Your Mission:



The object is to create one or more Christmas tree decorations and it can be done in any Artisan Crafts medium, but it has to have been made by YOU. Anyone on dA can participate and you can make something new or if you already have one in your gallery, that's eligible, too! You can enter as many as you like, but winners can win only once. Go to Artisan Crafts FAQ to see more information about all the Artisan Crafts media on dA.

Entries can be sent to =DAnnsCreations (send her a note to ask for her address) who will present them to Phoenix Children's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona for their holiday display. PCH is one of the ten largest children's hospitals in the U.S.A. and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and was featured in People magazine last month for its "outreach work with homeless kids in the area who need medical help and compassionate care." You do not have to donate your entry and your entry will still be considered for any prizes -- the only conditions are that the entry is made by yourself and that it be a craft of some sort. Please be aware though that any entries containing flammable parts, glass, candles, or parts that could cause choking are not eligible for donating to the Hospital, but will still be eligible for prizes.

Go here to see the entries.

Here are some ideas to inspire you and get you going:

Plushies: Make little plushies with a hanging cord or hook -- you could make little animals, Christmas bells, stars, candy canes!

Fiber Art: cross-stitched decorations; knitted, woven, tatted, or crocheted decorations (and with a hanging cord or hook attached).

Leather: If you'd like some ideas what to do with leather, I have some leather decorations in one of my own gallery folders here and I'll be sending some of them to =DAnnsCreations to take to Phoenix Children's Hospital. You can also buy leather in metallics, prints, and embossed prints for some really different ideas.

Sculpture & Glass: Ceramic, clay, or any synthetic sculpting compound can be used, such as polymer clay or Fimo. Decorations made with glass, such as fused glass for example, cannot be donated, but are still eligible for a prize.

Knotting & Weavings: macrame; tiny dreamcatchers.

Folding & Papercraft: small origami figures with a cord or yarn for hanging.

Jewelry: Just make what starts out to be a long or large earring, but make it without the earwire! Just make sure that a cord of some sort or a hook is attached for hanging.

Culinary Arts: Yes, culinary! With a few very basic ingredients, you can make culinary decorations that are non-edible and will last for years and if you add enough cinnamon, their scent will last for years as well. Send me a note if you need help finding a recipe.

Woodworking and Metalworking: If you are skilled with these media, you probably already know that they have long been traditionally used in making decorations -- there are so many things you can do with smallish pieces of wood or metal! And if you're not skilled in using wood, you can get unfinished discs at crafts or hobby shops that you can découpage and finish, just make sure to attach a cord for hanging.

Rules & Info:

Contest Gallery: submit to Community Projects > Contests > 2008 > Christmas Tree Decorations

Start date: November 20

End date: December 10, midnight PST (so that entries can be mailed early enough although you are welcome to mail them at any time - just be sure to photograph them first!)

Judges: Various Gallery Moderators from the Community Relations team will be judging.

Prizes:

1st Place: one-year subscription

2nd Place: six-months subscription

3rd Place: three-months subscription

Questions? Send them to ^Kitten-of-Woe