It wasn't hard to follow the Yellow Brick Road to Oz with Ruth Spiekerman's entry. The detail work on its many surfaces and attention put into every scene and reference showed Ruth's passion for her art. When Stuart first entered the room, he was immediately drawn to the piece. Due to the popularity among employees, Yellow Brick Road to Oz became the clear Employee's Choice award winner.

Chris called it, "Unbelievably different with such a wonderful theme"--the employees agreed!

Mariana Vasileva knows how to warm things up, and her The Hot Dragon could not be cooled off. Its punky, sharp and bold style choices were outstanding and left an energy in the room that wouldn't be denied. It was for this reason that The Hot Dragon was the winner of the Trendsetter award!

Chris has this to say about it: "It is trendy and wearable as is."

Shoko Kimura took the judges on a voyage with her piece, but it was Stuart who fell in love with her design. While there were so many wonderful pieces, he found this one particularly superb and he couldn't stop smiling as he marked this as the winner of the President's Award.

When Stuart was asked why he loved the piece so much he said with a laugh, "It's dynamic."

Sometimes art refuses any category other than its own, which is why AtypicaLab di Cristina Patratanu's piece Wind of Spring is the winner of the Whimsy Award! The color used on the piece itself kept drawing judges, Chris and Stuart back again and again for another look.

Not only did it shine for the different techniques used in its creation, but as Chris said, "Everybody loves butterflies!"

Drawing inspiration from your surroundings is easy for art. What is difficult is creating a piece of art that in turn inspires others! Cathe Campbell rose to the challenge and her Native Spirits, which embodies her experiences with Pacific Northwest culture, is walking away with the Pacific Northwest Inspiration Award.

Chris was impressed by the quality of the necklace and said that it "Captured the spirit of the Pacific Northwest perfectly."

When it comes to sculptures, Gui-Ja Yang has a few things to teach people. Her piece, Weeping Willow and Pansies, is such a wonderful snapshot of still life that masks so much detail. Each leaf on the willow tree is made of seed beads! There is so much detail in this sculpture the judges could not think of any other award to give it than the Spectacular Sculpture award!

Chris gushed over it, saying that it was "so darling."

Employee Choice Award winners, Golden Ratio in Ruby and Venusian Green, were two three-dimensional pendant necklace designs created by Gabriel Starchild that caused all the judges to pause and thoroughly examine them. In his explanation of what inspired the pieces, Mark said, "It is my intent to blend science and fantasy into a singular aesthetic design to make something magical. I try to merge complex three-dimensional shapes with an other-worldly aesthetic." This was achieved in spades. The intricate pendants draw in your eyes with a look that appears as though they have both ancient and futuristic qualities, not to mention beautiful craftsmanship!

"Wow," exclaimed Chris Freedman. "That's amazing."

When Chris asked Stuart which piece he wanted to bestow with the President's Award, he walked right over to All Geared Up by Betty Neve. There was so much to look at. "I am always inspired by the intricate colours, sizes and shapes of cogs and gears so tried to incorporate these in my design," said Betty regarding what inspired her piece. The design certainly got the judges' gears going!

"Oh my!" "Ingenious," Chris Freedman declared.

Jewelry designer Rachel Livingston wanted to create her own chainmaille weave and add glass beads that complemented the design. This distinct combination was beautifully achieved in Geometry of Elegance, a choker-style necklace with a graceful shape. Winner of the Trendsetter Award, the design capitalizes on the appeal of geometric shapes in jewelry while looking both fierce in its metal construction and feminine in its tapered silhouette.

"That's very pretty," remarked Chris Freedman. "Fun."

Stuart was in awe of all of the different entries into the contest, but this one in particular struck his attention. The Indian Wedding Necklace by Shenna Lehmer drew his eye with the bold, vibrant colors. Inspired by the wedding necklaces that she had seen online, her use of pearls and crystals really captured every stunning detail. That is why Stuart awarded this design with the President's Award.

Get a boost of confidence with this Trendsetter Award-winning piece Queen of Hearts by Ekaterina Uskova. She said that the piece fills her with confidence with the large gemstones and bold colors, and after our designers looked at it they agreed! One designer said that Ekaterina "finished the back exceptionally well for detail and quality" while Chris said that it was "So fun, so unique looking, I absolutely love this piece."

When it came time to pick the Employee's Choice, Kristina Joseph really captured everyone's attention with her Snap Judgement. Drawing inspiration from comic book culture, she not only created a beautiful piece, but also a fun nod to pop culture that shows you can find inspiration anywhere for your art. Between the detail that went into it (it's extremely customizable!) and the stunning quality, everyone had fun with this piece including Chris, who said with a laugh: "I want to have the gauntlet and stones in real life! I'd never have to commute to work again!"

For Sheila Christie, Greece and the Pacific northwest meet into one piece. Icarus Falls, The Phoenix Rises draws from the warning of hubris for Icarus, told not to fly too close to the sun or else his wings would melt, and the power of the bird of fire. As Icarus' wings melt away, the flames reinvigorate the phoenix, allowing it to take flight. This style of necklace, the use of feathers and the warning draws many parallels with the stories of the trickster Raven for many indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest.

"Just wonderful and fun, like all art should be" is what Chris had to say about the White Swan by Glitzystones&beads. She drew her inspiration from watching a swan swim its way gracefully over the surface of a lake, drawing parallels with the famous ballet Swan Lake. It was a whimsical piece that made everyone laugh with joy, earning it the Whimsey Award.

Nichole Joy White took the judges, and Chris specifically, on a journey with her incredibly detailed I Come to the Garden piece. Combining beautiful attention to details and just the sheer amount of work that went into the creation of this necklace and the stand itself that it sits on, Nichole told a compelling and beautiful story. It quickly became a favorite of employees and that is why it was awarded the Employee Choice.

Chris said, "It reminds me of when I had to sing this song for the first time in front of a crowd and how nervous I was! I froze up as soon as I started to sing (laugh)."

Drifting Dragon, sent in by Laura Burlis as well, was enjoyed by the judges for just how large and colorful it was. Laura put plenty of work into this piece, turning this giant piece of driftwood into a wonderful design, earning the President's Award.

Chris said of this with a smile, "It's over the top fun!"

While some might say that winter has come, for Stephanie J. Eddy there is never enough protection for what may be lurking in the frozen nights. Her Trendsetter piece, entitled Winter is Coming: Heart of Thorns, shows that fashion doesn't have to be dainty and can instead be something a warrior might wear.

Chris was impressed by Stephanie's submission, saying, "I love this. It's trendy".