FINAL WEEK!

"The flow of time is often cruel...."

Couldn't have said it better myself, Sheik. Starting tomorrow, the contest will be in its final week. I can't believe it's already here! So, how are your entries coming along? Get them submitted? Finalized? Sketched? Started?! If the answer to all of these questions is "No," tsk tsk! I can see that Wii slipping out of your hands like a Wiimote with a broken strap!

C'mon, it's not too late! You can do it!! Resolve to make it happen--to make your masterpiece tonight! ^^

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *

Zelda Haiku

Since this got overshadowed by all the recent drama, I'm bringing it back to the forefront. No sense in letting a few incidents take all the fun out of the event, right? Channel that last-minute nervousness into a creative outlet and help soothe your mind for a moment--by writing a haiku! For those unfamiliar, a haiku is a poem that consists of three lines--the first being five syllables, the second being seven, and the third being five again. Create a haiku that relates to Ocarina of Time and post it in the comments for everyone to enjoy! Here's mine:

Heard from the lake's shore,
Ocarina melodies
Dance along the breeze.

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *

Poll's Closed.

Okay, I know that this whole deadline extension issue is seeing a lot of debate, but I never expected someone to actually try to manipulate the poll results. What's funny is that a ridiculous amount of votes is still coming in as I type this, despite the fact that I've removed the link to the poll, which confirms the obvious. To the individual responsible, shame on you!! There had better be an apology in my inbox faster than it takes to trace your IP and have your entries disqualified.

Anyways, moving on! I guess I'll just have to base my decision on the input I received before all this nonsense.

The final deadline for contest submissions will remain March 7, 2007.

There's a Wii at stake, yes, but c'mon, people! It's not worth fighting and cheating over. Let's not ruin a good thing, okay?

70,000 Thank Yous!

Whew, what a day! Just last night I received an entry from a contestant who was nice enough to include the URL to the contest blog in her picture, which was also posted to her DeviantArt (DA) account. I noticed that she was receiving a LOT of hits there and thought to myself, "All right, this should help increase my traffic!"

Heh.

This evening, about 50 zillion of those little "Your poll has received 10 more votes!" notification e-mails later, I dropped by DA again to see just how much traffic that pic was getting! Lo and behold, it had made the site's home page! I took a screenshot and circled her pic in green:


I was thrilled, both for her and for all the exposure the contest was getting as a result! A little later I checked my Photobucket account, and it reported a whopping 70,000 hits! At 24 pics per page, that's almost 3,000 pageviews, right? And that's not even counting before I moved the entries to Photobucket! Wow!! I just hope the bandwidth holds out, heh!

A great, big note of thanks to you, messa, and everyone who's helped drive traffic to the contest blog! ^^

*EDIT: Please note that this post does NOT mean I will show bias for or against any entry based on its popularity or number of hits. Each picture will be judged solely by its content.

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *

Need More Time?

First of all, I'm pleased to report that the host switch went smoothly and successfully! Now that that's all taken care of, there's something else I'd like to address. A number of individuals have contacted me requesting that the submission deadline for entries be extended. Me, I'd personally love to do this, since I'm enjoying every minute of it and hate to see it end. For contestants who have already submitted entries, though, this could feel unfair, and that's understandable. Then again, maybe it's not such a big deal. Thus, before deciding on this issue, I'd like to know what you all think--in the contest's second visitor poll!

*EDIT: The poll is now closed due to vote tampering.

I was thinking March 31 would be the new deadline if an extension is granted. The poll will be closed on February 28. Thanks for your input!

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *

Switching Servers

Well, well, well, it seems I've received so many entries that they've actually exceeded the storage capacity of my cozy little corner of the web! On one hand, this is wonderful, because it means that the contest is a big success! On the other hand, it means it's time for the pics to find a new home. I checked out the PhotoBucket site last night, and it offers a much more generous limit and doesn't try to tack on ads or watermarks to the pictures, so it should work nicely. Just a matter of getting everything transferred and updating the links and such. I hope to have it all done today, so I'll hold off on posting any new entries until I get this taken care of.

As always, if you spot a broken link or discrepancy, be sure to let me know, k? Thanks much!

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *

Sugoi!!!

After posting the latest entries this evening, I took a few minutes out to review all that have been submitted thus far. Such amazing pictures!! Though I've felt it for a long time now, more and more it's hitting me just how extremely difficult selecting the winners is going to be. What have I gotten myself into?! XD Actually, despite the difficult task ahead, I am having an absolute blast! This event has turned out to be even more fun than I ever imagined. Thank you, everyone, for making it totally worth my while!

Only 23 days--just over three weeks--left to get your entries in! Don't let this golden opportunity slip through your fingers! The only thing that guarantees failure is failure to try.

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *

A Wii Bit of a Problem

In an official change to the contest details, it looks like I won't be ordering the prizes from Gamestop.com after all. In addition to offering only Wii console and software bundles at this time, the site is requiring that the billing and shipping addresses match. I'm not sure whether this was something that was implemented since I checked the site in December or an oversight on my part, but either way I apologize. I'll just have to take my business elsewhere. The site I do end up using will depend on cost and availability and such; you're welcome to comment on this entry with any suggestions. I'll be sure to pick a reputable company, though, so some shady dude at an unheard of cyber pawn shop doesn't end up with our personal info, lol!

Many thanks go to the individual who kindly brought this matter to my attention!

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *

For the Starving Artist

In Ocarina of Time, Link is widely known as the Hero of Time. What about the Link in Twilight Princess? Well, I personally like to refer to him as the Hero of Skills! Not only does he become quite the clever swordsman, sumo wrestler, and song howler, but he can also cook! Get a load of this recipe I found in his kitchen:

Buttered Mushroom and Goat Cheese Omelet

Ingredients
-------------
2/3 cup sliced white forest mushrooms (better get yours at the store)
4 large cucco (chicken) eggs
1/4 cup milk (he uses goat milk, but I'm sure cow milk will work just fine)
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of ground black pepper
2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
butter (or butter-flavored non-stick cooking spray)

Heat a 10-inch skillet over low heat. Add mushrooms and butter, stirring with spatula to coat skillet evenly. Cook slowly, just until tender. Transfer mushrooms to plate and set aside.

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

Coat the skillet generously with more butter and heat over medium-high heat until sizzling. Pour in egg mixture. Tilt pan while pushing cooked portions towards the center with spatula. Remove pan from heat when no more liquid egg remains. Sprinkle with mushrooms and cheese. Run spatula between the pan and omelet, fold omelet in half, and slide it onto a warm plate. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Makes 2-3 servings!

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *

Puzzled?

Artist's block got you scratching your head on what to draw? Not to worry! Just download this little OoT word find I whipped up, and you'll be swimming in ideas! (Or, if you're already working on a pic, it makes for a nice little break!)

The words go forward, backward, up, down, left, right, and diagonally in a straight line.

* ~ Click here for contest rules and details ~ *

* ~ Click here to see contest entries ~ *