Straw Styling Challenge: the winner

Thanks to my lovely judges, Jeska of Lobster and Swan and Ellie of Home Shopping Spy (also Deputy Shopping Editor of Ideal Home), I'm able to announce the winner of my Straw Styling Challenge. If you're on Twitter and tweet a link to the results (or RT my tweet), you can also have some competition fun - I'll enter anyone who does into a draw to win a £20 Papermash voucher, plus a box of straws in each colour. Now, without further ado...

First prize winner: Alessandra of La Casita. This was a unanimous decision, so well done Alessandra. Here's what the judges had to say:

Ellie: "I love the way this picture tells a story - there's a life 'off-stage'. The Beatrix Potter book, the retro lolly and teacher's apple hint at a child going to school - perhaps the straw is for morning milk. The stylist has repeated the red of the straw in the other props - the cherries, the jacket of the squirrel on the book, and the red apple for the teacher. It's subtle, but this is what ties this shot together visually and I think it really works."

Jeska: "I loved the idea of this little package of simple items tied up with string that could make a day complete. It really appealed to my nostalgic side."

Alessandra wins a £30 voucher for Papermash and a box of each colour of straws.

I'm also sending a box of each colour to Jeska and Ellie's second and third place runners up.

Stripy pipes by Mindy Coleman.

Jeska: "I loved the way the straws were used to create a new toy in this one, so simple but clever."

Kiwi Rose by It's my own invention (who incidently has some gorgeous photos in her photostream.)

Jeska: "I just adored the little bunches of forget-me-nots, one of my favourite sentimental flowers."

Playstraw by Die Frau im Haus.

Ellie: "This is a playful shot, which toys with scale and presents the straws in an unusual, unexpected context. Its technically crisp and in focus, and I like the simplicity of this picture."

Gallopers by Crafty So and So.

Ellie: "This is a really creative shot - technically brilliant - and such a simple but effective idea. It's a clever observation that the straws look like merry-go-round horse poles, and I like the stylist's sense of humour."

Thanks so much to everyone who took part - they are all such creative ideas, and I'm so pleased you took the time to enter! I've reopened the Flickr group for submissions (there are a few who missed the closing date) so feel free to add any more photos you might have.

Thanks again to Ellie and Jeska for making up the judging panel - both have impeccable taste so I knew they'd be perfect for the job.