PLEASE HELP ME WIN THIS! | PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE!

***Update***
Voting for this contest has been closed. My sincerest THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to head on over, sign up, and support my writing. It truly means the world to me. Winners will be announced Dec. 9th, at which time I will update this again ;)

PLEASE READ THIS WHOLE THING before voting. Voting is here: http://www.brightstar-movie.com/contest/ To cast your vote for my letter, My name is listed as: "Ashley L, Minneapolis, Mn"

::FINGERS CROSSED:: ---> This entire effort's end result is to replace MY BROKEN CAMERA...

Alright FRIENDS AND FAM!!!! My lips have been sealed.

Here's the backstory. This photo above, entitled: "Gracianaughta" (a made up word that symbolizes everything 'beautiful' so-to-speak) was inspired by the reason I am writing and posting this.

THE MOVIE 'BRIGHT STAR'. <--- Not only was this movie my favorite movie of ALL TIME, but I also entered, after seeing the film, a hand made love letter contest sponsored by the movie, and it's website! About 3 weeks after entering the "Be My Bright Star Love Letter Contest", which was a nationwide call to the public, I got a call from a man in New York telling me I was a finalist for my writings, and presentation of the letter. HERE IS WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP!!! The letter has been photographed, and put onto the movies official site, and is open to the PUBLIC FOR VOTING FOR JUST A FEW DAYS! The PUBLIC (and I am seriously hoping my network of friends will cast a vote) DECIDES THE WINNER. Yesterday, when I looked at all the finalists' hand made love letters, including my own, I was very impressed and proud of the writings (this is the first poem I've EVER shared publicly, and you can read it) but was a bit disheartened to see that in photographing mine, they left out a TON of the presentation. So in this post, I wanted to share with you how I made the letter, in hopes to give those of you that might have a moment to vote an idea what it all looked like.

So here goes...
I wrote the poem on handmade, antiqued parchment with a quill, and ink (a task in itself) and folded the letter in the old fashion - (into itself). I then fashioned a handmade envelope to house my poem out of beautiful bright red & yellow fall leaves that i gathered at a park and sealed them with dripping waxes, and an old metal seal to hold it in place.

After the envelope of leaves was made, I sewed it into a more sturdy holder made from vintage cloth and laces, and finally, it was held together by twine. I spent days on this project, and I wrote the poem myself.

Now for the prize...
The prize is a $5,000 dollar ring, which I was hoping to trade in (after 3 and 1/2 years of waiting) for a better camera. Can you believe I am still working on an entry level DSLR, with a broken sensor?... It's time.

IF YOU HAVE TIME.
IF I'VE INSPIRED YOU WITH MY WORK...

Please take a moment to vote. It would mean the world to me. HERE'S THE LINK: http://www.brightstar-movie.com/contest/

My picture and letter are under the name: "Ashley L, Minneapolis, MN" if you have time to cast a vote :-) ;) Again, THANK YOU. And thank you to those who've already voted. I really believe that with positive thinking, and the help of my networks, I CAN DO THIS. Ash. xxo

Additional info on this contest: As I mentioned, the public decides the winner, and you can vote once a day through the 30th on their website. Link listed.
Further, you do not need to confirm an email. It's a quick few seconds to vote, and it's anonymous. :-)

And that's it. Pheeew.
Wish me luck, and Thank yoouuuuuu(!!!)

Ashley Lebedev | Bottle Bell