KathieB Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Sally was generous enough to spend some time chatting with me when she called to tell me I'd won 2nd place in the 2008 Creatin' Contest with my Marie Laveau Creole Cottage. I asked her about the judging process, and she kindly gave permission for me to share it with you. She said that first of all, when entries are received at HBS, the person who opens the envelope assigns an identification number to the entry. The judges never see the name of the entrant until they have made their final selection. She said that they are all curious to find out if the winners are entrants from prior years or new talent. Second, four photos are marked with the ID #. Anything else in the envelope, like the entry form, statement, extra photos, etc., is put into a file folder. I asked if some people sent more than four photos, and she laughed. Yes ... some send binders full of photos! When that happens, the person who opens the entry selects the four photos to be sent to the judges. So, it is really important to send only the four photos that you think represent your project the best, because you'll have no control over what the judges see if you send more. Also, the judges do not see the little blurb you write about the entry, so all of the midnight oil we burned honing our stories does not affect the outcome. She never saw the two pages I sent -- essentially the information and detailed photos from my blog. There is a standard judging form, rating each entry on areas such as imagination, creativity, craftsmanship, etc., on a scale of one to five. Top possible score is 25. (I'm sorry ... there are two other categories, but I don't remember them. This was a very exciting phone call in general!) All of the entries that receive a 25 go to the next level. That's when the judges really scrutinize the photos. In the case of my entry, she said they liked the lush garden with all of the flowers in front, they liked that I left some of the plaster off the side of the house so they could see the construction materials underneath, they liked the overall colors used, and they liked that there were dolls in the scene to give it some life. [Note: I notice that Brandaen used a doll in his 3rd place entry, too. This may be significant. Or maybe not. :lol: ] In the second round, each entry is again scrutinized on the five criteria as to the level of craftsmanship, creativity, etc., until the grand prize winner and the three runners up float to the top. She said that subject matter is not of great concern. She said she's sure that the fact that they chose two Creole/Cajun cottages this year will get them some letters accusing them of bias, but that's just the way the voting fell. Each of the remaining entries that received a rating of 25 is awarded an honorable mention. That's why the number of honorable mentions varies from year to year. So, just as it says on the entry form tips: four clear photos is what it all boils down to. The grand prize winner and three runners up receive phone calls around the end of January or early February. The honorable mention winners will see their entry in the March catalog and on line at miniatures.com (click on Creatin's Contest for links). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thanks for that insight into their judging process. So I guess shoving a box of thin mints in there for the judges would not work??LOL (Just kidding) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor's Mom Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thank you for sharing all this information! One of these days I may get the nerve to enter a contest LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_in_PA Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Hey....Congrats Kathie. We all agree that your work is amazing. Steve in PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thanks for the information. i've never tried to enter the contest but if i decide to do so in the future, this will be helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom of boys Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thank you for sharing the information with us. It will be a great help Someday I might enter one of HBS's contests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eglefther Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Congrats again on winning and thanks for the run down on the judging process. I'm thinking of entering the next contest so this is very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokelly Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Yes, that's very interesting. I've never entered, but it's nice to see how they go about picking winners. I'd love to see those that didn't even make honorable mention. Can you imagine the backlog of photos of all those projects and that eye candy! Someday they're going to pick a kit that I like and get inspired to enter. I had a few ideas for the bus, if they would have picked that, but that gazebo isn't something I really want to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastalinda Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Congratulations. Thanks too, for the info. I too am not interested in a gazebo. My Adams is sitting barely built. Maybe in a few years I will have my act together to enter. Congrats again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intrinsicat Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 It's great hearing how careful they are about making it anonymous (especially when people are sending in books of photos instead of the allotted four!) Smart of them to create a buffer there... It's really nice that they don't take into account past winners! "Well, they've won before, let's give it to someone else" That would just be so wrong. I know they've mentioned that photos sent in become their property. I swear they're sitting on a goldmine. They really could make a killing on a coffee table book of ALL the past winners and honorable mentions... I know I'd buy it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 They did have a booklet of past winners. I think I got one in an order some time ago, but I'm hazy on details. Am fairly certain it has not been updated and don't know if any are still available. Does anyone else know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninky Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 yeah they did send photo's out when they did the primrose I think... Thanks Kathie for this information.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninky Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 yeah they did send photo's out when they did the primrose I think... Thanks Kathie for this information.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THmini2 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thank you for the information. This will come in handy for next time. I would be so excited and I wouldn't even be able to think to ask about all this if I were ever to win! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 I would be so excited and I wouldn't even be able to think to ask about all this if I were ever to win! It was hard to focus, but Sally was very kind ... and I wanted to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 If they don't read the little story that goes with the pictures, why make everyone sweat bullets over making one up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 It's to much work to order from hbs, sigh i would like to build a kit and enter there contest. . . . Maybe one of these years. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokelly Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I have the booklet, too, that they sent out with orders a year or two ago, but it's only winners and honorable mentions through the years. I kept mine in case inspiration struck sometime. I can't wait to see all of this year's winners. The ones from this forum are great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intrinsicat Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Yep - I have the one from two years ago too... I reference it quite often! It has grand and first through third place for every contest up to the travel trailer and then a blank page FOR the travel trailer pictures... But I'm thinking bigger! One with large pics of winners and pics of all honorable mentions. I'd buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyJudi Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Excellent information Kathie. Thanks for letting us know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinee Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Its very interesting knowing the judging process. Thank you for sharing Kathie and congrats on the win! Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I'm in even more awe of the judges being able to make decisions, considering the awesome talent displayed by the winners! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 Holly, Sally said it is a very difficult job. There is a fairly high attrition rate among the judges. (I don't know how many are involved in the actual judging.) With the overall quality of the entries and working from just four little glimpses of each, I shouldn't wonder it is a strain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gina2008 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Interesting information! Thank you for sharing the info. with all of us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfieldzoo Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 I have the booklet with the past winners. Thanks for sharing how the contests are judged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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