CLOSED - Nerd Games - Summer 2023

[storerboughtcreation (Jamie Storer - Nerd Games Captain)]

Welcome to the Nerd Games!

Runs July 1, 2023 - September 31, 2023

This is a craftalong where nerdy crafters all over the world can share our projects and give each other encouragement - that’s really all there is to it! If you feel you might be a nerd, or enjoy some nerdy things of any kind, or if you’re just nerdy about crafting, you’re more than welcome here!

HOW TO JOIN

Simply make any craft, take photos of it, and post them in this group with the following header, which will be explained below:

Prompt: (Write the name of the prompt you are entering your craft for here. Don’t forget to include the month!)
Team: (Choose one of three, listed below)
Project Name: (Name your craft anything you like; fanciful titles or simple labels/descriptions are all fine)
Project Link: (Paste the link to your community post for the bonus points)
Brief Description: (Tell us anything you’d like to about the craft, such as how you made it, and why it fits the prompt.)
Project Photo(s): (Post photos of your awesome craft here, so we can ooh and aah over it!)

THE TEAMS

There are three teams to choose from, and no requirements for joining any of them; simply choose one that speaks to you, put the team name in your first project header, and presto - you’re a member! You will remain on the same team for the entire season. You may change teams in future seasons.

• Team Sherlock Holmes
• Team Nancy Drew
• Team Miss Marple
• Team Columbo

THE PROMPTS

Prompts will be posted on a monthly basis in the post below. Please choose a prompt. Monthly battles are the only time sensitive prompts. The non-battle prompts are open for the entire season. See THE POINTS section below for point values and several additional crafting opportunities for each of your crafts. You can craft specifically to fit the prompts, or you can craft first and then find a prompt to fit it into. We’re pretty lax about slightly stretched interpretations of the prompts; just explain in your description how it fits!

• Monthly prompts will close at 11:59pm Central Time on the last day of the current month.

BONUS POINTS

We are trying to keep things simple, so there will only be one type of bonus point available. COMMUNITY POINTS will be given when you post a link to a post you’ve made within the Lettuce Craft community, and will be worth 20 bonus points for each project shared. Please be sure to participate in the entire community and not just in the craftalong!

THE POINTS

This competition is just for fun and the points are for nothing more than motivation and bragging rights, but go ahead and rack up points by posting projects for you team! Points break down as follows:

• Monthly battles and prompts: 20 points each (must take at least 30 minutes of crafting time)
• Free Range: 20 points each (must take at least 30 minutes of crafting time. Up to six allowed per season
• Big Time projects: 50 points each (must take at least 5 hours of crafting time. Up to three allowed per season)
• Zaps: 10 points each (any craft that takes less than 30 minutes to make. Up to five allowed per season)
• Research Projects: 100 points (must take at least 20 hours of crafting time. Up to two per season)
• Bonus Points: COMMUNITY bonus points (worth 20 extra per project) are the only bonus opportunity available at this time.

Special Note:
All prompts are supposed to be crafted within the current season. However, we have decided to make an exception to this rule. Let’s say you craft something for a swap near the end of the Summer season. You’ve sent the swap package, but it hasn’t been received yet. Fall season begins, your partner has received their swap item, and you are ready to post. You may go ahead and post your project from the previous season for the current season.

THE RULES

• Players must craft to the best of their abilities and have a minimum of 30 minutes of crafting time per submission, unless otherwise noted.
• A project can only be submitted for one prompt or crafting opportunity.
• A project does NOT have to be "nerdy,” it only has to fulfill the prompt as you see fit.
• Submitted projects must be started and completed during the current season, unless otherwise noted.
• There is SO MUCH to do in the Nerd Games. Do not feel like you have to craft everything. Do what inspires you.
• We welcome all players from the Nerdyverse, no matter their Geekdom. We even welcome non-nerds!
• We are never mean.
• We never exclude someone.
• We will keep it clean-ish (PG-13).
• Never hesitate in contacting the Gamemakers (@storerboughtcreation or @Smeddley) with your questions, concerns, or ideas.

Previous Seasons:

Spring 2023
Winter 2023
Fall 2022
Summer 2022
Spring 2022
Winter 2022
Fall 2021
Summer 2021
Spring 2021
Winter 2021
Fall 2020
Summer 2020
Spring 2020
Winter 2020

[storerboughtcreation (Jamie Storer - Nerd Games Captain)]

Tracking and Teams

• Team Sherlock Holmes
  QueenHobo
  Bunny1kenobi
  bluebird
  jillybeans
  LindyBlues

• Team Nancy Drew
  storerboughtcreation
  gozer
  AudiobookLover

• Team Miss Marple
  megwell
  ezrib
  SewCrafty

• Team Columbo
  roler
  LovelyMiss
  Smeddley
  craftADDchick

[Smeddley (* Nerd Games Lieutenant *)]

Welcome to this season of the Nerd Games, where you will need put on your sleuthing hat and solve a puzzling art heist! Craft any of the main monthly prompts, and you will receive a piece of the image of the sneaky cat burglar… get enough pieces that you can put together, and you will be able to nab them and recover the painting! Up to four puzzles pieces can be earned every month (one for the battle and three for the any of the three prompts), and extra monthly clues in the story will help you identify the burglar.

THE CRIME SCENE:

Someone has broken into the National Museum of Oslo and stolen Edvard Munch’s The Scream! This dastardly cat burglar was so sure of themselves that they left taunting clues for the detective called to the case - you. Where the painting once hung, a note was left taped to the wall.

You pull the piece of paper off the wall, and find a lone brown hair stuck on the tape. You carefully tweeze it into an evidence bag, maybe the lab will be able to find out something from this one clue, in the meantime, you get to work searching the museum!

PART TWO

You start to comb the crime scene, looking for any wayward clues. There are several rooms of different styles of art, but there’s something about the room just to the left of the room where the painting was… it’s a small janitor’s closet, and there’s a weird smell you can’t quite place. It could just be a backed up drain, or one of the chemical bottles that was left ajar, but it nags at you. It also reminds you of summers at the seaside… kind of… fishy?

You start to scan the cleaning supplies on the shelves, looking for anything that looks out of place… ah, there, a bottle of cleaner labeled “Edvard’s Vanishing Varnish” – that can’t be right! You turn over the bottle and look at the back label, with the instructions:

You head back out into the gallery, and following the instructions, you start at the SW corner and count north 3 floor tiles, then east 8 tiles, and hold your breath and hope you’re right as you pour out the solution on the 9-square tile block…

PART THREE

As you pour the solution on the floor, you hold your breath. There’s not much in the bottle, and if you’re wrong, there’s no second chance. At first, nothing happens, and you start to feel disappointment twisting in your gut, but then, as the light hits the wet floor at the perfect oblique angle you see four shapes appear.

They appear to be a cross, a pillar, a chandelier, and a person. You puzzle over them for a moment, and one of the curators clears their throat and steps forward.

“Perhaps that’s a cryptic clue about a painting? Daniel de Blieck is a favorite of mine, that could refer to his painting “Interior of a Church, which is here in the museum…”

“That could be it, let’s see – can you lead me to the painting?”

He does, and you’re still a good ten feet away and you can see a piece of paper poking out from behind the edge of the frame. You gently pull it out and unfold it to find… a word search?! In the crease of the paper you also find some brown hair… no, wait, that’s not quite hair. It seems to be… fur?!

(v.2, hopefully this one is right!)

This puzzle is a word search puzzle that has a hidden message in it.
First find all the words in the list.
Words can go in any direction and share letters as well as cross over each other.
Once you find all the words. Copy the unused letters starting in the top left corner into the blanks to reveal the hidden message.

Aha, you know where to look for the final clue! Head there (message Smeddley with your answer) for the final clue to the mystery! If you’ve submitted at least 12 project for the season, you’ll get enough puzzle pieces to solve the mystery!

[Smeddley (* Nerd Games Lieutenant *)]

Please post your projects with the following header:

Prompt: (Write the name of the prompt you are entering your craft for here. Don’t forget to include the month!)
Team: (Choose one of three, listed above) *
Project Name: (Name your craft anything you like; fanciful titles or simple labels/descriptions are all fine) *
Project Link: (Paste the link to your community post for the bonus points) *
Brief Description: (Tell us anything you’d like to about the craft, such as how you made it, and why it fits the prompt .)**
Project Photo(s): (Post photos of your awesome craft here, so we can ooh and aah over it!) *

• July Battle - Original vs Reproduction - CLOSED
• August battle – Vacuum vs Broom - CLOSED
• September Battle - Digital (messages) vs Physical (messages)

July theme - art styles!

1. Pop art – craft something that is bold, geometric, has heavy black lines and/or bright, primary colors.
2. Impressionism – craft something that is soft, blurry, textural, or pastel colored.
3. Realism – craft something that is true to life, is useful in everyday life, or depicts people.
4. Surrealism – craft something that is wonky, off-kilter, or a little odd, or something related to a fantasy world.
5. Cubism – craft something that is blocky, solid, or made up of many pieces.

August theme – Janitor’s Closet (Cleaning!)

1. Glass Cleaner – craft something that is clear/transparent, hard, delicate/breakable, or square.
2. Dish Soap – craft something that is bubbly, circular, blue, or can be used in the kitchen.
3. Cleanser – craft something that is fine/gritty, speckled, powdery, or can be used in the bathroom.
4. Bleach – craft something that smells (probably ‘good’, but no judgement, you do you!), is slippery feeling, is a muted/pastel color, or can be used in a laundry room.
5. All-Purpose Cleaner – craft something that has multiple uses, is multiple colors, has a multitude of different shapes, or is made up of several parts.

September theme - Hidden messages

1. Subliminal Messaging - craft something with a underlying layer that is not visible in the final project, something that has a lot of preparation/steps required before you can craft, or is black.
2. Disappearing Ink - craft something that is translucent or blue, uses ink, or can be transformed in some way.
3. Secret Compartment - craft something that hold something, is useful or utilitarian, is made of fabric, or is yellow.
4. Decoder Ring - craft something that is round, is wearable, is made of metal, or is silver/gray.
5. Acrostic - craft something that has letters/words, is made of paper, or can be used in parts/pieces.

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Chief Morale Officer)]

Pin Prize Collection

We’re continuing the Nerd Games enamel pin collection! Each season you’ll have the opportunity to earn up to three pins. Each pin will be different, and every season the pins offered will be different. Try to collect them all, or have fun picking and choosing ones to work toward!

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EVENT:

In celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the Nerd Games, there’s a special pin event running all year, in addition to the events each season.

Super Nerd: Participate in every Nerd Games season this year by submitting at least one project in each round (Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall). (You will claim this pin in December 2023).

SUMMER EVENTS:

Anniversary: Make a retrospective post featuring 10 of the projects you love most that you have completed anytime in the past 10 years. (They need not have been submitted to the Nerd Games, or even posted anywhere online before). You must be a current player/submit at least one project anytime during the season to be eligible to claim this prize. The retrospective post is for the pin prize event only, and will not earn any points.

Be Kind: We have one of the best communities on the Internet! In honor of that, all you have to do to earn this pin is submit at least one project this season, comment on at least one project posted by someone else, and like at least one post in the thread.

These three are being offered in combo with the BINGO event (and IN ADDITION to the separate BINGO prizes). If you submit for BINGO, you’ll automatically also receive the corresponding pin.

Gold Ribbon Crafter: Complete a cover-all BINGO.

Silver Ribbon Crafter: Complete a BINGO that doesn’t use the Free Space.

Bronze Ribbon Crafter: Complete a BINGO that uses the Free Space.

Pins

OLD SCHOOL PIN EVENT:

YOU CAN COMBINE REQUIREMNT PROGRESS FROM SPRING AND SUMMER FOR THE OLD SCHOOL PIN EVENTS!

In one season, a long time ago, the Nerd Games offered the opportunity to earn up to SIX enamel pins – one based on each of the five old-school Nerd Games teams – and a sixth special pin if you completed all of the team-based events. We’re bringing them back for ONE TIME ONLY this year! Earn up to SIX pins!

Note: If you completed any of the events in 2018, the pins will be the same. If you got one of the pins then, I’m happy to count that toward the sixth bonus pin this time! Or you can do all of the events again!

Complete ALL THREE requirements of an Event to claim the associated pin:

Textbook:

1.) Learn a new crafting skill – something you haven’t done before –and create a Research or Big Time project using that skill and submit it this round.

2.) Make a separate post for your project in the appropriate LC board.

3.) Share links to the tutorials or resources you used to learn your new skill in your post.

Wordy:

1.) Craft a project that uses text or words in some way.

2.) Make a tutorial (based on a project you submitted this round – it doesn’t necessarily have to be the word/text project) and post it in the appropriate LC board.

3.) Comment on at least five projects in the current Nerd Games thread.

Multimedia:

1.) Submit a project based on a piece of media.

2.) Submit a project you completed with the help of a video tutorial, and share the link to the tutorial when you submit your project.

3.) Make separate posts for each of the two projects in the appropriate LC boards. Include at least five images of each project in the appropriate posts.

Fandom:

1.) Submit at least three projects this season that are based on/inspired by your or others’ fandoms.

2.) Create a separate post for at least one of your projects in the appropriate LC board(s).

3.) Like/heart at least 20 posts in the current Nerd Games thread.

Randomizer:

1.) Complete a random act of craftiness (whatever that means to you) and submit it as a project for the current Nerd Games season.

2.) Submit one project that might be considered “mixed media,” OR one that highlights one of your best crafting skills.

3.) Make separate posts in the appropriate LC board(s) for the two projects you completed for this event.

Nerd Bonus:

1.) Complete all five other pin events - Textbook, Wordy, Multimedia, Fandom, and Randomizer.

To claim your prizes:

Once you have completed the requirements, send the below submission form to LovelyMiss via private message by 11:59 pm (central) on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Prizes will be sent after the season ends.

Pin Event Submission Form

I am claiming: (Anniversary, Be Kind, Textbook, Wordy, Multimedia, Fandom, Randomizer, Nerd BONUS)

I attest that I have completed the requirements for the Pin Event(s) I am claiming: Yes/No

My name and mailing address (as it should be formatted for sending, including country) are:

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Chief Morale Officer)]

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Each season this year, we’re having extra events to celebrate 10 years of nerdy crafting and our awesome community.

This season we’re doing a Crafty BINGO! You’ll receive a small physical reward if you get any of the BINGOs listed below. Crafty BINGO is a prize event only and will not earn any separate points.

How to Play:

Complete requirements in the BINGO card boxes.

Get a BINGO - Down, Across, or Diagonal and get a prize!

Get a COVERALL BINGO and get a GRAND PRIZE!

Once you’ve gotten your BINGO, post your BINGO card in the Summer Nerd Games thread showing your BINGO, and submit the form below to claim your prize.

Note: Recipes and patterns count as tutorials for BINGO!

To claim you prize:

Send the form below to LovelyMiss via Private Message by 11:59 pm (central) on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Crafty BINGO Submission Form

I attest that I have completed the requirements of Crafty BINGO: Yes/No

Link to your Crafty BINGO Card in the 2023 Summer Nerd Games thread:

My name and mailing address (as it should be formatted for sending, including country) are:

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Chief Morale Officer)]

Anniversary Event

Summer Nerd Games Raffle Shop

Spend your points to enter drawings for prizes! See bottom of post for the entry form.

Prize Gallery:

5 Points Per Entry

Flower Transparencies (these are plastic, not actual dried flowers; about 8" long)

Futurama Vinyl Sticker (the glare and wrinkles are just the protective overlay; about 5")

Good Omens Enamel Pin

Mini Dictionary Books (some pages have been removed)

Mini Tape Set

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10 Points Per Entry

5 Mini Embroidery Hoops

Food Minis

Random Fabric Scrap Pack (these are smaller cuts, many are square, and there are way more than pictured)

Set of 9 Embroidered Tetris Patches (each square is a little over 3/4 an inch)

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20 Points Per Entry

Martha Stewart Napkin Embroidery Kit (makes 4 napkins)

Mini Jar of Minis

Washi Tape Pack 1

Washi Tape Pack 2

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30 Points Per Entry

Cartoon Fabric Scrap Pack (these are larger cuts)

Jar of Disney Minis

Jar of Minis

Sci-Fi Fabric Scrap Pack (these are larger cuts)

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40 Points Per Entry

24 Pack of Blick Alcohol Markers (these were used twice and tested today and all work great)

Set of 2 - Martha Stewart Napkin Embroidery Kits (makes 4 napkins each)

Licensed Fabric Scrap Pack (these are larger cuts)

Set of 3 Red Heart Super Saver Oatmeal Yarn

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50 Points Per Entry

Junk Journal Kit (everything you need to make (at least one) junk journal)

Mega Jar of Minis & Whimsy 1

Mega Jar of Minis & Whimsy 2

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Spend your points to “buy” raffle tickets by submitting the form below to @LovelyMiss by Monday, October 2.

To enter the drawing send this form to @LovelyMiss by October 2, 2023.

Nerd Games Raffle Shop Entry Form

Username:
Total points:

5 Points Per Entry

Flower Transparencies
Number of entries:

Futurama Vinyl Sticker
Number of entries:

Good Omens Enamel Pin
Number of entries:

Mini Dictionary Books
Number of entries:

Mini Tape Set
Number of entries:

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10 Points Per Entry

5 Mini Embroidery Hoops
Number of entries:

Food Minis
Number of entries:

Random Fabric Scrap Pack
Number of entries:

Set of 9 Embroidered Tetris Patches
Number of entries:

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20 Points Per Entry

Martha Stewart Napkin Embroidery Kit
Number of entries:

Mini Jar of Minis
Number of entries:

Washi Tape Pack 1
Number of entries:

Washi Tape Pack 2
Number of entries:

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30 Points Per Entry

Cartoon Fabric Scrap Pack
Number of entries:

Jar of Disney Minis
Number of entries:

Jar of Minis
Number of entries:

Sci-Fi Fabric Scrap Pack
Number of entries:

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40 Points Per Entry

24 Pack of Blick Alcohol Markers
Number of entries:

Set of 2 - Martha Stewart Napkin Embroidery Kits
Number of entries:

Licensed Fabric Scrap Pack
Number of entries:

Set of 3 Red Heart Super Saver Oatmeal Yarn
Number of entries:

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50 Points Per Entry

Junk Journal Kit
Number of entries:

Mega Jar of Minis & Whimsy 1
Number of entries:

Mega Jar of Minis & Whimsy 2
Number of entries:

[SewCrafty (Donna)]

Umm, I am bit confused by the teams - do I pick the detective I most identify with?

[storerboughtcreation (Jamie Storer - Nerd Games Captain)]

Yep! You can choose whichever team you’d like to be on for the season based on any reason you want. Maybe you enjoyed Nancy Drew as a kid. Maybe you enjoy Sherlock mysteries. Maybe you enjoy a good Columbo case. Maybe you just like the sound of a name. Whatever the reason, it’s your choice! This is a bit like Whose Line is it Anyway… the crafts are made up and the points don’t matter

I haven’t decided which team I’ll pick yet myself. It might come down to eenie-meenie-minie-moe

[megwell (Megan (she/her))]

Honestly, making me pick one is downright cruel.

[gozer (Becca)]

Where’s my Angela Lansbury? All right I’m going to have to figure it out.

[Bunny1kenobi (Deanna 🇺🇸)]

Think I’m gonna have to go with Sherlock on this one. Mainly because RDJ is so fun to look at.

….and the bunny running with scissors! If there was EVER a pin tailor made for me, it’s that one! Gotta have it!!

[bluebird]

Anniversary Special Event post:

In no particular order, here are 10 past projects of mine that I really loved from the past 10 years:

Paper mache bird:

Chopsticks zip bag set

Hufflepuff hat

Leaves, Flowers, and Pearls Necklace

Beach theme bracelet

Walking Dead coptic journal
Made for an ongoing wish swap. I wish I had a better photo, but the journal is chained shut (with a clasp) to mimic the door being chained shut like on the cover.

Dragonscale pouches

Beaded hair pins

Bird art
lol, I never realized all these birds were pointed left until I saw them here together! These are all ATC sized.

Art (atcs and a bookmark)
The watch is for Glenn from walking dead. The walking dead ATC had a happy accident. I didn’t intend the darkest parts at the bottom to be a group of walkers, but as the watercolors dried I could see their heads and bodies forming.

[storerboughtcreation (Jamie Storer - Nerd Games Captain)]

Anniversary Post/Retrospective

In no particular order, here are 10 of my most favorite projects I’ve ever made:

[gozer (Becca)]

Anniversary Post/Retrospective for gozer
Mine are also in random order.

My Mom loved this purse so much that when she wore it out, I made her another one in a different color

[QueenHobo (Diana)]

A few favorite projects of mine for the anniversary post, in no particular order.

[gozer (Becca)]

Hey there @QueenHobo! Love seeing your projects and hope to see some new ones!

[QueenHobo (Diana)]

Prompt: July- realism
Team: Sherlock Holmes
Project Name: Super awesome tote bag
Brief Description: Made this bag for myself and the children have already asked for their own.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: July- impressionism
Team: Sherlock Holmes
Project Name: SBC’s worst nightmare
Brief Description: I made this little silk moth and it so soft and cuddly <3
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: July- surrealism
Team: Sherlock Holmes
Project Name: Strawberry cow
Brief Description: How you get strawberry milk.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: July Battle -Reprodutcion-
Team: Sherlock Holmes
Project Name: Taz
Brief Description: Made this as a bday present for Mr. SBC and used a picture of another Tasmanian devil someone else felted.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: July -pop art
Team: Sherlock Holmes
Project Name: Sloth
Brief Description: I made this as a late bday present for SBC, gave it a little pop of color by putting the heart on its butt.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: July -cubism
Team: Sherlock Holmes
Project Name: Piggy
Brief Description: Made this little piggy and made a little bed of mud for it to lay on.
Project Photo(s):

[storerboughtcreation (Jamie Storer - Nerd Games Captain)]

I love my sloth. And thanks for blurring the yucky bug for me. I still haven’t seen it and I probably never will

Also, tomorrow, July 11th is QueenHobo’s birthday. So happy birthday, little sis!

[megwell (Megan (she/her))]

Prompt: Reproduction (July battle)
Team: Miss Marple
Project Name: More Affirmations for Abandoning
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: These were a reproduction of a previous project. I’ll add the affirmations as I go.
Project Photo(s):