, though it will remain on display there.

Two runners-up for each main prize will get a mini-signed print, worth $12 each. These are postcard sized prints. My normal prints that I sell for $35 are matted for framing at 16x20, but these are the same quality as the larger ones. These mini-prints will also be backed and matted, ready for a 5x7 frame. I only sell these in person at art exhibitions and shows. They are not available online (see? They're rare!) Runners up will choose from what I have in stock below (I actually may have a few others if there is a conflict between who wants which):



Unless you live somewhere where shipping is a bazillion dollars, like deep in a rain forest jungle where I have to hire a guide just to bring you the package, I am going to cover the shipping costs.

Alright, so what's the deal? No, I'm not going to send you off on some wild goose-chase for hidden facts about myself - that just sort of creeps me out, if you want to know the truth. Nor will I ask you pay homage to me in some weird way that involves indecent photos of yourself in compromising positions. Instead... I want fiction.

Your entry for either main prize is to be a story, 500 words or less. It's up to you how short it should be (if you can do it in 50 words, I'm fine with that. It's up to you.) Your topic needs to be 100% fiction. No real names. No real situations. What I'm saying is I want the biggest lie you can tell. It must be a sob-story of epic proportions about WHY you should win the specific prize. I don't care if you claim Peter Pan stole your shadow and you need the blanket as a replacement. Get creative. Blow me away with your amazing fictional sob-story!

A word of warning: keep it appropriate. Watch your language. If there is anything racist, or prejudiced, or seriously offensive in any way I deem inappropriate, I reserve the right to disqualify the entry. This is not a platform for vulgarity, violence, or hatred, and I have zero tolerance for it. I'm not saying you can't be a little racy, or thrilling, but we all know that there is a line. Some blogs cross it, mine does not. Please keep that in mind when you write your entries.

You will have until midnight Saturday night (May 10th) to submit your story to me at my email: savyart@gmail.com. Make sure your subject line says Shaping My Way Entry. Make sure you include a title, and your "name" of how you would like to be referred to if you win. What I will do is combine all the stories (without the author's names) into one post for everyone to read on Monday, May 12th. I will post a voting poll. All week, people will have the opportunity to read the stories and vote for their favorite for each category.

You cannot direct people to your story to vote for you, but you can direct them to the post to read the stories and vote for their favorite. If I find that you have revealed which is yours in order to get people to vote, you will be disqualified. I want the winners to win on talent of vision, not influence. So please, out of respect, play fair.

Yes, having the chance to enter for both means that you have a shot at winning both prizes if you're just that darn creative. I will award the prizes on Monday morning, May 19th, 2008. I am, of course, not liable if you get a vicious paper cut from the print you win, or strangle yourself in the blanket, or whatever else horrible thing happens to you because you won. Which includes taxes.

Any questions? Feel free to ask.