Challenge #9: Optional Theme--Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Hello and welcome to The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. Have you met our new DT Members yet?  If you missed that post and would like to see who is joining us, please click HERE.

Last month's challenge saw as back around the 56 mark.  Hopefully as we get closer to Christmas we'll start to see a few more cards linked up.  For now, let's get September's challenge under way, shall we?!.

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.
• Every holiday card you submit to the link up, earns you one chance to win a special digital Christmas kit that will be offered up after the year is complete.

Now that the basics are out of the way, how about we get on with the details of Challenge #9.

Challenge #9

Optional Theme:  Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

If you celebrate Christmas, do you put up a Christmas Tree each year? If you do, do you opt for a real one, a fake one, a small ceramic (for those who live with curious cats like I do) or some other kind of Christmas Tree? Do you put it up right after Thanksgiving, wait until Christmas Eve, or maybe put it up somewhere in between? Most families have their own traditions passed down which they continue from year to year. The decorations people put on their trees are as varied as the trees themselves! Some are sparse with their choices and others make sure that very little green is left showing.

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, we want to see a Christmas Tree (preferably a decorated one) somewhere on your card.  Baubles, glass ornaments, twinkling lights, garland, tinsel and even strips of popcorn are popular choices.  We can't wait to see what your decorated tree will look like!   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. 

Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year end draw for some extra digital goodies. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of 3 digital stamps from Fresh Brewed Designs.

Talking about Fresh Brewed Designs, how about we get to know them a little bit better...

If you are looking for some freshly brewed inspiration, then you have come to the right place.  Fresh Brewed Designs (http://www.freshbreweddesigns.com/) is a small on-line company that has been offering a wide variety of digital images and rubber stamps since November 2010, designed to meet the needs of paper crafting addicts everywhere.  With over 30 categories to choose from and several new additions to the store monthly, our range of products is expanding all the time. Whether you are looking for one of our uniquely designed coffee inspired images or something entirely different, you are sure to find something to please.  We'd also love for you to visit us over on our blog (http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/) where inspiration is always percolating.  We have a digi release at least once a month as well as a monthly rubber stamp release and blog hop. Come see us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fresh-Brewed-Designs/139388879447210) too.  You never know what other goodies you may find there.
Owned and operated by Heather Dennis, loving wife and mother to two home-schooled children, you can always expect personalized service.
At Fresh Brewed Designs we always have a fresh pot of creativity brewing. So stop by and join us for a cuppa whenever you want!

Store Link:  http://www.freshbreweddesigns.com
Main Blog: http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com

Check out the great 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 page in Fresh Brewed Designs store where each of these images can be found. 

#1860 Striped Tree

 #1951 Santa Takes a Nap

 #1346 Christmas Holly

While team members had the option of working with any of my Décosse's Dynamite Doodles papers, I did create a special set called Treemendous, based on the theme for this challenge.  Check out the preview...

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of September 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 in the sidebar on the top right hand side.

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...

***Please note that the FBD image is actually the tree in the bottom left corner that has been fussy cut and decorated.***

So 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 two Anything Goes themed cards 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!

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, Monica and I hope to see you back with us soon!

• Join us soon on September 8th,when we'll publish the names of the people who earned the free paper for August along with the winners and top picks from Challenge #8. 
• Next, be sure to join us on September 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens!
• Then on September 23rd, Monica will be back to share another holiday tradition with you all.
• 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), September 1st - 11:55 p.m. (23:55 hrs), September 30th, 2015.  
• You need to link up a minimum of two (2) Christmas or holiday themed cards each month in order to qualify to receive that month's digital paper.
• This is NOT a progressive challenge.  You can jump in at any time.
• You can link up as many holiday themed cards as you want as long as each entry is with a new project.  No backlinking.  HOWEVER, if you decide to follow the optional theme of  Oh Christmas Tree (see specific details above), only a maximum of three (3) entries will qualify for the draw for this month's prize of  3 digital stamps from Fresh Brewed Designs.  You must add 'FT' after you name so we know which cards to add to the random draw for the sponsor's 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. Generic blog links will be disabled or deleted. 
• The winners and top picks for this challenge (#9) will be announced on October 8th in a special post.

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Link Up Below:

An InLinkz Link-up