As the world has grown smaller this past year, the power of our imaginations to send us anywhere and imagine new things feels more vital and enriching than ever before. For Forivor, running competitions isn't about trying to sell our bedding, it's a way for us to connect with kids. We think a lot about what children will get out of our bedding and it drives a lot of the ideas and creativity behind our collections - being able to see their imaginations at work is something truly special.
When we launched the Mythical Creature Competition we had no doubt that the entries were gong to be great, indeed we knew that children's finely tuned imaginations could transform just about anything. But the judges, Rebecca and I were truly staggered by the entries, each one bursting with talent, ideas and its own unique style. Our genuine reaction was that they would make perfect Forivor characters for a new collection - but we promise we won't steal any of their ideas!
I think what surprised us was the careful thought that had gone into the creatures' chosen super powers. Anais, whose 'Chamila' entry (pictured above) won in the 8-11 category, was not only selected for it's technical skill but also because her superpower was so brilliant. She has vibrating feathers that have the power to heal trees. Overall there was a wonderful sensitivity to what is going on in the world and this was reflected in the magical powers that the kids had chosen for their mythical creatures.
In the 4-7 category, Lara's beautiful 'Queen Flamingo' won the judges over. Such delicate colour combinations and drawing alongside an incredible superpower to teleport herself (and food) anywhere, including the tallest tree.
A huge thank you to our lovely judges Emma from Mamalina and Kate at Tribe and Us who looked through all the entries to decide on the winners. And the wonderful Scout & Co Kids and The Little Naturalist Club for their brilliant prizes, which we know will be thoroughly enjoyed.