Y'all. Earlier this year, I entered a few designs into the Three Cheers! Minted x West Elm's 3rd Art Challenge. It was my first time submitting any work into Minted but my good friend, Ashley Ottinger, suggested I take the leap and submit a few things. I entered a couple of art pieces, a few handlettered designs and a number of photographs from our travels.
By the time the deadline hit, there were 5,220 submissions. [Read that number again if you must.] My immediate thought: Well, there goes that. At least I tried. 'A' for effort and 'A' for putting myself out there. Self-doubt, at its finest, my friends.
A couple of months went by and the email popped up in my inbox. "Challenge Winners."
[Panic Attack]
I started scrolling down then just took the non-anxious way out and hit "ctrl > F > Whitney" (i.e. I searched for my name so that I didn't have to tax myself with not being able to find each entry). And there it was. TWICE!!!
You have no. idea. how stinkin' excited I was when I saw that TWO of my entries won Minted Editors' Picks. Out of 5,220 submissions!!!! [insert dancing around the house, a mixture of full-blown belly laughter and screaming at the top of my lungs and sore arms from 'raising the roof' way too hard.]
Full disclosure: I obviously cannot take full credit for these awards. These are absolutely considered Jitney photos. They were both taken during our travels, during adventures that JD and I were able to share. He probably took the same photos on his iPhone but from a different angle. ;) We seriously need to get that man a camera. He'd win all of the challenges.
One of the entries "Boat & Buoy" was officially launched last night. The other entry "Tidal Pools & Crashing Waves" will launch later this fall. You can purchase the Boat & Buoy print with a frame (take your pick from the lovely ones offered) or unframed from a size of 5" x 7" to 44" x 60".
