What kind of challenges are you interested in???.

[howdyheidi]

Honestly, much of what I am interested in is what will help us up participation a bit.  Yes, we are all busy, but it is so much fun when there is a lot of participation! 

[howdyheidi]

I am considering a card design challenge.  It could be a study of grounding, rule of three, or anything related to card (or any papercraft) desing. I AM NOT EVEN CLOSE to an authority on it, so it would be something that I was doing to learn myself as much as anything else.

What do we think? 

[Far North]

Leigh Ann- I too enjoyed your tag challenges!  Many thanks for hosting for the past 2 years!!! 

I totally agree the host has the final say about “requirements” for their challenge and offer the following to stimulate more thought. Often when I create for challenges here I don't feel I have lots of extra room on my surface and/or time to work on additional elements I would like to try. IMHO I feel that Artsy Inkers are a real creative group of folks and are ready to have more “open challenges”.   If hosts would limit their challenge to 1 “requirement” it would provide opportunities for players to use surfaces, materials, medium, or tools to “stretch” to experiment with ideas that have been on their “someday try this” list.

Heidi-I love your thought about focusing on the design principles… contrast, emphasis, balance, unity, pattern, rhythm, and movement!  This is something I am still learning about. I have taken a couple classes on DP and so far I like Dana Wakley ‘s  1st book’ Art Journal Freedom’s’ explanations of the principals and sometimes a technique (even though her artistic style is different than mine).  These principals are basics for all art forms. One thought is  take several days to discuss the challenge topic perhaps even find examples.  I think the “open challenge” for this could work very well.  We could end up with a range of projects from Melissa’s journal to an altered art piece saved from the trash, but each would demonstrate the specific principal. 

Leigh Ann a gesso challenge sounds great too!  Perhaps you could host a couple basic technique challenges with gesso prior to a partner swap on a defined surface. 

As for timing of challenges, I am one who loves to spend  December “Making Christmas” including all my cards, gifts, baking etc.   But after Christmas I will ready to jump back in until Jan 15.

[Looser]

Jan. I sooo like your comment about 'one requirement' for challenges! 'Course we might not want to make it a requirement  , but ITA that keeping individually-hosted challenges somewhat 'simple'. And nothing says that hosters can't allow players to do entries they can do for more-than-one challenge.

Far as dates & durations? That's always a tough call. But I believe we will find what works for our members as we continue to offer challenges/swaps.

I am considering a card design challenge.  It could be a study of grounding, rule of three, or anything related to card (or any papercraft) design. I AM NOT EVEN CLOSE to an authority on it, so it would be something that I was doing to learn myself as much as anything else.

  That sounds like a GREAT on-going Challenge, pal!

LOL, 'Lyla'! Nice try! No cans in your trash? Buy a soda, pal.  What 'lid' piece are you talking about? This one?

[yellowcherrios]

Jan, the book "Mixed Media Revolution" I found for $5 and some change at Hobby Lobby (encase you or anyone else can still find it there) and so far from the little bit I have read, there seems to be lots of techniques in the book---unfortunately I haven't gotten to try any using their steps to know how well they present each technique.  I actually just finished skim reading one that involved fusible web!---it reminded me of you!  lol!  I liked reading the online samples on their book called "Image transfer workshop" but decided not to buy b/c the book looked like it was only on that one subject matter so when I found this book I was hopeful that that image transfer would be touched on in this book (and it looks like it is), but when I saw all the different techniques discussed I decided to try (especially for $5! lol!).

LeighAnn I like your idea of a gesso challenge, especially since I do not know really anything about gesso and am trying to learn currently.  It sounds like most have gesso so most could participate.  That is one thing I think of sometimes (even though I haven't hosted yet) is wether or not everyone has a product to participate.  I like that when we don't have a specific product, everyone helps with substitutes so we can still play in the challenge. 

The thing I loved about challenges---and I need to remind myself when "life" gets in the way----is that when I get involved in challenges seems to be when I learn the most about a product(no matter how large or small a product)/technique/designing and MYSELF too!

Heidi I really like your idea about a design challenge.  I am totally fine with learning with you!----as I am with all the challenges too with everyone. 

[lylacfey]

LOL, 'Lyla'! Nice try! No cans in your trash? Buy a soda, pal.  What 'lid' piece are you talking about? This one?

I am sipping on a soda right now. I know some people don't have soda cans or drink soda. That's what I mean about using what we have. I have to buy chipboard because DH & I don't use a lot of box foods in our home.

That's the creation Daniel. One of my most favorite creations ever.

[lovepug2]

Heidi, I love the idea of a design challenge!

Melissa, I'm gathering articles and am working on a gesso challenge. I found some great blogs and a couple of videos too that will be good to reference. I probably won't get it up until sometime later in the month.
That book sounds really good! I will have to look for it.

I've had this idea in my head for a while, it would be a challenge that's similar to Cindi's Christmas card one.
It would be a month long challenge and each month we would focus on a particular card theme- ex. One month thinking of you cards, next month- kids birthday, etc. would anyone be interested in doing that? I could always post a few inspiration pics or card sketches for it too.

[Looser]

Pug. I think a 'Theme-a-Month' card challenge is a brilliant idea--especially for stampers like moi who don't 'do' cards (much). 

Based just on the posts here, it looks like we will have ideas aplenty to keep us stamping thru 2015!

[yellowcherrios]

LeighAnn I like the theme-of -the-month card idea challenge!  I am hoping to participate in the Christmas card challenge next year.  And I am excited you are getting a gesso challenge together--yeah!  But feel no pressure that you need to get it out quickly…since it's close to Christmas and all.  I know here in December with the couple of Nutcracker plays DH plays in and with us visiting relatives, I'm not sure I'd get to play if you had it in December.     But I sure would try if that did work for you and everyone else. 

I agree with Daniel!  We have lots of ideas for the new year!!   

[howdyheidi]

There are tons of excellent ideas on this thread.  I am interested in trying most all of them.  Challenges really do get me crafting and I usually am able to make the time to do them.

Daniel mentioned on the chat thread that maybe in the new year we will be able to increase our membership a bit. I think having a good mix of challenges and swaps will help us with that.  And it is always fun to have new members.

Also, just a probably unneccesary comment that everyone here is welcome to host any challenge or swap whenever you want.  Just post it, and I bet your participants will come on in!!!

[Looser]

LOL, Heidi! Never (IMO) hurts to encourage non-hosters to become hosters for challenges.

I guarantee that the hardest part of hosting is just 'putting one on the board' & inviting input from players.

Wuz I skaired the first time I hosted an online challenge? Yep! And I had been doing in-person classes & seminars for a decade before joining any online bunch.

As a crafter & instructor, I have sooo grown with the input from players on my challenges. Wishing that for all of us & knowing that each of us supports our fellow members here @ AI! 

[lovepug2]

Excellent! I plan to start the card theme challenge in January. I think it will be a good stash builders and stash busters too.

I'm holding off until the holidays are over on the gesso challenge. I'm no expert at it but it's fun learning so if anyone has any experience with it, I hope you'll chime in.

[Looser]

LOL! As I prepared to write a post to this topic, I got the nicest prompt (warning). It's been at least 120 days since the topic's had a post. 'Sok!

With UtahAnn's post about 'Summer' Challenges, I figure this thread is a good on-going one for us all. It doesn't even need a new title.

When it comes to figuring out what sorts of challenges we might want to see (or host), one aspect could certainly involve the time of year. As Ann says in her post (on-going chat), Summer can be a tough period for finding the time to actually do crafts. But that's just as true for Spring, Fall & Winter. When I worked for craft stores, we knew we would be up against certain 'slow traffic' periods.  Two things helped us figure out ways to get folks visiting the store(s).

1. We knew our regular customers. Not just what crafts they did, but lots of other stuff about them--time constraints, family matters, etc. (We have that here @ AI (Artsy Inkers; not Alcohol Inks  ). When Jan did her 'AI' challenges (now it's Alcohol Inks) She had some idea that she wasn't the only 'Inkster' who might find the challenges interesting. Boy! Was she ever RIGHT!

2. We went for the 'obvious' every chance we got! What do I mean by obvious? Well things like knowing that many crafters make lots of their crafts for end-of-the-year holidays & use them as gifts & greetings. To actually do that, they need to get started earlier (as we all have learned). 'Christmas-in-July' may well have begun with crafters.

Want more Summer issues? Lots of folks travel. Offering a challenge that can 'travel' well is one idea. If I can take just a few craft items along, I'll be more apt to take the challenge with me. That way when I have a rainy day or the sun's too hot, I can break out my craft supplies.  And let's not forget kids... School age children 'glory' in their freedom from school--for about 48 hrs. Then it's "I'm bored" or "there's nothing to do". Yes. I do realize times have changed since I was a kid, but despite all the technology available some things don't really change. A challenge that can be kid-inclusive might attract players from the moms & grams in our group. Even those with no kiddoes available might play & include their 'inner child' as a partner. NOTE: I am not responsible for any psychiatric therapy on the part of my fellow Inksters!

And don't be afraid to use PMs, emails & other forms of contact when you'd like to seek input, but don't (yet) want to do a topic post.  I'm likely to be offline for a bit, but I have a nice collection of addresses--even a few ph #s. I can  stay in touch. My point? That's true for lots of us Inksters.

End of current ramble.

[howdyheidi]

Thanks, Daniel, for bumping this thread.  It is a good one!  I had forgotten that I meant to do a monthly or so design challenge. I may get my thinking cap on and restart that.

All your points on summer crafting are valid.  I tend to still have time in the summer, even with the kids home.  I have busy times during the school year, and some busy times over the summer too.  It is really a toss up as to what the best time is for me to do challenges. 

[Far North]

Daniel thanks ever so much for bringing this topic back to this thread.  I hope this serves as a gentle reminder that all AI players do not regularly read the daily chat thread and for that reason stamping discussions better fit elsewhere in the forum. 

As for me I have decided to not continue on the Mixed Media Card Challenge design team after my term ends in June.  I want to pursue using my creative time in other creative ways and watercolor is high on that list.  Also many online stores are sharing lots of fresh ideas and I continue to seek ones that use products in my existing stash...and I would like to see some of those as challenges.  And Heidi I just thought about your design element challenge in the last few days and meant to post a request for continuing them 

We have already discussed our next event being the 1st 2 weeks of June...that is right around the corner so I would hope most  swaps in May will end before the end of the month allowing time for folks to prepare and test their challenge beforehand.   

Thanks for asking!