Washburn Challenge Fun Competition

2009 Washburn Challenge

2009 Washburn Challenge Entry - "Texas Navy" USS San Antonio LPD-17

On 12/14/09 I received my copy of this year's entry through the mail.

I'm hoping that the other two have also made it to the AFDCS and to

Mr. Jim Washburn - to make the entry "Official"

This year I decided to go after a US Naval Ship Cancellation...

and being from Texas the

USS San Antonio LPD-17 filled the bill for me!

I will let y'all know if this year's entry has won

anything once the judging is complete early next year.

Winner of "Most Creative Overall"

Second Year in a Row!

2008 Washburn Challenge

Washburn Challenge 2008

This year I went with a Stockholm, Sweden theme and

some very nice Stockholm Hand Cancels!

The older stamp with the cross-country skier

was canceled with a "Post Museum" cancel...

and

the new "Winter Scene" stamp received a"First Day" cancel!

I added a small cachet of the Swedish Flag and inset Map...

Great Fun again this year...

This year I decided to continue the "Greenville Frog" fun by

making an "Un-Official" 2008 Washburn Challenge Cover.

The Greenville Frog Goes Skiing... Only a few Available!

SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION!

After entering the 2008 Washburn Challenge I decided to have

a little more fun with last year's Greenville Frog design...

With permission from "Jim Washburn" I'm offering for sale

my "version" of his cachet used for the Challenge.

This time I DID get the Hand Stamped Cancel in Greenville Texas.

*(This is NOT a First Day Cover... it's a JFF Cover... Just For Fun)

Because this is such a limited printing the

price for these is $20.00 each.

Check with me to see if any are still available.

The original hand painted version of this Un-Official Cover is in

the collection of the mysterious "Jim Washburn".

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Greenville Frog Skiing EmPrint - FDC - 1998 #3180 Alpine Skiing

Check for availability...
Only $12.00
I can also print this design on any other
FDC Blank that I have in inventory...
or you may supply one.

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Washburn Challenge 2007 Entry
Winner of "Most Creative"

My Washburn Challenge 2007 Entry Cachet

My "Greenville Cancellation Failure"

...the "Greenville Frogs" Cachet

was named "Most Creative" among the

2007 Washburn Challenge Winners!!!

I had a great time with this and plan to enter

another design/cancellation cover for the

2008 Washburn Challenge!

See the "Sad Story" below that I had

written prior to Winning - for information

about my "Washburn Washout" Entry.

It will help you understand what the heck I'm talking about!

Haste Makes Waste Mistakes!

A Kinda' Sad Story... :0)

I had the idea for my 2007 Washburn Challenge Entry way back in February... With the busy schedule I just never got around to it until this past weekend. Figured I was just about out of time so I stayed up late Friday night and painted the three identical cachets as required and the next day I drove to nearby Greenville, Texas to put them in the mail... hoping to get a kind East Texas Postal Clerk to "hand stamp" them for me.

I was also busy putting up our gigantic 12 foot Christmas Tree that morning and before I knew it I found myself rushing around to make the drive before the Greenville Post Office closed...

I Didn't know exactly where the Post Office was located didn't remember to scan all three before I left and when I hit Greenville I did the "smart" thing and asked directions.

What I didn't know was there is more than one Post Office and the nearest one that I was directed to was closed. I didn't know if I'd be able to get to Greenville again before the end of the year (deadline) so I decided to go ahead and "drop 'em in the slot". Figured they'd get a Greenville Cancel and the whole "punch line" of the cachet would tie in as planned.

I tried calling the Post Office on Monday morning to ask for a hand cancel only to find out about the "other" Post Office that "would have given me a hand cancel"... and that anything placed in the mail slot on Saturday had been picked up Saturday night and sent to the "North Texas Mail Center" where it got the "Holiday" North Texas Cancel... :0(

I was surprised to see the cover that was addressed to me in my mail box the following Tuesday evening!

All I can say now is, I'll not wait until the last minute next year... I thought it was a pretty good idea... but when you wait until the last minute it seems that 'ol Murphy's Law kicks in! Guess the judges will wonder about the cancel... or figure that I didn't even give it any thought... Just thought I'd share it with you... it's a "fun" design!

Hand Drawn / Hand Painted Cachets