September Challenge {2014}
From this point forward, our weekly challenges is now a monthly one.
We would love you to join in. We know our designers come up with utterly fabulous ideas, and often this makes you want to have a go and play along too. So go and make something, blog about it and share the link so we can see what you've been inspired by!
If you are prompted to creative-action by any of this month's guests who blog between Sept 1st and Sept 30th 2014 then join in and link up your creativity to this post.
You will go in the draw to win £50 (this includes VAT and postage) to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. (Think of it as £40 prize with £10 to cover the VAT and postage costs, worldwide)
You need to add your link by 19:00 (London time) Sept 30th 2014. Please ensure you are familiar with our guidelines below
Challenge Etiquette:
- a link in your blog post to that designer's original post on the PA blog.
The whole concept of this challenge is 'play along with us'. You are encouraged to put your own twist on ideas you see on our blog, don't feel obliged to copy an idea exactly.
8. The first day of every month (in this, the Challenge post) is when the winner of the month will be announced, also, in the same post, the link for the new month is posted. It's your responsibility to claim your prize coupon from Darcy: email her darcydotneedles@hotmail.com
9. Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
1. The challenge is to show how you have been inspired by our designer(s) to try a particular technique. Your entry should contain:
- a mention of which designer inspired you and why, and - a link in your blog post to that designer's original post on the PA blog.
The whole concept of this challenge is 'play along with us'. You are encouraged to put your own twist on ideas you see on our blog, don't feel obliged to copy an idea exactly.
2. The link must come directly from the specific post on your blog where you have explored the technique/ idea mentioned in point 1 above. You cannot link to the home page of your blog, or we will be unable to find the post to leave you comments. (NB. Linking to your home page also looks like you are spamming us to drive traffic to your blog)
3. Spam links will be deleted. We did have someone who linked to a competitor's product launch/ website, so it does happen.
4. We prefer your post is created exclusive to our challenge. Multiple challenge links in one blog post is poor etiquette and generally makes you look like a blog-candy grabber. We know you have busy lives, and it's easier to do multiple links, but from our point it can result in a conflict of interest.
5. You are welcome to use stamps/ products/ substrates you have to hand from a variety of companies, we do not expect you to exclusively use PA products - but of course it's lovely when you do! Try to be sensitive to these things :)
5. You are welcome to use stamps/ products/ substrates you have to hand from a variety of companies, we do not expect you to exclusively use PA products - but of course it's lovely when you do! Try to be sensitive to these things :)
6. You can enter as many times as you like. We don't want to restrict your creativity or participation!
6. Entries can be inspired by any post on our blog for the duration of that same calendar month.
7. The winner of the random draw will receive a £50 credit to be redeemed on the PaperArtsy Website. We request that one of your purchases is an A5 rubber stamp. You can add any other items to your basket, but the final total (including VAT and postage) must not exceed £50 The voucher can only be used once, so you must redeem it in a single transaction.
8. The first day of every month (in this, the Challenge post) is when the winner of the month will be announced, also, in the same post, the link for the new month is posted. It's your responsibility to claim your prize coupon from Darcy: email her darcydotneedles@hotmail.com
9. Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
18 comments:
Seems fairly straightforward to me... can't wait to meet tonight's first designer project.
Yep me too, can't wait either xxx
I get it too! Like the monthly idea as it will give slow coaches like me time to join in each month.
Whoo hoo! Less than 20 minutes now!
Hugs
Lesley Xx
Hi what a great idea! I wanted to join in before but the time was too short . Let the inspiration flow!!
Jan😊
Well I think I get it LOL!!
Okiedokie! :)
Yep, got it, bring it on! Xx
Sounds good, hopefully even I, the terminally slow, slowcoach, can come up with something during a month.
On number 4 I think you should be more specific: is linking to another challenge allowed or not? It will be simpler for you to police if disallowed.
The redeeming process sounds complicated as picking products to the exact value of £50 will be difficult if not impossible. What happens if the total is under or over?
Otherwise all the changes are good!
All sounds good to me - lets create!
Je me joins à vous, vite à que le temps passe pour voir le premier projet
Hi, this sounds great. I often start projects inspired by the designers and don't get them finished by Sunday evening so they either don't get finished or they do, but I don't feel I can link cos it's last weeks inspiration. This will maybe encourage us busy crafters to tackle some of the more complex ideas the DT come up with.
The link thing. Are you saying the post must be linked exclusively to PaperArtsy with no other links?. I often link to multiple challenges and may have taken a colour or theme from another challenge and combined it with the DT's techniques. I don't consider it poor etiquette to combine inspiration from a number of sources and acknowledge those sources. I do tend to try and keep my links to 5 or less and must admit I do think it's a bit off if I go to a post and there are 50 challenge links for a single project. That is just taking the proverbial. Also can't work out how they have the time to link into all those sites. Maybe they have a super computer. So for point 4 if you want us to link exclusively to PA with no other links will you please state that. I have no problems with that rule but it would be nice if there was no ambiguity.
Also point 5. I think you should require that at least one PA product is used. I come to the PA blog cos quite honestly it's one the most inspiring and creative blogs in the multiverse. But I also want to see how people are using your products. I can go to other manufacturers blogs to see how to use their products. I come here to see what new and exciting ways I can use yours. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect to see at least one of your products in a project. There are so many to choose from.
Also, and this may be unpopular, if my comment is not already unpopular, but you are going from two prizes a week to one a month. Still extremely generous, but why not split it so two winners have £25 each. That's two chances to win what is still a great prize. Well, I'd be happy with it. I've always liked the fact that if your name isn't first out of the hat there's that second chance.
This is just my personal ideas, so don't hold it against me if you don't agree. Looking forward to joining the fun soon
Big hugs
That's great news, I often don't get time to enter on the project I want and then the following week it's too late, the price is amazing as well, can't wait to play and see all the entries xx
Hi all, Leandra here just commenting on the points raised above, thanks for your feedback. I love it when people say what they think, we try to do things in an way that encourages everyone. Your comments might raise things we haven't considered.
1. Links
No we don't expect you to exclusively link to our blog, of course you can do additional links to other challenges if you wish. We 'get it'. Our logic is that if you are inspired by our blog and the ideas presented in that post, then why would you also be merging that with a significant list of other challenges...For example if Jo Firth-Young does a masterboard that prompts you to make one, or Lin Brown makes a small fabric book, and you want one too then those are the kind of things you are going to reflect, or try in your challenge entry. I can understand you making the projects to a theme to fit with a theme challenge, and in colours to meet that brief, but beyond more than a couple of other challenge links it does seem to take the proverbial. So we are OK about it, but not in the extreme. We don't really want to be black and white about it (ie make a rule), it's just making you aware of how we feel about that issue so you can bear it in mind.
2. The Prize.
As explained, it's a £40 prize (ex VAT to be accurate). Put stuff in your basket till the sub-total hits £40. If the grand total is not yet at £50, then add something else. It doesn't have to be on the nose of £50. Slightly under would be the way to go. After all, if you get to add another item after you hit the £40 then you are already getting more than we 'intended'. Lighter items means less postage and therefore more value in the actual 'stash'.... you can totally work the system to suit you.
If the total is over, then call us with your card to pay the excess ;)
3. 2 smaller value Prizes.
Due to sales tax and world freight costs if the value was lower an international winner would struggle to get anything decent in their basket compared to an EU person. We want to have a decent prize that works no matter where in the world you are.
An international winner does not get charged VAT, but their freight is more, so just like a UK person, with a higher value prize they will get a few decent bits in their £40 value prize, and their freight allowance of £10 is very generous. So, it's probable that the combined value is still under £50, then, just like an EU winner, they can also add another item.
I anticipate that a £40 prize with a £10 postage/VAT allowance should work out pretty equal for everyone everywhere in the world.
4. Compulsory use of PA products
Well I kind of think its a potential 'rule'. I just want to be the naughty one who doesn't comply. But it's lovely Ionabunny that you suggest this as a requirement. Bless you! x
I think that most of the challenge entries we see do indeed generally use PA products in a pretty generous, if not exclusive way. And many of you even take the time to link products back to our shop. Wow that is FAB!
Only on rare occasions I look at an entry trying to decipher 'how did that post inspire that result?'.
Our followers and challenge players are on the whole pretty well known to us, very loyal, and happy to pull out their PA stash to explore the actual concept taught by the guest because we predominantly explore techniques with our brand....however as there are now about 5 versions of competing 'chalk paint' that have appeared in 2014 from our beloved crafty competition, I may be prompted to review my decision on this particular point in the future!! LOL
We will review all the guidelines at the end of the semester once we can see if they work out OK or not.
MWAH to you all
Leandra xx
My thioughts on the new system - I loved the way it worked before and my preference would be to keep it that way. I do appreciate the need for change and will defo participate, but Sunday nights will never be the same xx
I think the entry should contain PA products because as above I love the inspirational way people use their materials and a relatively new comer although not quite so new now, I have learnt most of what I do by reading blogs such as this. Whatever the presentation keep up the good work Deb x
Thanks for the comprehensive reply Leandra. Looking forward to joining the fun. Hugz
Hello Leandra,
I love the new format, inspiration from an Artist always brings the best out in creators when they least expect it. Regarding the products used, I also agree that at least one PA product should be used.
I live in NZ and it is only the last few months since your visit here that we have been able to acquire some products, so if I am advocating this for your challenge it is because I want to win big time as I love the PA stuff.
I am going to enter this month as the inspiration is wonderful from your designers.
Smiles:)
Sue
A bit late here but I agree with Deborah. Feel that the CHAllenges have gone off the boil a bit. Lost our weekly meeting place . Also, lose track of who did what when! Totally understand that it was running away with you but as Deb says, Sunday nights are not the same. Think that some designers will get overlooked a bit. Still joining in. Also commenting on one another's post is not as easy now that it is so spread out. Rambling now, back to Zimmer! Xx
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