Challenge #39: Optional Theme...A BEARY Sweet Christmas

Hello crafters! It is the first day of March and that means it is time for our next challenge to get under way! Can you believe that we're already into the third month of the year?! The year is already slowly speeding on through. While there might be several months left before the Big Day, it certainly is not too early to get started on our Christmas and other December Holiday card stash for the year!

With that in mind, it is time to get down to the business of our latest challenge. Here is what you need to know...

The Basics

While you can find out ALL the information you need to know in order to participate in the challenge by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page (or by clicking HERE), here is a refresher of the basics.

• Anyone can link up as many Christmas and/or December holiday themed cards (including Happy New Year's cards) throughout the month with an ANYTHING GOES theme.
• Every person who has linked up a MINIMUM of two (2) cards will be eligible to receive a specially designed Christmas themed digital paper.
• Each month there will be an OPTIONAL theme to follow. Anyone who submits a card adhering to the monthly theme, will have the chance to win a prize from that month's guest sponsor.
• ALL entries adhering to our basic rules also have the opportunity to win a mini pack of digi papers each month as well.

Now that the basics are out of the way, how about we get on with the details of Challenge #39.

Challenge #39

Optional Theme:
A BEARY Sweet Christmas

Don't you just love bears?! Black bears, brown bears, polar bears, and even koala bears, they are just so darn cute. And, who can pass up an adorable teddy bear! My little teddy bear has seen better days but he got me through some really difficult times during childhood. Whether real or stuffed (toys that is!), there is just something so cute and cuddly about a bear--mind you I wouldn't want to be approaching the brown bears traversing our front yard in the summer, any time soon for a quick cuddle. I'll simply adore the real ones from a far. There are also lots of sweet bear related items that can be found during the Christmas season as well--decorations, cards, ornaments, etc.--all paying tribute to the bear. 

That is why this month, in order to have a chance to win the prize from our guest sponsor, we want you to create a card that has a BEAR as the focal point. You can choose to use any kind of bear image--whether real, cartooned or of the teddy bear variety. If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.

Keep in mind though, that you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month or for a chance to win the featured paper set. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $10 gift certificate to the Imagine That Digistamp store.

Talking about Imagine That Digistamp, it is time to refresh ourselves with the details of this returning sponsor…

Imagine That Digistamp is a 'family-friendly' shop that caters to card-makers and scrapbookers alike! All stamp sets that include an outline for you to color also include a digitally pre-colored version for quick & easy crafting. We also offer many digital paper packs, kits/bundles, Word Art, Alphabets, Chalkboard Art, and free Blogwear. What will YOU imagine?

We also invite you to join in our year round Creative Link-Up! Use an image from Imagine That Digistamp on your project (and follow the other rules) for your chance to win a gift certificate to the store. Winners chosen every 15 link ups. We'd love for you to come over and join us!        

• Main Blog: http://imaginethatdigistamp.blogspot.com/
• Store: http://www.imaginethatdigistamp.com/index.html
• Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/imaginethatdigis/

Check out the beary sweet images that the team worked with this month for the start of the challenge. Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to their spot in the Imagine That Digistamp store:

Beary Merry Christmas

Candy Cane Teddy

Angel Bear with Star

You'll get to see more awesome projects using these images during our midway so be sure to come back again at that time!

While team members had the option of working with any of my Décosse's Dynamite Doodles papers, I did create a special set called A Beary Sweet Christmas. Check out the preview...

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of March will earn ONE of the digital papers from this set. The specific paper up for grabs will be shown during the winner announcement post. Additionally, one random winner will earn the full set of papers.

Have your say in determining which paper will be offered to those who link up a minimum of two cards this month by completing the poll below.


DIGI PAPER POLL
Please click "like" to choose the ONE paper that you would like offered up to participants who link up a minimum of two cards during the month of March. Poll will be open until March 31st, 11:59 p.m. EST. Please note that you can get a better idea of what the actual paper looks like by bringing the preview ABOVE up in the lightbox.

Now check out what the Sleigh Belles came up with to inspire you. Clicking on the names will take you to the individual blogs where you can check out the details for all these wonderful cards...

So what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for March!

If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab and all the details you need to know in order to participate, in the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).

We have a packed month as usual; so, Pat and I and the rest of the gang hope to see you back with us soon!

• I hope to send out the papers to the winners from challenge #33 and #34 as quickly as I can get to them.
• We hope to publish the names of the winners and top picks from Challenge #35 sometime between March 8th and March 11th. 
• Then, be sure to join us again on March 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens! 
• Pat will hopefully be back towards the end of the month with a special Christmas Craft for you to try!
• Other special posts may be published throughout the month. Be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

CHALLENGE DETAILS SUMMARY
Each month we'll include a summary of details for the particular challenge taking place. If you are new, please be sure to familiarize yourself with all the details and rules in the 'Challenge Details' tab at the top of the page. Please note that dates and times listed below are for this particular challenge only:

• Cards for this challenge will be accepted from 6:00 p.m. (18:00 hrs), March 1st until 11:59 p.m. (23:59 hrs), March 31st, 2018.  All times listed are in EST (Eastern Standard Time).
  
• If you wish to receive the free digi paper being offered up for this month, you need to link up a minimum of two (2) Christmas or holiday themed cards. 
• If you receive a free digi paper, you are not obliged to use it in any future link up; though, if you do create something, be sure to let me know as I'd love to see it.
• This is NOT a progressive challenge. You can jump in at any time.
• You are allowed to enter as many Anything Goes cards as you'd like. HOWEVER, please note that if you follow the optional theme for the chance to win this month's prize of a $10 gift certificate from Imagine That Digistamp, only a maximum of three (3) entries will qualify for the draw.
• If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize.
• Make sure when entering your project that you mention The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up in your post with a link back to this blog.
• Please remember to link directly to your blog post where we can see your creation, and not just the generic link to your blog.

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Link Up Below:
If you have any problems linking up, please be sure to leave a comment.

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up Challenge #39
Please link up your Anything Goes Christmas and/or December holiday themed CARDS with the optional theme of A BEARY Sweet Christmas below. Don't forget that if you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize. Please see above for all the rules and details.