Mosaic Minds Mastheads

Every issue of Mosaic Minds has a different masthead to correspond with the theme. Over the two and a half years, we've had some excellent submissions from excellent artists, and then there were the submissions by me. ;) Anyway, I wanted to take this opportunity to solicit more beautiful headers if anyone is so inclined. We're always reminding people to submit writing, but if writing isn't your thing.. here's another chance to participate. Submit your works of art to me at kisha@mosaicminds.net.

Basic Specifications
Width: 770 pixels
Height: 100 pixels
File Format: jpg or gif. (I can accept submissions in other formats if you require it.. you might want to ask first.)

Masthead Should Contain the Following Text:
Mosaic Minds
Month Year (ie, August 2006)
Theme Name (ie, Independence)

Available Upcoming Themes
A Fine Line - October 1
Dreams and Nightmares - November 15

Stylistic Choices
If possible, you should relate the masthead to the theme, although it's not 100% necessary. Colors and style are at your discretion--the main thing is that it looks good and makes sense. The page background and accent colors will be changed--by me--to suit your creation.

Credit will be given on the sidebar of the first page and on the archive page for that month, and a smaller version of the header will remain on the site permanently. (Link provided so that you can see past issues for inspiration.) You don't have to be a staff member of Mosaic Minds to submit a masthead. We reserve the right to not use your work for any reason. Denial of use doesn't mean that we don't like you or even that we don't like the header. This probably won't be a problem but I'd like it stated clearly here, just in case.

it will be a snowy winter, apparently.

My mom called me tonight to fill me in on the gossip, and also to let me know that at least sixteen (16!) people will descend upon my house on Sunday. (I have absolutely no clue what I'm going to cook. Meep.) She also wanted to let me know that my dad has a problem with his brain.

It started yesterday evening, when he was working in his shop and got stung in the back of his head by a.. well, a flying stinging insect of unknown origin. It hurt, a lot, and he started itching all over. He came in to tell Mom, and he began breaking out in hives all over his body. She gave him some Benadryl and took him to the ER, as his face began going numb. The Benadryl took care of it, really, but they gave him a shot and sent him home. And she thought that the story was over, but then today, he completely lost control of his reason, and she has become concerned again. First, he stopped at one of their neighbors, who had a riding lawn mower for sale. He started it, and then it died, and it wouldn't start again. So what does my dad do? Why, yes! He offers him $300 for it! (This one is more like a bid.. it hasn't exactly been accepted yet.) M laughed pretty hard when I told him this story because it sounds EXACTLY like something Dad would do. Then he stops at a yard sale, and buys a snow blower. He called Mom first to ask permission, so to speak. She thought he was joking. "Greg, it doesn't SNOW in Kentucky!" she said, laughing. (It does, actually, but the last ten winters or so have been very mild.) So he buys the snow blower. Then he goes home, and on his way to do the mowing, he stops at another neighbor's house and buys a car. On spec, you know, because he thought M might want it--which is another story but one I don't have time for tonight. Mom is pretty sure that whatever stung him in the head has completely infected his brain because he apparently thinks that he is made of money all of a sudden, and perhaps that the apocalypse is nigh. Did I mention that last week he bought a generator? Mom called back a few minutes ago to let me know that one of the reasons he was so interested in the riding mower he bid on was because it came with a snow blade. We have teased him mercilessly and you know, you just KNOW, that it's going to be the coldest, bitterest winter ever, and we are going to be so grateful for that silly snow blower before it's over with...

(I think I'll go buy some bottled waters, and maybe some tortilla chips and a flashlight. Apparently it's time to get prepared for all sorts of natural disasters.. however unlikely they might be. Unreasonable amounts of snow! Ha.)

Did I ever show you the picture M took right after he moved, so he could send it to his parents? School was canceled due to snow, so he took a picture of the parking lot with all the snow. Except.. there was no snow, as it was canceled due to a forecast. For about a half inch of snow. He thought it was hilarious--especially since it was noon at the time, and not a snowflake had fallen yet. He generally refers to this area as the tropics. I guess it all depends upon your perspective, but I can't quite see it as that. "HUMMINGBIRDS!" he says. "YOU HAVE HUMMINGBIRDS!" Like that proves anything... Except that he also joked once that he always thought that hummingbirds were mythical creatures, like unicorns and pixies. That was funny until I overheard my mom tell someone that M didn't believe in hummingbirds. Things get a little weird when one lives with a boy, you know that?