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Archive: Contests
October 13, 2009
How-To: Sew a Ruffled Scarf
One day I decided to put away all my deadlines and all my unfinished projects, and to instead design something just for fun, to please only the fiber-artist-fashionista within me. I dug around in a bin of wool sweaters and found a truly hideous gray knit poncho. I plugged in my sewing machine and started playing around with a method that I used in Feltique, where the edge of a knit sweater gets a ruffled edge. It's an easy technique that my friend Alix of Treehouse 28 taught me way back in the day. But I tend to be chronically unsatisfied and wanted even more ruffles. So I gathered the whole thing up on a long black ribbon. It was the perfect touch. I had made myself a scarf that really embodies who I am as a crafter right now. It's got pure drama, ruffles and ribbon, and a versatile look that can be altered on a whim. Plus, the whole thing is made from my current favorite material: recycled wool.
Crafting has major roots in self-expression. And contests are all about challenging yourself. I encourage you to listen to your own inner creative voice, and to really trust your personal design process. Submit your scarf, with a description of how it aligns with your personality, to the Singer Contest: Me, My Scarf, and I. The grand prize is an amazing Singer ProFinish Serger, and I know that's just what you've always wanted!
Read full story
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 13, 2009 12:00 PM
Contests, CRAFT Projects, Sewing |
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Mochimochi Photo Contest
It's the 3rd annual Mochimochi Photo Contest!
Anna writes:
Once again, we're looking for the cutest, funniest, most interesting photo of a Mochimochi Land toy. All you have to do to enter is upload your photo(s) to the Mochimochi Friends group on Flickr by November 16th. Like previous years, winners will receive cute goodies from Japan and gift certificates from Mochimochi Land, PLUS this year they will also get gift certificates from Knit Picks! To be eligible, your photo must contain at least one knitted toy made from a Mochimochi Land pattern. This can either be a pattern from the Mochimochi Shop or one of the free patterns on the Mochimochi Blog.
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 13, 2009 11:00 AM
Amigurumi, Contests, Photography |
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October 12, 2009
Singer Contest: Me, My Scarf, and I
CRAFT and SINGER® present the Me, My Scarf, and I Contest. Fall is upon us, and what better accessory than a scarf! We invite all of our crafty readers to participate and create a sewn scarf that best describes your personality! All entries must have some portion created using a sewing machine.
The Me, My Scarf, and I Contest will run for 6 weeks, and the Prize winners will be announced by Monday, November 30th. Deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. PDT November 23, 2009. Each entry will be judged based on the following criteria: creativity of design, description of how the scarf represents the creator, and the use of a sewing machine in the creation process. Please see Official Rules for more information on the Winner selection.
To submit an entry, simply take a picture of yourself wearing your scarf, include a description of how the scarf describes your personality, and submit it to the Me, My Scarf, and I Contest Flickr Group.
If you're joining in on the contest, here's the code for the badge to display on your site or blog.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1229922@N20/"><img src="http://cdn.makezine.com/make/craft/badge_singer_scarfcontest.gif" width="150" height="144" border="0" alt="CRAFT: Singer Contest - Me, My Scarf, and I" /></a>
Pictured above is our own Brookelynn Morris wearing a Ruffle Scarf she sewed up using recycled wool from an old poncho. Watch for her inspirational project in tomorrow's How-To Tuesday.
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 12, 2009 02:00 PM
Contests, Sewing |
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October 8, 2009
Winners of the Photojojo! Book Giveaway
Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway to win a copy of the new book, Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas by Amit Gupta with Kelly Jensen. Congratulations to our three winners: Jacklyn from Jackson, NJ, Lowrah from Minneapolis, MN, and Billy from Riverside, CA. More giveaways to come soon!
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 8, 2009 10:00 PM
Books and Magazines, Contests |
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October 7, 2009
Day of the Dead Shrine
My Day of the Dead shrine has officially taken over my house! The smell of flowers, tequila and chocolate is unescapable. Each day I've worked on it and added to it, and it's finally covered in the nostalgic personal touches that represent my family and loved ones who have passed away. I will continue to be inspired, and have even more to share as the month goes by. I hope that you will also create a Day of the Dead shrine for our Crafty Chica Challenge.
My aesthetic is all about color, texture, and visual excitement. I packed every inch of my shrine with treasures. There is beach glass, rose petals, candles, seashells filled with quinoa and seashells filled with chocolate. My husband's grandfather's zippo, a candleholder from my beloved aunt, salt and pepper shakers and old spoons from my grandma, and of course, booze!
The beautiful mermaid skeleton bride is from Mexico, brought back from a trip by my sweet friend Leandra. I love it's creepy/pretty look.
The big black and white tile is also from Mexico, brought back by my grandfather. For as long as I can remember, my grandmother kept that tile on the hearth, with a big houseplant sitting on it. I've placed it on the altar and set out 4 shots of tequilla on it. Another traditional offering that I included is tobacco. There is an old cigar that's practically broken apart, but it's perfect for my shrine. The offerings can be anything that you think your ancestors and friends would enjoy and be comforted by. But in the end, I think creating this project is a comfort to me, and to the living who go on every day with fond memories.
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 7, 2009 10:00 AM
Contests, Halloween, Holiday projects |
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October 5, 2009
Festive Flowers for the Day of the Dead
My Day of the Dead shrine is taking shape, and so is the Crafty Chica Challenge! Please submit photos of your personal and crafty shrines for a chance to win some really great prizes. My take on the celebration is far from traditional, but I wouldn't change a thing. I started with gathering supplies and prepping the space. Then yesterday I made some glitter clothepins to hang photographs of my friends and family. Today I'm sharing the fresh and colorful flowers. I used roses gladiolas, zinnias, mums, amaranth and other wildflowers from the Occidental Farmer's Market. Working with the flowers is one of my favorite parts of building this shrine.
To prepare the flowers, I removed all the leaves from any part of the stems that would be under water and gave each flower a fresh cut. I will re-cut the stems of each arrangement every few days and change out their water to give the flowers the longest vase life. The set up for the shrine includes some glass vases, but I also put flowers in a gravy boat, my grandmother's Bauer juice pitcher, and a tiny teacup. To get the zinnias to fill the wide mouthed gravy boat, I used a cage frog. It has wide spaces for holding the stems at any angle. The holder stands the flowers up so that it takes fewer blooms to create a dramatic look.
I also took a tiny zinnia and two little flowers from my yard and put them in a very small container. I cut the stems to less than 1 inch so that they wouldn't throw off the balance of the ity bity vase. This little treasure is actually from Iran, but its shape and color fit right in with my chaotic theme and colorful theme. All that's left to complete the vision is the addition of my nostalgic mementos, offerings and candles!
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 5, 2009 05:00 PM
Contests, Halloween, Holiday projects |
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October 4, 2009
How-To: 1-2-3 Glitter Clothespin Photo Hangers
Today I got out the glitter for the next step in my Day of the Dead shrine. My altar is hung with garlands, and I wanted to attach photos of my loved ones to them. I spent last night selecting my favorite pictures, and I love seeing them hanging up. If you are working on a shrine as well, I hope you will share images. Also be sure to submit them as entries to the Crafty Chica Day of the Dead Challenge for a chance to win some great prizes!
Clothespins were the perfect choice, but I had to give them a quick makeover. I channeled my inner Crafty Chica, and added some simple sparkle. To begin, I smeared a thin layer of Elmer's on the top side. Then I dumped a pile of glitter on my work surface and just pressed each clothespin in it.
Next, I looped about 2 inches of wire into the spring of each clothespin. I used the wire to secure the clothespin to the garland, then clipped in the photos.
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 4, 2009 06:00 PM
Contests, CRAFT Projects, Halloween |
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October 3, 2009
How-To: Start Building a Day of the Dead Altar!
Today I started working on my shrine for The Day of the Dead. It's very rewarding to put my creative energy towards a tribute to my friends and family who have passed on. I am thrilled to share the process of creating it, as part of the excitement for the Crafty Chica Challenge! I was introduced to the tradition 11 years ago by my mother-in-law, who always creates a spectacular altar. She maintains a smaller version year round, and I often reflect on it when I visit.
The first step I take is to gather materials. I collected some fabric to cover the space, purchased flowers from the farmer's market, and tied garlands out of scraps. Then I dug out all the photos I have, and mementos of my loved ones, including door knobs from a relative's home in Ohio, the lighter that belonged to my husband's grandfather, seashells from my grandmother, and little treasures such as feathers and butterflies. The skulls are a crucial part of the traditional Day of the Dead altar. I found sage, incense and candles as as well.
To build the bones of my altar, I've stacked up books to add height in the back, and then covered the entire thing with a table cloth that was used by my grandma. This will allow me to have varying heights, and a lovely lace motif.
Then I hung the garlands. I love how festive they look! Draping them at different lengths creates a ton of visual interest. And voila! All that's left is to decorate, and then add the offerings like cornmeal and liquor and candy skulls! Tonight I'll sit down and sift through the old photographs, reliving all my favorite memories. That's just about the best part, right? Tomorrow I'll begin the adornments, and share photos of course! And please, include your altars in the Crafty Chica Day of the Dead Challenge!
Posted by Brookelynn |
Oct 3, 2009 06:00 PM
Contests, CRAFT Projects, Holiday projects |
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October 2, 2009
Crafty Chica Challenge: Day of the Dead Shrine Inspiration
Our new Crafty Chica Challenge has just begun! This time your mission is to create a Day of the Dead shrine. You can read more about the history of the Day of the Dead at The Arizona Republic. I've gathered here a bevy of images and tutorials from Crafty Chica herself to get you started!
Skeleton Shadow Box, La Catrina Cigar Box Shrine, Ofrenda for Steve Irwin, Day of the Dead Shrines
You'll probably want to make some sugar skulls to go with your shrine. Pictured above are sugar skulls made by our Sheena Stevens, our MAKE/CRAFT sales and marketing coordinator. Learn how to make your own sugar skulls with Crafty Chica's recipe.
To enter this Crafty Chica Challenge, please submit photos of your shrine to the Crafty Chica Challenge Flickr group. Enter in a 250 word or less description of what your shrine represents and what materials were used in its creation.
If you're joining in on the contest, here's the code for the badge to display on your site or blog.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/craftychicachallenge/"><img src="http://cdn.makezine.com/make/craft/badge_ccc_dayofdeadshrine.gif" width="150" height="144" border="0" alt="Crafty Chica Challenge: Day of the Dead Shrine" /></a>
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 2, 2009 04:10 PM
Contests |
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October 1, 2009
Crafty Chica Challenge: Create a Day of the Dead Shrine
CRAFT and iLoveToCreate.com have teamed up to present to you the Crafty Chica Challenge: Create a Day of the Dead Shrine! Day of the Dead (or Día de los Muertos in Spanish) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico as well as by many in the United States on November 2nd. Day of the Dead is a holiday to remember loved ones who have passed, and includes many characteristic decorations such as skeleton figurines, candy skulls, marigolds and much more. For this challenge, we ask you to create your own Day of the Dead Shrine and share it with us. This Crafty Chica Challenge will run for 4 weeks, and the Prize winners will be announced on Monday, November 2nd. Deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. PDT October 28, 2009. Due to the personal nature of these Day of the Dead Shrines, the winner will be selected via drawing. There will be one (1) grandprize winner, and three (3) runners-up.
- The Grand Prize is a Crafty Chica gift basket, an advanced copy of the Crafty Chica's first novel "Waking Up in the Land of Glitter" and a $100 gift certificate to shop at the Crafty Chica's store, ChicanoPopArt.com
- The Runner-up Prize is a Crafty Chica gift basket as well as a $25 gift certificate to the MakerShed.
To enter this Crafty Chica Challenge, please submit photos of your shrine to the Crafty Chica Challenge Flickr group. Enter in a 250 word or less description of what your shrine represents and what materials were used in its creation.
Visit the Crafty Chica Challenge contest page for all rules and regulations.
If you're joining in on the contest, here's the code for the badge to display on your site or blog.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/craftychicachallenge/"><img src="http://cdn.makezine.com/make/craft/badge_ccc_dayofdeadshrine.gif" width="150" height="144" border="0" alt="Crafty Chica Challenge: Day of the Dead Shrine" /></a>
Tomorrow I'll post up some inspirational shrines to get your creative juices going!
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Oct 1, 2009 09:30 AM
Contests |
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September 21, 2009
Book Giveaway + Project Excerpt: Photojojo! by Amit Gupta with Kelly Jensen
Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas by Amit Gupta with Kelly Jensen
Book Site: Photojojo.com/book
The best email newsletter hands down for photography crafts is Photojojo. Thanks to Amit's review one year, I found my Nikon D40 and have been in love with taking photos ever since. Now Amit and Kelly wow us again with their new book, Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas filled with 50 projects so you can do more with all the cool photos you take. It's not just about printing them out and making a photo album. This book shows you how to use your photos to make cool things such as a lampshade or messenger bag (pictured below).The second half of the book is like taking a photography class. You'll learn techniques for taking better photos as well as fun ways you can experiment with different photo techniques. I love the tips on how to do digital color correcting after you've taken your photos. If you love taking photos and want to learn how to do more with them, this book is for you!
Book Giveaway Time!
We are giving away 3 copies of the Photojojo! book.Just leave a comment in this post and tell us why you need this book. Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Wednesday, September 23rd. The lucky winners will be announced next week on the site. Good luck!
Project: Ginormous Photo Mosaics
Even if you are living in an apartment and can't put holes in your walls, you can still get some great art up. Download the project PDF to make this stunning photo mosaic where you'll be able to see the wonderful memories you have of your friend and family.
(Note: If you are having problems viewing the PDF, please right-click on the link to download the file to your desktop.)
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Sep 21, 2009 11:00 AM
Books and Magazines, Contests, Design, Paper Crafts, Photography |
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September 16, 2009
Sew a Scarf Dress, Win a Sewing Machine from BurdaStyle
BurdaStyle and Bernina are having a contest to see who can make the coolest scarf dress, and the grand prize is a Bernina sewing machine!
Posted by Becky Stern |
Sep 16, 2009 09:00 AM
Contests, Fashion, Sewing |
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August 20, 2009
Winner of Crochet Adorned
Thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway for Linda Permann's new book, Crochet Adorned. The winner is Evelyn of Malvern, PA. More giveaways are coming soon!
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Aug 20, 2009 09:00 PM
Contests |
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August 18, 2009
Winners of Hat Heads
Congratulations to Stephanie of Winnipeg, Canada, Kimberly of Palo Alto, CA, and Adrienne of Chicago, IL for each winning a copy of the new book, Hat Heads: 1 Man + 2 Knitting Needles = 50 Fun Hat Designs by Trond Anfinnsen in our giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Aug 18, 2009 10:00 PM
Books and Magazines, Contests |
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August 14, 2009
Winners of The Crafty Chica Challenge
Thanks to everyone who entered our Crafty Chica Challenge to glitter & embellish your own beach tote! Here are the winners and their entries picked by Crafty Chica herself. Congratulations!
Grand Prize Winner:
El Sol Del Valle/ The Valley Sun by wisdmone
Runners Up:
Craft or Die by Crafterella
Serena Beach Tote by Terra Maya
Butterfly Tote Bag by June Pfaff Daley
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Aug 14, 2009 04:00 PM
Contests |
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August 13, 2009
Fuji EnviroMAX Batteries Winners
Congrats to Stephanie of Winnepeg, Canada and Grace from Bayside, NY for winning a pack of Fuji EnviroMAX batteries in our giveaway this week! Thanks to everyone who entered!
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Aug 13, 2009 04:45 PM
Contests |
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Momiji Doll Couture Contest
Love Momiji is hosting a fun Momiji doll couture contest. Momiji are Japanese message dolls, like the ones shown above, and each one has an opening in its base for a secret message. The contest rules are pretty broad, allowing for maximum creativity. They're looking for one-off, fabric Momiji dolls using a combination of crafty methods: weaving, printing, knitting, embroidery, whatever flavor you choose. Entries will be judged on "overall wow-factor as well as skill and craftsmanship." The deadline is October 30th. The ten finalists will be exhibited at Royal /T in Los Angeles, and the winner will be featured in Selvedge magazine. All the details you need, including templates, are at Love Momiji's contest page. I love this line: "Our aim is to create a catwalk of exquisite Momiji dolls which show off the skill and flair of textile artists around the world."
Posted by Goli Mohammadi |
Aug 13, 2009 11:00 AM
Amigurumi, Contests, Fabric |
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August 12, 2009
Winners of The Alchemy of Color Knitting
Congratulations to Hannah from Kansas City, MO, Jennifer from Toronto, Canada, and Sylvie from Sutrieu, France for each winning a copy of the new book The Alchemy of Color Knitting by Gina Wilde in our CRAFT giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Aug 12, 2009 09:16 PM
Books and Magazines, Contests |
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Instructables and Converse Back to School Contest
Instructables and Converse are having a contest to see who can go back to school in the most style. From the site:
School starts soon, and everyone starts out with the same basic necessities - clothes, a backpack, school supplies, maybe a computer, and a boring dorm or bedroom. Converse wants to know: how do you take something standard-issue, and make it unique?
You like to express yourself creatively, and stand out of the crowd. Show us how you customize your room, your clothes, your electronics gear - anything, so long as you've given it your own personal style. Here's your chance to show off your own custom creation by sharing it on Instructables, and win some awesome Converse gear in the process!
Posted by Becky Stern |
Aug 12, 2009 09:00 AM
Contests |
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August 10, 2009
Giveaway: Fuji EnviroMAX Batteries
We here at MAKE and CRAFT are big on being green. That's why we are so excited about these new Fuji EnviroMAX batteries that are safe for the environment -- so much so that we are giving away these green batteries to 2 random CRAFT readers today! Just leave a comment to this post telling us why you want these batteries. Make sure you enter in your email address in the form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed on Tuesday, August 11th at 10am PST. Good luck!
Here's more about the Fuji EnviroMAX batteries:
The materials that make up a Fuji EnviroMAX battery are derived from the basic elements of the Earth. There is nothing inside a Fuji EnviroMAX battery that will harm the environment if it is disposed of through normal waste systems. A few reasons why are that Fuji EnviroMAX batteries contain no harmful mercury, cadmium - nor are they packaged with dangerous (and non-recyclable) PVC plastic. Instead, Fuji EnviroMAX batteries are made in some of the world's most eco-respectful battery plants, operating under some of the most strict standards of environmental responsibility. In fact, most of all resources used in the Fuji EnviroMAX manufacturing process are reused and recycled! What's more, Fuji EnviroMAX batteries are labeled and packaged with recycled paper and P.E.T. plastic. The result is batteries that meet a world standard for environmental responsibility and recyclable materials. And no other batteries are so respectful of our environment as Fuji EnviroMAX.
Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu |
Aug 10, 2009 10:00 AM
Contests, Green |
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