prize packets sent!

As part of the prize packet for the YourPets finalists, we are sending each person their own "flat" from the production work we did to turn their design into a real live card. We stamped them, signed them and sent them off to the Finalists with their prize money just the other day.

We think the flats are pretty fun to see. And really, are one-of-a-kind. Anyone in the country will be able to buy one of the Finalists' cards once they're printed, but only the Finalists themselves will have a copy of their pre-production flat.

If it were me who won, I'd frame it and smile each time I (or my pet) saw it. But then again, I'm a sucker for things like this.

Guess that's why I work here.

Judgy

Ranking the Funny

One "Bowling Alley". Three Judges. Lots and lots of funny card ideas.
The mission? Pick 50 ideas and rank them in order of funny.
It's a tough job, but hey...you're worth it.

Rats.

The contest is now closed.
You are late. We are sad.

Sit tight. Juding is starting.
Voting will be next.

And maybe a surprise or two.

(Hint hint - check out the Pets
page today.)

Have you shared your Funny yet? Hmmmmm???

Lately we're thinking a lot about "funny" and about how we know there are more of you out there who have a just-for-the-heck-uv-it hilarious card ideas out there.

(Did you funny people know that our deadline is THIS Sunday? Get cracking, procrastinators. The clock is ticking.) (Hear it?)

Go. Now. Inject some of your own brand of funniness into this world.

You know it'd be fun to share your funny. Think about it.

Judgy

Funny or No?

So, we judges have started digging in to your submissions and are *usually* laughing when we should. The humor nut is a tough one to crack, that's for sure (ask any of our veteran Shoebox writers or artists who have their own personal, very large collections of "no's"). (Actually, they did a whole chapter on that in their book last year and go on and on about it on their blog.)

And serious about humor though we may be, there was at least once when we couldn't help but lose it because of your funnyness. Hilarious. Thank you.

If you have been waiting until the last minute to submit your funny, just remember to restrict that funny to "just for fun" card ideas -- that means no birthdays and no holidays, just a joke ready to send in a card for a laugh.

You've just got until the end of this week, until SUNDAY night 11:59 CST to be exact, to submit YourFunny*ness to us.

Enjoy the funny. Be the funny. Live the funny.

(Good luck! We hope you win.)

Flats & Funny

How does a finalist card idea become a real card in the store? Anyone curious?

Before we even think of sending anything to print, everything we create must go through rounds of proofreading and be put into a fancy computer design program that makes sure it'll all look good once the ink hits the paper at our factory.

What you see over there on the right is a "flat"... all of the YourPets finalist designs should be through this process by the end of the day today, ready to be shipped off to print!

Speaking of printing, if YOU want an idea of yours to be printed (with your face and story on the back) (and sold in stores all around the country), join in the YourFunny*ness competition. (Funny Cards sent for no reason - just to make someone laugh.)

There are only nine days left! Have a funny photo? A funny drawing? A funny joke you can make into a card? (My mom was on one years ago and I can tell you that it was a big deal for her, for me and for everyone we know.)

Hurry up and GET FUNNY. (It's fun to be funny.) (And good for you, too.)

Are you smarter than a YourPets Blogger?

Try your brain at these trivia questions and see.

1. Photos of how many different species were entered in the contest?
a) 10 b) 12 c) 16 d) 20

Correct answer: a. While there were only ten different species, you all get diversity points for the bizarre breeds and hybrids!


2. Which one of these non-dog and non-cat species was NOT entered in the contest?
___Rabbit
___Turtle
___Horse
___Pig
___Hamster
___Boa Constrictor
___Chinchilla
___Guinea Pig
___Parrot

Correct answer: Boa constrictor. Though we hear they can be verrry snuggly. (All those other critters came to play!)


3. What is the age of our most senior human contender?
a) 74 years old b) 85 years old c) 93 years old d) 101 years old

Correct answer: c. Props to her! She rocks!


4. Why aren't there any monkey cards?

Correct answer: You tell us. We don't know.


5. Which of these farm animals is among the finalists?
a) Rooster b) Pig c) Lamb d) Llama

Correct answer: b. And oinks for playing!

Blogden Nash