Challenge #45 Midway: Optional Theme...Have a TWEET Christmas

Welcome back folks. It is the 15th of the month and time for our midway.

Before we start though, I just want to say thank you to the lovely ladies who left comments offering their sympathies regarding our recent family loss and for the other difficulties we've been enduring these past months. It was sweet and kind of you and very much appreciated.

Now, it is time to get back to business. As we are halfway through the month of September, it is time to see what the Merry Maidens have been up to with the the following wonderful images from Sparkle N Sprinkle, our guest sponsor this month!

Cardinal & Holly Digital Stamp Set [Digi895FS]

Christmas Goose Digital Stamp Set [Digi721b]

Winter Flamingos Set 1 Digital Stamp Set [DIGI860SK]

Thank you so much to this month's generous sponsor for providing such amazing designs for the team to work with! Please pop over and pay Sparkle N Sprinkle a visit when you have the chance! You are sure to find something to add to your wish list while you are there!

Unfortunately, due to all of the difficult issues I'm currently facing in my personal life, I have not as of yet had the chance to put together this month's digital paper set. No worries though, there will definitely be a digi paper available to the those people who link up two cards this month. Additionally, if I can't get this particular set finished in time for the winner announcement, there will be an alternate set to choose from.

Now check out what the Merry Maidens 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 if you haven't entered already, what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for September. Whether you choose to link up ANY type of Christmas or holiday card you've made for a chance to win this month's Paper Kit, or link up two of them simply to earn your free paper this month, or you choose to also follow the optional theme to have a chance at the sponsor's prize, it is completely up to you!  

Here is a refresher of the details for this challenge...

Please remember that this is a CARDS ONLY link up. While we've had some lovely tag entries in the past, we've sadly had to disqualify them.

Challenge #45

Optional Theme:
 Have a TWEET Christmas

Did you know that birds play an interesting role during the Christmas season? In fact there are an array of birds associated with Christmas and for different reasons. First off, the robin seems to be a favourite on Christmas cards. From a religious perspective the robin is a symbol of Christ. The robin is said to have obtained his red breast after being smeared with the blood of Christ when the robin removed a thorn from Christ’s crown while up on the cross. During the Victorian era in England when the Royal Mail came into existence, the robin became associated with Christmas as the postmen’s uniforms were bright red earning them the nickname REDBREASTS. For this reason and also for the fact that the robins was present during the winter, it led to the frequent depiction of robins delivering the mail in Christmas card images. Other birds are associated with Christmas due to their addition in the song 'The 12 Days of Christmas' which features several avian species including a partridge, French hens, turtle doves, calling birds, geese and swans! Then of course there are the birds associated with the Christmas Day feast: turkeys, chickens and geese again. Of course, since I'm a vegetarian, I'll just honour those birds in a different way. ;) Even flamingoes and other birds seem to be making their way into Christmas appearing on gift wrap, in decorations and other items throughout the holidays. And of course, who could forget about all the lovable birds that live at the North Pole? Penguins star noticeably at this time of year as well.

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 ONE OR MORE BIRDS featured prominently in your overall design. The bird(s) can serve as part of the image you use, or feature heavily in the papers you choose. It also doesn't matter what kind of bird you choose. As long as it has a beak, feathers and some wings, the choice of bird is completely up to you. 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 $15.00 gift certificate to the Sparkle N Sprinkle store.

Reference:
Nick the Greek. (2012). BIRDS OF CHRISTMAS. Available: http://ladyoftheloch.co.uk/birds-of-christmas/. Last accessed 11th Aug. 2018.
 

If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab.  As this is a different kind of link up where we have both an Anything Goes Christmas or other December Holiday option AND an optional theme to follow, be sure to read all the details and rules you need to know in order to participate, by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).

You can find the Challenge Details Summary along with the link up for
Challenge #45 by clicking HERE.

Don't Forget, if everything goes according to plan...

• I'll try to post at least one more winner announcement before the month is out. 
• Our new challenge will start on October 1st.
• 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!

 

We look forward to seeing you participate!