Quickie Videos

I am skilled just enough to put together small, quick videos for social media with iMovie and a personal video camera. 😊  Bonus: Most organizations don't have the personnel to do this so if you create a movie and tag a partner organization, you've given them a wonderful gift that they can use on their social media, which grows your social media reach. 

Legacy Early College Design Portfolio

Legacy's annual golf tournament and gala

Double truck ad in the Greenville News for Legacy's first graduating class and Parker's 90th reunion.

Middle School postcard, graphics created in Photoshop.

24-page comprehensive development booklet—concept, photography, writing and design

Small development brochure, the concept, all photography, writing, and design created by me. On an added note, I created this in two days over the weekend.

Postcard for Legacy's annual basketball tournament. You can also see in this photo the banner design I created for the tournament.

Our Top Stories flyer was a popular flyer for recruiting events.
We also used this content for a donor e-blast and a parent e-blast.

Photography, writing, design, and management of translation

Save the date postcard

Legacy's CrossFit facility business cards and t-shirt design.

Do you believe in ghosts?

I'm a skilled ghostwriter, with appearances in the Greenville News, Greenville Journal, and guest blogs. Here's a recent OpEd I wrote for Legacy leadership.

Recommendations

I recently reached out to some connections to ask for their recommendation on LinkedIn. I am honored by the responses.

It's a Revival!

Someone just asked me if I blogged. I haven't contributed to this public blog in years—I even had trouble remembering my password. This was a fun and useful project when I was relocating. Now that I'm settled in "sunny Carolina," I'll get us caught up on my accomplishments and challenges and begin posting regularly again. Welcome back!

Pretty Darn Quick (PDQ)

It's the name of the game: silk purse stuff...making something out of nothing...we need it yesterday...you get the picture. Here's a collection of items I've produced at Converse pretty darn quick. Although most communication products usually come with a PDQ deadline, I'm especially proud of these recent quickly produced projects.

The Converse Diversity Club held their 3rd annual Love-In, a day to celebrate acceptance at all levels. This year, they showed the film Bully and sponsored a campus discussion. They wanted to give all the students who came to the film a t-shirt. They decided this just before term break and needed the shirts produced in one week. I created the design in a morning, a positive play off the film's tenet "stand against bullying." 

When Converse was advised to alter their affordability message, the admissions department wanted to get a financial guide in the hands of accepted students right away. I was asked to produce a brochure PDQ. The design I developed is half the size of our recruitment brochures (an effort to keep the branding and allow the piece to stand out from other communications but minimize the impression that the process is overwhelming). Because the brochure was produced in one day, I didn't have time to arrange a photo shoot. I bought a royalty free image and in order to make the image look uniquely Converse, I used Photoshop to place the Converse Viewbook on the desk in the image.

A College campus produces many events. Publicity for these events usually has to happen PDQ and at little to no cost. I produced this poster in less than an hour by using a purchased border graphic, photos from the speaker, and a Creative Commons photo of Susan Smith. The photo was a simple mug shot but it worked with the graphic subject matter. I also used a manipulated free typewriter font to reflect the news sensationalism of the subject.

Another PDQ is the 48-page reunion memory book (see older post from 3/25/13). I designed the book and cover in one day. While the body of the book was being proofed on the second day, I researched trivia and alumnae interviews to augment the book. Blurb books only take 7–10 days to print and ship...pretty darn close to magic.

Alumnae Memory Book

I am very excited to have completed my first BLURB.com book. The Converse reunion is coming up in April and the 50th reunion class has received a memory "book" in the past. The past versions have been a collection of hand-written answers to a questionnaire that were copied and held together with plastic comb binding. The result was hardly celebratory, nothing to suggest a treasured memento and lacked respect for these alumnae, many who are in a position to become significant donors to the college. Time for a redesign! I created a Blurb book of 48 pages with a photo wrap cover. The front is an image from the 1963 yearbook and the back is a photo taken last week of the iconic Wilson Tower on campus.

Each alumna's profile includes a photo from the yearbook and a current photo. I researched trivia from the time period (favorite dance songs, hairstyles, movies, and more) and included some pull-quotes from the questionnaires. The result is a memento that will be cherished!

Gotta love my friends at Art Bomb

What I love most about my Grenville is the giving nature of the community.

Art Bomb is a wonderful haven for some of my favorite artists. They in turn provide shelter for our four-legged buddies. Read about their big hearts here.

I am anxiously awaiting delivery from the printer of my first redesigned issue of Converse magazine. This is my sixth major redesign and I have to say it's a process most people dislike, but I love. A redesign involves not just a new dressing, but an analysis of the editorial content and focus, as well as an exploration of the target audience. New communication and marketing goals emerge in the process and then comes the fun of trying to meet those goals. I tend to study my peers and competition thoroughly so I launched a Facebook campaign requesting friends (and friends of friends) send me their alumni publications for my study. I learned something from each of the 80+ magazines I received...and more from those I studied online (as I was also researching alternative delivery methods). Redesign is a wholistic approach that often involves such a bare-boned deconstruction that missions and branding are also examined and more clearly, strategically defined. This first issue is a very different kind of magazine for Converse and I am anxious to see how it will be received!

UPDATE 3/21/13 Delivery from the printer and the magazine is a roaring success! Here are some sample spreads:

The opening spread is a 2012 Year in Review. This has to be the most popular spread in the magazine. What fun (and how useful) to see the entire year at a glance!

A new approach to articles uses larger, professional photography.

I tailored the editorial direction of the redesign to inform and engage alumnae. For example, the traditional president's message transformed into this Q & A between the alumnae association president and the college president. The end of the article calls for alumnae to submit questions for the alumnae president to consider for the next issue.

Counting our blessings

Today I am so thankful to be in South Carolina. Our lives have changed significantly and I am thankful for every single change. Day by day, we settle into our new lives here and we see glimpses of "normal" after the last two years of transition. People are still in awe of our story and frankly, I am just beginning to understand why the typical reaction is "Wow!" We have obviously had some super-hero power keeping us going, some inexplicable strength, and, in hindsight, I must admit a smidge of insanity. We doubted along the way when we would succeed but we knew it would happen eventually. Now, we can't believe we got here so quickly...that we are really here. Very thankful, indeed.

Converse Thus Far

Converse's new School of the Arts brings together three departments. Communication was needed to give each department a voice under the one umbrella. This roll-fold brochure creates a highly visible recruiting tool whether it arrives by mail at a prospective student's home or is personally handed to them at an event.

The new Converse viewbook (overview booklet) was led by a focus group I developed with current students to determine what attracted them to Converse when they were college shopping. The result is a college viewbook that focuses on stories, a series of student profiles that touch on different aspects of Converse. Design and production involved interviews and photo sessions with profiled students. I then edited the interviews and paired each student with the corresponding information that the student best illustrated.

The theme for the upcoming reunion was born from the success of our photo booth at the 2012 reunion.  I took the shot of alumnae in the booth and then used actual photos from the booth archive that were made during our event. This is the "Save the Date" postcard that had a magnet reminder adhered to the back. My research of past reunion promotions showed a failure to promote the FUN factor so my goal has been to infuse fun in every reunion reference.

I incorporated the Converse Valkyries mascot into a logo I created for TAPP (Touching Alumnae Peer-to-Peer) for a calling campaign that involved alumnae reaching out to classmates to contribute to the annual fund. This will be a yearly event we are calling "Annual FUN." 

I made a collection of "medals" to award to our TAPPers. We increased alumnae giving by almost 300 gifts.

9 Keys to Business & Career Success

There's so much of this article by Inc. that speaks to me..."tasks should only take as long as they need to take,"..."successful people are naturally drawn to successful people,"..."the extra mile is a lonely place,"..."you're never too good to roll up your sleeves,"..."embrace every failure," and, most especially, "the more you volunteer, the more you get to act!" 9 Keys to Business & Career Success

Freshman Move-In Day!

Converse faculty and staff pitched in to help the Class of 2016 move in on campus. I loved being a part of this fun tradition. Connecting to the students reminded me why I felt called to work in higher education. I witnessed the day their lives will change forever! I hope that in some small (or large!) way I can improve the quality or comfort of their new world. Through my previous work with government officials, non-profits, and highly-visible organizations, I have recognized my talent to be a kind ambassador during times of transition. I'm well-schooled in the art of hospitality (etiquette school, beginning at age 7) but it comes natural to me and I truly enjoy it. I see this trait reflected in the way I work on publications—I want to smooth the way to communicate with the reader as beautifully and efficiently as possible.

Holding up the walls of the Williams residence hall on move-in day!

Converse College Move-In Slide Show

Gush

I've been meaning to post this but my scanner was packed. Here's evidence of one of the proudest moments in my life...the moment I opened this letter from Highlights' CEO, Kent Johnson.

Highlights Hello!

Highlights just launched it's new baby magazine, Highlights Hello. I worked on the logo and prototype just before my departure—so much fun! Congratulations Highlights!

August 1 will mark six months officially in SC. My goals for this move were very simple: be where I want to be and make a difference in the SC Upstate. As simple as it is to say in those few words, no discussion of this change in my life has been simple. Friends, family—even strangers—ask for more. Many simply don't understand why or how I would walk away from my life for a life unknown. I think not wanting to wait to live my dream is a good "why" but the "how" has alluded me, I'll admit. I don't know where I get the courage to face what can be either a little or a major daily battle. Every single part of my life has changed. I've rushed through some of the adjustments, such as getting my SC driver's license on day one even though it was a bad hair day. Other changes have paralyzed me, such as not seeing my SC family any more often than I did when I lived in PA.

The expectations I had for my life here cannot fairly be judged since we are very much in limbo with my husband still in PA to sell the house. Knowing that the house may be on the market for years is defeating. We knew we would be challenged so none of the difficulties are surprising. I've learned so much from this process and that's the surprising part. I'm much braver than I thought I was and I'm more talented, too. I've never appreciated my skills. I've always thought I was "good" at my work because I'm so devoted to what I do. But, I've never considered myself exceptional. I doubt any of us recognize our true worth. The process of selling myself during the job search and then adjusting to a new career and work environment has made it necessary for me to evaluate and reevaluate my skills. How do I fit in? How can I make the difference that is so important to me? How do I work around (or drive through) obstacles?

I've come to appreciate there are some things I am really very good at (and we know math isn't one of those things). You know, I just said that because I couldn't stand not to self-depreciate myself. I'm actually quite good at some aspects of math, such as set and spatial theory. I visualize every problem so don't ask me to just think about something, because I will start to draw it or write it. But I do think, and I think well, and because I think spatially, I see the forest and the trees. I'm savvy on the computer but still want a straight edge and x-acto blade in my drawer. I measure in picas, not inches, which means I'm creative and careful.

My experiences are unique and valuable. I might know how to do something well now because I already made the mistakes. All that workaholic-throw-myself-into-everything time is paying off.

Why I Moved to SC

A friend of mine died Thursday. He was one of those people you hope you can be more like; you admire him just for who he is, not for any block-buster event. I can't even say I knew him that well but I spent time with him on projects for church and served with him on the vestry. We always spoke. When he would ask how I was doing, I was honest and told him, good or bad, and you know there aren't that many people in the world you can do that with. Lee died of a stroke while on an anniversary trip with his wife fishing in Alaska. There was no warning.

Lee's wife wrote: "Lee had the best 7 days, he kayaked, we hiked on a glacier, he caught the first fish that morning right before it happened. He had a brain bleed and it would not have mattered where we were. I am grateful we were together having a much anticipated holiday and he was in my arms when he died."

So, seriously, what a way to go. Maybe God said, "This guy is pretty special so as a gift to him, I'm going to take him like this...Death Package #1." Yes, my mind works that way sometimes. Lee's death has shaken me and the world has lost such a good man. Maybe God said, "This guy is REALLY special and he has done so much good, he filled his dance card early. Time to come home." There I go again, writing God's script.

I have a friend who is going strong at 101, one of my neighbors is in his 90s and still mows his yard and takes a walk every morning. Yet another neighbor lost her son in his 30s and a schoolmate of mine died just after graduation. When an eldery person dies, society seems better able to accept it. We hear people console each other by saying, "They lived a good long life." Bullshit.

In my book it doesn't matter how long you lived but what you did with those years. I know that sounds like some inspirational quote that we all "like" on Facebook but it is how I am trying to live my life. I don't do well with death, not that anyone does, but I seem to be more deeply affected than most. So I don't want to waste a minute. I very clearly understand my days are numbered. It's not that I am afraid, it's that I have a lot to do to fill my dance card. So, if you are still in the numbers who do not understand why I wanted to move to SC. If you have attributed my actions to a mid-life crisis or "there must be something she's not telling us," here it is: I simply want to live my life the best way I can.

My 101-year-old friend lived a life of self-imposed imprisonment and poverty because she did not value her own needs. In contrast, my neighbor's son married and had two children while fighting brain cancer. My Dad had a dream to retire to Asheville. He died in an accident when he was 65. In contrast, my Mom postponed cancer surgery so that she could finish her quest to visit all 50 United States. Why would I choose to wait to fulfill a dream? Every time I hear someone say what they want to do when they retire, I cringe. There isn't always a "later." And that's why I am here in SC. That's why I wanted a job making a difference. That's why I over-commit. That's why I always say yes. That's why I am exhausted most of the time. It's really pretty simple.

Greenville continues to excel

Greenville makes another top ten list! No surprise. http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/real_estate/1204/gallery.US-Cities/9.html

Teaching at Furman

It was very exciting to be back at my alma mater to co-teach a class on writing and illustrating for children. I believe the class was held in the same room where I took Philosophy, one of my favorite classes Freshman year.

Me and Tim Davis at Furman University.

Update from February 12, 2013: Me with Tim Davis and Melinda Brown Long (below, right). Our teaching trio appeared at Furman's beautiful Herring Center for Continuing Education.

One Year

A year ago today my husband and I decided to relocate to SC. We have been asked hundreds of times since "Why?" It's not that we were unhappy and we could have easily kept the status quo. The simplest answer is that we realized we didn't want to wait to live our lives the way we wanted. My job search was long and difficult. I learned something new with each step of my search...new job-hunting skills and new revelations about myself. Many months of hard work helped me understand how all my skills could work together and I began to identify ideal positions. I learned enough to be confident when the wrong job came along and more so when I received an offer from the right one.

New Job!

I started my new job at Converse College today! This blog will now shift focus to record my move to SC.

A Christmas Love Song for South Carolina

A friend shared this song with me and it is my exact feelings about South Carolina (any time of year.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjbncuf4xrc

The Spirit of Christmas

My Editor-in-Chief once wrote about my secret identity in a Thanksgiving editorial. I wore my mother's Santa suit and made a surprise hospital visit to cheer-up my editor's daughter. I didn't really know what I was doing, I had only a bed pillow as padding, and I couldn't wear my glasses so my memory of the event is literally fuzzy. However, I've been addicted to the Santa experience ever since. It's a challenge to be a female Santa but no child has ever minded. I never claim to be Santa, rather I am just having fun in a Santa costume.

The editorial.

My husband took these pics of me before I left for the hospital visit.

I've since donned the suit whenever asked. I now have professional padding, bells to jingle, special facial hair, and the “Santa Rules” to live by. My cousin once drove me around in his Morgan to visit the local schools and my Mom's assisted living residence (she didn't know it was me). We were quite a hit in traffic.

Thankful

I am thankful this Thanksgiving season to be interviewing and spending time with friends and family in South Carolina. The best way to reach me is via email at simplycindysmith@yahoo.com.

Sweet Surprise

David Leonard called me last week to accept an illustration assignment I had sent him. This normally jovial illustrator suddenly became serious. “Cindy,” he said. “I’ve been meaning to talk with you for years about something.” I braced myself; this sounded bad. He began with a deep breath. “I want to thank you for the faith you’ve had in me. You don’t know this but I was ready to give up my dream of being an illustrator before I met you. I often look back to my first real job as an illustrator, for a real publication, for an amazing art director and now dear friend, Cindy. Thank you for starting me off and being alongside me, encouraging me.” Of course, I had a difficult time responding to this. Dave is one of the most talented illustrators I know. To think I played a part in his success is unimaginable. We spoke some more and I tried to assure him that it was his own talent, tenacity, and dedication to his dream that brought him to my attention. This led to me discussing my own dream of moving home to SC. I asked Dave if he would write a recommendation for me for this blog. He wrote back:

“In the cynical world of illustration, I hold Cindy as a ray of light, a turning point in my hopes of a career in illustration. The über belief she had in my work encouraged me to chase after my dreams. My illustrations have now appeared in The New Yorker, for Major League Baseball, in hosts of magazines and children’s books.”

David Leonard

www.davidleonard.com

I've tried to find the right words to express this for years!

Because I have design experience and writing experience and editing experience, I've always been more involved in my designs than just making it pretty. The elements must make sense to me as I put the pieces of the editorial puzzle together. I do this with my audience utmost in my mind. For Highlights, I want to make sure kids will be interested in the content and have fun while they are learning. So, my work runs first through my audience "filter" and then my mission "filter" to make sure the content fulfills the goals of the publication. I contribute conceptually and editorially to make the content work.

WHEW!

Another successful illustrators' party! This year we celebrated the 65th anniversary of Highlights and Hidden Pictures. It was an incredible amount of work for the three-day party but, as usual, an outstanding event for everyone. See previous parties earlier in my blog at http://meinsunnycarolina.blogspot.com/2011/03/recent-event-planning-popular.html.

You can also read a report of this year's party by one of the illustrators in the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators Newsletter, pp. 5–6.

http://www.pittsburghillustrators.org/Newsletters/PSInside_Oct11.pdf

In the Round

Highlights is venturing into licensed products and one of the first items was this puzzleball. I had never even heard of a puzzleball before but I studied the construction and was ready for my first assignment. Our partner, Ravensburger, wanted a beach theme with animals. I knew just the illustrator: Rocky Fuller. Due to the technical difficulties of production, most of Ravensburger previous puzzleballs hadn't been so much scenes in the round as just simple images applied to the round shape. That didn't seem very interesting to me. That's when I had my big nightmare idea! The puzzle construction had a wavy center line that halved the puzzle. If we used that line as the shoreline, we could have animals on the beach and in the water. Okay, so it was easier said than done to align the illustration with the puzzle pieces during production. And, maybe it made Rocky catatonic to illustrate a scene in the round. But, the result is outstanding! Puzzleballs are fun to put together; find this one hitting the shelves of your favorite toy store this month.

Sand and Sea Puzzleball

Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much of life. So aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something."
~ Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and author (1817-1862)

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

Forty-three years ago (almost to the day), my mother bought a home in Simpsonville, SC. It wasn't easy. She was a single mother with two kids and no one would give her a loan. She was denied a loan because she was divorced, not because her RN job wasn't enough to pay the mortgage. Finally, a small bank gave her a mortgage. She was fiercely proud of her home. When she sold the house in 2007 to move into assisted living, I expected the move to be emotionally traumatic for her, and for me, too. However, we both packed it up and moved on without shedding a tear. We spoke about it often, how there was a peace about the move, not sadness, something difficult for either of us to explain. By crazy chance and because of numerous odd circumstances, my husband and I discovered the house was for sale again by owner when we were in SC for Mom's service. We decided to buy it and we closed on Friday! We will be there part-time until I get a SC job but having a home will make the transition so much easier!


Who says you can't go home? Bon Jovi

Eastview mid-70s.

Eastview today.

If you would like a more detailed version of this story, you may visit my private blog about the journey to scatter my Mom's ashes in all 50 states www.wishesforashes.com. It is important to note that if we hadn't made the decision in February to relocate, Eastview on the market would not have tempted us to make that decision. In fact, if we hadn't already looked at real estate all over Greenville and decided exactly what we wanted and needed, we might not have even considered it to be appropriate for us.