Here it is, the first round of semifinalists in the 2009 Mochimochi Photo Contest! John and I selected 20 photos from the more than 500 entries, and today we’re posting the first 10 (in no particular order, of course).
Starting now we need your help! We need to narrow down the 20 semifinalists to 10 finalists, and you can help us by telling us which of these are your favorites in the comments to this post.
For your consideration:
Slug and Snail Mobile by courtiala
Incredible idea and execution!
When there is no Yahtzee to play… by WyoLibrarian
Oh, Boos love Monopoly. They just add the word “cave” or “belfry” after all the real estate property names!
Disaster strikes the garden patch by wakegu4
I’m glad I’m not that carrot getting attacked by Hansigurumi’s crab. Super action shot!
Top Dog by kathrynivy.com
Better the top dog than the bottom dog, right? An unbelievably beautiful photo. (Anybody else want ice cream now?)
Circle of Bobs by Purple_Heather
Hmm, looks like the Bobs are conspiring…to do something cute!
Bear, Cat, Panda by -claudine-
Turns out all sorts of animals can come in stacking form. Nice mods!
On the Fence by Bitter-Sweet-
The baby colors are perfect for the Pundit Babies. These guys also appear to be moderates.
Snails Want to be Bullets Too by mariannes_stuff
Faster than a speeding snail! (And how in the world did she take this photo??)
Chicken Gang Leader by teekayknits
How I wish I could have been there for this photo shoot! Too fun.
Batty Bats by DutchMoeder
Next time you’re leaf peeping, maybe some of the leaves are peeping at you!
Congratulations to the photographers of these wonderful images!
Which of these photos do you LOVE? Don’t be shy—tell us in the comments! You can name as many of the photos in this post as you want. Soon we’ll post the next 10 semifinalists for you to comment on, then we’ll have the big final vote!
Snails want to be bullets too
Disaster strikes the Garden Patch
Chicken Gang Leader
I love “Top Dog” and “Disaster strikes the Garden Patch”!
I think the slug and snail mobile is such a creative idea!! I love it! I also really like the batty bat pic…like they’re trying to capture the image of bats in their natural habitat. Very creative!
Batty Bats
On the Fence
Chicken Gang Leader
Chicken Gang Leader
Snails Want to Be Bullets Too
Batty Bats
On the Fence
Top Dog
Batty Bats
Batty Bats
Bear, Cat, Panda
Batty Bats (I love this photo!)
Snails Want to Be Bullets Too (How *did* she take that pic!? LoL)
Slug and Snail Mobile (Too clever, and very adorable!)
This was tough.. they are all so great!! But I decided to name my top 3 fav, otherwise I’d end up naming them all! XD
My favs
Batty Bats
Chicken Gang Leader
Snails Want to be Bullets Too
and Top Dog
but they all rock!
They really are fab photos. I love Snails want to be bullets too, batty bats and those yummy ice cream like stacked puppies
Disaster Strikes
Snails Want to Be Bullets Too
Such great photos!
Batty Bats, Bear Cat Panda, Chicken Gang and the Top Dog are all my faves!
Ahhh these are all so awesome… but my favorites would have to be Disaster Strikes the Garden Patch, Batty Bats, and Snails Want to be Bullets Too.
I like the last three!
Chicken Gang Leader
Snails Want to Be Bullets Too
Batty Bats
They’re all so great!
My very favorites are “Top Dog” and “Chicken Gang Leader”
I just love the Batty Bats, it’s such a great fall photo. Of course snails want to be bullets too is also amazing, how DID she take that photo?
They are all really good but here’s my list:
Chicken Gang Leader
Circle of Bobs
Top Dog
Disaster Strikes…
I vote for the Circle of Bobs, but I am a bit biassed - the brown and yellow bob is sitting on my mantelpiece as we speak… I’ll have to tell him he’s famous! Purple_Heather for the win!
For the “Snails Want to Be Bullets Too”
It I had to Guess she used fishing line to hold up the snail and then put the gun up to it to look like it was a bullet. With the right lighting conditions fishing line can look invisible!
Ok, I’m going to DIE of excitement! I can NOT wait any longer, did my photo make it to the semi finalists???????
Batty Bats, Chicken Gang Leader
My faves -
1 - Snails want to be bullets too
2 - Disaster strikes the garden patch
My admiration to all the knitters! They are all beautifully done - the idea behind the photos on these two just were the best.
snails want to be bullets too!
and
chicken gang leader!
I love the Snails as Bullets
I have to say, I liked many of the honorable mentions, but none of these really jump out at me. So, of these, I like the chicken gang the best.
Oh, they are all so great! Here’s my picks:
bats playing monopoly
Disaster Strikes
on the fence
Is it cheating to vote for myself?
Otherwise, my vote would got to the Slug and Snail Mobile. So cute!
Disaster Strikes and Chicken Gang Leader
Disaster Strikes the Garden Patch
I like Disaster Strikes the Garden Patch and Snails Want to be Bullets Too.
when there’s no yahtzee to play
Batty Bats
Snails want to be bullets too
I like the circle of bobs and the garden patch diaster…
Batty Bats
Snails want to be bullets too
Top Dog
Those are my favorites, though they are all good!
In no particular order….
Batty Bats
Snails want to be Bullets too
Top Dog
Disaster Strikes the Garden Patch, i hope the rabbit gets away.
Snails Want to Be Bullets Too
and
Batty Bats are my favourites! Too cute!
Chicken Gang Leader! Look at how those hens cower behind that chick’s eminent authority, just waiting to hear the word go. (and it’s cute too.)
Batty Bats by DutchMoeder
Disaster strikes the garden patch by wakegu4
Snails Want to be Bullets Too by mariannes_stuff
Chicken Gang Leader
Batty Bats
My favorites are Chicken Gang Leader and Snails Want to be Bullets Too!
Chicken Gang Leader!!
and Batty Bats.
Top Dog
Snails Want to Be Bullets Too
On the Fence
Awe man.
Disaster strikes!
On the Fence
I love the disaster and the snail gun. I have to imagine she used photoshop for the snail!
Chicken Gang Leader by teekayknits
and
Top Dog by kathrynivy.com
So adorable!
OMG Anna, I LOVE the new banner on the blog! Mochimochi elf’s are so cute!
Top Dog
Batty Bats
Disaster Strikes
Disaster Strikes the Garden Patch
Snails Want to be Bullets Too
Chicken Gang Leader
Batty Bats
Yay for all these folks! So cool.
I love them all! But my favorites are…
Slug and Snail Mobile
Disaster Strikes
Snails Want to be Bullets
Batty Bats
Disaster strikes the garden patch is my favorite
I love Chicken Gang Leader, Chicken Gang Leader and Chicken Gang Leader. With honorable mention to Chicken Gang Leader.
Chicken Gang leader, Batty Bats, and On the Fence!
my favorite-favorites:
Disaster Strikes the Garden Patch
Chicken Gang Leader
On the Fence
Top Dog
Can’t decide! Okay, in oreder from most favorite to not most favorite : On the Fence ; Bear, Cat, Panda, ; Circle of Bobs ;
Top Dog ; Disaster Strikes the garden Patch
I think! I don’t know! Hard choices!
Ooh and chicken gang leader! That ties with one of my choices!
Snail and Slug mobile too! Aaah I can’t decide!
Batty Bats by DutchMoeder!! A perfect spooky autumn!
snail and slug mobile
snails want to be bullets
though all of them are great!!!
Can we vote for ourselves? lol
I Vote Batty Bats if we’re allowed
Batty Bats by DutchMoeder are awesome! The bats themselves are adorable, but the picture setting is the best!
Snails want to be bullets too
Circle of bobs
Chicken Gang leader
Loving the “Batty Bats” by DutchMoeder
It’s hard to pick favorites, but Batty Bats and Chicken Gang Leader really stand out.
Batty Bats! I love them!!
Gun with Snail is pretty great too.
Batty Bats just make me grin - love the critters AND the posing. BB all the way!
Absolutely loving Batty Bats by DutchMoeder - beautiful photo!
Batty Bats!!
Batty Bats
Snails want to be bullets
Batty Bats!
I vote Batty Bats too!
Batty Bats!
I vote for Batty Bats!
Snails Want to be Bullets Too
Batty Bats
batty bats
Batty Bats, so colorful! so Batty!
Top Dog does make me want ice cream, badly.
and the bullet snail one is very witty!
Batty Bats
and
Snails want to be Bullets Too.
Batty Bats
Top Dog
I LOVE Batty Bats!
I love Bear Cat Panda
and Batty Bats!
Bats!
I love Batty Bats and Top Dog. Too cute!
Batty Bats
The bats playing monopoly.
Snails want to be bullets.
Although they are all adorable…
Batty Bats
Top Dog
Chicken Gang Leader
Batty Bats, what a terrific photo!
Batty Bats
Snails Want to be Bullets Too
Disaster strikes the garden patch
Batty Bats
Snails want to be bullets too
Chicken gang leader
batty bats
definitely the rainbow leaf bats!
the snail bullet is mighty cute too!
I’m just not loving any of these. I think “frozen in fear” from the honorable mentions is brilliant. I guess my fav of these is “Snails…bullets, too.”.
Woah… lotta comments… so…….
TOP DOG!!!!!!!! so cute…….
Batty bats!
Followed by Snails Want to Be bullets
Batty Bats
I vote for the crab. Sarah Lindsey is a golden god.
Top Dog by kathrynivy.com is my favorite. As its one that I would definantly want to make. But, the snails want to be bullets too is very neat and orginal.
Batty bats
Batty Bats
Batty bats
Top three in order: Batty bats, circle of bobs and snails want to be bullets
They are all great.
batty bats!!!!!
Batty Bats!!
Batty Bats by DutchMoeder
These are all very cute! My favorites in this round are chicken gang, batty bats, snails…, too, and that sweet mobile.
Batty Bats by DutchMoeder is my favorite
Batty Bats
Batty Bats by DutchMoeder rocks!
ZOMG Batty Bats! SOoooooooooooo cute!
Batty Bats!!!
Bats are best!
Batty Bats!!
And Chicken Gang Leader
Batty Bats
Batty Bats
Snails want to be bullets
Bobs
Chicken Gang Leader
Gotta love the batty bats! Faster than a speeding snail is a close second.
Batty Bats and Disaster Strikes the Garden Patch.
Batty Bats are my fav!
Batty Bats FTW!
Batty Bats!
Batty Bats is great!
Batty bats
when there’s no yahtzee to play
batty bats
Batty Bats get my vote!!!
I Lurves the Bats! The dogs and the chicken are pretty cute too
Batty Bats and the snail gun one!
Batty bats!
wonderful photos - my top 2 are: batty bats and faster than a speeding snail
The chickens made me laugh.
I love batty bats - such a great photo!! I really like the creativity of disaster strikes in the garden patch and snails want to be bullets too - what an awesome selection!
I vote for Batty Bats!!! Very creative
That snail gun might be the best thing EVER INVENTED!!! it totally gets my vote! my second vote goes to Batty Bats, really fantastic composition and work! great job!
BATTY BATS!!
Snails want to be bullets too; Batty Bats; and Top Dog. They’re all so good, though! These three really stand out to me as awesome photos as well as totally adorable knitted creatures. Wow!
Batty Bats ftw
Batty Bats
Chicken Gang Leader
Disaster Strikes the Garden Patch
Batty Bats
They’re all so awesome, but if I had to pick a favorite or two I’d say:
Disaster strikes the garden patch
Top Dog
Snails Want to Be Bullets too.
“Batty Bats” by DutchMoeder
Batty Bats!
Batty Bats !
disaster strikes in the garden patch is EPIC!
Batty Bats are Number Uno with me!
Batty bats. Halloween here I come!
Of course I have to go for Top Dog! I love me some cushy Malabrigo goodness.
i’m so honored that my chicken gang leader got selected as one of the semi-finalists. can i vote for it?
and i’ll vote for batty bats and snails want to be bullets too.
OMG! Baby Bats! Baby Bats! Baby Bats! Those are so amazingly cute!
I want to hang them from the ceiling in my children’s room!
I like the 3 dogs! And I also like the bats.
The Batty Bats are great, and the photography is wonderful!
Batty Bats!
Batty Bats!!!!!!
Snails Want to be Bullets Too
and
Batty Bats
(love the photographys skills on both)
Batty Bats!
Bats and leaves, snail gun, and chicken gang (imagining them singing
‘Hard Knock Life’ a la Austin Powers…)
Batty Bats
Batty Bats!
Batty Bats!
Batty Bats and Top Dog !
Batty Bats!
I vote for Top Dog
Batty Bats and
Snails Want to be Bullets, too.
Batty Bats is just adorable. I also agree- how did that picture for Snails Want To Be Bullets Too work?!
wow - these are all great, and it’s a hard choice. i hovered over snails wanto be bullets too, and disaster in the garden patch, but i have to go for batty bats by dutchmoeder - LOVE them!
Batty Bats
Chicken Gang Leaders
Batty Bats! Adorable and so cool looking hanging there in the tree.
Batty Bats
Garden Patch
“Batty Bats” by DutchMoeder
They are just too cute
The snails and slugs mobile is the best!!! Very cute, creative and functional as well.
Batty bats, and the Disaster Strikes!
Batty bats
Disaster strikes the Garden Patch
Snails want to be Bullets, too
Batty bats fer sure
Batty Bats
Batty Bats
How cute great minds working here
Absolutely Batty Bats
they’re awesome 
I like Batty Bats, Snails want to be bullets too, and Top Dog!!
BATTY BATS! Oh they’re so cute!
And Snails Want To Be Bullets, Too. Bang-bang, Snaily!
Batty Bats
snails wants to be bullets too!
slug and snail mobile it’s just awesome very creative
Batty bats!!!!
Batty Bats
and Snails want to be bullets too
although they’re all brilliant!
Bear, Cat, Panda by -claudine-
Snails Want to be Bullets Too by mariannes_stuff
Batty Bats by DutchMoeder
Ooh, thank you for including my Circle Of Bobs - does that count as a vote ;P
From the others, I love “Snails Want to Be Bullets Too”, fab phot, and so funny.
Batty Bats!!! To cute:)
Batty Bats!
BATTY BATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are we still voting? Because I absolutely LOVE Chicken Gang Leader.
“Circle of Bobs” and “Snails Want to be Bullets Too” are my favs!
Circle of Bobs by Purple_Heather
Batty bats
Top dogs
Circle of Bobs
they are all very cute, but my faves are:
Bear, cat, panda
Snails want to be bullets too
Batty bats
Batty bats!!!
What a great group of photos! All of them brought a smile to my face.
Good luck contestants!