Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Merry Whatever: It's Time for a Contest


It doesn't matter what you're celebrating this time of year, one thing we can all get excited about is a contest... and it's been a while since I've had one. So with just enough time to squeeze one more fantastic give away in before the new year rolls around I'm going to be giving away a piece of original artwork.

I hope you want to win it for yourself, but even if you don't, just imagine the regifting possibilities. Up for grabs is "Lone Chickadee", an original painting on vintage paper from the late 1800s (shown above).

To Enter: all you have to do is to leave me a comment below telling me what present you would buy if you had unlimited funds and who you'd give it to. (Today I was wishing I could buy a new car for my favorite checkout girl at Fresh Market.)

All of you new followers, don't forget to mention that you're new to my blog and I'll throw in an extra entry for you.

As always, I'll give extra entries for spreading the word. So if you blog about my contest, post it on facebook or tweet about it, I'll throw in an extra entry for you too. Just don't forget to tell me that you did it so that I can give you credit.

The contest will end on the stroke of midnight December 31st. And I'll be posting the winner on New Year's Day.

21 comments:

  1. new to the blog....love it! if i had unlimited funds i would buy a house for me and my kiddos

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  2. New to your blog, heard about your blog and contest through a FB post by Deena Marie :)
    If I had unlimited funds, I'd buy lifetime supplies of meds for people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis, diabetes, AIDS, and any other lifelong disease people are suffering from. Obviously, that "unlimited funds" would really have to be unlimited, but if I had to choose just one person to receive a gift, I'd choose a mother or father who didn't develop the illness (probably MS) till later in life. It must be scary to have been healthy your whole life and then to just start getting sick mid-life, after you've already planned for a future without a devastating illness. So, if that person was me, then I know I'd be truly grateful that my kids and spouse could continue leading a life that didn't revolve around "will insurance cover this med, or which family vacation/ new home/ safer car/ kids' college fund will we have to use the money from? Not to say that living an entire life with an illness is any less devastating, but insurance usually won't drop a client if they've been been diagnosed early on. As you get older, insurance premiums rise and companies retain the right to drop clients past a certain age.
    That would be my gift- assurance that no matter what changes take place health-wise and which new meds will be needed, that parent will never have to worry about sacrificing their family over their own health, or vice versa.

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  3. Ohhhh, unlimited funds?! Hmmm...I think at the top of the list I'd like to send my mama on a vacation to give her a break from taking care of everyone else :)

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  4. Me me me me! I hope you pick me :)

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  5. Ohhhh, this painting is BEAUTIFUL! And would be perfect in my daughter's room.

    With unlimited funds, I would give my mom a perfectly trained dog and pay someone to take daily care of it for her. She's been so lonely around the house since my dad died but doesn't want to do the care-taking of a dog (and I live 4 hours away or else I would do it myself).

    And...I'm tweeting this as soon as I'm done.

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  6. It's so fun for me to read your responses!

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  7. Wonderful Blog and what a beautiful piece of art! If I win, I would for sure keep that gem for myself. :) Unlimited funds...oh the possibilities. I would pay off my parents house and all their bills so they can enjoy their retirement stress free. I'm new to your blog and will repost on FB..SO happy to have stumbled here.

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  8. I would buy all your pictures and put them in a big art gallery in New York City for all to see. Then after I sold all your paintings I would travel first class all over the world with my Sweetie Pie and kids! Hey, and since you made so much money off of my purchase, you could come with us:)

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  9. New to your blog, love seeing other artists work. If I had unlimited funds, I would take my daughter to Norway to meet her daddy and his family. He hasn't seen her in person yet.

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  10. Hello Kate! I am new to your blog. I just got on to search for your art and found this contest. FUN!! I'm excited to enter! I love the "Lone Chickadee".
    I first became aware of you and your art in a store one day. I noticed a floral painting that I loved and was drawn to the name K Birch at the bottom. It was an immediate bonding moment for me...as my name is
    K Birch as well!!
    If I had unlimited funds....I would spend it on my family...the center of my world. I would first "buy" a job for my hard working husband that he loved going to everyday...Then I would buy him the truck of his dreams so he could arrive at his job in style. I would take my youngest daughter to England....her life's wish. I would move my oldest daughter, son-in-law and my grand babies from far away...so I could see them and squeeze them everyday. I would travel the world with my family and see wonderful places together. I would build a beautiful house in a remote place for my family and live happily ever after. Somewhere in this fairy tale...I sense a cook, housekeeper, gardener, grocery shopper, daily hair stylist and decorator. And since the funds are unlimited...I would hire you to paint art for all the rooms in the house!!
    Wow....That was a fun, dreamy thought! :)
    K Birch

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  11. Hello, I am new to your blog and will retweet this. If I had unlimited funds, I would fly my entire family to Italy and Ireland for vacation. I'd love to be able to do this while my mother is still living. I think being able to experience our heritage would be a gift of a lifetime.
    Hope to win. I love this contest prize.

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  12. I am new to your blog...saw it on facebook through April.

    My gift would be a nanny for each of my sisters. So that my mom couldspend time being a grandma instead of their childrens caretaker.

    I love you artwork, birds envoke such a strong feeling of freedom and serenity in me.

    Normally I would post this to facebook...but I don't think my sister(s) would appreciate the comment...eek!

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  13. If I really had tons of money, I would find 10 or 20 kids who deserved a college education and couldn't afford one and fund them for the whole 4 years. & do things similar helpful things, like surgery for those who couldn't pay for the competent job they'd need to live a decent life, etc.

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  14. P.S. Yes, I did post the contest on Facebook.

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  15. Kate, this is a difficult question.....would love to give a gift that meets the needs of the world...alas there is no one gift that takes care of all that is out of balance in the world. So, being a foodie and having friends joke that i am always feeding people I would make sure there is ample food in the food banks....I can't imagine the reality of not being able to provide the basic need of food for my children. Food ensures life, hope and many time joy......there you have it.

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  16. I am new...Love the painting also!

    I would pay off my home, some friends & family's homes.

    I would also be an art buying couple with my husband like Herb & Dorothy Vogel. ( A great PBS special on them if you are unfamiliar with them)

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  17. Hi my sweet friend. I LOVE this picture, and it would be perfect in my new baby's nursery. I already have 2 of your prints in my guest room and everyone that stays with me loves them.
    What would I do with unlimited funds? That is a big question. The selfish side of me would be to buy extra houses in Portland, SLC, and Santa Cruz since my family likes to travel as a pack. We could all come to visit at the same time and have a place to stay that wouldn't burden anyone. The side of me that spends 5 days a week in a hospital would say, to help these poor sweet people with medications, access to healthcare, and healthy food to to keep them out of the hospital. I'm fortunate enough to work for a large hospital system that we can afford to treat everyone. You can't afford, radiation, we give it to you. You can't afford rehab, we give it to you. Say what you will about large hospitals, some of them do step up.
    I'm sure I could also come up with a list as long as my arm of gadgets, clothes, etc that I could use too. :)
    Miss you!

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  18. To dream of unlimited funds is dangerous and decadent... I've seen what it's done to someone who was once a friend and now has no time for "regulars" -- witnessing the detachment from reality, and the disconnect from pleasures that money can't buy has been painful. BUT, I'll dream for a moment here anyway! :-) I'd first be selfish (charity starts at home) and pay for Sarah's college education instead of taking out loans which will be the size of a mortgage in 7 more semesters. Then I'd send Abby to Independent Day School so she doesn't have to be punched in the stomach at lunch time by the bully because she's different. (She was accepted, but I couldn't "accept" the tuition even after financial aid). Then, I'd give judiciously to family and friends who are in need (some really are, while others seem to be able to afford "wrong" things while neglecting the "right" things). Then, - and this may not be important to some, but it is to me (hey, it's my dream here right?) - I'd give to our local animal shelter because wet noses can't go to work to make a living... we are their only hope... so I'd give to the wet noses and to those who help them so selflessly. Sure, I could say I'd use the money to find a cure for cancer and bring about world peace... but those aren't gifts available for giving anyway. OK, so I could give money to research -- done! But as for world peace isn't that in each of us already? Some just won't let it out. Oh... and, if I had some money left over, I'd buy another of Kate's paintings for myself because they bring about peace of mind... flight of spirit, release of imagination. Those are priceless gifts.
    PS I tweeted and facebooked about your blog... fantastic!

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