My birthday is on Monday and birthdays for me tend to be... Odd.

I'm actually looking forward to it, normally I inwardly dread my birthday. However, my outlook has changed. I'm really glad that I came here. I don't gush very often, I'm rather a private person I suppose.. But, since my birthday is coming up and I get rather "thoughtful" (not sure that's the word I'm looking for). I've been thinking about how this place really has changed me. I've been here on and off for a while.

During the saga with my mom, this was a Sanctuary. It was hard losing her and so because this had memories I disappeared for a while. I'm really glad that I came back and I'm very glad that I've made all the friends I have here.

You guys have been so very wonderful and accepting. I really love each and every one of you! I keep trying to think of ways to thank those who have touched my life. So many people have come and made a last impression and I often wonder if they even realize it?

Anyways I want to show my gratitude. So at the end of this, I will be featuring all those who have made my day!

Also, I wanted to thank those who have been so kind to me this week I was given some of the most wonderful gifts! I really appreciate it! I was really surprised!

gave me a wonderful deviation and gave me some wonderful tubes from her :icontubetraders: stock!

I want to thank both of them so much! It really means a lot to me.




Also, I'm helping judge 's contest [link]

This is a really cute contest with the theme "Worst Witch". She's given out some ideas on things that could be done and I really like the idea! Please give her some support, this is her first ever contest!

dedicated this wonderful piece of art to me! I absolutely adore it!



Also created this lovely work for me! I was just stunned, it's so very gorgeous! Thank you so very much!



Also made this awesome stamp for me! It's going directly on my stamps on the main page! Muahahahahahahahaha!

was kind enough to create this beautiful picture for me! I love it!

:thumb124846383:

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Photomanipulation contest has been judged and is done! Thank you for your patience. I finally got some help typing this up. (Thanks to my sweet hubby) I really appreciated all the entries! Thank you so very much everyone who participated!

Ok, I'll be doing the Photography contest judging sometime in the next week, I hope. I'm very sorry about this everyone! I've been feeling really about this for a while. I assure you that I WILL get to it very soon!

Please forgive me and bear with me!


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Contest winners for the Photo-Manipulation Contest have been decided:

This contest was incredibly hard to judge and even harder to give the winners as my finger has been hurting like crazy! Anyways, I think I can at least write this one. I wanted to say that this really was the hardest of all the contests so far.

The skill of the people who entered was amazing and every single one of them was different themed and so awesome! I just sat there amazed!

Anyways, here are the winners without further adieu..

Please forgive my delay.

In first place with

This picture really caught my attention, the colors are dark and breathtaking and the use of stock was really well blended! It really looks like a Wizard starting an adventure! I truly fell for this magical piece! Her work is an amazing mixture of different types of art. I was very impressed with her gallery!

These are some of my favorite pieces:



In second place, with

This one caught my eye immediately, again the use of color and the cunning use of the stock! I really enjoyed this take. She did a wonderful job and made a piece that truly attracts your attention. I especially loved the cracked background. She's a truly wonderful artist!


These are some of my favorite pieces:



In third place and one of my hardest decisions to make (I actually called in help for this one because it was so close!)

I chose by

I chose this because of the sentimental feel of it. Both the runner up and the third place had a very sentimental feel to them. This sense of loss and moving.. It really and truly called to me. It was literally a tie until I called in my husband to cast the final vote. (though we had thrown about an idea for a tie breaker we eventually decided that it was better to do this.). I enjoy watching because his work is different. I see a lot of the "same" here sometimes and it's always refreshing to see something new.

These are favorites of mine from his gallery:



The first runner up is from

As I said before, this was a REALLY difficult choice and I would have ended it as a tie but I asked my husband for a vote. (Though as I said before, I really considered having a manip-off..) Anyways, I really love Barbara's work, it's never ordinary. It has it's own unique and interesting take. She really does find some of the coolest things to create and it's never a dull moment. I'm sure she realizes this, her work is absolutely some of my favorite here! (I don't tend to fav everything in someone's gallery but I don't think I've ever seen something by her I didn't like.)

These are some of my favorites within her gallery:



The second runner up is by

She's a fellow stocker and her art is wonderful! I really liked the comic book feel of this pic! It's truly amazing! I truly loved it. Who wouldn't like a witch flying on something incredibly wrong? Ok, so missiles aren't terribly wrong but still..

Here are some of my favorites from her gallery:



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Congrats to all the winners! You were wonderful and I am so very glad you entered the contest. Thank you to all those who entered (please keep an eye out for more contests from me!)

Thank you all and Congrats to everyone who entered! Without you it wouldn't have been much of a contest, you made it very difficult to choose the winners and I am so very grateful to you!

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Please check out this thumb and follow the link.. A wonderful member here on dA is having a family crisis. His son has AML [link]

His son has no insurance and doesn't qualify for studies. He's in desperate need of help and can only do so much. came up with a wonderful way that we can help save this young man's life. Please if you can chip in even a small amount it can help save a life here's the [link]



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Featuring: (features are going to the main today)
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Clubs/Groups:
Club's I belong to


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I plan to go through and finish making dedications to each of my watchers. I'll be updating my Watcher Dedications window regularly.

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Ok, I've just finished populating my stock account [link] to a point that I'm comfortable announcing my evil plans .. Ok so maybe they're not evil.

But first, I'm going to be getting rid of all the stock I created on this account since I've moved it all to my stock-account. (Minus a few pictures that I absolutely adore). Please forgive me?

I'm hosting four contests. To enter please note me on with your entry.

Contests:


For all contests 2 is the limit of entries you can submit.

** The first contest will be for photomanipulations only. The only rules are that you must use at least 3 pieces of my stock (I'm evil ) The reason for that? I wanted to make it complicated.

Contest entries: [link]

** The second contest is for poetry. The theme is love me/hate me. You can write a poem about love, or hate or both.

Contest entries: [link]

The third contest is for drawings/traditional/digital drawn art.
For this one you must use one of my stock models as a reference in there somewhere. I don't care if you chibi them etc as long as they're there.

Contest entries: [link]


** The fourth contest will be a Photography contest. For this contest I want pictures that represent peaceful or meditative states places etc. Please in the note explain to me why you believe it to be peaceful (I really want your take on these).

Contest entries: [link]

Now onto the prizes.


Prizes:

** 1st place for all four contests will include me buying 2 years of subscription. A feature by me and a dedication piece. For first place only you can request a poem, a photo-manipulation or a photograph dedicated to you. A request from , a feature from , a feature from , and a feature from


** 2nd place for all four contests will include a 1 year subscription. A feature by me and a dedication piece. A fractal from , a feature from , a feature from , and a feature from


** 3rd place for all four contests will be a 3 month subscription. A feature by me and a dedication piece, a feature from , a feature from and a feature from .

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Deadlines:

The first contests (Photomanipulations) deadline will be May 3rd. My mother's birthday and I think it's fitting that I do something fun like this.

The second contests deadline is a bit sooner, March 15th the Ides of March. I thought that would be fitting. (Poetry) CLOSED)

The third contest's deadline April 13th because I've always wanted to host a contest on that date. (Yes, I am strange).

** (Third contest is closed)**

The fourth contest's deadline will be May 13th. Because I like the number 13..

(Closed)
So happy creating! I can't wait to see what you come up with!