National Craft Month Contest

[iCraft Admin]

Hello iCrafters,

March is a National Craft Month. To celebrate it, Lucie from OhLaLaBride, suggested to run Crafts Contest on iCraft. We thought it was a terrific idea. Please visit Lucie's blog post to read the rules of the contest. We hope all of you will participate. Here is the page where you can submit your photos. Can't wait to see everyone's submissions. 

We hope to run contests regularly now, so if you have ideas for the next contest, please let us know.

[OhLaLaBride]

Invitation to all  crafters to submit their products photos in the National Craft Month Contest, deadline for submitting is March 15, the winners voted by the iCraft memebers will be announced on March 31.

All the information available at: https://icraftgifts.com/blog/celebrating-creativity-march-is-national-craft-month-324.php

[iCraft Admin]

Hello iCrafters,

Please rate submitted creations for our National Craft Month Contest.
When you click on the star, you will be able to see average rating for that products.
Rating is open until the end of the month. We'll announce the winner shortly after that.

Also, we are looking for the ideas for the next contest(s). All suggestions are welcome.  Thanks!

[Fairy Cardmaker]

Voted!

[iCraft Admin]

Hey guys,

Please vote on the submitted work on our very first  craft contest.
Only one week left! 

And how do you feel about color-theme for the next contest? What colors would you choose and why? Any other ideas for the next contest are welcome too.

Btw, we are building out this photo submission section right now, so members could setup new photo galleries and new contests too, with some moderation of course.  We are calling this section "Photo Fun", which will add some fun and interesting content to our Community section. Hopefully, it will help with engagement of current members and bring some new traffic to the site. Also, there is nothing wrong with just wanting to have fun, right? 

Here are some of the Galleries that you'll see there initially "Pet perfection" - for  fun pet outfits, "Fashion Flashback" - a walk down a memory lane of the past years in fashion, "Contests & Challenges" - where we'd post regular contests for current iCraft members and non-members. We are also working on a variety incentives for those who participate.... Anyway, what would you like to see in this new section?

[Fairy Cardmaker]

Colour challenges are generally good.  It doesn't have to be a single colour.  It could be a popular colour combination.  (Like, 2 or 3 of the pantone seasonal colours, for example.)

I've always wanted to run a zodiac challenge but I never find the time.  I found a site that tells, for each zodiac:
the gem
the flowers/herbs
the colours
the animals
the imagery

LOTS of choices in each zodiac to be represented.

Seasonal challenges are not great, in my opinion, because seasons are opposite in our two hemispheres.

We could do a spelling challenge: iCraft.  First challenge is "i".  After that, we do "C".  After that one, we do "R".  You get the picture.  Each letter could be anything: the materials, the item, the style, the technique, the colour, the inspiration.  For examples:
i = image, ink, island inspired, immaculate (cleaning items or religious inspired), industrious (steam punk?), indigo, etc.
C = crate, cradle/crib (stuff for it), children, chunky, chocolate, coconut, cream, coal, cupcake, cup, crumpled, crinkled, card! (heheh, had to put that one), etc.
r = rust, rustic, ring, red, ruby, rock, rest and relaxation, round, river, regal, royal blue, etc.
a = alphabet letters, airy, amber, action, autumn, antique, alien, angles, angels, auburn, etc.
f = flower, forest, flexible, foam, floating, felt, festive, focus, fringe, fairy, fantasy, fall, fluffy, filler, field, etc.
t = tune, text, teardrop, torn, twig, twinkle, tinted, tweet, truffle, tied, tin, tulip, tulle, tilted, twisted, trunk, tufted, tan, etc.

For the gallery, how about a gallery for all things children: clothes, toys, soaps, crib bedding, totes, etc. called Childhood Wonders?

[iCraft Admin]

WOW, a lot of great ideas,  Fairy Cardmaker.  Thanks a lot! 
Yes, yes, I think we can do all the things you are suggesting.

[Fairy Cardmaker]

Thank-you.  I'm full of ideas.  It's the follow through that's lacking!

We could also do a learn-something challenge (maybe at back to school time).  Show something you made, and then TEACH something about it.  EXAMPLES:
- explain something about the process few may know or many may struggle with - do you have a favourite tip of how to do it?
- explain about how to use or pair the product
- explain what special ingredients make your product superior to competition
- explain how buyers can tell genuine quality from not-so-genuine when it comes to your product
- explain the backstory to your product if it has an interesting one - where did it originate and what need did it originally fill in those times?  (Some products once filled a need and now are just for collection.  Some products still fill a need but have evolved from their original introduction.  Some products once filled a need and everyone did it but now is a "lost art".  That kind of stuff.)

We could call it the cliche "Show and Tell" or we could call it "Look and Learn" or maybe "Show and Know / Know and Show".

[iCraft Admin]

All brilliant ideas, Fairy Cardmaker!   
Would this work better as a Blog post  Challenge? or do you think it could work as a Photo Challenge?

[iCraft Admin]

Well, we have a winner now of our very first photo contest.  
Congrats to Making Scents for winning with 4.5 stars and 8 votes for gorgeous Skin Silkening, Moisturizer Soap!
I hope she will add this soap to her store now (since she's earned 3 months of free unlimited product postings), so we could showcase this soap in our homepage banner.

Thanks everyone for participating!  
Our next contest is coming soon, so stay tuned!

[Making Scents]

Well, we have a winner now of our very first photo contest.  
Congrats to Making Scents for winning with 4.5 stars and 8 votes for gorgeous Skin Silkening, Moisturizer Soap!
I hope she will add this soap to her store now (since she's earned 3 months of free unlimited product postings), so we could showcase this soap in our homepage banner.

Thanks everyone for participating!  
Our next contest is coming soon, so stay tuned!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! 
Thank you for organizing the contest and giving me the opportunity to submit my product!
Thank you to all that have voted for me!
Thank you for the greatly appreciated prize!

I am very excited about winning.

I woke up this morning, it is raining and cold, I felt like going back to bed, while debating if I should go back to bed or do something constructive I decided to check my emails... wow... I am the winner! Never crossed my mind that my submission would win because all the products submitted were unique and beautiful. You've made my day! 

I will post my Skin Silkening, Moisturizer Soap within this hour. Many thanks iCraft for the 3 months unlimited product posting, this is so greatly appreciated.

[iCraft Admin]

You are very welcome! Well deserved victory.
Happy to know this news made your day. Let us know when you post all your products. We may choose more than one to feature in the banner. 

[Fairy Cardmaker]

Congrats, Making Scents!  Your soaps do look very relaxing and pampering.

[OhLaLaBride]

Congrats MakingScents! Your soap reminds me of a luscious cream and peaches sorbet.