Your best work: Unveiled

The time has arrived! Thanks to everyone who has participated. This was a lot of fun to see what everyone would choose.

They are posted in random order (in the order they ended up in after all the uploads), mostly because it would be too hard to try to rearrange them in Blogger. And that's fair anyway, right?

Here's how the voting will work: Leave a comment and tell me who you vote for. Vote for someone besides yourself. I will turn on comment moderation so only I will see the comments with votes in them. I was going to just post a poll, but then everyone can see how many votes everyone is getting, and I decided against that.

You don't have to have entered the contest to vote. Invite your friends to come and vote for you, if you want.

Voting closes one week from today, on Monday, Oct. 19 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard time.

DRUMROLL, PLEASE!

1.

Here is a pretty little witch just like from Jen. Ha ha... that wasn't very nice. Jen is my old roommate from Ricks College. She and I went the rounds back in the day, but now we're long-distance e-BFFs. I'd like you to notice that this witch has a style all her own, with green and blue highlights and swirlies on her skirt. Jen says she did this at work, so she should probably get fired because it looks like it took a fair amount of time.
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2.

Next we have my Mom's entry. I found it amusing and appropriate that she chose this one, because she's almost as forgetful as Dori. Don't worry. She'll laugh at that now and then forget about it tomorrow. Beautiful work, Mom.
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3.

This is from my fun, pretty cousin-in-law, Melissa. Melissa is very creative and I always love her style. I love the colors she used.

Melissa's husband, Mike, is my cousin and just barely younger than me, so we were always buddies. I've only met Melissa in person before they were married (because we don't live close), but I love her and I've loved getting to know her better through our blogs. And look at that attention to detail in her page. She even colored in the white parts.

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4.

Next, we have Maddie's entry. Maddie is Melissa's little girl, and you might notice that she's getting really close to coloring inside the lines.

Melissa sent me this note along with Maddie's entry:

"Maddie wanted to join in the fun too! She also wanted to give you a sticker, but we couldn't figure out how to get it to you. She suggested that she give it to Daddy, he put it on his finger, and take it to you. So lets just pretend that is what happened! Personally, I'm amazed that she actually used different colors on her picture and attempted to color in the images, not just scribble! Its an improvement! :)"

Thanks for the sticker, Maddie! And good luck!
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5.

And here we have Laura. Laura is a friend from my formative years. We were two years apart in school, but we were friends with each other's brothers. And now, thanks to the World Wide Web, I feel like I know her better than I did back then. That's a good thing, but it makes me wish we would have known each other better then so we could have had sleepovers and stuff.

I must say I am quite impressed with Laura's entry. Something about this one looks 3-D to me. I found it to be quite artistic. I hope it's hanging on her fridge.
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6.

I actually witnessed the creation of this stunning piece. I'd say it's a real eye-catcher. This comes from Diana, my neighbor/BFF/walking buddy/only person who texts me/music producer. She got this one in just under the wire. Here is what she had to say about that:

"I know it is Monday morning..... but I'm really banking on that you'll be asleep and haven't checked your email yet. Or at least that you'll allow me a late day pass. My scanner was having issues and my dog ate my homework."

For her to know I was still asleep at 8:30 this morning, she was either on her roof peeking through our one uncovered second-story window, or she has just really gotten to know me.
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7.

Next is an entry from Dave. My husband. He would really like to save himself the $10 I plan to award to the winner. Thanks for the entry, Loverboy. Your page is not too big and it's not too tough, but with your skill and talent it's got the right stuff. GOOOO WONDERPETS! YAY!
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8.

Hillary, my big sister who's only 8-years-older than me, got super creative. This is a photo-turned-coloring-page of her daughter, Daphne. I must say I was astounded. And I don't even know how you get the colors that saturated. I told you. I never stood a chance against her skills.
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9.

This is where I get to brag that I have the coolest Dad in the whole wide world, because he entered my coloring contest. I hope Gaston likes his new pink tights. Very nice work, Dad.

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10.

Hannah Montana Shortcake comes courtesy of Debbie over at Cranberry Fries. She is a blog friend. I've never met her in person, but I hope I get to someday! I can tell from her blog that she is a very warm, friendly, caring person and I have enjoyed getting to know her. And she has a great sense of humor.

I'd like to point out the attention to detail. Check out those strawberries. I wouldn't have had the patience. It's quite lovely, Debbie. :)
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11.

This one comes from Laura's sister, Casey. Laura explains that Casey started this one with real intent, and then gave up when Laura's son, Carter, decided to help out with the orange guy at the top. I can see that this one had huge potential.
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12.

Carter (Laura's son) decided to get in on the contest as well! I especially like the pink clouds.
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13.

This one is serious business. It comes from Britney over at Happyful. She is a new blog friend and I love her blog. She is an excellent writer and I feel happyful when I read her blog. This one looks like it should be in a frame. Check out those waves. I'd take coloring lessons if she offered.
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This one comes from my amazingly talented Mother-in-law. Sadly, she disqualified herself because she used colored pencils before realizing that they were against the rules. But I thought it was really beautiful, so I wanted to share it anyway. It won't be among the official entries, but at least it's being shown. Thanks, Mom!
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And this one is mine. It is also not up for votes, but I still wanted to participate.


That's all! Please leave a comment with your vote and I will announce the winner in one week.

You can choose between:

1. Jen's Witch
2. Jacque Sue's Finding Nemo
3. Melissa's Hello Kitty
4. Maddie's Hello Kitty
5. Laura's Alien Civilization
6. Diana's Elmo & Pig
7. Dave's Wonderpets
8. Hillary's Portrait of Daphne
9. Dad's Gaston in Pink Tights
10. Debbie's Strawberry Shortcake
11. Casey's Scared Dragons & Volcanoes
12. Carter's Space Valley
13. Britney's Lilo & Stitch

Good luck to everyone, and THANK YOU so much to everyone who has participated! This has been a lot of fun.

Don't forget to vote and to invite your friends to come vote. Here's a link:

http://www.goodfrau.com/2009/10/your-best-work-unveiled.html

Also, congratulations to Laura! She wins the first $10 gift card for recruiting the most participants.

Vote for the winner in the comments. If you want to leave another comment that will show up, leave it separate from your vote. Thanks!

I concede!

My parents haven't called.

My guess is they are trying to figure out how to let me down gently.

So I concede. I should have known I didn't stand a chance.

So Hillary wins round 1 and I'm starting a new coloring contest. This time I'm going to put my heart and soul into it. It will be a masterpiece.

But don't let that intimidate you. Several of you have expressed interest in participating. Now's your chance! It's the chance of a lifetime!

Round 2 of the "Little Sister Gauntlet Coloring Battle," as Hillary has named it...

Begins

NOW!

Call your friends. Anyone is invited to participate.

There are only two rules.

1 - Your coloring page has to be from a kids coloring book or a website intended for kids.

2 - You have to use crayons. Contest officials will not tolerate the use of illegal colored pencils.


E-mail your entries by Sunday, Oct. 11 to goodfrau@gmail.com .

You don't have to be a regular reader of this blog to participate, but hopefully if you are a regular reader you're already sharpening your Crayolas.

Between now and then I will figure out a voting system and the winner will be chosen by readers. Winner gets a $10 Target gift card and the person who recruits the most friends to the contest gets a $10 Target gift card, so tell me in your e-mail who recruited you. You can win both prizes, because I'm in charge and I say so. And if I win I get to go to Disneyland.

Commence coloring!

Getting catty

My subconscious is on a mission to alienate me from the rest of mankind.

Three examples:

1. Yesterday I was playing Farkle on Facebook (because everything productive I could have been doing was done!.... er something). I used to always "sit" in the lobby and let someone choose me, because then I always got to go first, which put me at an advantage. What's the use of playing if you're not going to play to win... Am I right?! But too often that meant I was playing against men who got flirty in the chat box. And I'm taken by a man with smiley eyes. So lately I have been the one to choose someone to play against and I always choose women. Yesterday I clicked on a pretty girl about my age, and the first thing I wrote in the chat box was, "Ho." I meant to say, "Hi." I think she forgave me, until I kicked her butt in Farkle.
   
2. Today a friend posted on Facebook that she had gallstones and was going to have to have surgery. I, of course, clicked the "like" button, because gallstones are fun, right?! Thank goodness there is also an "unlike" button. I hope she will also forgive my mistake.
   
3. About 20 minutes ago, my son walked over to me and handed me a Tootsie Roll, asking me to open it for him. I did, and then out of habit I popped it right in my mouth instead of giving it back to him. He looked at me, confused about why I would do that to him. Luckily for him and for my hips (they're a little smallish... compared to a hippopotamus) we have vast amounts of candy left over from last week's Primary bribe, and I was able to supply a replacement Tootsie Roll right away.
   

P.S. My husband has a mission reunion tonight. Do you think I could lose 40 pounds by 6:30? Any tips?

Hillary brings out the big guns

I knew my sister would take the bait when I challenged her to a coloring contest.

Here is her entry:

Princess Tiana, in crayon

Total coloring time 21 minutes.

I would like to remind you that she is 8 years older than me. Please consider this in your evaluation of our work.

Anyone is invited to weigh in on the contest, but I would like our parents to please decide which coloring page wins. Because I'm pretty sure they would pick me no matter what.

(JK. BFF.)

And, obviously, I really want to win this. But in the spirit of sportsmanship, I would like to point out Hillary's subtle and lovely use of shading on Princess Tiana's glove.

My Mr. Smiley Eyes

Dave got a new driver's license yesterday.

He really hates those kind of chores, so he was not looking forward to it.

When I asked him how it went, he told me that he had to have his picture taken 3 times because the woman working the camera kept thinking his eyes were closed.

"I was like, 'This is just how my eyes are, lady!'" Dave said... to me. I know he wouldn't have actually said that to her.

I like his little smiley eyes.

One of my favorite games is to ask him to open his eyes as big as he can. I can guarantee myself a laugh as he tries his hardest to open them beyond capacity.

But if you're ever lucky enough to get a close look, you will see that his eyes are the prettiest ocean-blue you've ever seen.

I think he's really cute.


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In other news...

As I was coloring a blue elephant today, I was thinking about how jealous I was of my sister Hillary's coloring skills when I was a kid. She's only 8 years older than me, but her coloring skills were always highly superior to mine.

So I'd like to challenge her (and you, if you'd like to participate) to a coloring contest.

My first entry:
I know cranes aren't yellow and elephants aren't blue, but it's abstract. And it only took me, like, 15 minutes.

I like to hold babies.

Dave and I were going through old stuff last night, trying to get more organized, when I came across this gem of a picture. This was taken the winter after we were married, and the baby is the daughter of one of my best childhood friends. If this picture didn't scare Dave from procreating, nothing was gonna.



I also found this picture of my closet in college. I think maybe I liked stripes and really bright colors. I try to not feel too attached to things, but somehow I lost that first stripey sweater (on the left), and that still makes me sad. It was really cute. I bet one of my roommates stole it. Someone fess up, now!



And here's a picture I didn't remember, taken by a family friend and sent to us. And now it's bound for the refrigerator door.

Love hurts

Dave once spotted a snapping turtle on the side of a busy highway, preparing to cross. 

Not wanting to leave the turtle in such a treacherous situation, Dave hopped out of the car to save the day. It was a big turtle, and could have probably broken Dave's foot with one snap of its jaw. Dave ended up kicking it (as gently as possible) several times, to lift it off the ground and get it to a safer place. 

I bet that turtle thought Dave was a big jerk. 

Mom's new motto

(As Dave and I sat with my mom in her living room, my dad in the next room.)

Dad: I've been telling your mom to stop buying frozen stuff until she knows what's in the freezer. 

Dave: I've been telling Emily that for months!

Me (to my mom): He doesn't know that I keep a mental tab of what's in there. 

My Mom: I need a new mental tab. 

*I think my siblings will especially appreciate that exchange. For me, it brings back the memory of when she went to a health food store to buy some herbs to help her memory, and when she walked through the doors she stopped and said, "What am I here for?"

Broadening our horizons

Dave: Did you ever read "The Grapes of Wrath?"

Me: No.

Dave: You should.

Me: Why?

Dave: Because it's one of the great novels of our time!

Me: Have you ever read it?

Dave: I don't think so.

The Curious Case of a Good Frau

Dave and I have always been a tad concerned that as we age we might look funny together. Dave is perpetually youthful-looking, while I have been sprouting gray hairs since my early teens. He is four years older, but you probably wouldn't guess that.

When I met Dave at Ricks College, I assumed he was an 18-year-old freshman. Imagine my surprise, even my glee, when I learned that he was actually a 23-year-old returned missionary (read: marriage material).

Mmmm.... He was so cute in that sweater.

But in the last few months, something curious has begun. People are starting to frequently tell me that they are surpised about my age (28) because they expect me to be quite younger.

Dave and I were discussing this the other day as I stood in front of him wearing my American Idols tour T-shirt with my hair in pigtails, wondering why in the world people think I am younger than I am.

You may remember when I was at my cousin's wedding luncheon and the woman across the table was shocked when she saw my wedding ring, because she assumed I was a teenager. And I wasn't even wearing pigtails that day.

That conversation was not good for my grown-up self esteem, because we had already been talking for several minutes when she saw my ring. So, what was it about our conversation that made her believe I was a decade younger than I am? And why, on the phone a few days ago, did the woman trying to sell me a timeshare sound relieved when she learned I was older than 20? And why did the girl selling children's books door-to-door think I looked young to have a child?

This is a new trend, and I think it must be because my hair is getting longer. But I must also have a young-sounding voice.

When telemarketers ask for "the woman of the house" when I answer the phone, I put on my sexy, low radio voice and say, "This is the woman of the house."

And they're the only ones who get to hear my sexy radio voice since I retired it in 2001. Oh, unless someone leaks the video that was taken a few days ago of me reading a newscast about the old woman who swallowed a fly.