Well, Folks, here we are. After days weeks months of thinking, taking pictures, creating, and voting, we've finally arrived at the end of the ActiveRain Nature & Marketing contest.

We had fourteen Finalists out of 226 entries, an ActiveRain record number of entries for anyone other than the ActiveRain Staff themselves.

Four other notes:

1. A big THANK YOU to everyone who participated by entering and voting. This contest wasn't about me; it was about you and getting you to do something that might be a little uncomfortable because it was a little different. I'm pretty sure that those of you who took the time to exercise your brains, shutter fingers, and creativity will benefit in your own businesses by either using some of the ideas that were put forth in the contest or at least looking at things in a different perspective when you come up against something unusual.
2. All contestants will receive 200 ActiveRain points and 1 FREE CPG Tour just for taking the time to enter.
3. This is a public post with links back to your blog from both your name and your Finalist entry. Who knows? You just might get something more than a few ActiveRain points. Perhaps a little extra Google juice!
4. If anyone would like help running a contest, don't call me. I'm going to be in Rio for the next year recovering from this one.

Without further delay, let's begin our countdown. Note that we had some ties, and they were broken based on number of first place votes and, if necessary, the number of second place votes.

• #14, with 5 Finalist points, is Jim and Maria Hart,
  AgentOwned Realty, Charleston, South Carolina:

• #13, with 9 Finalist points, is Gabrielle Nemes,
  RE/MAX Select in Auburn, Washington:

• #12, with 13 Finalist points and 1 First Place vote, is Kathy Streib,
  Room Service! Home Staging, Delray Beach, Florida:

• #11, with 13 Finalist points and 2 First Place votes, is Judi Barrett,
  Judi Barrett Integrity Real Estate Services, Idabel, Oklahoma:

• #10, with 13 Finalist points and 3 First Place votes, is Geri Sonkin,
  RE/MAX Hearthstone, Merrick, New York:

• #9, with 15 Finalist points and 2 First Place votes, is Al and Peggy Cunningham,
  RE/MAX Realty Services, Brampton, Ontario, Canada:

• #8, with 15 Finalist votes, 2 First Place and 2 Second Place votes, is Cynthia Bartch,
  Redesign Spaces, Buford, Georgia:

• #7, with 16 Finalist points and 2 First Place votes, is Anna "Banana" Kruchten,
  Anna Banana Realty, Phoenix, Arizona:

• #6, with 24 Finalist points and 4 First Place votes, is Mary Douglas,
  United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado:

• #5, with 28 Finalist points and 3 First Place votes, is John Mayer,
  Pytha Realty Group, Cocoa Beach, Florida:

• #4, with 30 Finalist points and 7 First Place votes, is Rebecca Gaujot,
  Coldwell Banker Stuart & Watts Real Estate, Lewisburg, West Virginia:

• #3, with 34 Finalist points and 5 First Place votes, is Anna "Banana" Kruchten,
  Anna Banana Realty, Phoenix, Arizona, the winner of 1,000 ActiveRain points and 1 FREE CPG Tour:

• #2, with 34 Finalist votes and 7 First Place votes, is Jim and Maria Hart,
  AgentOwned Realty, Charleston, South Carolina, the winner of 2,000 ActiveRain points and 3 FREE CPG Tours:

• #1, with 45 Finalist points and 11 First Place votes, is Andrea Sweidler,
  Prudential Adams & Associates, New Milford, Connecticut, the winner of 4,000 ActiveRain points and 5 FREE CPG Tours:

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2. Free help for Active Rain newbies
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