BeadStyle Magazine has teamed up with AlaCarte Clasps & WireLace to issue a jewelry making challenge. Though you can get all the details as well as an entry form at the BeadStyle Magazine web site, the basic info on this challenge involves participants using wire lace to create a jewelry piece. The deadline is July 15, 2010. Some of the prizes include subscriptions to the magazine as well as gift certificates to get more wire lace. Plus, some winners will be featured in the magazine as well. The first place winner also receives $250 in cash.

Here is the gift I made for my mom last year; it includes a crocheted bath mitt, hand-made soap (which I bought), and card. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out, so I thought it was extra cool that I got to show it off not only here on my blog last year, but this year I am showing it off at the Lion Brand web site also.

They have a blog post asking readers to show off their Mother’s Day crochet projects. You can upload it directly to the site. The deadline is May 12th, and then they will select some favorite photos to publish in their newsletters, blog, and Facebook page.

A new book called Steampunk Inspirations is in the works, and the writer, Barbe Saint John, is looking for jewelry designs to fill its pages. Here is some information from the official call for entries:

“Rockport Publishers/Quarry Books is an international publisher of high-quality visual and idea books for design professionals and creative enthusiasts—crafters, artisans, and
designers. (Check out our distinctive books at: www.quarrybooks.com.) We are seeking submissions for possible publication in 1000 Steampunk Inspirations,
an upcoming book by Barbe Saint John. Publication date: March 2011.

We are looking for the finest Artisan-made examples in the following categories:

Costumes and Garments
Jewelry
Accessories
Head Gear
Time Pieces
Gadgets and Contraptions
Vehicles
Artwork
Home Decoration

To submit:

1. Email 1000steampunkinspirations@gmail.com, and either include a link to your website/online portfolio for our review, or attach no more than 4 lowres JPEG images of your work (each file should be under 1 MB). Name each attachment with your last name, and the numbers 1-4.

2. If your low-resolution images are provisionally accepted, you will be given instructions on how to upload the corresponding high resolution files,and you will be required to fill out a Grant of Rights form allowing the publisher the permission to print your images. At this time, we may invite you to submit an additional 6 high-res images, for a total of no more than 10 photos entered into the final jurying round.
3. 1000 images will be selected for publication. If selected, you will not be required to provide any how-to instructions, but you will need to briefly describe your item and what it’s made from. Published contributors will be credited on the pages where their image(s) appear, as well as in the artist directory. Contributors will also have the opportunity to purchase copies of the book at a 50% discount.

Deadline: June 1, 2010.
Acceptance begins immediately: early submissions are encouraged.”

Have you ever thought of entering a craft contest? There seems to be a never ending number of them on the Internet. I even have a CFE/Contests category on this blog for just that reason.

Honestly, I’m not one to normally enter contests myself, mainly due to lack of time, but this article from a Meylah, entitled “Everyone Wins: Why You Should Enter Contests,” got me thinking more seriously about the additional benefits to entering contests other than winning.

Generally, some of the reasons suggested in this article includes added professional exposure; a chance to expand your creativity; trying something different than you might usually do when it comes to your normal crafting direction; and creating traffic for your blog, shop, or web site.

If you aren’t normally the type to enter contests, then you may think differently after reading this article.

I heard about this through the Internet crafting grapevine, CraftyCon 2010. According to the web site, it will be held in Chicago in October and is being billed as “For Crafters, By Crafters.” Right now, there is a call for speakers, so this could be a good opportunity for serious crafters to add a little something to the old artist bio. The web site isn’t full of details right now, but hopefully, that will change. Any way, I think it’s worth bookmarking and keeping an eye on.

I discovered this fiber call for entries, and it looks interesting, especially if you live in the Toronto area:

“Toronto Arts and Fashion WeekCall 4 Fashion Designers and Visual Artists
Two Deadlines: (RECEIVE)
December 22, 2009 (Early Deadline)
January 9, 2010 (2nd Deadline)

Call 4 Fashion Designers and Visual Artists
Toronto Arts and Fashion Week 2010
April 21-24 2010

Toronto Arts and Fashion Week produced by Fashion.Art.Toronto. |FAT| is looking for contemporary fashion designers and visual artists to showcase their work for the upcoming festival in April 2010.

From contemporary fashion to street wear, to experimental ideas and avant-garde collections, Toronto Arts and Fashion Week features over 40 runway shows from the best emerging and established, national and international designers, setting the standard for a new era of cutting edge presentations on the catwalk.

In it’s fifth year, Toronto Arts and Fashion Week also exhibits photography, short films, videos and large projections from over 100 emerging and acclaimed, national and international artists annually. In addition, we showcase cutting-edge, dynamic and forward-looking performances from performance artists, fashion designers and dancers along side sculptures, installations and large multimedia art works that reflect on the notion of the body, clothing and fashion.

We are currently accepting proposals in:

Fashion Design
Photography
Video
Performance Art
Installation/ Sculpture
Dance
Music

• Submitted proposals should reflect on the notion of clothing, the body, fashion and the 2010 theme “Made With Love”

2010 Thematic Approach: “Made With Love”

The 2010, fifth anniversary edition of Toronto Arts and Fashion Week titled “Made With Love” approaches design and art from the intelligence of the heart. It explores the complexities and range of human feelings and the way we relate to the world from an emotional point of view. Love is explored on a broader scale as a complex emotion through four explicit themes: Longing, Lust, Rage and Joy. Artists and designers will interpret and reflect on the human condition; their own and our collective state of being, expressing their ideas through art, design, performance and music.

Starting this month, those who are interested in participating can download applications through our website: http://www.getfat.ca/

For application inquiries, please contact: vanja@alternativefashionweek.com “

Remember the flower pin episode on The Big Bang Theory? Well, crafters and especially glue gun fans will also appreciate a call out for your glue gun opinions over at Cathie Filian’s weblog. She is working on some glue gun products and would like your opinion about glue guns in general, the good, the bad, and the sticky! Those who leave comments also get a chance to win some of her crafting goodies, so go over and tell her what you think right now.

I have to admit to becoming a real convert when it comes to loving Vanna’s Choice yarn manufactured by Lion Brand Yarn. The acrylic is a little pricier than Red Heart, but it is way, way softer, so I think for some items (like the amigurumi tiger pictured) it is worth it.

If you also love this yarn, then a new contest may be for you. It’s called the Vanna’s Choice Yarn Contest, and there are 4 categories you can enter. Each offers a $1,000 prize. That’s a lot of yarn! You can find the details are (where else?) on the Vanna’s Choice web site.

In one of the many craft newsletters I receive, I found this information about a needlework related contest. Hearts is a favorite theme of mine for all types of crafts, and ornaments seem like a very do-able project, so of course, it got my creative brain wheels turning:

Each year PieceWork Magazine holds its annual Excellence in Needle Arts Awards contest to showcase the best work of needle crafters from around the country. This year’s theme is “Heart Ornaments.”

PieceWork invites you to send your handmade heart ornaments in these four categories: knitting/crochet, needlework (embroidery, cross-stitch, bead embroidery, needlepoint), lace making/tatting, or quilting. The grand prize winner will receive $500 and each category winner will receive $200 worth of products provided by our generous contest sponsors.

* Entries must be a maximum of 4″ in size.
* Deadline:  April 1, 2010.

The contest winners will be announced and their work displayed at The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA) trade show in June 2010. They will also be featured in our July/August 2010 issue of PieceWork. Complete contest details will be available October 16 at pieceworkmagazine.com.

The heart ornament pictured above was created by Belinda Spiwack.

For all you doll lovers and/or fabric fanatics out there, here is a call for entries to consider: Momiji Couture Contest. Also known as “message dolls” these dolls carry secret messages in the base of each one. The idea for this contest is for participants to create one-of-a-kind fabric Momiji dolls. The 10 finalists will be exhibited at Royal/T, a cafe/art/shop space located in Los Angeles, California. The winner will be featured in Selvedge magazine. The deadline is late October, and you can find out the details for creating your doll as well as how to enter at the contest’s web site, which also has a pretty cool (though new) weblog.