Hallmark - Which one is the funniest?

I am entering a Hallmark contest and need help deciding which one of my cards is the funniest. The contest is called, "A Girl's Gotta Laugh." The concept is to make a funny card for a woman that helps her get though a stressful time. Emphasis on the funny. I can only submit one (contest ends on Feb. 22), so please tell me your opinion!

Option 1: Front

Option 1: Inside

No...not the job.
No...not the guy.
No...not the million-dollar idea.

I just meant my hair.

Option 2: Front

Option 2: Inside

And that's just to ride cement sheep.

Keep at it!

Option 3: Front

Option 3: Inside

A drunk guy told me that once.

Keep it up, 10!

Option 4: Front

Option 4: Inside

How else will the groceries, medical bills,
house payments, car payments, and kids' schooling ever get paid for?

Keep at it!

Comment, please!
Have a great day!
~Christy

Recent Photos: Animals and Snow

Oh Photography...how I have missed you. In the following photos, you will find either animals and/or snow. Enjoy!

Blurred effect in Photoshop

And finally...we love her

Have a great day!
~Christy

NYLON Magazine Contest

Thanks to Twitter and my hilarious and lovely sorority sister, Nora Silver, (plug for her band, We The Living) Cover Girl is teaming up with Nylon Magazine for their latest advertising promotion.

The challenge is to conjure up a package design for Cover Girl's "Lash Blast Length Mascara." Apparently it has a fancy Elasta-Nylon formula, hence the mash-up between the two companies.

Everything is explained HERE on Nylon's site. Well, everything except for how many designs you are allowed to submit (a question I must find out before February 3rd rolls around).

After some Friday night mind-mapping and sketching, here was the first design I came up with. I am contemplating whether or not it would be too busy for something as small as a mascara tube.





Next, I went for something simplier.








I have a few days before I have to submit something, but I am liking where the last 2 designs are going. Comments, please!
To be continued....

Have a great day! ~Christy

iSubmitted to 99Designs

In honor of Apple releasing their newest ridiculously named product, the "iPad," iWill be speaking in iTerms for this entire post. iEnjoy and iHope you do too.

99designs.com is a website where just about anyone can post a design request and consequently just about anyone can submit a design. New requests are posted constantly and all of them offer cash to the "winner."

Sounds pretty good if A) you don't spend too much time on a design and B) you win.

So, iFigured that iWould give it a shot. iSaw a posting today that had about 3 hours left until the submissions had to be uploaded. The headline read, "National TV Show hosted by famous anchors needs new logo." Here is a brief description of the show:

"We are a nationally televised show that profiles successful entrepreneurs. We are presently launching a new program that will focus on entrepreneurs who have the courage and vision to drive new products, new technology and new development that will help move America forward."

iSolution: a pig.

That's right, a pig. Why? Well because pigs are like Switzerland. They aren't elephants and they aren't donkeys...they're simply neutral. Rumor has it that pigs can also tackle the Alps with their eyes closed. Anyway, in order for America to "move forward," we have to bridge the gap between the right and left. iPropose we use a pig as our bridge.

Also, iThink that pigs represent entrepreneurs. These are the people who try to defy [gravity. no.] the phrase "Sure....That'll happen when pigs can fly..." Well, here's your pig...make him fly.

First iDesigned a pig:



Then, iTransformed my pig (and yes, there are 50 stars):



And finally, iAdded text:








iWon't find out the results of this contest for a few days, but iWill be happy if iWin!
Also, iWould love to know what you think.

iHope you have a great day!
~ChriSty

Fun with Envelope Distortions in Illustrator

How did I not ever learn to use the envelope distortion tool? It might be my new favorite. Don't worry mom, this isn't an actual outfit that I own ;) [laugh]

Have a great day!
~Christy

UCP of Texas logo

A good friend and former roommate of mine called me a few weeks ago to see if I would be interested in doing some freelance for the organization she works for, United Cerebral Palsy of Texas. UCP's main event is going to be held this August and is called the "Life Without Limits," Run, Walk and Roll. Up until now, UCP has not had a consistent logo for this event. They wanted something that would work well for both a T-shirt, as well as letterhead, etc.
So of course I took on the project! Here are some of my initial concepts...




I came up with one more concept, which was the most liked. I am still waiting to hear the final verdict, but here are the three versions of this concept that UCP is deciding on:



Maybe they will use one of the last two for the T-shirt and the first one for their letterhead? I should find out soon! Font may change as well.

End Art:
Have a great day!
~Christy

Round 1 for RIDE

So, here's the scenario:

It's Thanksgiving. At the beach. The turkey and stuffing have been engulfed by sources of mass destruction (aka our stomachs.)[Insert food coma here]

My ears perk up when I hear my Uncle talk about how he needs an abstract design for RIDE Extreme Sports. [Hmm I can design abstractly....]

Dialogue happens. (shortened from the actual conversation):
Uncle: "I just want an abstract motorcycle. Can you do that?"
Me: "Ummm letmethinkabout..YES."
Uncle: "I'll pay you."
Me: "Sweet."

So, here are my initial designs:

Feedback would be awesome!

Have a great day!
~Christy

Photoshop Fun

Call me crazy. Just trying to get a different angle!

(The process - First used pen tool to cut out the shape, aka me. Then, created several layers and used the shear tool to create the curved "me's." After that, used some lens flares, added a pink brush stroke to the background, put intense drop shadows behind all of the figures and used the "curves" tool to add contrast after flattening the image.)

Voila! INSTANT 80's!




My attempt at making the Columns 3D:
(Used lens correction, the pen tool, drop shadows (of course) and a fun brush))

Have a great day!
~Christy

A Wintry Mizzou

While in Columbia this past weekend I snapped a few of the columns in the snow. Isn't Mizzou just gorgeous? (Please say in the raspy voice of a British woman.)

Have a Great Day!
~Christy

Missouri Botanical Garden

I'd say two months is a decent hiatus from updating this blog, yes? I recently wrapped up a four-month long internship at the Missouri Botanical Gardens and was able to pump out several designs for them. I also decided to become a horticulturist (jokes...)

The biggest project I was able to work on was for the Garden's annual Holiday Flower and Train Show, titled Gardenland Express. My job was to come up with the overall look of the show and design any and all promotional material for it. Check out some of my work:

General "look" of all Gardenland Express promotional material

Banner on Ridway's exterior (at the Gardens)

Bus advertisement

E-Blast, sent to all members

Billboard, seen here at Highway 44 and Kingshighway

Button

I Spy game, handed out at the event

A CHANGE OF PACE....

For the brochure (to be handed out at the event) I was asked to design a 1-color piece and save some money. Obviously 1-color meant that everything else I had designed for the show was not going to fly for this brochure. The next two designs show the inside of a tri-fold brochure. The blue one was my initial design, but look-wise had absolutely nothing to do with the show (I still think it is pretty, however). The black and white version is the one that was printed for the show. I made the black urns and columns, etc in illustrator. There was also a matching poster, which was very boring. But, alas, I must do as I am told.

Version 1, blue (not used)

Gardenland Express brochure (inside)

I also got to design this web header for the website:

"Holidays at the Garden" web header

Now, I know what you're thinking...."Man, this girl has done so much work! Did she ever have any fun?" The other interns and I made sure to squeeze some playtime into the work day. When you work with all creatives, how could work not be fun?

Cara and I set up camp at a Starbucks to make a birthday card. We put this sign on the table and only one woman came to talk to us!

One of several "formal invitations" for lunch

We sent this into Little Debbie and they sent us 40 free muffins!

Happy Holidays from some of the interns!

Cara on the left. Me on the right. And yes, this WAS taken at work.

Some of the interns riding the sheep at the Gardens. (photo taken by "little sheep," AKA Christy Siebert, thanks to her tripod)

The Fall 2009 interns, illustrated by me!

And finally, we made this lovely video. Please ignore the highly awkward face that I am making in the still frame, blogger must think it is soooo funny. The full quality version can be found HERE.

Thanks for checking out my work! Now that my unpaid internship is over, I'd really like a job! Please keep me in mind if you hear of any graphic design opportunities :)

END PHOTO:
Merry Christmas!

(photo taken by me)

Have a Great Day!

~Christy