Paper Crafts Official Gallery Idol Challenge (May 5-June 20, 2013)

It's back! Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking is proud to announce that its hugely popular Gallery Idol is back for season eight. Last year after eight fierce weeks of competition, we named Melania Deasy our season seven winner. Now we're ready to induct the next paper crafter extraordinaire! Are you ready to cast your vote?

Based on Fox's hit TV show American Idol, our version will have reader finalists submitting themed projects every week in hopes of becoming the grand prize idol winner. And just like our TV counterpart, you - our online viewers - will vote each week with only the best contestants with the best submissions moving forward in the competition to the next round.

Here's where it gets better: every time a contestant makes it through to the next round, each will receive a fabulous prize package!

This year for our "Open Auditions" round, our theme is washi tape! Submit your entries here! We'll select 20 winners from this round to continue on, and we'll announce them on the blog on Friday, May 23rd. The first round of voting will begin at noon (MDT) on Monday, May 26th and run through noon (MDT) on Thursday, May 29th. The following rounds are detailed below, so make sure you check back here during these times to find out the theme of each round and see the submissions by this year's group of Gallery Idol hopefuls. Don't forget to vote for your favorite!

Let the competition begin!

For Gallery Idol's full rules, visit Official Rules.

• Monday, May 5 – Monday, May 19: Open auditions
• Friday, May 23: Top 20 finalists announced and given round 2 theme
• Monday, May 26 by 9 am: 2nd round submissions posted
• Monday, May 26 at noon – Thursday, May 29 at noon: voting
• Friday, May 30: Top 15 finalists announced and given round 3 theme
• Monday, June 2 by 9 am: 3rd round submissions posted
• Monday, June 2 at noon – Thursday, June 5 at noon: voting
• Friday, June 6: Top 10 finalists announced and given round 4 theme
• Monday, June 9 by 9 am: 4^th round submissions posted
• Monday, June 9 at noon – Thursday, June 12^th at noon: voting
• Friday, June 13: Top 5 finalists announced and given round 5 theme
• Monday, June 16 by 9 am: 5th round submissions posted
• Monday, June 16 at noon – Thursday, June 19 at noon: voting
• Friday, June 20: 2013 winner post and 2014 Gallery Idol winner announced!