ANNUAL DANDELION CHALLENGE ENTRIES

The Military Brats Street Team on etsy was challenged to create a work of art with the Dandelion theme.  The Dandelion is the "official" flower of the Military Brat.

Check out these fabulous entries and vote for one using the voting box within this post.
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1.  http://www.anhoki.etsy.com/
windchime

The dandelion is the flower of the military brat. We brats relate to the dandelion because, like the dandelion, we call nowhere & everywhere home.


These glass wind chimes are my interpretation of the mighty dandelion. Delicate and fragile yet strong and vocal all at once.

At eighteen inches in length and 6.25 inches at the widest point these glass chimes weigh a hefty 2 pounds. Each of the 24 pieces of glass was hand cut (imperfectly of course), ground and drilled by me. The glass is connected by stainless steel wire and accented with wooden beads. The top of the chimes is made from repurposed pine flooring which came to use from a friend. The chain is a combination of stainless steel wire. wooden beads and titanium rings.

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2.  http://www.oceankisses.etsy.com/
painted plaque

When I think of the dandelion, I always imagine it in its seed-head form, where with just the right amount of wind the seeds scatter to parts unknown....much like military children who must move with their military parent(s).

I purchased this beveled wooden plaque ( 7 3/4" X 4 3/4" X 3/4"), painted it black, stamped on the mouse design and then hand painted it.  The letters spelling out the word "Brat" are made of wood and hand painted, then glued into place.  The plaque has a single hanging loop on the back or you could use a plate stand to display it.
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3.  http://www.gailsglassgarden.etsy.com/
candle holder 

This unique dandelion colored fused glass candle holder measures 3 1/2” in diameter and is 4" at it’s tallest point. This beautiful dandelion candle holder can hold a tealight or a votive candle. It requires two fusings in the kiln, one to melt the glass into the pattern and a second fusing to form the glass into the candle holder.

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4.  http://www.creationsanew.etsy.com/ 
photograph: The Coffee House Dandelion

Dandelions have always been my favorite flowers, I know you say they are a weed, but I disagree! Hubby and I have the same argument every summer; he wants to eradicate every dandelion out of the grass and I want them to grow "wild". We've worked out a compromise; he's allowed to mow them down weekly and I'm allowed to smile, laugh and point when they grow back.

This is a great quote and fits the dandelion perfectly..." Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them. ~A.A. Milne"

Yes, dandelions are my favorite flower; they just add "sunshine to wherever they grow and they leave me with a smile.

My Challenge is named: "The Coffee House Dandelion" I was "practicing" photographying flowers and was shooting roses, carnations and tulips. I also just happened to pick a dandelion out of the yard and put it in a small European Coffee Creamer...My favorite shot from that day!

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5.  http://www.elephantdreams.etsy.com/
photograph: Greek dandelion

The dandelion is the official flower of the military brat. This dandelion was found on the Greek Island of Sifnos. Amazingly I had to travel to an exotic Island in order to find this dandelion (my garden has every weed known to mankind except dandelions). I was so excited when I found this one. I was going on about it's origins, etc. when our expedition leader started laughing. Seems the last thing he had done before leaving Seattle for Greece was go to his mother's house and mow down all the dandelions in her lawn. Ah one woman's treasure.......

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PLEASE "TWEET" (see box at right).

VOTING BOX FOR THESE ENTRIES IS AT TOP RIGHT SIDE OF THIS POST.  Thank you!