OPAM 2013 Off & Running!

Yes, it's that time of year again where my Partner-In-Crime Sweet Peg and I wave the green flag and fire the starter's gun to get the OPAM race going ... and a few of you have been revving your engines to get across that start line! :0) It is so exciting to receive your emails telling us how much you enjoy being part of OPAM, how helpful you have found it to give you that little bit of motivation to spend time in your sewing room and how much you're looking forward to joining us this year. Thank you for your participation, encouragement and enthusiasm ... it certainly warms the cockles of our hearts ... and makes us smile! :0)

Whether you're a 'Newbie' signing up for the first time this year, or a 'Repeat Offender' who has been with us for a year or two now, I hope you enjoy playing along with Sweet Peg and I for OPAM 2013 and that it encourages you to be creative and take a bit of time out of your busy life just for "YOU", cos YOU are SPECIAL!!! :0)

OK ... I know you're all waiting for the starter's gun to go BANG, so I'll stop waffling now and get on with it. The full guidelines for OPAM 2013 are below. And whether you join Sweet Peg and me for OPAM or not, I wish you a 2013 full of stitching and creating, a year that has plenty of YOU time and other crafters to share with. :0) Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS

The One Project A Month (OPAM) Challenge Guidelines 2013

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 Sweet 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 Sweet 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. 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 Sweet Peg and I invitations, or we can’t check your finishes list each month.

2. Numbers won’t be limited for the sign up for OPAM 2013, BUT ... it WILL close on February 1 ... You must sign up before that or miss out on joining in the fun.

3. Participants can sign up via email to Kris 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 Kris’s or Peg’s blog. (a link with instructions will come with your welcome email)

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.) If you can put this directly under the OPAM badge on your sidebar it will be easier for Sweet Peg and me to find it. You may also choose to have a separate OPAM 2013 page on your blog.  That’s fine too as long as it’s clearly labelled.

7. Only ‘soft’ crafts are included in the OPAM Challenge, ie. Projects made from fabric, thread 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. If you can email Sweet 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 Sweet Peg and Kris from getting square eyes!)

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)