Win My Illustrated Seed Packets!

Last year I illustrated the covers for over 40 Lilly Miller seed packets, and yesterday I received seventeen of them (two of each) in the mail just in time for my birthday. Since Ferry Morse was purchased by another company, many went unreleased, but I am beyond thrilled to know that at least seventeen of them saw the light of day. So to celebrate I'll be giving all seventeen of them to you!.

Seeing the drawings on the seed packets was a strange sensation, because I could recall every layer and line of colored pencil from when they were first drawn; at my mother's bedside in the ICU, on my coffee table and in waiting rooms. I remember it all. I remember my mom showing them off to nurses, and I remember sharpening pencils from morning until night.

For each vegetable I drew, I tried to eat one as a reference so that I could capture the juiciness of a tomato or the crisp snap of a baby carrot. It was by drawing vegetables that they finally came to be appreciated. The illustration below was going to be the header for the whole seed rack display, and drawing each vegetable required several staged shots using produce from the grocery store. It was delicious!

If you're looking to buy your own, they are a lot rarer now that there have been cutbacks. I've been told that select Lowes and Ryan Turner stores in the Northwest and Midwest have them on display, and other than that I've found some by searching on eBay. All of this rarity translates into collectability! Besides my own illustrations, you'll see work from Jane Schwartz Gates and a few other talented artists.

But enough about me - you want to win some fancy seed packets!

How Do I Win?

It's really easy, and everyone will have a chance. Simply leave a comment on this post to be entered in the drawing for the day.

Every day for the next 17 days, I will choose one winner each day. You may enter once a day.

In the column to the right, you will be able to see which illustrated seed packet is being given away for the day, as well as who won on previous days.

Any prizes unclaimed after the last day of the contest will be forfeit, and a new winner will be chosen in their place.

You'll have 17 chances to win, so I would love it if you could share this contest (and my art) with your friends!

I was going to give them all away as a single prize package, but thought it would be a lot more fun if everyone had a better chance of winning. Have fun!

Ferry Morse provided these seeds at no cost to me. Any views or opinions expressed on this blog are my own.