The Results are in - I am Josh contest winners!

First off - I'd like to say a big thank you to everybody who participated in the contest and let you that you're all winners. Wait, no you're not. Everybody "winning" is a bad idea in children's sports and everything else. If everybody "wins" no one wins. Winning and losing are normal parts of life and let's face it, without losers we wouldn't have rivalries, super bowl commercials and the fierce competition that drives our economy. We also wouldn't have anyone to make fun of. But, in this contest - even though everybody can't win- everybody who participated gets a prize. Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, maybe the qualities of kindness that are so abundant in my wife have somehow affected me - or maybe they had a big sale at borders, so I said "What the heck!" and got everybody prizes. Lets get the business out of the way before we review each submission. Entry #1 Comments: Overall a nice entry. The Becksforts earn points for use of Josh photo - high initial impact as I am Josh serves as the tree topper. - Bonus points for use of local flora and #2 Pencil. Total Score: 13 Glue Guns Entry #2 Comments: Patty is one of my mother's best friends and an insane recycler of anything paper, glass, plastic or aluminum. Let me say without any sarcasm - I was "sooo" impressed with this entry. Big points earned for presence. FOUR ornaments, but sadly the dying inkjet cartridges did cost some craftmanship points. However, big bonus points for having the ego to make yourself FOUR ornaments and not once gracing your tree with my lovely mug. Might have earned an extra point or two until I noticed that the ornaments were in close proximity to the Taco Bell Chihuahua. Yo Quiero better tree real estate. Total Score: 12 Glue Guns Entry #3 Comments: Jeremy and I attended high school together and his blog was an inspiration to me getting this one started. High impact scores for bright colors and size. Big "guns" for presence as well - anything that makes "Christmas balls" look small gets my attention. Bonus points for multiple use of my face and the effort that must have went into getting the food coloring out of those popsicle sticks. Total Score: 14 Glue Guns Entry #4 Comments: Kasey & Ben earn points for use of Josh in the creation of a double sided ornament. Great use of masking tape and improvisation for using a green paper clip as the ornament hanger. Plus the kid is so friggin cute. Bonus points for the funny screams and laughs and saving the spit up for my wife's clothing. Total Score: 14 Glue Guns Entry #5 Comments: Well - I don't know exactly what to say. I was a bit overwhelmed when I saw this entry. If you didn't look at the comments in the contest posting you probably missed the video that my parents put together for their entry. Check it out here. It was posted in their blog. Mom and Dad deliver this year's winner with this multimedia entry. Quite a boost to the old ego. Big points for presence - especially if it really does stay up all year round. High craftmanship points - I'm especially digging the cool hat that I'm wearing in May - for Mother's Day. Bonus points for 13 I am Josh's and using the music from Napoleon Dynamite. Still not buying that Ben isn't the "Favored Son" thing. Good luck with that one. Total Score: 16 Glue Guns So what are the prizes? To Jeff & Lee Becksfort - a Art Works Oil Pastels Interactive Art Instruction Book with 30 pages to develop your natural ability. You might be asking yourselves - "What shall I pastel?" You'll be able to take your pick. Art Works offers everything from giant reptiles to supersonic airplanes! - Thanks for playing guys! To Patty Moledor - a Craft Works Papercraft Interactive Craft Instruction Book with all you'll need for more than 25 fun papercraft projects. Includes scissors, tissue paper, glue, fabric paint and much more! To Jeremy Bear - a brand new Blank Sketch Book. Jeremy you're incredible artist and illustrator, hope you fill this one with all kinds of cool stuff. Even if you don't draw in it right away, it's heavy enough to use as a weapon against any band of 9-year-old gypsy thieves that might cross your path. To Kasey & Ben Firestine - a copy of one of my favorite books from my childhood. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak. Kasey - I hope you'll enjoy reading this to Ben and that he loves it as much as I did. To Mom & Dad - I thought this was a great idea and will be quite at home in the Smith family library, right next to If They Mated, Deep Thoughts and the Bathroom Reader series. A copy of Fun with Phone Solicitors - 50 Ways to Get Even. If any book would fit in with my family it would have to be this one. Now, in addition to answering the phone as "The Ravenna Rod & Reel Club" or "Copley Meat Packing" you'll now have 50 fun ways to screw with telemarketers. I love you guys. So that concludes the Christmas 2005 Craft Project - a big thank you and congratulations to all you crafty crafters - your prizes are en route. Also a big thanks to all you blog readers, hopefully you we're entertained as much as I was doing this. Look for our next contest in March - another opportunity to get "creative." Until then, keep those Glue Guns hot...