Where are my manners? Pt 2: (Belated) Congrats to the Winners of Slayerstillness Challenge #19!

So yesterday I included slayerstillness in the title of my post with the intention of congratulating the winners of the last icontest - and completely FORGOT to mention them in the actual post. But someday - SOMEDAY! -

"At the age of 46 I mastered the secrets of time management, discipline and multiple orgasms - thanks to Cloudburst Laundry Detergent!"

Guilty as charged - no laundry detergent will help with multiple orgasms. Everyone knows that. (Although not laundering may be a decided disadvantage in that department, but never mind.) If anyone knows of one that'll do the job in the other areas though, let me know. *ahem*

So - [Belated] Congrats, hugs and puppies to iconsoleander, teragramm, moriwen1, tempertemper, rua1412, and spikesredqueen!  I meant to offer each winner a basket of kittens but they've already turned into cats.

As always, it was very hard to select "best" in any sense of the word.  What does that word even mean, when there is so much talent on display? I couldn't even decide things like "Best Crop" or "Best Coloring", let alone "Best [Everything Overall]". And please don't ask which I voted for because I honestly don't remember. It's becoming a thing with me and these contests: "I'll vote for A, D, and F - maybe C? No, F. *hit vote button* Oh, NOES! I didn't notice J before! Maybe I should've voted for J? No, B...maybe? Can I vote again?"


Then I wonder why I'm exhausted.

And congrats to everyone who entered this challenge "Rock Your Body" (whole-body images rather than close-up crops). I admit I wasn't inspired by the prompt itself, and too busy getting ready for NYC at any rate. But other people obviously were, and as with OWL's "Downtown" icontest I love seeing what people come up with in those challenges.

Speaking of not being inspired, Challenge 20 is "Love Song For A Vampire" which is pretty self-explanatory. This is another prompt that I admit, I'm not inspired by it - I know the world seems to love vampire characters. And goodness I appreciate Drusilla, Spike, Darla, etc, but not deeply moved to enter this prompt because it's not the same level of love or even emotion of any sort for me, and that has to be there in order to be inspired.  Which means that I can sit this round out for the folks who aremoved and inspired by the vamps of the Buffyverse, and see what lovely things they come up with. And agonize over voting all over again.


Then I'll wonder why I'm exhausted.

Hypocrisy Thy Name is RedSatinDoll : Y'All Voted My Icon 3rd Place at Otherworldlyrics icontest 165!

So while I was bitching and moaning about how hard it is for me to vote in icontests because of all the great work I just can't decide and don't you feeeeeel myyyyyy paiiiiiiinnnn...

this happened:

I mean - REALLY? Are you sure there wasn't a miscount? Because I am happy as all get out but also perplexed because there were so many WONDERFUL entries to chose from.

I'm just - REALLY?

Thank you to everyone who voted for my icon!  I'm honored (and astonished and happy and giggly and perplexed) because there's some fantastic entries here. (Who did #5? I NEED TO KNOW THIS!)

But all the credit has to go to my Beta-Muse wickedbish who pretty much held my hand (as always) when I threw 41 icons at him because I couldn't chose. He picked this one partly because he thought it captured Buffy's overprotectiveness of Dawn. It wasn't my personal favorite and I probably - scratch that, I definitely wouldn't have submitted it without his advice.  And I came damn near ignoring his advice and sending other icons except

1) I remembered my own experiences as a beta for writer friends when they seek my advice and then don't take it when it doesn't; not that they have to take my advice, but when that turns into a pattern? Frustration sets in: "Ok, so why are you asking my advice if you're not gonna take it?" It felt awful disrespectful of what he offers and for free. And,

2) The last time, I won third place with an icon I wouldn't have submitted except for his advice.

So, this icon maker has learned her lesson: I'm an awful judge of my own stuff. This is why I go to Ryan. So, I need to stfu and TRUST that he knows his shit.

CONGRATULATIONS to the other winners spikesredqueen & xclaire_delunex!  Really lovely, simple, powerful icons this round.

BTW - my other submissions were #6 & #10. I'll share the other ones I made but didn't submit tomorrow ETA:i as soon as I can get the darn post finished.  t was a fun challenge!

And don't ask me what I voted for btw because I honestly DO NOT remember, I was so torn in so many directions. I will admit that I voted for #5 - I am CRAZY IN LOVE with that icon, whoever made it. I also especially liked 7, and 12-14, so I could have voted for any of them.