Nerd Games - Summer 2024

storerboughtcreation · July 1, 2024, 4:12pm

Welcome to the Nerd Games!

Runs July 1, 2024 - September 30, 2024

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!)

FAQs

Have more specific questions about the Nerd Games? You can find FAQs here!

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 Video Games
Team Board Games
Team Card Games

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 2024
Winter 2024
Fall 2023
Summer 2023
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 · July 1, 2024, 4:14pm

Team Roster and Tracking

Team Video Games
roler
AudiobookLover
LovelyMiss
Team Board Games
tapestry
storerboughtcreation
Team Card Games
gozer
megwell
Bunny1kenobi

Smeddley · July 1, 2024, 7:29pm

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!) *

Monthly Battles

July Battle – Online vs In-person - CLOSED
August Battle – Board Games vs Table Top RPGs - CLOSED
September Battle - Solo play vs Multiplayer

July theme – It’s all about getting together and gaming, we’re going meta here with by making the Nerd Games all about games! July is about video games, and before you say that video games are all online, you can play them in the same room and that’s how Mario Cart and Mario Party have ended in so many … disputes…

(and we may have done this theme/a similar theme before, I’m sorry if I’m recycling unknowingly!)

First-person action game – craft something that is for yourself, is something that was hair-raising or stressful to make, is useful in stealthy situations, or is black.
Casual/Cozy game – craft something that you use to get comfortable, is easy and relaxing to craft, is soft or fluffy, or is blue.
Party/Rhythm game – craft something that will be used by multiple people, incorporates music or song lyrics, is used for a party, is polka dotted, or is pink (no, I’m not fixed on Toadette and her moving the star to the other side of the board, why?).
Puzzle game – craft something that has a bunch of pieces, solves some problem/issue in your life, has keys or locks, is brown/bronze, or has a hidden component.
Platformer – craft something that has a lot of steps, is blocky or pixelated, is incredibly colorful, or is made out of wood/paper.

*also acceptable for any of these prompts is something made from your favorite game in the genre!

August theme – gaming around a table! Whether you like RPGs or classic board games, getting together with friends around a table is … well, an experience. Sometimes a lot of fun, other times… Let us know your favorite TTRPG/Board games!

Dungeons and Dragons – craft something that relies on luck, has scales, requires multiple parts, or is green.
Pathfinder – craft something that takes you on a journey, is related to nature, is round, or is grey.
Monopoly – craft something for your house (or hotel), that is related to one of the Monopoly token themes, is square, or is the color of your favorite set of properties on the board.
Candyland – craft something for a youngster in your life (or for charity), is sweet, is made at least partly in the kitchen, has stripes, or is white.
Mousetrap – craft something that has multiple steps, is plastic or fuzzy, requires assembly, or is in primary colors.

September theme - Card games! Whether you’re old-school with a regular set of cards (solitaire, poker) or the new-fangled Magic or Pokemon games (I’m old enough to consider those new-fangled, thank you very much), card games have you covered! There are so many new and different card games out there!

Five Crowns - craft something that comes in five (or more) parts, is fit for royalty, has jewels/stones or is jewel toned, or is worn on the head.
Munchkin - craft something that is small, could be considered medieval, is useful, or is brown or made of paper.
Love Letter - craft something for a loved one, something that uses words or part of a page of writing, or is black or white.
Exploding Kittens - craft something for a pet, something that that is red or yellow, or something that is furry/hairy.
Fluxx - craft something that you changed from the initial instructions, or you made up as you went along, or is silver or made of metal.

LovelyMiss · July 1, 2024, 8:39pm

Pin Prize Collection

We’re continuing the Nerd Games enamel pin collection! Each season you’ll have the opportunity to earn up to three (or sometimes more) 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!

This year we’ll have two pins each season based on LettuceCraft categories (Art, Home & Garden, Fashion & Wearables, Fiber & Textiles, Food & Drink, Paper & Vinyl Crafts, Crafty Shenanigans, and Swaps). The third pin offered will be random.

SUMMER EVENTS:

NOTE: Feel free to use a single project for as many pin events as possible (and submit it for your Craftlympics Medal, too, if it qualifies)!

Art: Submit THREE projects to the Nerd Games that qualify for the Art category on Lettuce Craft. Create a separate LC post that includes at least ONE of the projects AND claim Community Bonus Points. (Projects do not necessarily need to be posted in the Art category, they just need to qualify. Like a ceramic pot could qualify for that category, but might also be appropriately posted in Home & Garden.)

Home & Garden: Submit THREE projects to the Nerd Games that qualify for the Home & Garden category on Lettuce Craft. Create posts for the THREE projects in the appropriate boards AND claim Community Bonus Points for all three projects. They DO NOT have to be three separate posts, all of the projects can be included in one post and claimed multiple times if that makes sense for your situation. (Projects do not necessarily need to be posted in the Home & Garden category, they just need to qualify. Like a crocheted wall hanging could qualify for that category, but might also be appropriately posted in Fiber & Textiles.)

Mix Tape: Submit THREE projects, each crafted in a different medium. Each project should have a minimum crafting time of one hour. Create a post for at least ONE of the projects in the appropriate board AND claim Community Bonus Points.

SUMMER SPOOK-DOWN:

We’re having a spooky summer countdown. Why? So you can get your Halloween pins before Halloween!

Raven: Make something shiny or that could be considered a novelty. Make a separate post of the item in the appropriate LettuceCraft category, submit it to the Nerd Games (for whatever prompt you want), AND claim Community Bonus Points. Crafting time for the item needs to be a minimum of three hours.

Frankies: Repurpose an item or supply, or craft an item that is made up of disparate parts. Make a separate post for the completed item in the appropriate LettuceCraft category, submit it to the Nerd Games (for whatever prompt you want), AND claim Community Bonus Points. Crafting time for the item needs to be a minimum of three hours.

Jackolantern Craft an item that you designed yourself, that lights up, or that is Halloween-themed. Make a separate post for the completed item in the appropriate LettuceCraft category, submit it to the Nerd Games (for whatever prompt you want), AND claim Community Bonus Points. Crafting time for the item needs to be a minimum of three hours.

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 Monday, September 30, 2024.

Prizes will be sent after the season ends.

Pin Event Submission Form

I am claiming: (Art, Home & Garden, Mixtape, Raven, Frankies, Jackolantern)

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 · July 1, 2024, 8:39pm

In celebration of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, we’re getting crafty with our own competition! Earn a physical award this season by honing in on ONE category of crafting where you really excel, and show off your creative prowess.

DECLARE YOUR CATEGORY

To earn your GOLD MEDAL, you will engage in at least 20 HOURS of crafting time within ONE SPECIFIC MEDIA/MEDIUM during the season.

You will declare your Medal Category when you submit your first Craftlympics project. Categories can be based on any type of craft (media/medium), e.g., crochet, culinary arts, watercolor painting, etc. Choose whatever category you want, and CHOOSE WISELY! Once it’s declared, it’s your Medal Category for the WHOLE SEASON.

You can reach your 20 hours of crafting time through multiple projects, or one big project. Whatever you prefer, just make sure to use the blurb below to track your category and crafting time.

SUBMIT YOUR CRAFTLYMPICS PROJECTS

For projects to count toward your Gold Medal and 20 hour total, paste this blurb into the description for each project you submit, and include the appropriate information.

Craftlympics Performance

DECLARED MEDAL CATEGORY:

CRAFTING TIME:

CLAIM YOUR MEDAL

To claim your medal, submit the form below to LovleyMiss via PM by 11:59 pm central on Monday, September 30, 2024.

Prizes will be sent after the season ends.

GOLD MEDAL Submission Form

I attest that I have completed the requirements for the Craftlympics Gold Medal: (YES/NO)

My Declared Medal Category was:

How I want my name to appear (options - username OR first name OR first name+last initial):

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

LindyBlues · July 3, 2024, 10:10pm

I love the summer theme!!! Can’t wait to start crafting. Maybe 'll finally create the board games I’ve been putting off

Thank you for all your hard work on this

AudiobookLover · July 5, 2024, 10:29pm

WOW!! I am in awe of all the time and energy that goes into making the nerd games novel and fun! Extra Halloween pins!? Craftlympics!? I’m looking forward to this season!

Tapestry · July 7, 2024, 6:24am

This looks so fun! I definitely want to participate this season, though I have no idea what I’d pick for the craftlympics. Polymerclay maybe?

Bunny1kenobi · July 7, 2024, 6:30am

This is going to be so funnnnn!

gozer · July 7, 2024, 8:36pm

Prompt: July Battle - In Person
Team: Card Game
Project Name: Hemmed pants
Project Link: -
Brief Description: The temp seems to be hovering above 95° this year, and I needed some lighter pants for my In-Person days at work. I have a group I walk on breaks with, and thick pants or jeans were not working. I bought some linen pants and had to hem them. I finished the last three pairs today. I did a double line to make them look less home-sewn. I had to cut 5" off then flipped them over an inch, but now they are the correct length.
Project Photo(s):

And with this, I am officially back in the Games!

DECLARED MEDAL CATEGORY: Sewing

CRAFTING TIME: 1 hour

Bunny1kenobi · July 9, 2024, 12:49am

Yaaay! Glad to have you back!

And hemmed pants for the win!

megwell · July 9, 2024, 1:00am

Prompt: Puzzle Game
Team: Card Games
Project Name: Refashioned address labels
Project Link: [to come]
**Brief Description: I painted over a sheet of free address labels. There are a bunch of pieces, though that’s kind of hard to tell from the first photo. And you could argue there’s a hidden element, in that I covered my address.
Project Photo(s):

Edit: Adding a Craftlympics blurb because I decided after the fact to go for the gold (ha!). @LovelyMiss, if that’s a rule violation (because I didn’t claim it at the time), let me know and I’ll adjust my cumulative time accordingly.

Craftlympics Performance

DECLARED MEDAL CATEGORY: Paper!

CRAFTING TIME: .5 hr (.5 total for season)

Bunny1kenobi · July 11, 2024, 5:15pm

Prompt: Free Range #1
Team: card games
Project Name: hubby bday card
Project Link: Traveling birthday card. More hygienic than traveling pants
Brief Description: Made this travel themed card for my honey’s bday.
Craftlympics Performance

DECLARED MEDAL CATEGORY: paper

CRAFTING TIME: 2 hours

Project Photo(s):

Tapestry · July 11, 2024, 5:39pm

Prompt: July - Platformer
Team: Board games
Project Name: Late night doodle watercolors
Project Link:
Late night doodles
Brief Description: a loose watercolor and ink 5x7" painting I made as art therapy late at night
Project Photo(s):

Woohooo! Officially in the games with that.

roler · July 12, 2024, 9:45am

OK, it is HARD to choose between the three teams this time because a ADORE all three types of games, but for obvious reasons if you know me and my job, I will go for video games

Prompt: Research Project #1
Team: Video Games
Project Name: Granny Square Pillow
Project Link: Granny Square Pillow
Brief Description: I made this for my parents’ 50th anniversary, and it took me about a month.
Project Photo(s):

Craftlympics Performance

DECLARED MEDAL CATEGORY: Crochet

CRAFTING TIME: lost track but at least 30!

Prompt: July - First Person Action Game
Team: Video Games
Project Name: Slice of Life ATC #1
Project Link: Slice of Life ATCs #1~3
Brief Description: I decided to make some slice-of-life ATCs for myself. We’ll see if this ends up being an ongoing series or not.
Project Photo(s):

Tapestry · July 12, 2024, 2:51pm

Your slice of life ATC is absolutely delightful!

Bunny1kenobi · July 12, 2024, 10:27pm

Slice of life ATCs for the win! Can’t wait to see more!

The pillow is great too!

@Tapestry There is so much to see in your art piece!

Bunny1kenobi · July 13, 2024, 3:46am

Prompt: July Battle-online
Team: card games
Project Name: covered paper clip set
Project Link: Covered paper clips
Brief Description: some of the images used in these were bought online.

Craftlympics Performance

DECLARED MEDAL CATEGORY: paper

CRAFTING TIME: 2 hours

Project Photo(s):

Tapestry · July 13, 2024, 6:07am

Prompt: July - Casual/Cozy Game
Team: Board Games
Project Name: Party Monsters Watercolor
Project Link: Party Monsters
Brief Description: a little late night art therapy with watercolors, watercolor powder, and ink
Project Photo(s):

Bunny1kenobi · July 13, 2024, 7:15am

Added a link to my post above.

@Tapestry such cute monsters!