Casting Ballots

I won! Tuesday, at the university bookstore, there was a contest for an "Art Fest" prize... I filled out a ballot, and I won! (I think I may have even won the grand prize, because my name was first on the list that I had to sign when I got my prize.) Here's what I won:

Holbein Artists' Oil Colors, 12 colours (them's good quality paint!); Canson sketch pad, 65 lb, acid free; Strathmore 400 Series Smooth Art Board; paper palette; 10"x14" canvas panel; 11"x14" stretched canvas.

Of course, I then bought stuff to go with my prize:

But it was all on sale, so I don't feel so bad. ;) The brushes are nicer ones than what I've been using for acrylics, so I'll use them with my acrylics, and move my acrylic brushes over to oils. The lady at the store helped me pick out what I would need (linseed oil, and the brush cleaner)... we debated about the toxic solvents, but then decided that dish soap and water, finishing with the brush cleaner would do the job. (That's what she uses... and I really don't like breathing in highly toxic fumes.) The conte crayons I just got to try out, since they were such a good buy.

<begin lecture> Speaking of filling out ballots... make sure you *VOTE* in the upcoming election! (That's Tuesday for Canadians, and November for Americans.) Filling out a ballot doesn't guarantee you'll win, but not filling one out guarantees you'll lose. <end lecture>