Didn't enter for a FREE RIDE......

[Nicole Ohme]

Please move this thread if you think it should go elseware!

I recently entered my first competition in the open and print catagories.
I was shocked and proud to find out that I won both!!!! How exciting!
About to do the AWESOMEDANCE until........... I found out that NO ONE ELSE entered. :mmph:

I'm torn with the results. I entered to compete and earn the chance to go to Vegas. NOt to get the go ahead and hall pass. I feel like I could have entered the 1980's Kincade from my Grandma's basement and won.........

Is there a way that the chapters can track who is entering before the actual competition? I wouldn't have entered if there was no one to compete against and it feels wrong to send them on to Vegas.

 

[Gregory K. Norris CPF]

The judging standards are the same, regardless of the number of entries. Be proud, it would not have been a first unless it met the standards.

 

[Cliff Wilson MCPF]

Well, not really Greg. Nic has it right. One entry means first place even if it get's zero points.

But, I wouldn't let that stop you from entering in Vegas. Just because you were the only one doesn't mean it isn't kicka$$!

If you want to talk about it, call me, or talk to Andy or Mikki.

You have a Blue ribbon. Make sure you display it in the shop. It will impress. You don't have to explain any more than that you got first place.
Whether to send it on to Vegas is a different consideration, but I certainly wouldn't "feel bad" about it.

 

[Nicole Ohme]

I'm sure they still have to judge whatever comes in....... and I'm sure someone will throw some bylaw facts at me on how each chapter has to have a competition............

What I'm saying......... is that it feels like an empty win.
The whole point in entering is competition....... and there wasn't one.

My question is..... can and with the competiton board suggest a precount of entries.. per chapter?
I'm sure theres a way to tell how many print pieces are sold.

 

[Nicole Ohme]

Well, not really Greg. Nic has it right. One entry means first place even if it get's zero points.

But, I wouldn't let that stop you from entering in Vegas. Just because you were the only one doesn't mean it isn't kicka$$!

If you want to talk about it, call me, or talk to Andy or Mikki.

You have a Blue ribbon. Make sure you display it in the shop. It will impress. You don't have to explain any more than that you got first place.
Whether to send it on to Vegas is a different consideration, but I certainly wouldn't "feel bad" about it.

Oh Papa Framer...... we posted at the same time. I'm having super mixed emotions about this.

 

[Cliff Wilson MCPF]

I'm sure they still have to judge whatever comes in....... and I'm sure someone will throw some bylaw facts at me on how each chapter has to have a competition............

What I'm saying......... is that it feels like an empty win.
The whole point in entering is competition....... and there wasn't one.

My question is..... can and with the competiton board suggest a precount of entries.. per chapter?
I'm sure theres a way to tell how many print pieces are sold.

A chapter can tell how many PRINT pieces are sold, but that doesn't actually tell you how many entries you'll have.
Often, some of those that purchase just don't get to finishing a piece for one reason or another.
Some chapters allow the pieces to be delivered at the last minute, so you almost don't know how many until the judging starts.

I understand the conflict, but get over it. You entered. You won. Put the ribbon up.

Whether to send it to Vegas is a different discussion that shouldn't have any bearing on how many entries there were at the chapter level.

 

[Randy Parrish CPF]

There is no active chapter, or board or chapter president in Il or Chicago which blows my mind, you would think the possibility for a Midwest power house chapter would be great, but no. Which also means no local prize money either which is shame.

 

[Nicole Ohme]

I understand the conflict, but get over it. You entered. You won. Put the ribbon .

Yah well I'm a pretty bad liar. Not gonna happen.

Would love to hear from others that have "won" this way....

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

Nicole,
Hypothetically speaking, if there were more entries and you are happy with your framing entries, then you could have still won first places.
And if in Las Vegas you win even more prices, then this was because your entry was a good design. Let's see what happens in Vegas, then your first places won at chapter-level will have justified themselves.

It just shows, if you don't enter, you don't win. Be happy that you won. Nobody ever asked about my ribbons hanging in the shop, but customers do notice them.

 

[Cathy Coggins]

Make it more of a ride.

I saw what Nic did, and as always it is kick-bootie. And so understand the "default" win feel.
And think Nic Nic should send on to Vegas as I love her approach to framing, and I also LOVE competition even though I have never entered before this year.
Competition, like much of PPFA is crawling right now, and needs to get up off its knees (like much of PPFA) and I perceive changes being made...but for Nic, ack! How blase for her!

-Also feel Competition that National should be more "Project Runway"...I know! Cliff Wilson and Project Runway normally NEVER appear in the same sentence. (Note: Love ya Cliffie)
But when is he frame ever the feature instead of the, well just the frame in the world. Give it some *Boom-tst-tst-tst*

-Another thought from my humble brain: The piece should be selected by a diverse sub-committee. Can be used as a revenue center if say, reps from Tru Vue, Crescent, Larson Juhl, ____(insert supplier) helped select the piece. And have them perhaps help fund the whole sch-meal so they have a say in the piece and a different set of eyes (cooler stuff than...say a rocklayful, then have access to it's use in advertising and marketing, and it being an "award winning shop" means more than to the residents of the town the shop is in. And, and the revenue being adding to the potentially highly estimable competition, could sweeten the prizes in more than just prestige, but moolah. Something more like Tru Vues Champions in Conservation last year. (don't get me wrong Tru Vue, I love free glass, but I wanna go to the Met behind the scenes, as a business owner my business comes first sixteen ways to Sunday, a cool trip takes care of my shops biggest asset...me!)
The thing is, this is one of the most exciting pieces I have done in a while and I am really pushing my skill set, I would love for the companies whose product I am using to have access and benefits to the cool stuff I am doing with their inspiring wares. Everyone wins, benefits, and more are intrigued to compete next year; thus an even bigger kitty and we are all on the same page.

-Did I mention it should be more Project Runway? :smiley_simmons:

My two dollars in Monopoly money, they don't have pennies.

 

[Gregory K. Norris CPF]

Wait a minute...Cliff, are you saying that an entry doesn't have to meet any standards to place? Oh my, I need to be re-educated.

Still, it doesn't matter, Nicole. Take the win and be happy about it. Another way of looking at it is that no one else in the chapter managed to complete an entry and get it there.

Like life, there are lots of things in PPFA, and in competitions in particular that are not really fair. There is always a subjective element to judging. But in general, we all play by the same rules. And if the rules brought you a win, it doesn't really matter whether there was one entry or 100. If you have doubts about this, I encourage you to send it to Vegas. That is a much tougher venue. Completely on the other end of the odds.

 

[Cliff Wilson MCPF]

Wait a minute...Cliff, are you saying that an entry doesn't have to meet any standards to place? Oh my, I need to be re-educated. ...

There is a score sheet. Each entry gets scored. Then, the top entry gets first place and so on. The actual score only matters relative to other entries in the competition. There is no "minimum" score. This is a good thing, because it removes the issue of a "tough judge" or an "easy judge," because each judge judges all the entries.

 

[Ellen Collins MCPF]

What I'm saying......... is that it feels like an empty win.
The whole point in entering is competition....... and there wasn't one.

There are two ways to look at this:

It was an 'empty win' or YOU were the only one in your chapter to have the cojones to enter! I go with the cojones.

You still took first place, your piece is worthy of advancing (I was one of the judges; I know) and you should send it on.

FLAUNT that ribbon! You placed first of all entrants in your chapter! I have a couple of blue ribbons from where the turnout was small to none. They look just as blue as the one I took when there were 10 entries.

And, remember, you have been invited to enter your piece in the International Framing Competition!

You are probably thinking, "Yeah, but..." There IS no 'yeah, but'. It's about marketing and spin! Don't you look at the news? It's all about making yours look better than theirs. And you got the blue ribbon that says so!

There was a guy who took first place in International a number of years ago, and he put it in a well-deserved place of honor. The next year he placed well at chapter level, and hung it right up next to the Big Blue. Customers congratulated him on his continuing winning ways.

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

All good and worthy comments.

Compare the situations of winning without competition is being the only framer around for miles. People with art have to come to this shop for framing unless they want to spend money on petrol/ gas. Is this fair competition?
Maybe, but the framer cannot help the fact, that he has no framers nearby. Hope it all makes sense when my fingers hit the keyboard.

 

[Susan Gittlen MCPF]

Congratulations Nicole. Hopefully your three judges wrote great comments for you to get even better next year. Judges put much time into looking at the pieces, so really read their hopefully constructive comments. Better yet, volunteer to be a judge next year to help out your Chapter.

 

[Nicole Ohme]

Congratulations Nicole. Hopefully your three judges wrote great comments for you to get even better next year. Judges put much time into looking at the pieces, so really read their hopefully constructive comments. Better yet, volunteer to be a judge next year to help out your Chapter.

Yah... No thanks.

I'm suggesting that the competition commitee take into consideration some way to for go this so it's at least a fair contest. Or maybe there are others that WANT the free ride.?
I don't know.

I personally entered for me .. To compete against others. I didnt fo this for my customers .

 

[Trevor Yates CPF]

You still took first place, your piece is worthy of advancing (I was one of the judges; I know) and you should send it on.

Nicole, Ellen has given you the highest complement . She certainly knows her stuff.

Congratulations on your win. Go ahead and do your dance.
You have taken the time and effort to submit an entry whereas others haven't. Good on you for committing. Keep in mind that this is the first stage of the competition.

I wish you every success at the finials.

 

[Ellen Collins MCPF]

To EVERYONE who placed and is eligible to enter International:

There was a case a few years ago wherein a second place winner at the chapter level took International Grand Champion.

It has happened....

 

[Cliff Wilson MCPF]

To EVERYONE who placed and is eligible to enter International:

There was a case a few years ago wherein a second place winner at the chapter level took International Grand Champion.

It has happened....

This is a very important point! As much as there has been a strong attempt to make the judging objective, there is still a lot of subjectivity in some of the questions. The difference at the convention can be fractions of a point. Sometime entries that don't even place at the chapter level might have had a chance at the convention.

Nic, if Ellen says you have strong entries. Please believe her.

 

[Robin Gentry MCPF]

Nicole,

It is sad that no one else took the time to or made the effort to enter. The Competition is offered to all members and it is up to them to take advantage of this opportunity. The Competition Board would love ideas on how to boost the numbers of entries. Please pass them along. The chapters are a big part in the promotion of the Competitions and they are asked to encourage the members to enter. Unfortunately, the competition board or the chapter can not make someone enter, so is it fair to cancel a competition due to low turnout? Not really because the one or two people that have entered have put in a lot of hard work and effort to make this piece the best they can. They want to win and go to International. At the International competition you will be in a larger pool of framers and your metal will be tested against people from all over the world. This is where you really want to be.

As Cliff said you never know how many pieces will actually show up for the competition so just because you sell 10 pieces it does not guarantee 10 entries. Sometimes only 1 or 2 will complete the piece and show up for competition. I know there is discussion about competition next year going on and we will see what comes up. Once things are finalized it will be announced.

As Ellen said it is the spin you put on the win. Yes it sucks but now you get to go to the International level and tell people you were able to compete against X number of framers from across the world. Please send your piece. Good Luck.

Robin