CLOSED: Nerd Games - Winter 2026

Prompt: February - Cheese the Day

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Yellow Car Whisker Keepers

Project Link: Ceramic Whisker Keepers!

Brief Description: These are yellow!

Project Photo(s):

Prompt: March - You’re A Big Dill

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Wary Frog Whisker Keepers

Project Link: Ceramic Whisker Keepers!

Brief Description: These guys are a little bumpy, but they also look a little salty. :upside_down_face:

Project Photo(s):

Prompt: March - Shell-ibration

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Mini paint palettes

Project Link: N/A

Brief Description: These are white/pearlescent, might be mistaken for little shells, and I make them because I like being able to carry some watercolors around, especially outside.

Project Photo(s):

Prompt: Free Range #1

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Black Cat Whisker Keeper(s)

Project Link: Ceramic Whisker Keepers!

Brief Description: Some more lil whisker keepers - also some black cats with fish bones!

Project Photo(s):

(also, I just realized this is my 20th posted project, which completes my Nerd Games MAKE IT! goal! woohoo!)

9 Likes

Prompt: March- You Butter Believe It! & It’s In a Book & Reading Rainbow

Team: Veggie Vigilantes

Project Name: Blue Crochet Ribbed Beanie

Project Link: Crochet Ribbed Beanie (with pattern) - #10 by craftADDchick (not a new post-added photo to earlier post)

Brief Description: This is the 3rd hat I have made with this pattern. I chose the color “Country Blue” and finished it while at our Nature’s Classroom trip last week, which is a 4-day overnight nature education program. Each night ends with “Quiet Sing,” where the kids sing along to various songs. One song is John Denver’s Country Roads, and it amazes me every year that the kids know it!

Project Photo(s):

8 Likes

I really like the idea of calling it “Quiet Sing.” Does it work? :grimacing:

Also, I just realized thid one would count as a “Big Time” project!

Prompt: Big Time #2

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Sashiko-ori woven chaos experiment scarf or whatever it is

Project Link: Sashiko-ori floor loom play!

Brief Description: This is from a three-day workshop I took last weekend! (more detailed photos on the project post link)

Project Photo(s):

Editing to add one more:

Prompt: Zap#1

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Zap! Zap(!)

Project Link: n/a

Brief Description: I just remembered I needed one more project for the “It’s in a book” pin challnge, and I was delighted to realize I always entirely forget about Zaps so here we are! A “Zap” zap painted with gouache and diluted india ink on paper.

Project Photo(s):

7 Likes

That scarf is gorgeous! I love how it’s woven, but emulates Sashiko. What a cool technique!

And, Quiet Sing is surprisingly effective at calming them down (mostly) for the night. The songs are fairly laid back, with an occasional energetic bit (with a calm part afterwards). This year it was Country Roads, Wagon Wheel, Walls, and a couple of others I can’t remember. Last year included Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, but the staff this year wasn’t ready for that one yet. They play about 3 songs and then, they’re slowly dismissed by group as the last song is played a second time.

I skipped it the first year we went (I sat outside) because I thought it was karaoke, and was pleasantly surprised when I went the next year.

4 Likes

SO MANY amazing projects this season! Incredible!

2 Likes

Prepare for lots of food projects! That’s about all I’ve had consistent time for the last few months!

Prompt: January - Winnie-the-Glue
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Chili 1
Project Link:
Brief Description: I made chili. It’s red and in a pot!

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: January - Alice’s Adventures in Yarnderland
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Painted Folder Card
Project Link:
Brief Description: I had to resend an item for a swap and wanted to add a few extras because it was such a long wait for my partner. I put the original card into one of my folder cards. I had painted it maybe a year or so ago (and submitted it), but I added some more details, cleaned up some of the lines, and re-did some of the sections to have better coverage (particularly all the white parts). I worked on it for about 45 minutes, so figured I’d submit the updates. Left is original, right is with modifications. My phone camera is dying, so the photos suck, but they really popped better in person.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: January - The Woodwork in The Willows
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Repotted Plants
Project Link:
Brief Description: I got a few propagated plants from my grandma and they grew so well they needed repotting.

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Prompt: January - The Glitter House on the Prairie
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Roast
Project Link:
Brief Description: I made a beef roast in the crock pot. It’s brown and is maybe old fashioned?

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: January - Goodnight Monotype
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Laced Shirt
Project Link:
Brief Description: I went to a dance party and needed a themed shirt. I modified this t-shirt to have a lace-up neck and sides (cut slits, measured equal spaces for lace holes, and laced and re-laced like six times to get them even lengths :upside_down_face:), and added the iron-on letters and numbers (which suuuucked to get centered). It’s black and white.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: February - Getting Saucy
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Meat Loaf
Project Link:
Brief Description: This is red, has liquid components, and literal sauce that was spread over the loaf.

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Prompt: February -Cheese the Day
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Enchiladas
Project Link:
Brief Description: These have become about a once a month dinner rotation. They use shredded cheese and meat, requires melting, and the cheese is yellow.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: February -Olive You
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Air Fryer Onion Chips
Project Link:
Brief Description: These needed to be sliced, are small, and maybe kind of rounded. They did not taste good and mostly burned before they fully cooked. I’ve come to accept things like this just don’t really work too well in the air fryer.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: February - It Will Be a Pizza Cake
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Seafood Boil
Project Link:
Brief Description: It was my partner’s birthday and that usually means sea food. I did a boil with lots of different stuff.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: March - Battle: Personal
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Chili 2
Project Link:
Brief Description: Chili is one of my favorite foods so I usually make it every 4-6 weeks. A little side quest I’m on with it is figuring out my own chili spice mix recipe, so I’m submitting this as Personal.

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Prompt: March - You’re a Big Dill
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Honey Garlic Salmon
Project Link:
Brief Description: The glaze for this uses vinegar.

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Prompt: March - You Butter Believe It
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Sloppy Joes
Project Link:
Brief Description: It’s kind of soft and is used on top of something else (a bun)!

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: March - Tea-riffic
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Chicken Dinner
Project Link:
Brief Description: This was very aromatic and is brown.

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Prompt: March - Be Berry Proud
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Kung Pao Chicken
Project Link:
Brief Description: This is made up of a bunch of smaller bits and was served on rice, another bunch of small bits.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: March - Shell-ibration
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Peanut Noodles
Project Link:
Brief Description: The rice noodles are white, pearlescent.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: Big Time
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Blue Ribbons
Project Link:
Brief Description: I made these for the prior season’s prizes! I used a plastic rosette maker, 3-inch button maker, and Brother P-touch Embellish for the printed ribbon. They were a ton of work, but overall pretty fun to design and make!

Project Photo(s):

8 Likes

Prizes available to claim this season:

Make sure to send in all your claim forms, AND enter the Make It gift card drawing, by the end of the day on Tuesday, March 31!

3 Likes

You’re making me hungry! And, your painted folder card is like one of those “Spot the Differences” games :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: Also, I was wondering how you were able to get those blue ribbons custom made- now I know, and it makes it extra special knowing that you made each one!

2 Likes

Prompt: January- The Glitter House on the Prairie & It’s in a Book (Pin Event)

Team: Veggie Vigilantes

Project Name: Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening Potholder

Project Link: Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening Potholder

Brief Description: Inspired by our wintry weather and the poem by Robert Frost, I made another “themed” potholder to represent a forest of trees during a snowfall. It’s useful around the house, is an old-fashioned craft, and it contains brown for the tree trunks!

Project Photo(s):

6 Likes

Prompt: March - Tea-riffic
Team: Veggie Vigilantes
Project Name: Herb Garden Label Stones
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: These ‘painted rock’ labels use liquid acrylic painters markers and are nature-based (they’re rocks and they’re for my herb garden). I still have more to make and need to seal them all. But hey, there was another inch of snow this morning, so I guess I have time!
Project Photos:

6 Likes

What a fun way to mark your plants! What is toothache?

And, this winter is never ending! We’re supposed to hit 73 F on Wednesday, but then it drops to a high of 39 F on Thursday!

1 Like

Toothache is a medicinal herb typically used as a pain reliever (hence the name)… It prefers a far warmer zone than I’m in, but it might grow fine just as an annual… We’ll see what happens since we’re having more traditional (colder) weather… Could always pot it and put it in the greenhouse/shed.

Yeah. We’re 60F tomorrow then back to rain and snow. :pensive_face:

2 Likes

I think this catches up my posting, barring any last minute Zaps. Great season, everyone!

Prompt: You’re a big dill (March)
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Hand-carved arrow stamp
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: The carved-out part is bumpy (as evidenced by the extra marks you can see in the piece :squinting_face_with_tongue:).
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: Alice’s Adventures in Yarnderland (January)
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Chine-collé piece
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made this at a makerspace program. Maybe it’s wonderous? It definitely has blue…
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: Free Range 4
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Tea ATC
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: Made for sunnydawne in the Ongoing ATC Swap.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: Free Range 5
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Cat shenanigans ATC
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: Made for MamaRhi in the Ongoing ATC Swap
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: Free Range 6
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Recycling day tag page
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made this to commemorate all the junk I got rid of at community recycling day.
Project Photo(s):

5 Likes

Prompt: Free Range #2

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Neon Cat Painting

Project Link: Neon Cat Painting (acrylic on canvas board)

Brief Description:
Almost forgot about this guy from like a month ago! Just probably procrastinating on something else.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: Free Range #3

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Roo ATC

Project Link: n/a

Brief Description: this was for a Thalo ATC seap. I hardly remember to send them in!

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: Free Range #4

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Monkey Paper Doll

Project Link: n/a

Brief Description: I think I also forgot to share my paper doll of my lil Monkey cat. (this one’s got a tail!)

Project Photo(s):



Prompt: Free Range #5

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Lil Root Veggies

Project Link: n/a

Brief Description: Not sure why I wanted to make lil root veggie jointed “dolls” haha

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: Free Range #6

Team: Cheese Trustees

Project Name: Smol Kalo Mugs

Project Link: n/a

Brief Description: These are part of kind of an ongoing experiment/collab with a local restaurant that has a little gallery/store

Project Photo(s):



5 Likes

I’m such a sucker for black + neon!

Also, I totally missed your zap zap. So meta! :laughing:

2 Likes

This makes me want to get my potholder loom back out!

2 Likes

Prompt: March - You’re a big dill
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Frog Tea Time Cards
Project Link: Tiny Cards
Brief Description: These quirky little cards feature a green frog.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: March - You butter believe it
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Mini Monster Cards
Project Link: Tiny Cards
Brief Description: The focal points on these monster cards are mounted on card bases.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: March - Shell-ibration
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Spring Cards
Project Link: Spring Cards
Brief Description: This card features outdoorsy flowers and butterflies.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: March Battle - Personal
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Mixed Media Blue Bird
Project Link:
Brief Description: This 5x7 mixed media piece was made in our last LC paper-craft craftalong zoom. A lovely bit of personal time in an otherwise packed weekend.

Project Photo(s):


Prompt: Free Range
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Mixed Media Phoenix
Project Link:
Brief Description: Another 5x7 mixed media piece made in our last LC paper-craft craftalong zoom. A lovely bit of personal time in an otherwise packed weekend. Also my last rainbow project.

Project Photo(s):

6 Likes

Prompt: January - The Woodwork in The Willows
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Ami Leprechaun 1
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made a bunch of 4-leaf clovers and two leprechauns to hide around the office for people to find the week of St. Patrick’s Day. He’s green!
Project Photo(s): (see below)

Prompt: February – Olive you
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Crocheted 4-leaf clovers
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made a bunch of (small!) 4-leaf clovers and two leprechauns to hide around the office for people to find the week of St. Patrick’s Day.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: March - You’re a big dill
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Ami Leprechaun 2
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made a bunch of 4-leaf clovers and two leprechauns to hide around the office for people to find the week of St. Patrick’s Day. He is also green. Also I can’t decide which beard I like more.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: January - The Glitter House on the Prairie
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Dog Ami 1
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made four of these to give out as “underdog” prizes for our football pool. He is brown!
Project Photo(s): (see below)

Prompt: February - I a-dough you
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Dog Ami 2
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made four of these to give out as “underdog” prizes for our football pool. He is beige!
Project Photo(s): (see below)

Prompt: March Tea-riffic
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Dog Ami 3
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made four of these to give out as “underdog” prizes for our football pool. He is beige!
Project Photo(s): (see below)

Prompt: Free Range 1
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Dog Ami 4
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made four of these to give out as “underdog” prizes for our football pool.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: February - Getting Saucy
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Sausage and Pumpkin Soup
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: This is a weird soup, it’s kinda sweet(ish) and savory at the same time, I wasn’t sure I liked it at first, but it grew on me. It has pork sausage, onion, chicken broth, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, garlic powder, and evaporated milk.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: February - Cheese of the Day
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Bee Ami
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: I made this for the “Hive Mind” prize for our football pool. He is yellow!
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: Free Range 2
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Bass Blood Drop 1
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: A friend asked me to make this for her dad, who regularly donates blood.
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: Free Range 3
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Bass Blood Drop 2
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: Then I had to make a second one for my display/example shelf…
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: Free Range 4
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Whale Blood Drop
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: And while I was at it, I made myself an example whale blood drop… I’d made one for a friend a long time ago but never made myself one.
Project Photo(s):

I have some zaps to post but I need to run for now, I’ll get them up later! I feel like I’ve been crafting a lot lately, but not FINISHING much… :smiley:

4 Likes

Prompt: It will be a pizza cake
Team: Veggie Vigilantes
Project Name: Rainbow ATC 1
Project Link: Rainbow ATCs
Brief Description: This ATC is multicoloured.
Project Photo(s):


Prompt: Getting Saucy
Team: Veggie Vigilantes
Project Name: Rainbow ATC 2
Project Link: Rainbow ATCs
Brief Description: I used liquid glue to attach the components of this ATC.
Project Photo(s):


Prompt:
Team: Veggie Vigilantes
Project Name: Rainbow ATC 3
Project Link: Rainbow ATCs
Brief Description: I drew the rainbow and border on top of a pre-painted background, so it was fairly quick.
*Project Photo(s):


Prompt:
Team: Veggie Vigilantes
Project Name: Rainbow ATC 4
Project Link: Rainbow ATCs
Brief Description: I had fun using crayon resist technique for this one.
*Project Photo(s): Free Range


Prompt: Zap Project 2
Team: Veggie Vigilantes
Project Name: Rainbow ATC 5
Project Link: Rainbow ATCs
Brief Description: a crayon resist project that did not go quite as planned :joy:
*Project Photo(s):


Prompt: Zap Project 3
Team: Veggie Vigilantes
Project Name: Rainbow ATC 6
Project Link: Rainbow ATCs
Brief Description: This ATC is multicoloured.
*Project Photo(s): Drawn over a previously painted background.

6 Likes

Prompt: Zap 1
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Dog Toy
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: While looking for a container, I found some cut-up t-shirts in one that I had meant to make into dog toys… so I abandoned the cleaning project and make the toys to free up the container!
Project Photo(s): (see below)

Prompt: Zap 2
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Dog Toy
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: While looking for a container, I found some cut-up t-shirts in one that I had meant to make into dog toys… so I abandoned the cleaning project and make the toys to free up the container!
Project Photo(s): (please don’t judge my dog-hairy carpet!)

Prompt: Zap 3
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Drip catcher
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: We have a problem in that when your hands drip while turning off the kitchen faucet, that water does not run back into the sink, but along the back edge of the counter and onto the floor, leaving hard water marks around anything in its path. The solution? Little adsorbent drip catchers crocheted from cotton.
Project Photo(s) : (also please do not judge my not-clean sink…)

Prompt: Zap 4
Team: Pepperoni Posse
Project Name: Drip catcher
Project Link: N/A
Brief Description: We have a problem in that when your hands drip while turning off the kitchen faucet, that water does not run back into the sink, but along the back edge of the counter and onto the floor, leaving hard water marks around anything in its path. The solution? Little adsorbent drip catchers crocheted from cotton.
Project Photo(s) : (also please do not judge my not-clean sink…)

5 Likes