Written by Amy Schroeder
We’ve already plunged wholeheartedly into the new year, but we believe in taking time to reflect on what made 2018 truly momentous. Thank you for helping to make Minted’s 10th anniversary year one for the books. And thank you to the Minted artists who shared their anonymous feedback in the Most Memorable Minted Moments poll. Here’s a look back (in no particular order) at some of the noteworthy events, product launches, and surprises that stood out in the minds of Minted artists around the world.
Possible tie: Camp Minted and surprising Petra Kern

August 7, 2018: Petra Kern was nearly speechless in the moments after Minted Founder and CEO Mariam Naficy presented the award for winning top prize in Minted’s What a Bright Time Holiday Photo Card Challenge.
We’re not sure which event was more memorable: Camp Minted or when Minted Founder and CEO Mariam Naficy surprised Petra Kern during Camp Minted. Toward the end of the live-broadcast community awards dinner ceremony, Mariam approached table 14, holding an oversized check facing inward to hide the name on the payable line. “I think you’re probably realizing,” Mariam said. “I am holding a $10,000 check. Right, Elvis? I’m here to award the 2018 Holiday Card Challenge winner. … My heart is pounding. I’m very nervous. I’m going to approach… and the winner is: Petra Kern.”
WATCH A VIDEO OF THE PETRA KERN SURPRISE >>
As the largest “Mintie meetup” to date, nearly 200 Minted artists traveled from around the world to attend the Las Vegas retreat, August 6–8. With a series of insightful panels, design workshops, and creative meetings of the mind, many attendees viewed Camp Minted as an action-packed way to celebrate Minted’s 10-year anniversary.
“Camp Minted was life-changing,” writes a Minted artist anonymously in the Minted Moments poll. “I’d built some relationships virtually prior to that, but getting to real-life connect with these amazing people was invaluable.”

Minted Founder and CEO Mariam Naficy hugs Petra Kern, the first-place winner of Minted’s Holiday Photo Card Challenge.

Minted artists at Camp Minted from left: Susan Asbill, Stacey Meacham, Karidy Walker, and Heather Francisco.
More about Camp Minted >>
“Nearly 200 artists lit a ‘collective fire’ at Camp Minted’”
“How a Slovenian former journalist won top prize in Minted’s 2018 Holiday Photo Card Challenge”
“Minted’s 10th anniversary community awards recognize artist leadership”
Moving to monthly commission payments was a Very. Big. Deal.
We’ve interpreted the “amazeballs” and “heck yeah!” gifs that artists posted on the Community Facebook Group to represent Minted artists’ happiness about the transition from quarterly to monthly commission payments. In 2018, we also began delivering artist commission reports in Excel and implemented Payoneer, a new payment platform for processing artist payments and tax forms. “Monthly payments are EVERYTHING,” writes an anonymous Minted artist in the Most Memorable Minted Moments poll. “I can’t believe we got by on quarterly ones before. It’s been by far one of the very best changes to the Minted model in the last year!”
Hitting the bullseye with the Minted + Target partnership
“BIG NEWS!! Two of my greeting card designs are now being sold at Target. #dreamsdocometrue” writes Minted artist Jennifer Pace Duran on her Twitter and Instagram.
When Minted made its Target debut with everyday greeting cards in fall 2017, we were excited about entering a whole new product category. Target guests were just as delighted with Minted’s new line of cards as the Minted artists whose designs were displayed at one of the world’s most recognized retailers. Armed with our learnings from the kickoff, in 2018 Minted expanded its Target partnership with Mother’s Day greeting cards, followed by the rollout of 49 holiday products, including 16 sets of boxed holiday cards, single greeting cards and holiday gift packaging items.
One anonymous artist commented in the Minted Moments poll that Minted Greeting Cards Challenges have given her a fresh new perspective on her designs. ”It’s been amazing to see how diverse Minted has become and how they’ve opened so many more doors for me as an artist,” she writes.
Melanie Mikecz’s “Multicultural Santas” design made a positive impression in Target stores and on this Scary Mommy writer.
Read more about Minted x Target >>
“’Tis the season for Minted at Target: Artists celebrate rollout of Minted holiday cards and gift packaging“
MORE AFTER THE
JUMP...