In a bizzaro world, left is right, up is down, and ugly is good. Now is your chance to do some reverse jewelry design by entering the 8th Annual Ugly Necklace Contest for 2010.

The sponsors describe this contest as, “A jewelry design competition with a twist,” and some would humorously add, twisted as well.

This contest will truly challenge your design skills as it goes in direct opposition to what you normally would do - create something that is pleasing to the eye.

It will take some real effort for some to get around this hurdle, but it’s all in good fun and a good exercise in meeting a set of design parameters you are not familiar with.

Land of Odds, the promoters of the Ugly Necklace event states:

“…As research into color and design has shown, your eye and brain compensate for imbalances in color or in the positioning of pieces and objects - they try to correct and harmonize them…

Because of this, any jewelry designer who attempts to achieve “Ugly,” has to have enough control and discipline to override, perhaps overcome, intuitive, internally integrated principles of good design…We invite all those jewelry designers out there to give it a try.“

Entering the contest requires three snapshots or scans of your ugly necklace. You will also need to write a short poem about it. Your poem will be part of the overall score of your entry.

Entries are judged by a panel from The Center for Beadwork and Jewelry Arts. Submissions will be critiqued on the hideousness of the design, shape, color, material content, functionality and of course, its wearability.

Visitors to the Land of Odds website vote on their favorite ugly necklaces. Up to 10 finalists will be chosen from the entries that score the most votes. From this group, a winner will be chosen.

First Prize: $992.93 shopping spree on the Land of Odds website.

Runner-Up Prize: $399.07 shopping spree on the website.

Ugly Necklace guidelines can be found by clicking here. Official contest requirements, such as color of necklace, size, assembly materials, dimensions, and other details are found here.

The contest begins September 15, 2009. The deadline for entries is March 15, 2010.