Hallmark Summer

Well, the party's (nearly) over. Come August 31, voting will end for the Hallmark "Your Funny*ness" card contest, and I will be in the running no longer. I've had a beast of a time climbing back from 13th place. I was at 12th a while back. My percentage of votes has increased, and so many people have been kind enough to take the time to vote for me. But darned if that baby, and several other cards, just seem to have me beat.

I made a fair play for the finish line. I marketed. I visited over a dozen Hallmark stores in our region. In fact, Joe and I visited four of them today. Even got asked to sign my autograph at one!

I met some interesting people along the way. I was generously given a one-year membership to the Squirrel Lovers Club after contacting the president of the club about the contest. He was so kind and supportive. Check out their website if you get a chance. More information about squirrels than you would expect to find in one place. Gregg, the president of the club, is a genuinely nice guy.

I was brave (or crazy) enough to approach complete strangers with little hand-outs about the contest and ask them to vote for me. Most were gracious enough to at least take the hand-out and pretend interest. And for those that did actually vote, thank you!

At one point there was a small article in the local paper about the contest, and myself. I got a local radio DJ to vote for me, and plug the contest on-air. Last week I baked squirrel shaped sugar cookies and sent them to work with my husband in a last-ditch effort to rack up some votes. Although most said they would vote, the numbers didn't change. I suppose the other finalists are out there campaigning, too.

I have to give thanks to my friends, family, and co-workers for being so supportive and patient. I know I've sent email after email. Chattered on about the contest at length. And everyone has been very kind about it. Some of them even wore custom-designed squirrel t-shirts to promote the card. Many of them went to Hallmark stores and purchased a card, too!

Hallmark has a new contest for the holiday season. Submissions are due at 8am on Monday. So far I haven't come up with anything to submit. I think this will be a tough contest. It's heavily illustration based, which is defnitely not a strong point of mine. I can barely draw a straight line. So, I told my husband Joe that I didn't think I would be entering. The relief on his face was evident - at least he wouldn't have to bug his co-workers to vote for me again.

I did inform him, though, that I have two photos in the local Humane Society 2009 calendar contest, and that voting starts online in September. So, um, there will be more voting requests to come. Although I don't know any of the details yet, and I don't know if I'll make the cut anyway. The pictures are of my budgies, though, and who can resist their beautiful faces? We'll see.

Anyway, it's been a real Hallmark Summer (shouldn't that be a Beach Boys song?). I'll be sad to see it end.