Challenge #11

Wow, I can't believe it's the last week of the race and the second to last challenge. But, with mixed emotions, here it is at KB and Friends. This one is EASY and fun!!!

A Little about Our Grand Prize Sponsors - Part 1

With the race winding down, I thought it would be a good time to let you know about the Grand Prize sponsors. We have some amazing prizes being offered up by our sponsors and we'd like to let you get to know them just a little better.

First up is Gina Miller Designs. If you the handful of scrappers who have yet to discover this talented designer, now is the time. Gina has her own shoppe at Gina Miller Designs and also is one of the hand-picked designers to help Prima launch their digital division, Prima Hybrid. Gina's designs are unique and often trend-setting. She has an impeccable eye for color and her layouts inspire tons of scrappers, digital, paper and hybrid alike. And on top of that, she's one of the sweetest people in the digital scrapbooking community. Gina has offered a $30 gift certificate to each member of the Grand Prize winning team. So be sure to stop by GMD and say a special thanks!

Next we have Gotta Pixel. Gotta Pixel is a digital scrapbooking community. They provide a friendly, relaxed forum to get to know other digital scrappers, a dynamic and exciting gallery to post your layouts, and a store full of some incredible products that will enhance your next layout. They strive to provide a secure and reliable community for you to learn and grow with. And they'd love to have you stop by and say hello! Gotta Pixel is offering two $20 gift certificates; one for each member of the first runner up team.

And finally for today's post, we have Scrapping Whispers. Scrapping Whispers is the brain child of designer and owner Marta Pavluk, aka MIP Scraps. Together with her talented band of international designers, she's put together a fun site with forums, galleries and a store. Scrapping Whispers is offer any one of their team mega kits to the second runner up team, a value of $15 each! Sto

Further Clarifications

Because there are still some questions about what "50 different elements" means, it means you can't use the same exact flower by the same designer 10 times to count as 50 different elements. It does mean you can use 10 different sequins by the same or different designers and that would equal 10 different sequins. It also means you can use 25 flowers. As long as it isn't the SAME flower copied 25 times.

I hope that makes it a little more clear and a little easier to complete!

Challenge 10 additional information

Here is the language of the challenge from Plain Digital Wrapper:

• Use at least 50 different elements from at least 10 different designers.
• You may do either a one or two page layout.

Many questions have been asked about this, so we are providing some clarification. One requirement is 50 different elements. If you use 1 sequin 50 times, that is not 50 different elements - that is one element used 50 times. However, the question has come up regarding papers as elements. From Theresa - if the papers are used as elements, they will count as elements. The question then becomes, when is a paper an element. For lack of a better way to put this, let your conscience be your guide. If you cut (real) paper up into strips and put it one a page, those would be elements on the page. If you cut it up into little boxes, those would be elements on the page. If it ends up looking like a quilt, I would have to say that those are all elements, which when taken together, make up the page.

Also, should you wish to use more than 50 elements, or more than 10 designers, you are welcome to!

Challenge #10

Is up, and it's at Plain Digital Wrapper!

Week Four is done. Finally!

I think week four was as challenging for us as it was for you!

Once again, the resilience of our racers has come through. I forgot to post this information last week so I don't know how much this number has changed from week 3, but it looks like we have 193 teams remaining in the running!

Congratulations to everyone who has made it this far!

Clarifications on Challenge 9

There were several questions posted about challenge 9. Here is some information we posted in our forums, and I think it's relevant to the questions asked here too. There is no one definition of what altered art is. But in my mind, I'm thinking a collage style.

Here are a couple of definitions I found on "altered art":

From Fragile Industries Studios:

"Altered art is a broad term that encompasses many styles and genres of art. At its most basic, it gives a new artistic life to old and/or used mundane, utilitarian items through the application of techniques and combinations, some recognized as standard artistic methods, some not. "

From Wikipedia although this is more about altered books, it can totally apply to a scrapbook page:

"An altered book is a form of mixed media artwork that changes a book from its original form into something else. An altered book artist takes a book (old, new, recycled or multiple) and cuts, tears, glues, burns, folds, paints, adds to, collages, rebinds, gold-leafs, creates pop-ups, rubber-stamps, drills, bolts, and/or be-ribbons it. The artist may add pockets and niches to hold tags, rocks, ephemera, or other three-dimensional objects. Some change the shape of the book, or use multiple books in the creation of the finished piece of art."

And from Altered-Art.Net:

"From what we have said it would seem that one answer to this question is that it involves altering or combining existing works of art to produce new pieces of artwork. However, most people would understand this expression to mean the transformation or 'alteration' of ordinary, everyday objects into artistic pieces using, for example, rubber stamps, fabric, paper, paint and fibres."

So I don't want to give you too many guidelines, because art is subjective. Basically, think collage, mixed media, mixing new and old, vintage and modern, etc. But it doesn't HAVE to be old, heritage of vintage. Just some examples.

And my apologies to David Adams of Altered-Art, somehow the link to his site didn't come through the first time I posted this. It has been properly added. Thanks for letting me know, David!

More news about Challenge #7

We posted this information in the forum, but forgot to put this information on the blog. Our apologies!

As long as your layouts are uploaded on time, you will be able to continue on in the race. If we find that a correction needs to be made, we will allow you to correct it to meet the requirements of the challenge. Thanks!

Challenge #9

Challenge #9 was supposed to be ay Grace Bennett Designs. For reasons I'm still not sure about, Grace has not been able to respond to any of my e-mails in the last few days. So, at this time, I'm going to temporarily suspend Grace's challenge and we'll host another one at NDISB.

Your challenge 9 is to scrap an altered art page. It can be about anything you want. You choose the subject, you choose the products. The only requirement is that it be in the altered art style. Here are some examples to get you started:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/3...1f2ef2486d.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...remember2c.jpg

http://www.mosshillstudio.com/images/logorib.jpg

http://www.tattered-edge.com/Images/alookback.gif

http://www.solocraftstudio.co.uk/ima...0pages%202.jpg

I have to say, that this is a style I'm still trying to figure out for myself, so do the best you can and I can't wait to see what you come up with!!

The NDISB CT is hard at work on a last-minute assignment. The prize for this challenge will be a set of quick pages from the Road Less Traveled mega kit to coordinate with your challenge #8 prize.

I want to offer my sincere apologies for this being so late. I was really hoping to hear from Grace before i posted this, but have not been able to reach her. I feel like we've had more than our share of mishaps this season of the ADSR and you've all been so fabulous about it. I want to thank you all very much for all your kind words of support. It means more to us than you realize.

A request, if you please

When posting for Challenge #7 only, it would be appreciated if you would place your team number in your layout description when you upload your layout. Jo from Elemental Scraps is performing the layout verification. This would help her greatly in her quest to verify the correctness of all of the layouts.

If you have already uploaded your layout, you may edit the description using the small icons underneath your layout. Roll your mouse over the lower row of icons, and the one on the far left will let you edit your description when you click on it.

Thanks for the help!

Challenge #8 has been spotted...

at none other than Natural Designs in Scrapbooking. Go check it out!

The challenge of Challenge #7!

This is a tough one!

We have already read your comments in our forum about being new and not having supplies, or even being not so new but still having to buy supplies to meet the requirements of the challenge. So we are being proactive in responding to your needs. In fact, your fellow racers have already started helping you out. If you go to this thread on the Natural Designs forum, you will find that a fellow racer has offered her freebies, with enough variation in alphas in particular, to meet the challenge. One well known designer that offers a huge stockpile of freebies can be found here. Please be sure that they all come from the same designer though. There are also other freebie sources available - try entering the words "digital scrapbooking freebies blog" into Google, or your favorite search engine. In our own store we have several designers that have been around quite awhile and you may be able to compile what you need from their sampler packs. (Hint: NDISB designers that meet that profile, you might want to post in the above thread!)


So it seems that challenge #7 is not only challenging your scrapbooking skills, it is also challenging your detective abilities to get the items that you need without spending an arm and a leg, or perhaps anything at all. Who knows, maybe you'll find some more great sources for products!

Many questions regarding the challenge have already been asked and answered. You can find them here.

Racers, please keep in mind that the Amazing Digi Scrapping Race isn't a "contest". We are not awarding a prize to the best layout. We are not trying to narrow the field by weeding people out. Our desire it that everyone that starts the race, finishes the race. We want all participants to have a great time, stretch their boundaries, collect some cool stuff along the way, and be there at the finish to have a shot at the randomly presented Grand Prize or consolation prizes. Remember, if it were easy, it wouldn't be a challenge!

Challenge #7 Has Just been Posted!!

Over at Elemental Scraps. Rush over and check it out! Talk about a challenge that's actually challenging!

Making your life easier, one challenge at a time!

On the left, you will notice the top of the column now has a link to a world clock. All you need to do is to make sure you post before the time in New York goes to 12:00 AM Monday.

For week three, because of challenge clarifications, we have added one day to the deadline. So, for this week only, you have until it says New York 11:59 PM Monday. This may delay the prize postings until Wednesday.

Hope this helps!

Did Someone Ask About Grand Prizes?

We're still talking to designers and sites, but we have some amazing contributions so far. We'll be profiling each site/designer in the coming days, but here is who has signed on so far, in no particular order:

NDISB
Digital Scrapbook Artisan Guild
Gina Miller Designs
Tracy Ann Digital Art
Darlene Haughin
Inked Edges
Nuts4Digi
Grace Bennet Designs
DigiByDesign
Gotta Pixel
{we are} storytellers
Amanda Rockwell
Elemental Scraps
Scrapping Whispers
Deco-Pages
Pixel Gypsy Designs
Sweet Shoppe Designs
Tuma Soft
Plain Digital Wrapper
CG Essentials
Aimee Designs
Jill D-Zines
Purple Paper Flowers
Divine Digital
Traci Reed
All Things Visual

And we have the potential for some more exiting sponsors in the coming days, so check back often!

Posting the Code in Your Layout for Challenge 6

Here is what you need to know to put your partner's layout in your challenge 6 layout posting. To get the link to your partner's layout, if it is posted at NDISB, just right click on their layout and Copy Image Location. Then past this location between the image codes.*

Please post your layouts to the Challenge #6 Gallery at NDISB no later than the above noted deadline. You MUST include the image code for your partner's original layout in your description so their layout is displayed right under yours in the gallery.

To do this, upload your partner's layout sized to 500x500 to photopost or similar and in your layout's description use the following code to show off their original page alongside your credits in the gallery...

[ img]linktoyourpartnerslayout.com[ /img] (close up the spaces to display)

Click Here to see a sample layout in the gallery of exactly what we're looking for

*If it is posted at another gallery, we ask you to save it down and then either upload it to your gallery and copy the image location, or host it on a third-party site, such as photobucket. Other sites have to pay for all the bandwidth they use, so if you use the link for another digital site and link that back to NDISB, every time that layout is viewed, it is using that other site's bandwidth.

Challenges #5 and #6 are very, well, challenging!

Clarification - we checked with the challenge hosts (since they are their challenges and not ours).

Challenge 5: The interview subject may not be an animal, person or body parts. An example of an inanimate object would be a desk, chair, car, cell phone... you get the idea. And it must be an interview - questions with responses. If both of these aspects are not adhered to, the layout won't count.

Challenge 6: Opposites must be adhered to also. Examples: Happy/Sad, Winter/Summer, Sleeping/Awake. Also, the original layout must be spun, flipped or inverted per the rules. This is why an image posted below your layout is required - to be able to check this quickly.

On both of these challenges, since the journaling is an important part of the challenge, if it is not easily readable, please add it to your description. Click on the left most icon in the lower row of small icons under your layout to edit your original information.

As this clarification is not being posted until Friday, we are extending the layout deadline one day. The upload deadline for Challenges #5 and #6 is midnight Eastern Daylight Time Monday, March 17. You have until it says Monday, 11:59 PM here if you need help with the time zones.

Thanks!

Clarification on Due Date

A few people have asked about when layouts are due. They are due by midnight eastern on Sunday. This means Sunday going into Monday and not Saturday night (midnight) going into Sunday morning. And it's eastern time, which is 9:00 PM Pacific.

Week Three Update

After all of the tallying, checking and cross-checking, it seems that we have 201 teams continuing on.

And if Challenge #6 is upon us, that means we're already halfway through the Race! Congratulations to the 400-plus racers still hanging in with us.

And speaking of Challenge #6, we have had some questions regarding whether both team members could complete this challenge. We've checked with the judges (who are not nearly as nasty as Simon Cowell) and have come up with this ruling: While there is only one official submission per team, both racers may complete the challenge if you wish. Please remember to link to your partners original layout (per the example at Sweet Shoppe Designs). ALSO, please designate your teams "official" layout should both team members choose to complete this challenge.

Also, please remember that both challenges are due by midnight Sunday, Eastern Daylight Time. If you need a reference, here is a handy online world clock with many major cities in the world. Find your time zone, and then compare it to New York. Make sure to upload before it strikes 12:00 AM in New York!

Have fun!

Regarding Challenge No. 1 Prize

I know many of you don't use Photoshop as your preferred software and that makes the prize from Challenge 1, not particularly useful to you. The owner of Digital Scrapbooking Classes, Christy Haig, wanted me to pass this note along to you:

"I want to apologize that the things in my store are not usable for everyone. All of my templates are in PSD and TIF format because I know those file types can be used by most digital scrappers, including those who use Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and ACDSee. I realize however, that not everyone can access these files. To those who have contacted me with this concern, I have offered two alternatives. First of all, the calendar templates in the store are png files so these can be used by a broader audience. If these of not of interest to you, you can contact me and I will transfer the template(s) sets of your choice to png files that can then be reassembled in the program of your choice. I'm sorry that I don't have access to all of the scrapbooking programs out there to create files specific to all programs."

Thanks, Christy, for being so responsive to the racers!

Challenge #6 is UP!

Over at the delectable Sweet Shoppe Designs. Go check it out! It sounds fabulously fun!

Prize Incompatibilty Resolution

I got this from one of my CT members today and it sounds like a great solution for those of you that were unable to use any of those great templates from Challenge 1:

Theresa, I think there is a way everyone can enjoy their prizes, even if they don't use Photoshop. They can download a free 30 day trial of ACDSee Photo Editor here: http://store.acdsee.com/servlet/Cont...uctID=69658000

It will open Photoshop files. They can then save each of the individual layers as .PNG, or they can scrap with them in the program. They may decide they like the program an buy it, but if not, they can covnert anything for use later. I think it also opens PSP files in layers. It will NOT open DIS/DIP PNG Plus files in layers. I tired. It no workee!

Challenge #5 is Up!

Hop on over to Digitals to check it out. It sounds like a blast!

My gosh... it's Saturday. Where has the time gone?

Our last post was Tuesday, so we are way overdue for an update.

One of the reasons that we haven't posted is because things are generally going the way they are supposed to! What's the old saying... "No news is good news"? I think that definitely applies here.

There is still some confusion out there about the challenge three prize resolution. Look for a link in the "prize link" forum, email April at DSM, or contact us at NDISB. Somehow, all of you will get taken care of that chose to participate in challenge three. Did we learn some lessons? Absolutely! Did we find that we have a great community involved with us here in our little race? Without a doubt!

Also, one racer posed a comment about the unfairness of the prizes for the first few challenges, based upon the software that they use. That was a reasonable observation. Not everyone uses Photoshop, or a derivative.

One thing that we would like you to know - Natural Designs in Scrapbooking does not suggest, nor do we coordinate, the prizes for the weekly challenges. While NDISB hosts the race, we leave it to the challenge hosts to determine their own challenge, as well as their prize. Keeping that in mind, not every prize will necessarily be suitable for every racer. We thank you for your understanding and hope that all racers will see some benefit from all of the challenges. One idea that has been raised by several racers is that of taking a prize that they may not be personally able to use, and offering it as a gift to a friend or family member that may be interested in digital scrapbooking, but hasn't started yet. Just think... you might provide someone else's inspiration!

We'll keep you updated over the next few days as to the status of continuing teams, and anything else that seems appropriate. Please continue to enjoy the race, and let us know if there is anything that we can do to improve your experience.

Challenge 3 - Q&A

I had a couple more questions on this after we posted the resolution.

Q.) Is this optional or not? I' m still confused.
A.) Because we did say it was optional, I think we need to leave it optional at this point. It wouldn't be fair to go back and make it mandatory again. What this means is that if you complete the challenge, you will have your choice of the two prizes. If you do not complete the challenge, you won't get a prize, but you also won't be disqualified.

Q.) Do both partners need to complete the challenge?
A.) No. It's optional. Neither one needs to complete it. And just because one team member completes the challenge does NOT mean the other one also needs to.

Q.) How do I indicate which prize I'd like?
A.) Please notify April at DSM which prize you would like. This is their "contact us" form. No registration required. We'll work closely with April at DSM to keep this all straightened out. Also, be sure to see April's last post in this thread regarding buying additional CDs. And be sure to drop her a kind note of thanks for her generosity!!

Challenge and Grand Prize Clarification

Sometimes my fingers get ahead of my brain and I leave vital information out. Here is some additional information about the Challenge and Grand prizes.

When you go to the Challenge Prize links forum you will find a thread topic for each weekly challenge. You will find that Theresa has provided additional information about the prizes for each challenge completed so far. You will notice that the week one Bonus Challenge is not listed. Theresa will be addressing that via an email. Questions about the Bonus Challenge have been answered here. The Bonus Challenge itself can be found here.

Regarding the Grand Prize... well... we could tell you more about it... but we won't! :) At least not just yet... Rest assured, if you don't get it, you will wish you had. If you do, you will be the envy of everyone on your block!

Challenge 4 Has Been Spotted

At your lovely host for this challenge, Oscraps. To see the challenge, click here.

Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding!

That bell rings to a close week one of the Amazing Digi Scrapping Race, Season Three!

The week started with 216 teams registered and raring to go. As often happens, life gets in the way of many things, and we had ten teams drop out for various reasons. So we start week two with 206 teams still in the running for the Grand Prize and the two consolation prizes. (If you need a refresher on the Grand Prize and consolation prizes, you can check the "Official ADSR3 Rules")

So, stretch out... take some deeeeeeeep breaths (innnnnnnn, out. innnnnnnn, out). That's better! (okay... how many of you actually did that just now!) ;)

Prize link information has been better explained in the description of the prize link forum. Links for week one challenges should be posted on Tuesday, US Pacific Standard Time. If you still have questions, please PM the Ogre. (He'll probably ignore you, but you can feel better knowing that you have done your part.) :)

Challenge 3 - The Resolution

I have finally had a chance to talk with April, owner of Digital Scrapbook Memories, about how to proceed with this challenge. First, we both feel bad about how this all worked out for everyone. I also want to make sure everyone is clear that April DID contact me just before the start of the race with her concerns. We talked about what to do, and this seemed like a fair compromise. I realize now, it was a bad judgment call on my part.

We really want everyone to have a fun time racing and have a positive experience with DSM and with the race overall. So, for those who complete the challenge, you will have the option of receiving a free template you can download, or pay the shipping to cover the cost of the $25 CD of digital products. She is also offering the drawing for 25 people to receive the CD free of any shipping charges for those who complete the challenge.

If you have any questions at all regarding these options, please let me or April know and we will do our best to clear up any further issues or concerns anyone has.

Challenge 3 update

We are continuing to work on a positive resolution to the challenge three prize situation.

If you have not been following the topic in the NDISB forum, a quick recap:

Digital Scrapbook Memories (DSM), the host of Challenge #3, only products are digital scrapbook products delivered via CD, and sold via their online store or through retail establishments. DSM has an agreement with their CD retailers that they will not offer their product available via download. It is for this reason that products on the CD can not be made available via download as a prize for the racers. DSM's current offer is to make a $24.95 CD available to racers for $5 to cover shipping costs. DSM has agreed to ship to any racer, in any country for $5.

As many racers have expressed disappointment in having to pay for any prize (the rules specifically state that no payment will be necessary for any portion of the race) we are currently evaluating alternatives that may prove to be suitable. As soon as we have additional information, it will be posted on this blog, and in the NDISB Forum.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work toward an equitable resolution for all involved.

Challenge 3

I apologize for the prize issue on this. I was contacted late into the planning regarding their dilemma with not having downloadable files. Let me see what can be done about this. If nothing, then this will become an optional challenge and will not be required to continue on. I sincerely apologize for this.

Challenge #3 is Now Up!!

You can find it here at Digital Scrapbook Memories. Go check it out!

The Bonus Challenge Gallery is now open

To accommodate the addition of the Bonus Challenge, we have set up a new "Bonus Challenge" gallery, which you can find here. When you post your bonus challenge layouts, please be sure to select the bonus challenge gallery, and not the challenge number three gallery. Thanks, and we hope you enjoy the additional challenge. If you missed the announcement, scroll down a couple of posts from here.

We're BACK!

The ISP that we use had the database server run out of disc drive space. They host many digital scrapbooking sites, along with non-scrapbooking sites as well. I guess they didn't realize how popular digital scrapbooking was becoming!

In any case, we are back up this morning. We apologize for this, and will be having discussions to ensure this will not occur in the future. Thanks for your patience over the past several hours.