The Magic Blanket Challenge

The reward: A Prada Bag
This is what I will send you: (Only in your size, style and color preferences).
(similar to this one, only from the knock-off markets, real leather)
Read more for what you'll have to do to win:

The Magic Blanket Before and After Challenge:

I want you to search. I want to search for a "before". I want YOU to, this week, by next Monday send me pictures of a before and after. This includes anything "measurable" or "photographable". Invite your friends to join you in the effort. Go ahead and copy this link and invite your friends on your blog if you'd like.

So, if it's red hair you've wanted-- go for it. If it's a cleaned out garage-- go for it! If it's a re-organized closet (hey, wait, that's cheating-- you know you'd win me over with that one). If it's a new outfit you've wanted to buy to flatter your frame-- go for it. So you want to try painting in your daughter's room-- you've got one week. Go for it! I will post your before and afters on my blog. SO PLEASE DON"T LET ME DOWN (I feel like I'm trying to send an internet chain letter right now). You've gotta do this!!

THE FINE PRINT:
1. You're Playing for Prada. I'll send it to the winner, whether he/she lives next door or in South America!
2. You must email me a before or after: srcalton@yahoo.com , or you can put your entry on your blog, and send me a link.
3. Anything counts-- doesn't matter when you started the project, send me a picture of your AFTER (along with the before). Or you can send me a link to your blog with if it's posted there.
4. I promise you: YOU will love this challenge. I'm sure you already have something in mind.

The story behind it: When Tim and I got engaged, he only had one single solitary request, but it was one of the hardest things for me to gulp: "Suzanne, you cannot touch my half of the closet".

For those of you who know me well, I've had matching hangers in my closet since I was 12. I have been spacing them, with tags facing left since then-- it is a source of comfort that the whole house can be upside down, all but my closet. I have a certain number of hangers in my closet, and when something new comes in, something old goes out. I refuse to ever have too much clothes to keep organized.

About two years into our marriage, I had a melt-down. There, in my beautiful closet was Tim's old flannel and corduroy clothes from his high school and pre-mission days. He refused to part with them. I'd tried sneaking them out in the garage, but he'd find out and put them back. This topped any "backwards on the roll toilet paper" or "unrolled toothpaste" complaint any wife had about her sweetheart (so I thought).

Enter the Picture: Siri. She and Chris came in town to help Tim install the sprinkling system in the back yard. I thought for sure they would side with me when I put on a fashion show of Tim's old favorites. Sure, I looked like a freak-out crazy wife-- but it was worth it, I thought.

They rolled with the punches. But Tim still stood his ground.... until...
Until Siri took old clothes and made them magical. She took our "Before" and made it an "After".
The nieces and nephews ran under it, and Tim wrapped it around him. For years there after, he wouldn't let anyone else in our home use "His" quilt Siri made for him.

When he was gone at work,though, we used it every day. I was nannying other family's children, and they named it "The Magical Blanket". On that blanket, we went to the peaks of the sand mountains in Egypt on a magic carpet ride. We went sailing among the biggest most treacherous waves you could ever think of. One day it was a hot lava volcano with pillows of magma stuffed under it. Story time every day was held on The Magical Blanket. When we had "behavior challenges", we'd bring out the hand puppets and have the characters act out "better choices"... on the Magical Blanket.

As their Nanny, and my kid's mother, I truly believe there was something magic about that blanket. When the kids (ages 1-5 years old) gather to this blanket, their eyes would sparkle, and they didn't want to get off the blanket. And on movie night at our house, Tim loved having something that was "just his", which made it even more magical.

Looking at Magical Blanket, I think of the magic that happened. I know something magical is waitng at your house. Please "comment" below if you want to take part in the "Magical Blanket Challenge". WHAT CAN YOU LOSE?? WHY NOT?? YOU WILL NOT REGRET TRYING!! I promise.