The Challenge coincides with AMACO’s 90th birthday will be judged at the Craft and Hobby Association Convention in Anaheim in January 2009. There are categories for Bottle of Hope (the entries are to be donated to Diane Gregoire’s Hasbro Children’s Hospital), Best Butterfly (entries are to be donated to the Holocaust Museum Huston), Best Valentine’s Jewelry Ensemble, Best Focal Bead Jewelry Set (to be made using AMACO bead rollers).

Prizes for the Challenge include a $100 personal check to you from AMACO and a matching $100 check paid to your favorite charity. There are also etched crystal awards which will be presented at the CHA show. You can learn more about the challenge and the awards at the Challenge website: http://www.amaco.com/amaco-friendly-plastic-2009.html and this link gives you access to the downloadable entry form: http://www.amaco.com/pdfs/AMACO-FP-OPEN-CHALLENGE.pdf.

You can find Friendly Plastics for purchase at Hobby Lobby, Sunshine Crafts, Monro Wholesale, Rings N Things and AMACO.com. If you’re having difficulty finding a source for Friendly Plastic, email me at helen@http-design.com – send me your name and address and I will arrange for a small sampler of Friendly Plastic to be forwarded to you – it should be sufficient to make one project for the Challenge.

We are looking forward to seeing your Challenge entries. Anyone who will be at the CHA show in Anaheim, we encourage you to put a note in your diaries for Monday, January 26th at 11:00am as you are invited to the AMACO booth to the awards presentation.