I would hate to come across as bitter but some of the skins that did make the finals were not up to spec. One of the skins- Creeper Herobrine violated the "original monsters" rules. Another- The vacation Duck was not even monster-ish. I don't understand the criteria for the judging contest but I imagine following the rules and keeping the theme helps or would at least be necessary to get into the finals. I think that my entry although it lacked a backstory, was better than some (a few) of the finalists. I understand this doesn't help but it may comfort you to know that you are not the only one with concerns.
-Jack_0_1