I am so excited to announce something I’ve been holding in as a secret for a few months - that I’m a judge for The Etsy Design Awards (aka The Etsies)! This is Etsy’s first-ever global award program which honors the work of sellers from around the world and across multiple categories. Submit your favorite piece – handcrafted, designed or vintage – for a chance to win $15,000 USD, a dazzling Etsie trophy, and more.

The Awards will highlight the highest quality items found on Etsy and celebrate the talented people behind the winning products. With the help of a panel of 7 celebrity judges - including me, Garance Doré and Sophie Robinson, among others, one Etsy seller will be crowned the Etsy Design Award Grand Prize Winner, while five others will be named Etsy Design Award Winners in each featured category.

The categories are:

• Inventive Decor (Furniture, home decor and accessories, kitchen & dining, art & illustrations)

• Signature Style (Clothing, fashion accessories, Jewellery, bags & purses, shoes, swimwear)

• Festive Celebrations (Wedding attire, wedding jewellery & accessories, decorations & party supplies, Invitations, paper goods)

• Earth-Friendly (Items made using sustainably produced materials, items made using sustainable processes, products that encourage sustainable habits & lifestyle, items that are recyclable or biodegradable)

• Creative Collaborations (Any handmade or upcycled item that contains a personalized, customized or made-to-order element)

To qualify for entry, you must meet the following criteria:

• Your shop is not on holiday mode, and won’t be for the duration of the campaign.

• Your shop has at least 5 listings.

• Your submitted item has at least 5 photos.

• You are the owner of the shop and are submitting yourself (please do not enter on another shop’s behalf).

• You are only submitting one entry per shop.

• Your shop and items comply with Etsy Guidelines and Etsy Seller Guidelines.

• If your item is vintage or one-of-a-kind, we require that you put this item on hold from the time you enter until finalists are announced in August. If your vintage or one-of-a-kind item sells during this period, your submission becomes void.

• Sellers in the following countries may enter: United States, District of Columbia, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN until 28th May 2019, at 11:59 pm ET (29th May at 4.59 am UK time). Finalists will be notified no later than 1st August 2019 and winners will be announced in September 2019.

Etsy will narrow down all the applicants to a maximum of 175 total finalists across the five categories. After the initial review, the Etsy Design Awards judging panel (my job along with the others!) will be reviewing and selecting finalists to determine the five Category Winners and the Grand Prize Winner.

I wish all of you lots of luck, I’m so happy to be part of this wonderful competition!

#TheEtsies

(This post is sponsored by Etsy.)