Happy Fucking Holidays.

After lots of stops and starts... and several trips to various pumpkin seller... I managed to get my carving done. phew! :D

Draconious and Gigantor

Yesterday (Thursday), on the way to work, I stopped at a 'farmers market' type place that sells pumpkins. It was pouring rain. It was cold. Miserable. I walked around for a few minutes, not seeing anything I liked. Most of the pumpkins were really big, and they were selling by the pound. I heard the guy working there tell a woman that just one of her five pumpkins was $21 :O I left! lol

Today (Friday), I woke up, the sun was shining. Still cold. Windy. I headed out to a 'u-pick' place just a couple miles from my house. A woman and her two kids were leaving... covered in mud. I thought to myself 'crap, this is gonna suck.'

I walked up to the little store/shack ...and saw exactly what I was looking for right there on the first step. I was thrilled! I grabbed it and asked the (cliche old farmers wife) woman if it was actually a pumpkin (thinking maybe it was a squash). She confirmed that it was. Yay!!! I glanced down along the side and saw another larger one that would work for what I had in mind. I spent a few minutes walking around the piles of already picked pumpkins (I wasn't about to head out into the mud field! lol), but in the end, went with the first two I saw. $11.75 for both. woO!

I got home and decided to gut the bigger one first... it was quick work. I started on the second one... I cut into the top, managed to yank that out... only to discover that the thing wasn't hollow with seeds inside. It was solid. Obviously not a pumpkin. I was bummed! Since it was tall and narrow, I thought I'd just try to hollow it out anyway because it was the perfect color and shape for what I wanted to carve. After several minutes, and much effort... I realized that wasn't gonna work. I put down my knife and left the kitchen (top chef reference! lol).

So, now I'm heading out a different farmers market type place to see if I can find something suitable. Wish me luck!

boo! :(

UPDATE
Ten minutes into my 20 minute drive, it started to rain! lol dammit!!

They didn't really have many to choose from. Due to the weather, a lot of them were rotting and turning to mush. I finally found one that I figured would do... and of course as I was walking to my car, spied a better one. But by this point I was soaked and annoyed, so I just kept the one I had.

On the up side, I stopped at my sister's on the way home and grabbed some new movies to watch. So if carving doesn't go well, I'll just say screw it and pop in a dvd :P

Cal's Market had baby cows and goats... d'aawww!

These are the coolest things EVER!!!

At first I thought it was 'shopped, but it's a real critter.
Has anyone ever seen these things in person?!

Sea Slug Forums (I know, right?! lol)

[Photo by Zeeok1]

The original 2010 CALENDAR CONTEST Art thread was 'accidentally' deleted, so if you (or someone you know) had submitted anything, it will need to be RESUBMITTED!! It will be most unfortunate if someone loses out because of this!!

Sincerest apologies for the inconvenience.

If you haven't entered yet... you still have until
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH!!

Thanks, and Good Luck! :D

NOTE: The contest art thread was 'accidentally' deleted, so if you submitted anything, you'll have to repost! SORRY!!
2010 CALENDAR CONTEST - DEADLINE EXTENDED to Sept. 19th
Create a Newgrounds themed pic to go in next years Calendar.

MADNESS DAY ART COLLAB
Bust out your best Madness fan art. Madness Day is Sept 22nd.

CASTLE NEWGROUNDS ART COLLAB
Whip up a character to party at the Castle. Wizards, soldiers, beasts... anything goes.

GO SCREW YOURSELF ART COLLAB
Submit a picture of a screw... how easy is that?!

NINT3NDO ART COLLAB
Draw a Nintendo character in your own style to be part of this collab.

GRIM ART COLLAB
Make up a scary character on the funky gray background template.

COLOURS IN THREE ART COLLAB
Use only 3 colors to create an entry for this collab.

CREATURE OF THE WEEK #77
This week's topic: Desert Horror

Teams have already been picked for the DOUBLES SHOWDOWN 7,
but keep an eye on the thread so you can vote once the pics are submitted!

If you have something going on that I forgot to add, let me know!!

Have a complaint? Compliment? Suggestion?
Vent about the Art Portal Here!!

Also...

2010 NEWGROUNDS CALENDAR CONTEST is here!!!

OMG!!! Can you believe it's almost been a year since the last calendar contest?!? Crazy, but true!!! The 2009 Calendar turned out pretty damn awesome... not sure if it can be beat! (YES! that's a challenge!!!) So, it's time to kick out some amazing art for the 2010 edition. You only have TWO (2) WEEKS, so bust out those crayons/pens/paints/photoshop/etc ...and get to it!!! GOOD LUCK!!

Submit your art to the:
2010 NG CALENDAR CONTEST THREAD!

Talk about it here:
Talk Thread!

Congrats to the winners of last months contests:

COW #69:
Winner of a Penicorn! FrostedMonkeyFlakes [pic - nsfw]

PAPERCRAFT!:
1st ($30 in store credit): SukiWukiDookie [pic]
2nd ($25 in store credit): Occluded [pic]
3rd ($20 in store credit): AwesomeSaurus [pic]
4th ($15 in store credit): Blue-Toaster [pic]
5th ($10 in store credit): KillHammer [pic]

BAD VIDEO GAME FAN ART:
Pox made a lovely results page, check it out.
1st ($50 in store credit): sucho
2nd ($40 in store credit): vylent
3rd ($30 in store credit): Occluded
4th ($20 in store credit): RadioactiveRabies
5th ($10 in store credit): Jarvid

THANK YOU!!! to everyone that participated!

Be sure to check out deadspreads83's Newgrounds Comic Ad Contest!!
Deadline: August 31st, 11:59 PM (Newgrounds time)

...and as always, if you have any ideas for future contests, post them in the
OFFICIAL ART CONTEST SUGGESTIONS thread!

CHECK OUT THE JULY ART CONTESTS!!

PAPERCRAFT!

Use the provided template to create something cool, creepy or funky!

DEADLINE:
July 31st, 11:59 PM (Newgrounds time)

PRIZES:
1st Place: $30 in store credit
2nd Place: $25 in store credit
3rd Place: $20 in store credit
4th Place: $15 in store credit
5th Place: $10 in store credit

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COW #69 GENITALIA (WHOAT!)

In honor of COW #69 and the nsfw theme, this weeks winner gets a PENICORN!!
Ends July 20th

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BAD VIDEO GAME FAN ART

Check out Pox's links for examples. Some of this stuff is just disturbing!

DEADLINE:
July 20th, 11:59 PM (Newgrounds time)

PRIZES:
1st Place: $50 in store credit
2nd Place: $40 in store credit
3rd Place: $30 in store credit
4th Place: $20 in store credit
5th Place: $10 in store credit

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...and as always, if you have any ideas for future contests, post them in the OFFICIAL ART CONTEST SUGGESTIONS thread!