And The Winner Is…

So, the time has come to announce the winner of my rainbow quilt…

But before I do, I would like to say a few words about the entries that I received and how blown away I was by the response to the competition.

Firstly, thank you to EVERYONE who entered, there was so much heart in some of the entries that I was moved to tears on more than one occasion and also did fit a few giggles in there too, I loved each and every answer.

More than one person has told me they do not envy my decision of choosing yet strangely, when it came down to it, the winner was obvious to me and I hope that I can explain why.

So many of you talked about loss which just breaks my heart.  I too would love to see those people close to me that are no longer here at the end of my rainbow, more so than anything else in the world.  Yet why do I deserve it more than you?  And how could I possibly choose between all of your losses and pull out just one to be more significant than the next when each and every loss is significant to each of you?  I simply could not.  Which is why then, my chosen winner said this:

“You know what?  I’d like to stand at the end of that rainbow and find nothing.  This would mean I was entirely happy and don’t need to covet/miss/want anything or anyone.”

And after reading all of your responses, that is what I wish for all of you too.

(image from http://dragonartz.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/rainbow-in-the-clouds-vector/)

So, my winner is EMM McANDREW who I will be contacting shortly in order to organise the final details of your prize, congratulations Emm and thank you!!

But wait…because it doesn’t end there.  I haven’t told you the most surprising response I had to the competition, which comes in the shape of an anonymous benefactor!

During the time the competition was open, I was contacted by a gentleman who read all the comments and was so touched by one that he has requested I make a quilt for that entrant and send it to them, fully paid for, with no response or recognition required.  He asked that he not be identified and for the sake of the entrant in question I will not identify them either.  I only tell you this wonderful story as I thought it such an amazing act of human kindness it could not go unshared.

So, not only will the winner be getting an email from me, so will another entrant who struck a chord with one of my readers.  I was both tearful and beaming on reading that message and it affirmed to me that I was doing something right that day.

I hope you feel that way too. xx

Tags: compassion, competition, Craft, handmade, human, Love, patchwork, quilt, rainbow, sewing, story, Winner