For inexplicable reasons 8, 17 and 42 have, from a very young age, been my favourite numbers. (Weirdly, I was a child when I picked these numbers but 8 was my late husband's hockey number and 17 is my current husband's hockey number and between the two of them I have been married nearly 42 years.) But enough about that for now.So far the year 2025 has been "Workshop" year for me. I literally have lost count of how many workshops, lives, tutorials, challenges and classes I have already participated in during the first 85 days of the year. Many include paint. Some include fabric - making me a wee bit regretful that I have wheedled the enormous stash of fabric I inherited from my Mama down to just 2 Rubbermaid containers.
In my sanctified reasoning many of these workshops fall into the category of crafting, rather than art. Some are a combo of both.
It has taken many years for me to stifle my "imposter syndrome" enough to be able to call myself "An Artist." And now, here I am an artist and reverting back to my crafting days. And though I am enjoying them, I have to admit that I sort of feel like I'm cheating on myself. I'm not sure why. For truly both arts AND crafts are exercising the same gift of creativity.
Anyway, let's get on with the story I came here to tell you. (Writing is my other 'thing.' I can write, art and craft. But don't ask me to talk, sing or dance - I drew the short straw there.)
So this morning I had a zoom call in one of the final days of a ten day creative workshop with BB Henry Arts (Go ahead and google her- she is super creative and diverse and she does a bit of everything for everyone.)
This was actually a FREE 10-day workshop. Being free, and being that BB (Brooke Henry) is a pretty dynamic and talented person, led to there being over 9000 people signed up for the workshop. Yup. NINE thousand. I was one.
Today was the 5th of five zoom calls in the workshop. During each call Brooke usually hands out 8-10 giveaways. These include art supplies, works of art, free admission to paid membership in classes and workshops etc.
The way these giveaways are conducted, she has her assistant do a random number generator and the first person to guess the number between one and 100 is deemed the winner.
Today I had the zoom call running on my phone without my face in active video while I was in my studio doing other things. (I've been sort of down and out for a week with a cold and I am trying to be prepared to leave for Hawaii in 2 days and also be prepared to teach two large paint nights within 3 days when I return on April 26.)
Shortly into the zoom call, Brooke does a giveaway. I know from experience that with this many people in the group it usually takes nano seconds for someone to guess the correct number between one and 100. I didn't even try to get back to my phone with my wet hands to enter a guess. But I said out loud to no one, "Seventeen is my guess."
Yup 17 was the number. Yay Sarah, or Lucy or Michelle, or whatever your name was. I was pretty stoked that you picked my number and won.
A while later my hands were dry when the next giveaway took place so I scrambled to my phone to enter my pick. I knew I was a bit late to the game so I opted to enter "8" rather than my other favourite number of "42." The middle of the pack numbers always get guessed first. I knew I stood a better chance by picking a low number or a high number.
Holy Hannah! I won! I freaking won! I am the proud new member of BB's RingDex Class, which honestly I had already been looking at paying the membership fee to join. Woohoo! This was after a bit of anonymity after realizing my zoom identity was "iPhone user" instead of my actual name. But I won indeed.
This drew me into the call more intimately and I started working on a project for the class while I sat closer and paid more attention to the screen.
About 15 minutes later there as another giveaway. This one for a membership in different class.
I was quick to respond so I entered my 'middle of the pack' favourite number. 42
Uh yeah. I won.
We are talking nano seconds to be the first to enter the winning number. And I'm a bit zoom challenged when it comes to making my way around a call.
Turns out they opted to give someone else a chance.
The second person to guess my lucky 42 was awarded the prize. I'm super happy for her. I like my prize better. AND prize or no prize, the fact that I won makes me feel like the winner.
There were a number of other giveaways during the call, but I opted not to enter a number knowing I wouldn't win anyway. I wish now that I had written a number down... y'know just to play along.
I don't remember the rest of the winning numbers. But I'm sure I woulda called them.
I am an artist. A crafting artist. I am a crafting artist who can do math. But I'm not mathy enough to figure the odds of the number of people picking numbers between 1 and 100 and guessing the first three numbers correct.
Seriously.
I did not go out and by a lottery ticket today. But you are welcome to use my numbers. 8, 17, 42. If you need three more I would go with 3, 12 and 20. (These are more intentional numbers for me- come for a visit if you want the 'why')
You're welcome. I will take a 10% tithe of your winnings.
