We have arranged for free witness protection relocation for everyone involved in this year’s CoW…
The big day has finally arrived, and two of brave souls who entered this year’s Contest of Whatever are about to leave with fabulous parting gifts prizes!!!
But first, let’s give some props to an entry that snuck in after the deadline…
Jenn of the mid-life crisis and sassy green boots misjudged the drop dead date for Buster exterminating and posted this nice triptych of Buster undergoing some rather drastic demises…
Left: Radioactive Buster. Right: Microwaved possum. Center: A Buster Molitov cocktail.
I decided that while I would not allow Jenn’s late entry to be eligible for the merit award, I would let her take the winner’s place in the random drawing. Compromise… it’s what makes America great!
So about that winner based on which entry I liked best…. man, this was the toughest decision I’ve had yet. Even in past contests, I could eliminate most of the entries from consideration after a few cuts… but it was hard to cut any of these excellent submissions this year! You guys are really good… and props to those who don’t normally read my blog for coming through with some grade A quality Buster busting!
Don’t cry. You won’t be the theme for next year’s contest… maybe.
The dilemma certainly wasn’t crowning a worthy winner, but deciding which deserving efforts would end up with the thirty day supply of Lee Press On Nails and the boot in the behind. But I was able to put on my big squirrel pants and pick a winner I could live with…. and the overall winner of Evil Squirrel’s Nest’s Third Annual Contest of Whatever is…………………..
Drum roll please, Hottie…
Gentlestitches!!!!
Aunt Sharon (No, she isn’t really my aunt, that’d be nepotism) has not only created two very wonderful past contest entries that came up just short, but continues to amaze me over the years with her awesome talent at creating adorable crocheted critters. Her Sponkies are cherished treasures of mine and have become fitting mascots for my blog. But even besides all that…. the submission she created this year was absolutely the bomb!
My characters finally look cute!
The fact that she created Hottie and MBRS amigurumis for this wickedly cute live action comic with RD and Aussie Buster was the deal sealer for my choosing her as the winner! The dunny, which I’d figured would be the tiebreaker, was just icing on the cake! How ironic that the only entry where Buster didn’t technically die came out victorious! Congratulations Aunt Sharon on outdoing yourself in this year’s contest!
Don’t stomp off in disgust yet, everyone! There’s still the random winner to decide! Using the order everyone’s entries were posted in on Sunday, and substituting Jenn for Gentlestitches, we have this list:
- Jenn
- Vampire Maman
- Draliman
- One Spoiled Cat
- Shedding Light
- Jade Phillips
- Brain Cookies
Once again, I enlisted the prestigious feline accounting firm of Ody and Biskit, LLC to preside over the official drawing just to ensure everything’s on the up and up.
It’s our day off… go away.
I once again pulled out the appropriate playing cards to fit the number of remaining entries, with each numbered card (Ace = 1) corresponding to a contest player on the list above. I shuffled the deck again and again and again and again and again until I got an acute case of carpal tunnel. Then I set the deck face down and turned over the top card to reveal to me and my two disinterested cats who would walk away with this contest’s second prize. And the random drawing winner is………….
Can I finish my nap now?
Number six is Jade Phillips, whose child created entry was more than deserving of being a winner on its own merit! The Play Doh dead possum was not made in vain!!!
Buster makes a great Mr. Bill…
Congratulations to both of my winners!!! Feel free to pick out anything you wish valued at $20 or less from my Cafepress shop and shoot me an email with your selection and mailing address. If there is another drawing of mine you’d like to have on an item in the selected price range, or possibly even a quickie commission that wouldn’t take me long to do, that can also be arranged. You may both also feel free to grab yourself this awesome badge that is guaranteed to scare off any foreign spammers who might stumble upon your blog!
And of course, nobody ever leaves the CoW emptyhanded! Those who played and missed it by thaaaaat much get this super cool loser badge for their blogs!
Thanks to everyone who played this year and amazed me with your clever sense of creativity, and I’d even ilike to give a shoutout to those who watched and cheered from the sidelines! Keep that right side of your brain sharp so you can be a contendah in the Fourth Annual Contest of Whatever coming in February 2017!
Barring armageddon, that is…
Evil Squirrel's Nest 
Yay, well done to the winners! You had some great entries this year.
I shall wear my “also-rans” badge with pride 🙂
When the complete set of CoW badges becomes an extremely valuable collector’s item in a few decades, you’ll finally be able to afford that private jet!
Yay! Keep hold of that private jet magazine you had, I may need it…
Congrats Sharon and Jade!!!!! I looked for ingredients for my gingerbread-busters today, the sales person nearly swooned… WHAT?! gingerbread in march? yes, why not? it’s as cold as in december and the prices are as high as they were around christmas, so I sure can make gingerbread, right?
Yeah, why can’t you make gingerbread whenever you want? Does Santa Claus have some kind of stranglehold on the baker’s guild?
That Play-Doh possum is pretty awesome. His demise was unfortunate, but his expression is priceless. 😛
It’s perfect! When someone on another blog I read brought up Mr. Bill the other day, I realized just what Play Doh possum reminded me of! Oh noooooo!!!!
Congratulations Sharon and Jade! I was so captivated by the cuteness of Aussie Buster and Rainbow Donkey that I didn’t even notice that the other two critters were Hottie and MBRS. They are SO adorable! I just want to hug all those cute little critters.
I probably should take you up on the free witness protection thing (I’m sure my entry offended a few of my readers) but I will proudly display the loser badge anyway!
Well, anyone who would have been offended by your post has nobody but themselves to blame for failing to heed your warning! Send them a gift card to Cathouse Pizza and a note to chill out! 🙂
Awesome Possum! I can’t wait to pick my kiddos up from school and deliver the good news! They’ll totally die (too soon?) with happiness! And you’ve found yourself a new reader. I absolutely love this blog. Thank you ES!
You’re welcome, and Play Doh Buster really brightened up my day! Sculpture is something nobody had tried before in the CoW, and it was damn fine sculpture at that!
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Worthy selections from a worthy group of entrants. I’m proud of you’all. And delighted to see that Buster may be dead, but he will return to die again. For our sins? Or just for the fun of it.
At this point, I think he does it just for kicks. Kinda like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day… if you have a perpetual do-over, why not live a little by dying every day?
Congratulations to the WINNERS – I totally think you nailed the best of the best – I shall sooner or later stop sobbing at not being chosen (sniff), and wear my LOSER badge with pride on Sam’s blog. FUN contest………..
Pam
I think if Ody and Biskit hadn’t been in nappytime mode, they would have done more to make sure your card got drawn… but the loser badge is always a nice consolation prize, and motivation to try again next year!
It was a fun contest!
Good choices for the winners. Next year, I’ll actually follow through on entering…maybe.
Next year’s theme will be gore-a-pony, so you won’t want to miss that!
Congrats to Aunt Sharon and Jade!! Yay!
Woohoo!
Great job everyone. Let’s do this again next year.
I was initially inclined to retire the contest after the slow response this year, but the late splurge changed my mind. Next year will be your year!
aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi! OMG!!! ES take a look at the first panel of my comic. It shows the lovely Miss MBRS off much better than the second although the second does ”say it all”
I am so glad the Play Dough entry got a guernsey. It really was spectacular and most worthy.
All the entries were brilliant. You have a very talented audience. Thank you. 😀
I really should have put that together after noting how much her companion looked like Hottie! It’s good to see there is now a squirrel and a skunk in Australia! Thank you for an awesome tribute to Buster and my whole gang, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next year!
That was so much fun! All the entries were so cool. Such talent! I hope to compete next year. Can’t wait for the 4th Annual Contest of Whatever. PS. Rainbow Donkey went viral over at the picnic today. What can I say, Facebook loves him. Hope some of them follow the trail to the nest. 🙂
I noticed there were more hits than normal from that post on my stats page! It’s good to see something actually worth going viral finally going viral on Facebook! Go RD!!!
Amazing job everyone! Congrats to the well-deserving winners (and thank you for the nod to my non-submission). I already wrote CoW 2017 on my calendar! 😉
You must have a very extended calendar!
No…competitive streak! lol
How totally awesome my friend – I loved this!! I was out of town and didn’t see the contest – conpigulations to the winners. XOXO – Bacon
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Maybe next year, you could do Buster vs Trump?
Congrats to the winners, very well deserved.
Maybe if I made the contest theme “killing Trump”, more people would have entered…
But if Trump somehow gets in, then next year it might be best to stay away from that idea, for being accused of treason is never a good thing.
It’s the only crime actually defined in our constitution… though I’d imagine a President Trump would just opt for a lawsuit…
no.. more…killing….<3