The UK Etsy Challenge

The UK Etsy Challenge was started a few years back....we all had a challenge to make some pants (for Comic Relief) and we enjoyed it so much we decided to make it a permanent thing!

Have you felt my pants? by Memake



As happens with many groups, the enthusiasm has fizzled out over time with people leaving the group....and Etsy, other priorities taking over, etc, etc. There were no entries for the last couple of challenges, so it looked like the group may die out. But I for one, and from messages on the thread, new people who have just discovered the group, it would be a shame. So....I have taken it apon myself to try to get it going again! A little revamp, the premis is the same...a theme, anyone in the UK with an Etsy shop can enter and upload their finished piece (jewellery, textiles, art, sculpture, clothing, your own prefered medium) to the Flickr group When the deadline is reached, a voting thread is opened on Etsy with links to photos and everyone (not limited to the UK, or sellers, anyone is welcome to vote) and a winner is found!

Monkey (uk etsy august challenge - clouds) by Siansburys



As time is short for most people, we're going to try for quarterly, every three months and get everyone, entering a piece or not, to blog, twitter, facebook, and promote the challenge in any way they can.
So what is the group hoping to achieve? Mainly it is for fun....personally I love thinking about a theme, breaking it down to it's componants and finding a small aspect that I can bend my work towards. It's great mental exercise :) Also it is to promote and expose our work and Etsy shops, now who wouldn't want that? The more people who are willing to get involved, even in the smallest possible way, not necessarily uploading a piece for the challenge, to spread the word gains better promotion for everyone.
The winner of course, has a great sense of acheivement...and I for one will blog about it...the more people who announce the winner in their own way and the better the 'prize' becomes.

Red and Turquoise Hair Clip by Snapdragon Beads




So...This summer's challenge theme is 'Fairground' and the deadline is Sunday 4th July 12pm GMT


Take any part of fairground you like....as literal as two dodgems crashing on a necklace, or a pink candy floss knitted scarf. Or something more obtuse...and abstract painting depicting vertigo maybe, or a beaded bracelet in a riot of colours.

So how do you join in? The challenge is open to anyone in the UK with an Etsy shop. Join the UKEC Group and when you have your challenge entry, upload it to flickr and to the group pool. Make sure you state your Etsy shop name (subtly though....Hi I'm seaurchin....don't actually link to your shop as you risk your photo stream being deleted by Flickr) Let us know which challenge the piece is for and your inspiration....then promote the group and the voting thread when it's up :)

We'd love to see you over in the group! :)

Challenge for September by myaphrodite/poorrobin