battle cry

A few months ago, a good friend of mine tagged my name to an announcement of a T-shirt design contest hosted by a local T-shirt shop.  All of the designs that the shop sells come from design contests and the shops have become a one-stop shop for fun shirts with witty phrases or creative artwork.  When Ashley told me that I should submit a design for their little tigers contest, I quickly thought, "Why not?"

When I told Joel about it later that night, he urged me to enter something.  "You HAVE to do it. Don't forget."  Throughout the years, I've mentioned other contests that I thought of entering, but always put it off.  So when he heard me talk about this one, he was quite persistent in me following through.

So I decided that since I already had something that I designed a few months earlier, it would take no effort at all to reformat it for submission.

I submitted it the day before the deadline (in true Jenny fashion) and then had to wait.  I learned that just because you submit a design, it doesn't mean that they'll accept it into the design.  When I didn't hear back for a few days, I thought that it didn't meet their specs.  Buuuut then I woke up the next morning and saw an email saying that it was officially in the contest.

So then came the fun part.  I had to share it on facebook.  I hate linking things or sharing things that clog up people's feed.  But since a good chunk of the voting came from likes, I didn't really have a choice.  People were so supportive and it really took me aback to see people's responses (some complete strangers!) and likes as they grew and grew.

I didn't win first, but I came in 4th!  All along, I told Joel that I just wanted to get in the top 5.  So you can imagine my surprise when I saw my design next to the other winners on their blog.

Then came the next email a week later asking if they could buy my design, so they could print it and sell it in their shops!  I was so shocked and excited that I would get to see my design being sold.

This past weekend was when the new shirts came out, so you know we had to go check it out.  When I walked in, it felt so odd to see my idea and design next to several other shirts that I've seen all over the city.  And then I look over to see it on the toddler table.  And then I see it hanging up in a couple different places in the baby area and by the register.  It was everywhere!

I think the best part about it all will be next football season and seeing all my friends who supported me in their shirts or my shirt on their kiddos.  And maybe even a couple of strangers along the .

I never thought that what started out as a simple iron-on transfer onesie would morph into this.  So thank you Ashley for encouraging me to do it and thank you Joel for pushing me to enter and being so proud once it came to fruition.  ;)

Now go buy one!