Frog on a Dime was born ten years ago.

Ten!

Gasp.

DYK the traditional 10^th anniversary gift is tin? You know, the stuff used to make green beans cans and Dorothy Gale’s heartless friend. I know. It surprised me too.

Then I did a little digging about what makes tin so special. Turns out, tin has a lot going for it.

Tin is pliable, flexible and adaptable. G’head—Roll it! Spin it! Extrude it!

Tin protects other metals like steel from corrosion and boat bottoms from barnacles. (I mean, who wants bottom barnacles?)

Tin may be weak on its own, but it can be tintastic when it is alloyed with other metals in materials like bronze and pewter.

And you know what, my little sugar crystals? You and I are a lot like tin. We creatives need to adapt and be flexible in order to learn, grow and develop our skills.

By offering empathy and encouragement to one another, we help to protect one another from the corrosion of disabling discouragement.

And when we “alloy” ourselves (work together), our strength is multiplied. How is that not tin-tastic?

[BONUS info: One other way we’re like tin—did you know when a bar of tin is bent, it makes a crackling “cry”? Who knew metal could get emo? We can all relate to that when we’re hunched over in despair or disappointment.]

My wee tin cups of tenderness, I cannot thank you enough for your TEN years of you being you-ness. Your encouragement, participation, comments, willingness to be my guest from time to time, and kind words have made my life sweeter by tenfold. To thank you, I’m offering my finest giveaway in a decade.

Enter to win an extra special, one-of–a-kind 10^th anniversary memento designed to serve as a source of encouragement. I’ll include extra goodies too—like a coupon for critique of up to TEN pages of your work. To enter, leave a comment on this post by Friday, December 16/10:10 p.m. (EST).

When I left Queen’s, my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don’t know what lies around the bend, but I am going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. I wonder how the road beyond it goes – what there is of green glory and soft, checkered light and shadows – what new landscapes – what new beauties – what curves and hills and valleys farther on. ~ L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables