It's the 6th Annual Crafters Smackdown (6 Degrees of Turkey Bacon)
http://www.readymade.com/calendar/event/crafters_smackdown_6 for more info, or find us on Facebook!

I can't be there because I moved to Japan, but I wish I could go!
It's free to attend!  Watch crafting teams compete in challenges that involve secret ingredients, timed rounds and smack talk.  Judges accept bribes, Mr. Whitekeys is the host and a good time is always had by all.

If you want to compete, contact April immediately at jecpreschool@aol.com.  Proceeds benefit childrens' programs at the JEC preschool and Recreation After School Recycled Arts program!

http://www.readymade.com/calendar/event/crafters_smackdown_6 for more info

VikingBabe, you earn huge points from my husband and me for the candied bacon recipe!  How long do you cook the bacon in the oven, and at what temp usually?  I had bacon creme brulee at a local restaurant this year, and it was amazing!  It was topped with candied bacon, and there were little chunks of candied bacon in the custard itself -- pure heaven!  It was really thick, lean bacon and it was awesome once candied.  I've wondered about how to make candied bacon since then.

My TV boyfriend, Alton Brown gets all the credit for the candied bacon recipe. I just leave the pecans off the bacon.   http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/praline-bacon-recipe/index.html.
Let me add one instruction:
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR KITCHEN.  This can get very ugly, very fast.  So plan on being right there, ready to rescue your oven from, fire, smoke, etc.  Do NOT do anything else while you are candying bacon.  Trust me.

This recipe would stand up to the custard of a creme brulee.

Bacon Chocolate Chip cookies are a favorite of mine!  I candy the bacon before I make them - just bake on a cooling rack in the oven, sprinkled with brown sugar until golden and crisp, then cool, chop, etc.

Also, here it what is nasty:  Turkey Bacon Chocolate Chip cookies.  NAS.  T.

Just got here Friday!  Can't wait to visit House of 66 Cents, but should probably wait until we're out of TLF...

Pardon me? Don’t know what the Smackdown is? Well, where the glue gun have you been for the last four years? The Crafters Smackdown is a sudden-death crafting competition that features heats of timed craft challenges. We provide the junk and the tools—you provide the absurdly named teams and registration fee. Teams are eliminated after each round (boo, hoo). Judges consider creativity, presentation and bribe quality in selection of the Smackdown champions.
Mission:To Craft, To Bribe, To Win.

Find us on Facebook, at www.frozenchosen.or g or by standing on the corner of the street, waving a glue gun and screaming "I have coffee for the superintendent!".  We promise, we'll be right there.

Iron Chef meets the Anti-Martha. That’s our idea of a fun Sunday afternoon. Quit griping that there's nothing to do in Anchorage and assemble your team of two to four people.  (Snarky name and absurd costumes optional).

Want to bribe judges?  This is for you. 
Interested in reusing, recycling and reducing?  Shamble on over.
Are you crafty enough to take the title from two-time champs the Crafty Killaz?  Seriously?  OK then.

It's cheap to register, free to attend and a nickel-plated hoot.  Whitekeys will be there, harassing the competitors again. 

Last year we got TV coverage, the front page of the ADN and all kinds of cool buzz about the event.

Registration forms will be available shortly on our website - email jecpreschool@aol.com to get yours first.

With Crafty Love, Leah & Jen & Tara*
The Smackdown Girls


*Tara, the Original Red-Headed Smackdown girl, has moved Outside.  We're still using her name because she said we could.  I think.


Individual Crafters—Craft Lady of Titanium Challenge
If you’re not a team player (and who is, really?) boy howdy do we have something for you!  The Craft Lady of Titanium will join us during Smackdown 4—Live Free, Craft Hard—for a Craft-off.  Individuals can try to beat her, but we doubt it will happen.  See the application for more information.  Unless you’re chicken.  Which you probably are.

Bag O’ Junque Challenge
Truly not interested in being around all those...people? Just pick up a bag of stuff and show us what you come up with.  Bag O’ Junque Challenge finished entries are due February 5th and will be displayed at Smackdown 4—Electric Boogaloo.  Cost is $10 per Challenge.  Contact us at 337-1672 or via email at jecpreschool@aol.com for details.


Are You Going to Use That?
Miss Carrie (Queen of Recycle, ReUse, RePurpose) offers her talents in a “Garbage Art” Make it Take it class that will take place during Crafters Smackdown 4—Voyager.  Bring the family and join the fun!  Make it Take it will be from 1-3.  No experience necessary.  Plus, it’s free. 

Team competition will feature only three rounds.
Round one will pit all the teams against one another in one challenge.  The top four contenders will move along to the semi-finals.  One challenge later, the finals begin.
Crazy?  Perhaps.  But it is all part of our plan…     
And to add a little bit of sting to the semi-finals and finals, the Craft Lady of Titanium  will craft along-side the teams.  Just because she can.

[Individual Crafters—Craft Lady of Titanium Challenge]

Iron Chef meets the Anti-Martha. That’s our idea of a fun Sunday afternoon. Quit griping that there's nothing to do in Anchorage and assemble your team of two to four people.  (Snarky name and absurd costumes optional).

Want to bribe judges?  This is for you. 
Interested in reusing, recycling and reducing?  Shamble on over.
Are you crafty enough to take the title from two-time champs the Crafty Killaz?  Seriously?  OK then.

It's cheap to register, free to attend and a nickel-plated hoot.  Whitekeys will be there, harassing the competitors again. 

Last year we got TV coverage, the front page of the ADN and all kinds of cool buzz about the event.

Registration forms will be available shortly on our website - email jecpreschool@aol.com to get yours first.

With Crafty Love, Leah & Jen & Tara*
The Smackdown Girls

*Tara, the Original Red-Headed Smackdown girl, has moved Outside.  We're still using her name because she said we could.  I think.


Individual Crafters—Craft Lady of Titanium Challenge
If you’re not a team player (and who is, really?) boy howdy do we have something for you!  The Craft Lady of Titanium will join us during Smackdown 4—Live Free, Craft Hard—for a Craft-off.  Individuals can try to beat her, but we doubt it will happen.  See the application for more information.  Unless you’re chicken.  Which you probably are.

Bag O’ Junque Challenge
Truly not interested in being around all those...people? Just pick up a bag of stuff and show us what you come up with.  Bag O’ Junque Challenge finished entries are due February 5th and will be displayed at Smackdown 4—Electric Boogaloo.  Cost is $10 per Challenge.  Contact us at 337-1672 or via email at jecpreschool@aol.com for details.


Are You Going to Use That?
Miss Carrie (Queen of Recycle, ReUse, RePurpose) offers her talents in a “Garbage Art” Make it Take it class that will take place during Crafters Smackdown 4—Voyager.  Bring the family and join the fun!  Make it Take it will be from 1-3.  No experience necessary.  Plus, it’s free. 

Team competition will feature only three rounds.
Round one will pit all the teams against one another in one challenge.  The top four contenders will move along to the semi-finals.  One challenge later, the finals begin.
Crazy?  Perhaps.  But it is all part of our plan…      
And to add a little bit of sting to the semi-finals and finals, the Craft Lady of Titanium  will craft along-side the teams.  Just because she can.

Year Three of the Smackdown
promises to be the baddest around.



 
  Team competitions, individual bouts, make-it/take-it activities, craft vendors and food on a stick. That’s our idea of a fun Sunday afternoon. So come down off your high horse, get a team together and show us what you’ve got.

Go here: http://www.frozenchosen.org/study/jec/crafters_smackdown/ to get the online form.

For you antisocial types, there’s a fight just for you—go it alone for solitary glory. There’s a form on page 3 to get you started.

This is a prime opportunity for your stingy boss to sponsor something fun for a change. Get your employer or business owner to sponsor your team or shell out huge dollars (about $100) to be an event sponsor. Tell him it’s for the children, who are the future, and they’re the wind beneath our wings. They say the darndest things, too. Like, “Mommy, why is your boss so cheap?” or “Daddy, won’t your boss give money to kids who do good?” You don’t want that, do you?  Show them page 4 and make them spend some money. See inside for more details about the other events with Crafters Smackdown. You’ll be glad you did!

Oh - and the Anchorage Craft Mafia is handling the Vendor Stuff - how cool is that?  Over a dozen vendors at last count!

Our judges:
http://www.muni.org/firstlady/bio.cfm Anchorage's First Lady
http://www.asdk12.org/aboutasd/superintendent.asp Anchorage School District's Superintendent
http://www.frozenchosen.org/aboutus/committees/marla_greenstein/ Executive Director, Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct (and former Pres of Congregation Beth Sholom)
and...
A radio DJ (will confirm her name by editing later).

There are door prizes, raffles, make-it take-its and general fun activities.
It's smarmy, it's crafty and we expect to see you there.

With Crafty Love, Leah and Tara
The Smackdown Girls

http://www.flybynightclub.com/hist_keys.html Our host

Our judges:
http://www.muni.org/firstlady/bio.cfm Anchorage's First Lady
http://www.asdk12.org/aboutasd/superintendent.asp Anchorage School District's Superintendent
http://www.frozenchosen.org/aboutus/committees/marla_greenstein/ Executive Director, Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct (and former Pres of Congregation Beth Sholom)
and...
A radio DJ (will confirm her name by editing later).

There are door prizes, raffles, make-it take-its and general fun activities.
It's smarmy, it's crafty and we expect to see you there.