CLOSED: Nerd Games - Fall 2020

Welcome to the Nerd Games!

Runs October 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020

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 four, 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 four 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.

Special Fall Round Teams!

  • Team Resting Grinch Face: :no_entry_sign::christmas_tree:
  • Team Gingerbread Mayhem: :cookie: :partying_face:
  • Team Up to Snow Good: :snowflake: :snowman_with_snow:
  • Team Raking and Entering: :trident: :fallen_leaf:

Either type in your team name, or use these emojis to indicate your team!

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.
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PROMPT PALACE

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 four, 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!)

Battle Royale Prompt
Choose a side and craft a project to represent your choice. Must be completed within the month of issue, by 11:59 om, Central US time, on the last day of the month. Players may only submit one project per month/Battle. Battle Royale prompts are worth 20 points each and are eligible for all available Bonus Point opportunities.

  • October Battle: dictionary vs thesaurus - CLOSED!
  • November Battle: cooked vs raw - CLOSED!
  • December Battle: Gift Box vs Gift Bag

Challenge Prompts
You may complete challenges at any time during the season, but you may only submit each prompt one time. Challenge prompts are worth 20 points each.

October theme:
October 16th is Noah Webster’s birthday, so what better than a word themed month?

  • Simile - craft something that is like something else
  • Hyperbole - craft something that is greatly exaggerated (the whole thing or just parts)
  • Malapropisms- craft something that is slightly wrong or out of place
  • Neologism - craft something that is new (to you)
  • Palindrome- craft something that looks the same from the front and back, or has a process that is the same backwards or forwards.

November Theme:
The fungus among us!

  • Button Mushrooms - Craft something with buttons, that is white, or is vaguely round.
  • Destroying Angel - Craft something angelic, or sinister, or something that isn’t what it appears to be.
  • Fly Agaric - Craft something that is red, has polka dots, or is fairy tale-esque.
  • Penny Bun - Craft something that is cheap (or from stash), is beige, or uses a oven.
  • Pink Oyster - Craft something that is pink, frilly, or opens to reveal something else.

December theme: gifts! Kindly given to me by @craftADDchick, so it’s like the inception of prompt ideas!

  • Tags - Craft something small that is attached to or part of something else, or has a person’s name written on it
  • Ribbon - Craft something thin, flexible, long, or striped
  • Bows - Craft something shiny, made of several smaller parts, or sits on top of something else
  • Gift Wrap - Craft something that conceals another object, goes around another object, or needs an adhesive to hold it together
  • Tissue Paper - Craft something that is delicate, partially see through, or used more than once
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adventtitle

Happy Fall / Winter quarter! This quarter we are doing a 12 week advent event! Each week on Sunday I will post a new prompt for you to craft. These prompts are just like the normal monthly prompts, and are in addition to the normal monthly prompts. You will just have a lot more prompts this season to work with! Have fun and Happy holidays!

First advent calendar window will open on October 4th!

fwa-1 fwa-2 fwa-3 fwa-4

autumn leaves - Craft something that is breakable/fragile, has or uses leaves, that takes time to dry, or uses something found in nature/outdoors.

corn maze - Craft something that is yellow, confusing, fun, tall, or is useful when cold

pumpkins - Craft something that is orange, has a face, has seeds, that lights up, or something to do with art

Halloween - Craft something that is used at night, for a holiday, is sweet, is black, has a cat, a costume, or for a child

fwa-5 fwa-6 fwa-7 fwa-8

seasonal changes - Craft something to keep you warm, that is soft, has layers, or is blue

cinnamon broom - Craft something used for cleaning or got your hands messy, is spicy, is brown, is scented, or hangs up on a wall or door

cornucopia - Craft something that has multiples/duplicates, is food, is multi-colored, or is a container/contains something

turkey dinner - Craft something with a bird, that has stuffing, has legs, has many parts, or is used with friends/family

fwa-9 fwa-10 fwa-11 fwa-12

greeting Cards - Craft something with words, that folds, uses paper, has a postage stamp, or is flat

holly wreath - Craft something that is round, is red, is a decoration, has leaves, or is sharp/pointy

tinsel - Craft something metallic, that uses glitter, that adorns something or someone, has strings, is messy, or has silver or gold on it

Christmas tree - Craft something that is green, that is spiky, that uses water, that lights up, has a star, that is a gift, or anything! Because presents are surprises and anything could be in the box!

(Advent images courtesty of pixabay.com)

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Tracking and Teams

This is where you can view the team roster and see what you’ve completed so far this season. To view your checklist, find your name under your team and click on it. You will be taken directly to your checklist.

Please don’t hesitate to message me if you see a project is missing from your checklist after the most recent tracking update is posted.

Teams

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Hey everyone! SBC and I have come up with a fun surprise for everyone. Anyone who is interested, after you have posted your first prompt this season PM SBC or I with your mailing address by December 10. In addition one member from each team will have the opportunity to win an additional surprise.

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Prompt: October - Hyperbole
Team: Up to Snow Good :snowflake::snowman_with_snow:
Project Name: Gift tags
Project Links:
Description: The little gnome guy has a pretty exaggerated hat and beard and the owl has huge eyes! (Also, these took a while to do, so will be using this photo again to claim one more prompt using the holly, figgy pudding and tree cards…)
Photo:
stshdctihts

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First advent prompt is up! :slight_smile:

fwa-1
autumn leaves - Craft something that is breakable/fragile, has or uses leaves, that takes time to dry, or uses something found in nature/outdoors.

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Prompt: October - Similie
Team: Gingerbread Mayhem :cookie: :partying_face:
Project Name: Seven more pumpkins
Project Link:
Brief Description: I made seven more pumpkins. Three of these are going on to Australia tomorrow to my swap partner in a private swap I did. But here are the seven I finished up all together. Not only are these like other pumpkins I’ve made, they’re like real pumpkins… only not edible and they’re plaid. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
Project Photo(s):

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Love the pumpkins!

:jack_o_lantern: :jack_o_lantern:

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Prompt: Advent - Autumn Leaves
Team: Up to Snow Good :snowflake::snowman_with_snow:
Project Name: Gift tags
Project Links:
Description: The holly, figgy pudding and tree have leaves!
Photo:
stshdctihts

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Breaking the ice for Team :trident:!

Prompt: Hyperbole (October)
Team: Raking and Entering
Project Name: Miss Bunny Marguerite Groceries
Project Link: Whimsyween 2020 ATCs
Brief Description: Bun’s mouth is notably bigger than the rest of her facial features.
Project Photo(s):
20201004_193003

Prompt: Simile (October)
Team: Raking and Entering
Project Name: Miss Barbara Millicent Groceries
Project Link: Whimsyween 2020 ATCs
Brief Description: Barbara Millicent shares several similarities in, uh, construction with her sister Bun above. (But she came first and doesn’t get along with Bun, so maybe don’t mention their similarities in conversation.)
Project Photo(s):
20201002_194542

Prompt: Malapropisms (October)
Team: Raking and Entering
Project Name: Miss Gracie Lou RealLady
Project Link: Whimsyween 2020 ATCs
Brief Description: Gracie Lou’s mouth? lipstick? is a little out of whack.
Project Photo(s):
20201003_183431

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@bluebird, your tags are adorable! I love them all, but the owl and candy cane are my favorites!

@megwell, those are fun collages! I want to learn how to do elaborate ones like my MIL used to make. Do you have any tips you can share?

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I’m still fairly new at it myself. The thing I’m trying to remember is to not overthink it/get locked up and to try to go with the flow. Which isn’t really collage-specific. My best tip is probably to check out the paper craft category; there are folks there who have more expertise than I do and can probably give you way better advice.

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Thanks!

This is a really bad photo of my favorite of the collages she made. It’s Mt Rainier. She gifted it to me for my birthday before she passed away to make sure I got to keep it. We got a few other pieces of hers I’ll take photos of when we get stuff out of storage.

She got polio at the age of 6 (five years before the vaccine came out). She lost complete use of her right arm and could only bend her left arm at the elbow. She couldn’t lift her arm at all. She learned to use her left hand, and eventually learned to create gorgeous pieces of art. I hope to be even half as good as she was. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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That looks amazing! Meanwhile, I’m over here meticulously cutting the hair off of people in photos…

I would say just start. The early ones may fall short of what you’re trying to achieve, but you’ll learn stuff. That’s something I’m trying to embrace. I guess it’s also another thing that applies to all pursuits and not just collage.

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Almost all of her work was done with magazines. She’d use mostly ads and save chunks of color. Then start a piece. The one I shared also used some handmade paper in the sky.

This is the only collage I’ve ever attempted, and my hubby helped me cut the paper. I kept getting it too blocky.

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Prompt: Big Time
Team: Raking and Entering!
Project Name: Lucille the Seal!
Project Link: Lucille the Seal Feltie
Brief Description: Yet another felt creature. This time of a seal. I learned how to weight them and shade them with this round. I think she is rather cute. :blush: You can click the link to see her dressed up for the season.
Project Photo(s):

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I love all of your felt creations!!! :heart_eyes:

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so cute! :blush:

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