The Eagle Has Landed ... errr ... Launched!!

One of my all-time favourite cartoon characters is Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip. He has this crazy imagination that gets him into all sorts of trouble (BOY! Can I relate to THAT!!! Tee! Hee! Hee!), but everyone loves him anyway ... well ... except for the cat next door! :0) One of his 'characters' that he pretends to be is the World War I flying ace and he's often heard to use the phrase ... "The Eagle Has Landed." I feel a little like that, except in this case ...

"The Eagle Has Launched!"

Yep ... it's time to dust off your "To Do" list, drag those WISPy WISPS out of your sewing cupboard, rummage through your stash and decide what projects you're going to tackle this year as part of ...

Emails have been flying fast and furiously between Peg and I and we are EXCITED ... and just a bit NERVOUS!! ... as we announce the start of this year's OPAM sign up!! YAY!! Now, from the emails we've been receiving in the last couple of weeks, I KNOW a lot of you have been waiting for OPAM to kick off, so grab a cuppa and settle back to read this year's guidelines for OPAM - there ARE a few changes, so even if you've played along with us before, make sure you read the guidelines to help us all keep things running smoothly. It might even help you to keep a copy of the guidelines somewhere to help jog you memory throughout the year, but of course, if you have any questions along the way, feel free to email Peg or I. Are you ready? Let's LAUNCH!!!!

The One Project A Month (OPAM) Challenge Guidelines 2011

The idea of the “One Project A Month Challenge is pretty simple ... To try to finish at least ONE craft project by the end of each month. This can be something you’ve had partly done for a while (a Work In Slow Progress WISP), a pattern you bought ages ago that you finally get around to making up, or a completely new project. This is meant to be a low-stress challenge - if you don’t finish a project every month - that’s fine! We understand sometimes life interferes with our plans. We also realise some projects are meant to be long-term and have a LOT of work involved, like a quilt or a cross-stitch. The main aim of the OPAM Challenge is to give us all a bit of a motivational boost and to give us all a big cheer squad to encourage and inspire us.

However, there is quite a bit of time and work involved in running OPAM, so Peg and I have some guidelines we ask people to take note of AND please only sign up if you intend to follow through. If for some reason during the year you decide you don’t wish to remain part of the OPAM Challenge, just drop Peg or me an email to let us know. Please read through all guidelines before you sign up.

1. Participants must have an ACTIVE BLOG. (sorry non-bloggers, it was too hard to keep track of people who didn’t have a blog and dropped out of contact.) If you change your blog address, drop us an email telling us your old address and what you’ve changed it to. If your blog is already, or you change it, to invitation only, please send Peg and me invitations, or we can’t check your finishes list each month.

2. The number of participants in the 2011 OPAM Challenge will be limited to 200 - first in best dressed!

3. Participants can sign up via email to me or Peg, or via a comment on EITHER blog AS LONG AS it includes all asked for information.

4. Participants MUST provide all info asked for. * Name (first and initial of surname in case of double up names); * Email; * Blog address.

5. Participants MUST have the OPAM Challenge badge on their blog sidebar and link it to either my or Peg’s blog. Don't do this until you receive the welcome email from Peg or me because the format for this year's button is a little different ... not just copying an image.

6. Participants MUST keep a list of each month’s finishes on their blog sidebar and update it BEFORE the last day of each month. (This is easiest if you add each project as you finish it.)

7. Only ‘soft’ crafts are included in the OPAM Challenge, ie. Projects made from fabric or wool. Some examples are: embroidery, patchwork, quilting, cross-stitch, knitting, crochet, practical sewing (curtains, clothes etc), long stitch, appliqué.

8. QUILTS: A quilt will only be counted as a finish if it is COMPLETELY finished ... Quilted and bound. Flimsies/tops won’t count as finishes.

9. BOM’s: Blocks that are part of a BOM (Block Of the Month) program will only be counted as a finish when they are joined, quilted and bound. Individual BOM blocks DO NOT count as a finish.

10. OPTIONAL: If you are able to email Peg or me your list of finishes each month BEFORE the end of the month, this would be appreciated, as it cuts down the amount of time it takes to check finishes for the month. (and save Peg and me from getting square eyes! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

11. Lastly, participants MUST ... Have fun! After all, the reason we craft and create is to relax, have fun and take some time away from the “Have to” tasks to do the “Like to do” ones! :0)

So what are you waiting for?! Email me or Peg and then get that "To Do" list updated!! It's going to be a FANTASTIC year and I can't WAIT to see what all your clever-clogs crafters will create!! :0) But right now, I'd better get ready for work or my boss will be on to me! :0) Til next time ...
 

BEAR HUGS!
CHEERS!
KRIS