Below is her story, in her own words…

As a single mother of three small children it was a really hard decision for me to go back to school. It had been 11 years since I graduated from high school and there I was registering for Summer semester 2008. During that semester I lost my job, and I was faced with the pressures of finding a way to support my family. To get another job literally meant dropping out of school.

I took a leap of faith and chose to stay in school full time and support my family on scholarships alone. In September 2008 I found Brickfish. At first I thought it was as simple as a photography contest and so I submitted several entries on the same campaign. I asked all of my friends and family to vote. I soon realized there was much more to Brickfish than a simple photography contest.

In looking at the top entries I started to figure out what “Viral” meant and I got an idea of what sites other people were posting their entries to. I spent a lot of time building up other networking sites to get my entries out there. In the beginning I spent 6 or 7 hours a day building my networks and getting my entries seen.

When I won a couple of contests I realized that the time and effort put into this site was really paying off. And it continues to do so. Sometimes I will enter up to 8 or 9 contests at the same time, and other times I have not been able to enter any contests at all. When I joined the Army National Guard I was away for six months. It was nice that Brickfish was waiting for me when I got back. Next summer my unit will deploy to Iraq and although I may be away from Brickfish for another nine months, I know it will still be waiting for me.

Since I got started with Brickfish, a lot has changed in my life. Not only did I join the military, but I was fortunate enough to marry the love of my life. It is because of sites like Brickfish that my husband and I have been able to both stay full time students helping support ourselves and our five children.

Although I am proud of my success page (my Brickfish blog celebrating the contests that I have won), I have lost more contests than I have won. The best advice I can give is to enter as many contests as inspire you and don’t get discouraged if you don’t win, there will always be more contests to enter. Since there are usually several winners for each contest, we are able to all support each other at Brickfish, even if we are in the same contest.

I like to check out all of the entries on Brickfish and support my friends by leaving reviews and voting for the entries that I like. Brickfish is a great way to network and make friends that have the same interests and goals that you have.

So enter a few contests, post your entries to as many sites as you can think of, make some friends at Brickfish (the more you vote for others, the more attention your entries will receive), leave some meaningful reviews on other entries, and just sit back, relax and have fun!

Karen, the Purble Lab Creatrix, has written about Corissa’s New York adventure on her blog, PURPLE BLAB. We’re thrilled to present Karen’s blog and Corissa’s Manhattan experience and photos with Purble Lab. Check out The Purple Lab Web site to learn more about their fab beauty products and to read more of Karen’s blog!

Well, Corissa, the grand prize winner and a luvah of the Louboutins, came to New York from Indianapolis with her friend Morgan this past weekend.

This was her entry!

What I loved about it? She really got the spirit of the brand – the inspiration of the red soles, a Varga-type girl, mega-lips, the aspiration of Paris, the high fashion energy wtih a playful edge. And she got her content across the social media like nobody’s business (apparently, she posted on a book swapping forum! Go figure!).

Sharon picked her up from the airport with a hand-made oversized sign (created by Todd) with our logo and their names in hot, sizzling pink. It was love at first hug!

We arranged for the chic Tribeca Smyth Hotel to trick out their room with purple-wrapped Hershey kisses, spread across the bed, adorable patent Coach totes in hot pink (they needed a cute bag for the weekend of fun), my favorite G-string so that they never have panty lines and the color of Huge Lips Skinny Hips to go with it – No Panty Lines (a.k.a. clear).

There was an itinerary, all bound and wrapped in purple, along with a list of my favorite things to do for their down time (the Moma, Deitch Gallery, La Esquina for dindin, Curve for some sick shopping, and more). They texted right away with their appreciation! Well-mannered mid-western girls – gotta love em… and they went to the MOMA! Corissa is an artist. Dying to see her work (Corissa, please send me jpegs!).

Sat morning… our Purple Lab day of inspiration began! First stop: A dance studio for a session to “Love Your Thighs” (coral gloss name) with Veronica Varlow, our fave! With boas and opera length gloves, she taught the girls to work it, own a room, take up space a la Marilyn Monroe with a very hip accentuated walk and hold their handbags in the crook of their arms (flirtier, more glamorous, and purposeful).

How sexy are they? Corissa is on the left, Morgan all the way right.

After an hour of sauntering, smodering, and putting on lip gloss in the most seductive fashion (it’s all about moving slooooowly – “take a year to do it,” Veronica instructed), we left for… dun dun dun… Louboutin (the inspiration for the shade Red Sole and what Corissa’s entry was about). No budget to purchase shoes, but Corissa wore a $1,000 pair of silk petal-embellished 5-inchers like they were her long-lost glass slipper.

The nonstop day brought us to Topshop, the home of the Kate Moss collection – all because of our shade Worship Kate. But we didn’t go into the main store. Oh, we had a VIP room (where all the celebs do their shopping!). We stepped into a ginormous white private budoir-like space (salon style sofas and all). Lunch was served – yummy salads, sandwiches, cupcakes, and cute cookies that said “Sexy Beast” on them (Sharon picked those up from Dean & Deluca next door – at $4 a pop, we could only splurge for two, which Corissa and Morgan happily devoured – sugar was needed!).

They scored – jeans, shoes, dresses, accessories. Kate would be proud. The best part – Shea and Lauren, personal stylists at Topshop, gave the girls look books of the collection and they selected their must-haves and magically, the clothes appeared! It’s good to be a star!

All of us, celebrating their fashion scores!

We jammed into a cab to head for S-Factor (as you know, my favorite exercise and why I have a color called Kitty Poledancer). Barbara, who may just be the fittest, strongest, sexiest, most sensual woman I have ever met (you cannot imagine how she moves on the pole – it is out of Cirque du Soleil… her abs!), taught our private session (which came with purple Hardtail yoga pants for the girls!).

Gotta say – there were naturals. And they loved it. LOVED!

And our last stop was for the color Lychee Martini – dinner at Shang, a trendy restaurant on the Lower East Side where we spotted Michelle Tractenberg!

They have the best Asian fusion food ever. Singapore slaw (too good to even describe – a burst of flavors – peanut, sweet Asian rice vinegar, julianne Asian veggies, peanuts), crispy dumplings, edamame with mustard salt, black cod… and lychee martinis, of course. We toasted to kissing and telling… and also gave the girls two new colors that aren’t out yet!

It was a blast. I miss them already. And I hope they come back to play soon!

Mwah!

Karen

Purple Lab Creatrix

P.S. The whole crews – us Purple Labbies and our winners!

Share Your Bright Holiday Moments by submitting your brightest holiday photos, videos and stories for a chance to win a $10,000 Family Prize Pack and weekly prizes!

Lots of Brickfishers are already in the holiday spirit and we’re dying to see more of your entries. Submit yours today!

Even chickens like to get in on the holiday fun!

An endearing Christmas engagement story by hrcc68.

A gorgeous snow, brought to you by member opera.

We here at Brickfish get a kick out of any picture of screaming children on Santa's lap.

Holiday Photo Fiasco. Whether awkward, funny, or just plain strange, we want to see your priceless holiday pics. From kids crying on Santa’s lap, grandma dancing the jig on New Year’s Eve, siblings ruining your birthday party to that crazy relative at Thanksgiving dinner. We don’t care which holiday you share, just as long as the photo is funny, awkward or just plain strange. Your Holiday Photo Fiasco could net you $500 cash or scholarship!

Back by popular demand: Show Us Your Best Facial Feature – Part 2! Do you have big beautiful eyes, a fabulous smile or to die for dimples? Submit your photo and we could put a smile on your face with a Grand Prize of $600 cash or scholarship! There are seven chances to win cash prizes, so put your best feature forward and enter now!

Beauty mavens and fashionistas, your fashion style is about to get you rewarded. Simply create an entry in the Makeover Your Makeup Bag or How Does Priscilla of Boston Inspire You? campaigns and you could be the weekly winner of $250 cash or scholarship! If creating isn’t your thing, you could still win just for participating! Share, review or vote for any entry in the Makeover Your Makeup Bag or How Does Priscilla of Boston Inspire You? campaigns and you could be the weekly winner of $150 cash or scholarship.

Grand Prize Winner, Hair Tip Guru, and Conair Guest Blogger Beth lives by one simple rule: CONFIDENCE. She says, “No matter what hairstyle you rock, no matter the length, or the color, go out there with confidence. Walk into a room like you own it, like you are having the best hairday of your life, and that’s what will resonate with the world. And if you cut your hair, and you’re not sure how you feel, FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!!!!”

A breast cancer survivor, Beth wakes up every day feeling grateful “for this long, healthy head of hair that I have been blessed with since beating cancer. The longer my hair has grown, the further away I know I am from cancer. It’s incredible to think about my five year journey…bald and back…in sickness and health. I’m so fortunate to wake up every day and just live my life to the fullest with reckless abandon, love in my heart, a passion for everything life has to offer next.” To read more about Beth’s story, check out her posts for The Conair Blog at http://conair.com/conair_blog.php.

Most Viral Winner Nancy won a bevy of Conair products. She recommends, “Get yourself one of the hair curlers! It is the most amazing Conair product and I pretty much use it daily. I really wish I had curly hair. People always ask me how I curl my hair so I assume I’m doing something right and I’d like to share my secret! If you take some of your hair and wrap it around the barrel – as if you were winding ribbon around a tube – then hold it for about 30 seconds to a minute and unwind it, you get fabulous, pretty waves (think Taylor Swift with a smaller sized barrel or Victoria’s Secret for a larger barrel). I usually set it with a little hair spray or scrunch in mousse if I have the time.”

Nancy only entered the How Do You Reel It In? campaign one week before it closed, proving that no matter how late you get in the game, you still have a chance to win! When asked for tips for her fellow Brickfishers, Nancy said, “You can’t expect for people to magically vote for your entries, you have to put in the effort and spread the word about your campaign, especially if you’re shooting for most viral. I only started my campaign a week or so before it was closed and spent a lot of my time posting my entry and voting for others as well.”

Honorable Mention Winner Lauren received the Infiniti Cord-Keeper™ hairdryer. She is growing out her hair and plans to donate it to the charity Locks of Love. She says, “I am still growing out my hair for Locks of Love and appreciate the kindness of Conair by sending this to me and helping me keep my hair healthy. Most hairdryers dry out your hair and this hairdryer is wonderful and definitely doesn’t damage or dry out my hair.”

A generous young woman who is giving away her beautiful blonde locks, Lauren says, “Just take care of your hair. In some circumstances, people may not have any. Be appreciative of what you have and treasure it.”

Whether you provide 5-star accommodations or a sheet on the floor, we’re dying to hear your stories – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Good or bad, your story could make you a winner. Tell us whether your “Overnight Guest Rating” is “Smart” or “Not So Smart” by submitting a photo, video or blog describing your success story (or tragic tale) – or even provide a tip or two for creating a relaxing guest setting. You could win free airfare and a new Smart Settings™ AeroBed® and claim status as the favorite “home away from home” for your family and friends.

We’ve received tons of savvy, not-so-savvy, and hilarious entries so far – accommodations ranging from a tent to the cozy oversized living room couch. Check out some of these awesome, hand-picked entries and get started on your own today!

ma04santos moved to the truck's trunk when there wasn’t enough room on his camping trip – smart!

We think simplyaddictive’s treadmill turned bed is actually quite a smart sleeping arrangement – very versatile!

justina92 demonstrates how to fit 7 girls into 1 bed

]]> http://communityblog.brickfish.com/communityblog/?feed=rss2&p=1833 0 http://communityblog.brickfish.com/communityblog/?p=1772 http://communityblog.brickfish.com/communityblog/?p=1772#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:03:31 +0000 brickfish http://communityblog.brickfish.com/communityblog/?p=1772 Webster’s Dictionary does not formally define a “photo crasher” so we’ll go ahead a do our own definition:

Photo Crasher [foh-to krash-er] noun, verb, photo crashing, photo crashed

- noun

1. a person or animal that “crashes” your photo.

- noun use

2. That idiot boytoy of yours jumped in our group sorority shot and ruined our adorable photo by making a silly face. Talk about a photo crasher!

- verb use

3. Why is that weird kid photo crashing our awesome pic at Disneyland?

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, the best way to explain is to simply show. The most famous photo crasher perhaps is the Squirrel Crasher, who crashed one couple’s vacation photo. He caused such a Web sensation that he was featured on the Today Show and National Geographic!

We were so tickled by this Web phenomenon that we’ve launched our own Photo Crashers campaign. Submit your pic that was the victim of a photo crasher and you could win $400 cash or scholarship. Lots of Brickfish members have already submitted their Photo Crasher photos, so enter yours today!

This elephant not only crashes the photo, he gets a little touchy.

Is that a ghost? No, it's a photo crasher!

Wedding Waiter Photo Crasher

Squirrel Crasher photo courtesy of Squirrel Crasher Photos, http://www.squirrelcrasher.com.

Brooke’s Story

I came across Brickfish last year as I was searching for scholarships online.  It looked like a fantastic site and a great opportunity, so I jumped right in with my first entry.  I posted a photo of myself with a short description and voted for myself.  However, my participation stopped there.  My entry never moved up, and I didn’t think much about it until the end of the contest when I checked out the campaign and noted that winners had been chosen, and that I was not one of them.  At that point, I wanted to know what it took to win, so I began to look further into the website.  I read articles, the FAQ section, and entered a new campaign with new hope.

However, as I began to learn what it meant to have a “viral” entry and began to communicate with the great people on Brickfish, I found that the site is less about the campaigns and more about a community of people working toward similar goals and finding their voice within the issues and products around us.  I have made a lot of great new friends on Brickfish, have won some awesome prizes and love being an active part of the community. It is not only about great prizes and fabulous opportunities; it is about becoming a part of something larger than you. 

Brooke’s Top 5 Tips for Brickfish Success

•    Participate in campaigns that are meaningful to YOU!
•    Be creative with your entries, express yourself!
•    Be an active part of the community- make new friends- it’s fun!
•    Post entries on other websites that you have, get your friends and family to support you!
•    Above all, work hard and be nice!

Thank you, Brooke, for all of your positive participation on the site.  We really appreciate our members, and are always excited to spotlight them.  For your chance in the limelight, be an active force in the Brickfish community. Be positive, write thoughtful reviews, submit entries, and most of all – be yourself!

Beth, the Grand Prize winner for Conair’s How Do You Reel It In? campaign, has won the awesome honor of guest-blogging on The Conair Blog on Conair.com. Diagnosed at age 26 with breast cancer, Beth lost all of her hair, which was always a defining factor for her in her life. Beth fought and survived and five years later, she is cancer-free and her hair is back – stronger and healthier than ever. Beth is the guest blogger for The Conair Blog for the month of October, where she will share her story, critique products and provide hairstyling tips. We’ve published her first blog post here on the Brickfish Community Blog. To read more, visit The Conair Blog at http://conair.com/conair_blog.php. Thank you, Beth, for sharing your inspiring story. We can’t wait to read more!

My Hair Story
October 6th, 2009

October used to be my FUN month. My birthday always falls on Columbus day weekend, and choosing a Halloween costume that always outdid what I wore the year before occupied most of my time. Of course, I would shop in stores and see some pink products that donated money to different breast cancer charities, but I never really paid it much attention. Why would I? I was 26 and in the prime of my life. I had long, luscious, curly locks that were my trademark…literally. One summer when I was thirteen I cut my hair, and I guess word got around, and I got a barrage of letters from friends telling me my life was over because I had chopped off all my hair. I never cut it drastically again.

I had a great body, and great breasts. And never for a single moment thought my world was about to be shattered when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I cut my hair to a bob length, to try to prepare myself for chemo. Then I cut it to a G.I. Jane length, and though I would let the chemo take care of the rest. Boy was I stupid. The day the little hair that I had left started to fall out, was as devastating as the day they told me I had cancer.

Still, I pressed forward. And with every passing year, I reclaimed my life after cancer. My hair growth was a huge part of every milestone.
My first hair cut (I ran out crying, and thinking the guy just set me back three months), my first pony tail holder (although I couldn’t get all the hair into the pony tail without bobby pins) the first time I saw my curls start to come back (and I had to go through that TERRIBLE, awkward short curly hair helmet phase), and of course, the first time my hair passed my ears, then my chin, and brushed my shoulders.

A few weeks ago I celebrated five years since being diagnosed with breast cancer. My hair is healthy and strong, as are my body and spirit. And while I am grateful for having hair, I still have the same good and bad hair days as every other girl out there. I’ve been bald and back. I’ve rocked every shade of hair color from blond to black and all the reds in between. And now, I’m here to tell you all about it. There isn’t a product out there that I haven’t tried, a hairstyle I haven’t attempted to pull off, and what better to do with all of the hair knowledge that has been bestowed upon me, then to share it with incredible, fun, fearless females like myself. So stay tuned ladies…because the doctor is in. First on the agenda, EVERYTHING CURLS!!! Inside scoop soon to come. Hubert De Givenchy once said, “Hair style is the final tip off whether or not a woman really knows herself.”

Let’s find ourselves and our best hair together…

To read more of Beth’s blog posts, visit http://conair.com/conair_blog.php.

Creator Sweeps Winners
daydreamer27
breezy_bree2010
angel0cummins
justgirl22

Voter/Reviewer/Sharer Sweeps Winners
PinkyWhite01
jacquelyn_x
lisabreitling
akshu

These lucky 8 won some easy cash for school. Want to try your hand at some mad money? Check out our Fashion Your Passion Sweepstakes. You could be the weekly winner of $250!