The Last Round

I'm a bit late in posting this, but the final round of the Better Homes and Gardens contest is online. I have to be honest, I'm a little disappointed in myself in this round. Somehow, I didn't quite execute (or capture) what was in my head - which was sad, because I was surrounded by beauty! At any rate, it happens - and certainly not the end of the world.

But I had a lot of fun with this contest. Good things happened in my career because of it, I managed to connect with a crafter in my city (Kaelin of The Plaid Scottie) (Yay!), and I received so many kind emails and wonderful words of support.  That was the best!  So thank you, thank you, thank you!

Click here to see what my competitors offered up (I trust that you'll be inspired by them) and cast a vote for your favorite. On Monday, it's back to business as usual (meaning that I won't pester you for votes every couple of days)!

Comments

[Suzonne]

I understand what you meant, Greg. And I appreciate the support I've gotten. The truth is, my job requires me to be able to design in various styles for various clients, which I am lucky enough to be able to do. But I'm okay with losing a contest if I'm proud of what I put out there and it feels like "me" (and "me" is definitely understated).

The best part is that I practically doubled my readership during the course of this contest, which lets me know that there are kindred spirits out there. My tribe will find me! Ha!

Thanks for all the kind words, ladies!

[Greg Bulmash]

I'm not saying her designs were bad, just that if the BHG voting represented actual reader preference and not just the relative ability of the designers to get their friends to vote, then the overall BHG reader tastes run a bit more to the blatant and sparkly with higher contrast color schemes. That's a competitive analysis, not an artistic judgement.

From the POV that she gained new fans who dig her style, she did awesome and stayed true to the design sensibilities she's been showing and refining since we met in the early 90s in a writing class.

OTOH, if she wants to *win* at BHG, then she has to make some different decisions.

That said, if I was considering the designers from this contest for different jobs, I'd hire Suzonne to decorate my home while I'd hire the BHG winner to decorate a store in a mall.

[Betty aka ZacksNana]

Umm, Greg, I have to disagree. I love what Suzonne created. It caught my eye better on the BHG site than in this little photo up top. The only other one that I even gave a second look was the door with the tree and the crows on the porch. I happen to like what Suzonne did and I think it's perfect for an outdoor dinner party or throw some wooden barrels full of water and apples, scatter some jack-o-lanterns around the yard and a dozen or so kiddoes and you've got a party!!! Good Luck Suz!

[Kaelin]

I'm so excited I ran across you too!

Don't feel frustrated because I loved your designs throughout the contest...esp the table runner. The reader above me said your designs might have been too understated for the mass market, and that may be the case, but that's what I loved about them. They were subtle and homey and something you can leave up post-Halloween. I usually buy "fall" things rather than Halloween things so I can enjoy my purchases/creations for a longer stretch of time (plus I'm lazy and hate having to pull decoration boxes in/out of storage...hehe!)

I'd be happy to sit on your cozy fall porch :)

[Greg Bulmash]

Dunno, I wouldn't put you in first place on this, but the one with the big "Trick" and "Treat" looked downright amateurish, and the "elegant" one was so minimalist as to almost be nonexistent. The only thing that said Halloween was the gold pumpkin, and she did gold sparkly pumpkins in the last piece. Let's try to stretch a little, dearie.

Overall, judging by what won the various rounds, your designs were too understated. Next time you're going for something as mass market as BHG, be more blatant and break out the bedazzler. :-)