As the year comes to an end, it is natural that we look ahead to the next one. January is usually a time to start fresh. Many of us make resolutions -- promising ourselves to be more organized, become more fit or whatever self-improvement we want to work on. In the stone and tile industry, as well as the design community, the beginning of the year is also the time when many design competitions take place. As the editor of Stone World, Contemporary Stone & Tile Design and TILE Magazine, I have received press releases for several competitions lately.
I know as the end of the year draws near, people start to feel rushed with the holidays approaching, and they want to wrap projects up at work. Taking the time to fill out submission forms might fall last on the priority list, but it is really worth the effort. After all the dedication that was put into bringing a design to fruition, it would be nice to receive recognition for it. And many of these contests offer some enticing prizes.