The Fingerprint Alpaca

I spent all weekend in Estes Park. 



No, I did not see the amazing fall color in Rocky Mountain National Park (but I heard about it ~ A LOT).  

This photo is from a great photo blog, ColoradoGuy.com!

No, I did not get to hike (but my friends did). 

No, I did not get to have a sit-down dinner at any of the local restaurants up there (but I did have time for a Taco Bell drive-through for Friday dinner. Saturday dinner. Sunday dinner. I'm NOT kidding.)

Instead, I spent most of the weekend in a tent ~ a white one, in a long line of white ones, at the Estes Park Fine Arts and Crafts Show.  Now, don't get me wrong, I had a great time seeing old friends and meeting new ones, but it just isn't the kind of thing you think about doing when you go to Estes.

We've been doing this craft-show thing for a while, and have well-defined roles. My husband Gib is the artist; I put the logo stickers on the bags.  

He gets the compliments on his admittedly gorgeous handmade boxes; I figure out how to use The Square (it's not too hard, unless you happen to forget your iPad is in Airplane Mode, then it's a bit difficult for that cute little plastic thingamajigy to find those magic waves it needs from The Cloud).  

He creates new and wonderous products; I write the riveting "point-of-purchase" signs telling people what they are.

So, after watching how great it is to be The Artist, I've decided to try my hand at it. Well, at least one finger. 

This summer, in a dark corner of the children's section of a used-book sale at a library, I found a copy of Ed Emberley's Fingerprint Drawing Book.  It shows, step by tiny step, how to turn your fingerprint into an adorable animals, from bees and caterpillars to dogs and lions.

Using those techniques, I have perfected the fingerprint alpaca.  Can you match the "print" version to the real thing?

I'll give you some hints.  This is Chocolate (please excuse the snow; it has been a LONG time since he has let me take a good mug shot.)

And this is Jake.

And this is EB White.  (Doesn't he remind you of Albert Einstein, in an alpaca-y sort of way?)

So, that's my plan.  I'll become rich and famous creating Fingerprint Alpacas, and I'll donate wads of money to charity.

Best of all, though, I will become The Artist, and Gib can put stickers on my sales bags.