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Creating with the Stars 2014 Season

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hey there! I'm monica 

I pride myself on making amazing style and design accessible for everyone, regardless of location, budget, or ability! My design philosophy is rooted in authenticity + attainability - If I can do it, you can too! My work has been featured in countless publications, but I take the most pride in homeowners that have been personally inspired by my DIY ideas and have tried something in their own homes!

learn more about ME + MY BIZ

CWTS logo B

It’s time to kick off another amazing season of

Creating with the Stars!

This contest is our biggest event of the year and being that it’s our 2nd year hosting CWTS- it’s going to be bigger and better than ever!  Last year’s talent and projects blew us away (you can check out a recap of last season here), but we already can tell CWTS2014 is going to be even more amazing! Whether you want to be a contestant or just love playing along and voting, we’ve got something awesome for you!  (Make sure you get to the bottom to hear about the insane prize that’s up for grabs!)

We have TONS of info to share with you- so get comfy and read through all the details!

Contest Format

Things will be done pretty much like our first season.

Link party for everyone. 12 contestants chosen. Contestants and Stars teamed up.  4 weeks of competition. 3 eliminated each week. 1 grand prize winner. Insane prizes and promotion for blog contestants.

CWTS logo A

How to Become a CWTS Contestant

A massive link up will begin on March 3rd, where anyone can link up their best DIY project from 2013 or 2014 (no projects from 2012 or before please) for a chance to become one of the 12 Official CWTS Contestants!

Link to Contest Entry Link Party  (begins March 3rd)

Once the link-up closes, on March 12th, the blog star team will comb through every amazing project and each choose their top 3 favorites.  From those, we will assemble the first 11 contestants.  But wait, aren’t there going to be 12 contestants you ask??  YES! Jess and I are going to have a wild card pick that we get to choose!! There have gotta be some perks to running this shindig right?

The coveted 12th spot will be chosen by us based on which project we LOVE and we’ll also take into consideration, how many times that project has been viewed. So, send all your peeps over to check out your project and click on your link.  It can only help your chances.  No lame robot like clicking okay!?!  It won’t solely be based on clicks, but we will use that as a factor in our choosing.

The 12 Contestants will be notified via email on March 16th and announced to the world on March 17th!

contestant

Creating with the Stars Rounds

We’ll have 4 weeks of challenges, each week with a different theme!

week1 crop week2 cropped week3 cropped week4 cropped

Click here to see the projects from each round last season!

2014 Blog Stars- An All-Star Lineup!

This is our favorite part of this competition- Our Blog Stars!  This contest is all about mentoring and giving new faces a platform to share their creativity with the world!  We’ve hand picked our blog stars based on yes, their talent and reputation in the blog community, but also for their desire to walk alongside another blogger and mentor them through this contest!  The prizes and recognition are an amazing perk of CWTS, but the mentor relationship from a blog star is completely priceless!

Here are this year’s amazing Stars!

CWTS Blog Star Banner

Talk about talent right??  Wouldn’t you love to be paired up with any of these incredible bloggers?

Make sure you’ve added them to your daily reads!

Kristin >>> The Hunted Interior

Jen >>> Tatertots & Jello

Michael >>> Inspired By Charm

Mandi >>> Vintage Revivals

Brooke >>> All Things Thrifty

Jamielyn >>> I Heart Naptime

Shelley >>> The House of Smiths

Katie >>> Bower Power

Kari >>> U Create 

Beckie >>> Infarrantly Creative

Karianne >>> Thistlewood Farms

Kate >>> Centsational Girl

New This Year- Celebrity Judge!

Back in the fall, I put this picture on Instagram- you might have thought I was just joking (because I kind of was), but there’s no joking around when it comes to the amazing Martha Stewart!

photo-1

We’ve been bursting at the seams over this one people! We’ve teamed up with Martha Stewart Living and they’re going to be choosing a favorite project from all the projects that make it to the last two rounds.  They can’t wait to see what the blog world can come up with! How amazing would it be to know that Martha and her editors have chosen your project as their favorite?

And of course we’ll have an extra fabulous Martha-style-prize for our Celebrity Judge Favorite Project Winner!

MSL_logo_black

CWTS on TV

We love being able to bring creative ideas all across the nation through our TV show “Knock It Off” so we’ve partnered with ABC6 Philadelphia to share Creating with the Stars throughout the competition!  There will be 3 different segments on their show FYI Philly that will feature CWTS.  The first segment airs today and is an overview of CWTS with some major announcements (you’re almost to that part).  Midway through the competition we’ll be featuring all 12 contestants and some of our favorite projects.  And, after the winner is crowned, we’ll be featuring the winner his/her blog, and any projects that have knocked our socks off throughout the competition.  Now, you might not live in the Tri-State Area, but guess what??  3.5 million people can tune in to this show!  We’re so excited to have yet another platform to promote all of your creativity and awesomeness!

FYI Philly

Sponsors, Prizes, & More!

 The very biggest prize from CWTS is being named the champion and having the world take notice!  Last year’s winner Sarah Dorsey has gone on to do some amazing things in the last 12 months!  But we’ve also rounded up some amazing sponsors that have put together incredible prizes.  We’re really thankful to all of these companies for making CWTS possible.

CWTS LOGO 2014 Sponsors Final

Grand Prize Round

$1000 Visa Gift card from ForRent.com (Contestant)

$500 Visa Gift card from ForRent.com (Blog Star)

$500 Wayfair Giftcard

Round 4 Prizes

Semi-Final Round

Ryobi Ultimate Combo Tool Kit

$250 Lucent Lampworks Gift card

$150 Minted Gift card

Week 3 Prizes
2nd Round

$150 of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Decorative Paint Products

$150 Modern Masters Paint Gift Card

$150 of Rust-Oleum Paint Products

Week 2 Prizes

1st Round

$150 Royal Design Studios Gift Card

$150 of Worthwhile Wear Product

Blog Refresh from Sweet Theory Design ($100 value)

Week 1 Prizes

Now, those are some rocking’ prizes- kind of a DIYer’s dream!!

But we started thinking about EVERYONE at home… shouldn’t we somehow thank our voters too??  Get ready, this is where Epic begins friends…

Dream Vacation Giveaway!!!
Voters, Readers, Contestants, Stars… Anyone (YOU!) Could Win!

We teamed up with Apple Vacations, America’s Favorite Vacation Company and Occidental Grand Punta Cana to put together a dream vacation package that’s well… dreamy!  Say adios to all this cold and snow and you and a friend or loved one will be headed to sunny, warm Punta Cana Dominican Republic for 4 all-inclusive nights of luxury!  You can enter once a day from March 24th-April 16th here on EC2 blog (contest entry page coming 3/24) and the winner will be announced on Monday, April 21st!

Vacation Giveaway Graphic

This giveaway is just the icing on the cake that is CWTS!  I did about 5 minutes of fist-pumping when Apple Vacations and Occidental Grand Punta Cana told me about the amazing trip they were offering!  My kids thought I was nuts!!

Follow Along with #CWTS2014

We’re so jazzed up about this season and we hope you are too!  Make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@EastCoastCreative  and @Jess_EC2blog) to keep up with the inside scoop and tons of updates!  If you’re working on a CWTS project or just loving it up- us #CWTS2014 to share it with us!!

We’ll be giving you tons more little details in the next few weeks.  Got questions? We’ve got answers- feel free to leave a comment or email us and we’ll get back to ya!

Let the Creating with the Stars Awesomeness Begin!

Countdown Clocks

A huge shout out to the amazing Jamie who is the design genius behind all the CWTS2014 graphics and logos!

Check her out for any design needs you might have.  She’s incredible!

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The comments +

  1. Had so much fun following the contestants last year. Can’t wait. Thanks for putting this together again Monica & Jess! I missed the deadline last time. Super duper excited to enter this year.

  2. […] if you like to create and  you want to enter a project in the contest….simply click here for all the […]

  3. Katherine says:

    So excited to watch this season! There are always so many amazing projects!!

  4. Lois from PA says:

    wow!!!
    New to blogging but I’m in! how much fun is this going to be! The snow here in Pennsylvania doesn’t seem so bad right now – lol!

  5. Fingers officially crossed I get to participate this year. Everything sounds amazing! You ladies are awesome!!

  6. This is so fantastic! My project is already in the works!!

  7. lesley says:

    So much fun can’t wait to see all the talent!! Lesley

  8. […] You can get all of the deets here,  over on EC2 […]

  9. Lesley says:

    Question? If you do become one of the finalist are the entries suppose to be things we have not yet blogged about? Lesley

    • Monica says:

      Great question Lesley! Your initial link up can be a past project from 2013-2014, but once in the competition, we need brand spankin’ new projects. It’s a tight timeline and really nuts! Jess and I won a season two years ago and it was all-nighters more often than not!! 🙂

  10. Becky says:

    Yay, I can’t wait! I am in!

  11. Awesome, scary, exciting… 😉

  12. Cheryl says:

    Wow! I’d love to enter, but don’t have a month to dedicate to it. This would be so worth it, but just not possible. Too bad it’s seems like it would be one hell of a month.

  13. […] If you missed it, check out all the details HERE. […]

  14. You guys STEPPED IT UP!!! Loved following along last year and got some super inspiration! Looking forward to it!

  15. Jalet says:

    Does the project submitted, have to be one you have published on a blog somewhere?

  16. […] I’m one of twelve mentors in the upcoming Creating With the Stars, hosted each year by East Coast […]

  17. So exciting, I think I’ll give it a go again this year! FANTASTIC blog stars and prizes and what? MARTHA?! You’ve really upped the ante ladies. I will have to go into my happy place in my mind and repeat “no pressure no pressure no pressure” and consume lots of diet coke to not be intimidated by all of this!

  18. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time! Can’t wait for it, you two have really ramped things up! Count me in to enter as a contestant. #ItWouldBeAwesome 🙂

  19. Traci says:

    This sounds like so much fun both to follow and enter! Thank you all for hosting this event! I have a question, could the project you enter on March 3rd be a holiday project or would that not be recommended?

    • Monica says:

      Hey Traci- You can totally do a holiday project. The stars will be looking at creativity and execution etc… So holiday will work- it definitely won’t work against you. Go with your favorite project that you love! Thanks!

  20. This sounds AMAZING. Congrats on all the hard work I know it takes to put something of this caliber together. I look forward to linking up and following along!

    • Monica says:

      Hey Gwen! So glad you’re going to submit a project! We’d love so many of your projects! Congrats on being nominated by BHG!! That’s awesome!!!

  21. SO awesome! I’m racking my brain trying to think of a project to submit. Can’t wait to follow along this year!

  22. Whoop!! Loved following all the awesome bloggers/projects last year!!

  23. EMily says:

    very fun! I’m so much a DIY blogger so I probably won’t compete… BUT, I will be following along.. so much fun!!

  24. […] you have to go over to East Coast Creative to check out how to get involved in […]

  25. This is actually the first year I’m hearing about CWTS! Last year I may have been a little too new of a blogger:) It looks like so much fun! I may just have to submit a project…hmm which one?

  26. Oh my goodness I can’t wait for this year’s projects!! Starting our brainstorming session for a project to submit immediately! : )

  27. […] design projects for great exposure and prizes.  If you’re a DIY blogger, you might want to check it out–entry via link-up starts March […]

  28. First time I’m hearing of this contest, sounds fun! can you enter more than one project and in more than one category?

    thanks!

  29. Awesome, can’t wait. Perhaps I will be brave enough to try out. 🙂

  30. Kristen says:

    Your blog is amazing–just came across it. Thanks for so much awesome inspiration!!!!

  31. Lynda says:

    Beyond excited to submit a project – fingers toes and everything else crossed!!!

  32. […] of our amazing Creating with the Stars bloggers and details on when the contest starts stop by our announcement post from last […]

  33. Bree Johnson says:

    THIS…… LOOKS……. EPIC……..
    I can not wait!

  34. Thanks so much for putting this together! Can’t wait to follow along and see all of the amazing projects!

  35. […] you’d like to see what I come up with under pressure. There is some serious creative mojo happening at CWTS2014 so be sure to check it all out. Thanks gals for hosting this […]

  36. Traci says:

    One more question…after you link up your project and you ask your followers to come check you out at East Coast Creative, is there a way to vote? Or do they just need to click on the link ups that they like?

  37. […] contest.  Well it’s that time of year and I’m entering their contest again this year, Creating With The Stars 2014.  I’ll be letting you all know how you can help me out in voting.  For now please support […]

  38. Stumbled upon this through The House Of Smith’s and we are so excited to and be a part of this contest!! Already so many amazing projects and ideas!! This will be a tough one to decide!! Thanks for putting this together!!

  39. […] we mentioned in our big Creating with the Stars announcement post, we are pretty stoked about our sponsors this year and all of the amazing prizes […]

  40. […] working on the trim work by reading other people’s blogs.  And it came to my attention that Creating with the Stars (CWTS) would soon be opening up “auditions” for this year’s […]

  41. […] have entered our DIY Farmhouse Master Bathroom Remodel into the Crafting with the Stars Contest and hope you’ll be rooting for […]

  42. No reason for this comment other than it made me chuckle…. my sweet husband who is infinitely supportive but less infinitely detail oriented has heard me going on and on about CWTS2014 and what I should enter bla bla… This morning he sent out an email telling everyone they should go check out the link up and admire all the fun projects and if they haaaaappppenned to notice mine, give it a click so I could get on “the show”. When I explained that this was WAY BETTER than a TV show and was in fact an online blog competition, I could see the confusion in his eyes. 🙂 He doesn’t get it, but trust me…. I do and am SO excited! xx Charlotte

    • Monica says:

      Haha, leave it to the husbands to get confused! That’s so great though that he is cheering you on, they are a great support when we need them! Good luck and thanks for entering Charlotte!

  43. […] Please check out my like on East Coast Creative’s Designing with the Stars Contest! […]

  44. […] flowers, bright colors and fun prints, warmer temps, NO more snow, new episodes of Knock it Off and Creating with the Stars 2014, oh we can’t wait! Are you hoping to get some Spring cleaning done, makeover a room in […]

  45. Fingers and toes and everything else crossed!!!!

  46. […] for the BIGGIE! Did you hear? Creating with the Stars 2014.  I am one of the 12 contestants on Creating with the Stars this year!! I spent my morning yesterday in a state of shock…and then I was […]

  47. […] 2, 2014 Jess 1 Comment Tomorrow one of my favorite blog begins their “Creating with the Stars” competition. I LOVE DIY projects and blogging and this competition is the ULTIMATE in DIY […]

  48. […] one of my favorite blog begins their “Creating with the Stars” competition. I LOVE DIY projects and blogging and this competition is the ULTIMATE in DIY […]

  49. […] am just gonna say it… I love it.  I am going to be entering this in the Creating With the Stars Contest so I’m keeping my fingers crossed- but if you would care to hop over and click on it there […]

  50. […] Events     No Comment YEOW! I’m so excited for this seasons Creating With The Stars (CWTS) contest, and I’m thrilled to actually be one of the “stars” this […]

  51. […] if you like to create and  you want to enter a project in the contest….simply click here for all the […]

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