Critique: Cover Comp Simplicity

Here are my covers from the Simplicity competition. I didn't put them up last week when I was working on them, and figured I could put them up now. I hope I can get some more feedback on them since the second critique for them was pushed back a few weeks. I don't know which one I will try and redo since I didn't receive a ton of feedback on any single one.
I think the one the the editors and Jan liked the most was the cover with all the lines. They really liked the concept or idea of this cover, but since it is a photo feature they felt it wasn't complete enough to be the cover.
I really like the one with the wine glass because it is such a great picture and just looks really clean, crisp and simple, but the editors felt that it might confuse the readers and make then think that the story is about a restaurant or drinking. I can understand where the editors are coming from, but I just really like the picture.
The last cover is one where I edited the photograph heavily. I made the picture black and white and then used a paint brush to blur out the entire background. I wanted to show the woman separated from her environment. Since the story was about simplicity, I feel it expressed her separating herself from the chaotic and hectic life of today's society. She is surrounding herself with simplicity. That is what I was trying to convey with the cover at least. I feel like I might have slightly missed my mark or the editors were just not super thrilled to see the heavy photo edit.

Here are my original covers:

My art director suggested trying to incorporate the idea of the lines into the cover with the women but leave the photo in color. I am not sure how to combine these two photos and will most likely just have to spend this weekend messing around with ideas and hope that I hit a stroke of genius. I have time to work on it since the redesigns are not due for another week or two. 

I also have the choice of trying to design a complete new concept for a second feature we are running in this issue. It is about a pitcher for Mizzou's softball team. I think that I will at least try to come up with one idea so that the editors will have more than one option to chose from. 

I hope I can get a little feedback from all your designers I am open for ideas or critiques. I know you all have talent, so share a little with me.

I am also going need to redesign my magazine concept for the prototype magazine we are showing the publishing class next Wednesday.