And the Winner of the 'What is Love?' Contest Is ...

The voting for our "What is Love?" tote bag contest turned out to be surprisingly close. At first Misty Porter's animal friends jumped out to a commanding lead. Then Danielle Thompson's kissing couple roared back and it came down to the wire. How close were the numbers? So close that we decided to have Lena Corwin, author of "Printing By Hand," make the final call. As a textile designer, Lena has the experience to understand design that works well with fabric."Danielle's photo captures a really romantic moment," explained Lena. "I've always loved black and white photography, and I like the light and shadows captured from the architecture in the background. This photo definitely evokes the theme of love. Printing a detailed photo on a tote bag can be tricky, though, unless it's done as a digital transfer. Misty's illustration is playful and cute. I like that I can see the pen marks and the different line weights. I've always had a soft spot for interspecies love. This type of artwork would also work well as a screen print or stamp on fabric."