CABTeam Challenges 2011

This year the CABTeam will have four exciting challenges, one per quarter. You may decide to participate in one, two, three or all four of the challenges. (Remember, every team member is required to participate in at least one challenge per year.) The challenges are pretty simple in theme, and are not meant to be limiting so as to encourage creativity.

The purpose of team challenges is to bring us together as bag makers by working toward a common theme. Conversation, technique and idea sharing is highly encouraged. For instance, you might want to share a tutorial for an embellishment, or share photos of your bag in different stages.

To enter a challenge, simply send an email with the word “Challenge” in the subject field to cabteam@comcast.net anytime prior to the deadline for submission. In the body of the email state your shop name and the number and theme of the challenge you wish to enter.
For example: BagsandBuds-Challenge #2-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurposed Bags
Then attach one image of the bag in jpg/blog-ready format. (Use the same guidelines for your image as you would for listing on Etsy.) All bags entered in the challenges will be shared on the team blog.

Challenge #1-(Jan-Mar)
• Theme-Embellished Bags
• Guidelines-Make any kind of bag, purse, tote, wallet, zipper pouch, etc. and embellish it in a creative way.
o Embellished-past participle, past tense of em·bel·lish (Verb) Make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features: "blue silk embellished with golden embroidery".
• Charity-Doctors Without Borders- Doctors Without Borders, USA (DWB-USA) was founded in 1990 in New York City to raise funds, create awareness, recruit field staff, and advocate with the United Nations and US government on humanitarian concerns. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization that provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. In 2007, MSF-USA raised $152.1 million and sent 200 aid workers to work overseas. http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
• Deadline for submission-January 31st

Challenge #2-(Apr-Jun)
• Theme-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Repurposed Bags (Earth Day Friday, April 22)
• Guidelines-Make an eco-friendly handbag with materials you are reusing, recycling or repurposing. We would like before and after pictures for the blog, so be sure to take a picture of the materials before they are transformed into a bag.
• Charity-WaterAid America transforms lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest communities. We work with partners and influence decision-makers to maximize our impact. WaterAid enables the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water and sanitation. Together with improved hygiene, these basic human rights underpin health, education and livelihoods, forming the first essential step in overcoming poverty. We work with local partners, who understand local issues, and provide them with the skills and support to help communities set up and manage practical and sustainable projects that meet their real needs. We also work locally and internationally to change policy and practice and ensure that water, hygiene and sanitation's vital role in reducing poverty is recognized. http://www.wateraid.org/
• Deadline for submission-April 30th

Challenge #3- (Jul-Sep)
• Theme-Eco-Friendly/Organic Fabric Bags
• Guidelines-Use eco-friendly/organic fabric to make a bag of your own design. Eco-Friendly fabrics are the wave of the future. What makes a fabric eco-friendly? There are several ways for fabrics to qualify being eco-friendly. It may be a natural fiber such as cotton, hemp or bamboo that has been grown without the use of pesticides in soil that has not been treated for at least three years. If the fabric is dyed, it must be with a low-impact dye. Recycle plastic is also considered as eco-friendly. The fabrics in this category have met these conditions to be a "green fabric". We suggest checking out eco-friendly/organic fabrics on the web.
• Charity-Kiva-Kiva's mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By combining microfinance with the Internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending. Kiva was born of the following beliefs: people are by nature generous, and will help others if given the opportunity to do so in a transparent, accountable way; the poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity; and by connecting people we can create relationships beyond financial transactions, and build a global community expressing support and encouragement of one another. As of November 2009, Kiva has facilitated over $100 million in loans. http://www.kiva.org/
• Deadline for submission-July 31st

Challenge #4-(Oct-Dec)
• Theme-Market Bags
• Guidelines-Make a bag that would be suitable for carrying the goods you purchase. This is a bag that would take the place of the paper or plastic bags most retailers use. When you photograph the completed bag, show us how much it will carry by filling it.
• Charity-Heifer Project International- Founded in 1944, Heifer Project International is a humanitarian assistance organization that works to end world hunger and protect the earth. Through livestock, training and passing on the gift, Heifer has helped 8.5 million families in more than 125 countries improve their quality of life and move toward greater self-reliance. Heifer helps build strong communities because each project participant agrees to pass on the gift of animal offspring, training, or skills to another family in need. http://www.heifer.org/
• Deadline for submission-October 31st