Contrasts Are So Cool

The Greenleaf Spring Fling 2010 contest is drawing to an end this weekend and this is the part that I love the best.  The eye candy is always awesome but my favorite part is seeing how one kit can be interpreted in so many ways.  I'm fascinated by the way creative minds work and seeing these types of contrasts is truly exciting for me.  I get all twitterpated when I see the very same kit representing complete polar opposites.

This is the kit as released by Greenleaf:

The entries are still coming in but some of the participants have already posted pictures for us to see and this morning I was just blown away about two of them in particular because of my love of contrasts.  Check these out:

This first one is a super modern beach house done by Chris (what2craftnow).  

Isn't that just the coolest modern house ever!  There is absolutely nothing rustic about this house at all.  It's smooth and sleek and divinely chic.  I love all the glass detailing that Chris used to give it so much sparkle.  Click on this link to see the other pictures and you'll be thrilled with all the details that bring it to life.   The architectural features like the sliding glass doors, the cantilevered stairs leading down into the sunken living room and the skylights are so elegant.  The vision that Chris had of this house is so different from the original kit and it's that kind of creative thinking that fascinates me so much.

Grab hold of your chair because this next one is as different as north from south but it's every bit as amazing.  This ghost town ranch house was done by Brae (Otterine) and has had me in a state of ecstasy ever since I saw it.

Go check out the rest of the pictures of this hauntingly beautiful work in Brae's gallery here.   I have a passion for aged minis and for ghost towns, so looking at these pictures has had me literally saying "oooooooooh" and "aaaaaaaaaaaah" and "omg, that's perfect!".  The aging and distressing of the wood and other features of the house are done so wonderfully well that it's hard to believe this is a mini.  Every tiny detail is perfectly realistic.

But the most intriguing aspect is the dramatic difference between Brae's interpretation of the kit and that of Chris.  Doesn't it just make your brain dance around in joy to see the wonderful workings of the creative mind?  This is the kind of thing that simply delights me as an artisan and it's why I love these contests so much.  

The contest doesn't close until Monday so there will be tons more pictures and entries yet to come.  The winner won't be announced  until mid-June but most of the entrants will be posting pictures of their creations in their Greenleaf galleries.   You'll want to pop into the main gallery from time to time and see who has updated their albums with their Spring Fling 2010 pictures.  

I'm looking forward to the announcement of the winners and really don't envy the judges their job at all.  Greenleaf will send out an official email announcement as well as it being announced on the Greenleaf forum when the winners are chosen.  In the meantime, I'm going to go back to the galleries and contemplate the wonder of creative contrasts.