Nerd Games - Winter 2025

Crafty Shenanigans Craftalongs
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Photo courtesy of @ezrib

Welcome to the Nerd Games!

Runs January 1, 2025 - March 31, 2025

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 Running with Scissors
  • Team Knotty By Nature
  • Team Bits and Bobs

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 sixallowed per season
  • Big Time projects: 50 points each (must take at least 5 hours of crafting time. Up to threeallowed 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:

Fall 2024
Summer 2024
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

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Tracking

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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

January Battle – Ducks in a Row vs Squirrels at a Rave

January Theme: The new year is often about resolutions (or not!), and a lot of them revolve around getting organized. It’s a time of new planners, gym memberships, cleaning, and motivation… for some. Some of us embrace our inner chaos and are happy with it, but I need themes for these prompts so here we are…

  1. Bullet Journal/Plan – craft something made of paper, that’s artsy, uses glue, or has dots.
  2. Work out – craft something that requires a lot of effort (physical or mental!), is heavy, is flexible (yoga is a workout!), or is (iron) grey.
  3. Clean/Organize – craft something that is used to store something else or use up a stash supply.
  4. Eat healthy – craft something fruit or veggie themed, cook something from scratch (baking sweets counts), or craft something green or leafy.
  5. Spend Time with Friends/Family – craft something for a friend or family member (swap items count, hint hint!), has hearts, or is red.
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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, for Winter, Spring, and Fall rounds, the pins will be themed around the OG Nerd Games teams.

NG Winter 2025 pins
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WINTER EVENTS:

NOTE: Feel free to use a single project for as many pin events as possible!

Textbook: Submit FIVE projects where you used a new-to-you skill or supply of any kind. Create posts for the projects in the appropriate Lettuce Craft categories (and don’t forget to claim Community bonus points).

Wordy: Submit FIVE projects that involve the use of any kind of ink. Create posts for the projects in the appropriate Lettuce Craft categories (and don’t forget to claim Community bonus points).

Multimedia: Submit FIVE projects that required electricity to complete. Create posts for the projects in the appropriate Lettuce Craft categories (and don’t forget to claim Community bonus points).

Fandom: Submit FIVE projects that reference or represent a fandom. Create posts for the projects in the appropriate Lettuce Craft categories (and don’t forget to claim Community bonus points).

Randomizer: Submit FIVE projects in five different mediums (e.g., baking/drawing/crochet/papercraft/jewelry-making). It can be any mediums you want and you can consider whatever you want to be a medium. Create posts for the projects in the appropriate Lettuce Craft categories (and don’t forget to claim Community bonus points).

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 March 31, 2025.

Prizes will be sent after the season ends.

Pin Event Submission Form

I am claiming: (Textbook, Wordy, Multimedia, Fandom, Randomizer)

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:

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Crafty MadLib Event

Win an extra physical prize this season by completing the Crafty MadLib Event!

Using the template and links below, generate your crafty MadLib and then make a project based on your completed script. Post the MadLib text in this thread as soon as you generate it. Then, complete and post your MadLib project sometime this season. (You will submit your project using one of the season prompts.)

  • Generate your MadLib using the spin wheel links below.
  • Post your MadLib in this thread as soon as you generate it.
  • Craft an item based on your generated MadLib.
  • Post your completed MadLib project.
  • Send in the Claim Form.

Template:

_____ wanted to make
(enter your username)

a _______- themed craft
(THEME GENERATOR)

using or inspired by ________.
(MATERIAL GENERATOR)

It featured a variety of colors including
________ and ________.
(COLOR GENERATOR) - spin twice

Everyone remarked how
________ and ________
(ADJECTIVE GENERATOR) - spin twice
it looked when they gazed upon the finished project.

Here’s a clean script if you want to more easily copy, enter, and paste:

USERNAME wanted to make a THEME-themed craft
using or inspired by MATERIAL.
It featured a variety of colors including
COLOR and COLOR.
Everyone remarked how
ADJECTIVE and ADJECTIVE
it looked when they gazed upon the finished project.

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 March 31, 2025.

Prizes will be sent after the season ends.

MadLib Event Submission Form

I attest that I have completed the requirements for the MadLib Event I am claiming: Yes/No

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

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Prompt: Big Time Projects
Team: Bits and Bobs
Project Name: Mushrooms and Mini-houses Ceramics
Project Link: Mushrooms and Mini-Houses
Brief Description: A paint water cup with brush rest and mini-house paint brush holder I created during a pottery class. I spent four hours making the base pieces and two hours painting them with glaze.
Project Photo(s):

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Here’s my MadLib! Should be interesting to figure out!

LovelyMiss wanted to make a AIR-themed craft
using or inspired by PAPER.
It featured a variety of colors including
TEAL and PINK.
Everyone remarked how
MYTHICAL and COZY
it looked when they gazed upon the finished project.

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storerboughtcreation wanted to make a ART-themed craft
using or inspired by WOOD.
It featured a variety of colors including
GREEN and GRAY.
Everyone remarked how
OLD and PECULIAR
it looked when they gazed upon the finished project.

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This idea is hysterical. Here’s mine.

MEGWELL wanted to make an EARTH-themed craft using or inspired by FABRIC [even though she was chanting “paper” as the wheel spun].
It featured a variety of colors including
YELLOW and GREEN. Everyone remarked how
ZANY and LUSTROUS it looked when they gazed upon the finished project.

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So cute!! Pottery takes forever. At least, it does for me! :smiley:

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Hilarious!

Bunny1kenobi wanted to make a math-themed craft
using or inspired by metal.
It featured a variety of colors including
Tan and purple.
Everyone remarked how
Peculiar and dazzling
it looked when they gazed upon the finished project.

This will be tricky……!