Challenge #19: Optional Theme--Christmas Blooms

Hello and welcome to The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up.  It is the first day of July and that means it is time for our next challenge to get started!  It is also a special day up here in Canada as July 1st marks the 149th birthday of the great nation that I call home.  Happy Birthday Canada and HAPPY CANADA DAY to all my fellow countrymen and countrywoman!!!

Before I continue, I did want to say a fond farewell to Monica.  Monica recently said goodbye to us as Co-Coordinator of this Link Up.  If you missed her goodbye post, you can find it HERE.  Monica has been part of my life in one capacity or another for a few years now and while she will be sadly missed here at The 12 Months of Christmas, I do understand that work comes before play.

Thankfully, someone will be stepping in to fill those Co-Coordinator shoes so that I don't lose my mind entirely.  Our very own Pat has stepped up to the plate and I'm super excited for this new partnership!

So,  please join me in wishing...

• Monica, nothing but the best of luck with her job and other life adventures.  Hopefully we'll still see her from time to time linking up any Christmas cards she does happen to get the opportunity to create!
• Pat, congratulations in her new role as Co-Coordinator for this Link Up!

Now it is time to get on with the new challenge...

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 #19.

Challenge #19

Optional Theme: Christmas Blooms

Flowers always seem to perk up a living space and Christmas flowers are no exception.  Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas if there isn't a poinsettia, a wreath, some holly leaves and berries, or some pine boughs and pine cones scattered about.  

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your card has a Christmas plant or flower somewhere in the design.  Examples include:  Holly and berries, laurels, poinsettias, Christmas cacti, wreaths, etc.  Whether you choose to feature the bloom as part of your image, within the papers or as part of your embellishments, it is completely up to you.  However you display the blooms, please keep in mind though, that they should feature prominently.  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 three images from Robyn’s Fetish Digital Stamps.

Talking about Robyn’s Fetish Digital Stamps, it is time to refresh ourselves with the details of this great  returning sponsor...

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps And More is proud to sponsor this challenge.

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps And More, a division of I Did It Creations, was created and is owned by Robyn Weinrib. Robyn offers a wonderful variety of digital stamps and digital papers, designed to meet the needs of all digital paper crafting addicts for every occasion.

Robyn’s Fetish Digital Stamps And More is happy to award 3 digital stamps of the winner’s choice to the winner of this challenge.

Store Link:  http://robynsfetish.com/shop/
Challenge Blog:  http://robynsfetishchallengeblog.blogspot.com

The team got to work with three lovely images this month. At the request of Robyn’s Fetish Digital Stamps, I have been asked to not display the watermarks of the images the team used. Instead, please click on the links below to view the images in the store.

Poinsettias Basket

Prissy Poinsettia

Beautiful Bow

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

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of July 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...

<<<coming soon>>>

So what are you waiting for?  It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for July!  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, Pat and I and the rest of the gang hope to see you back with us soon!

• Join us on July 8th, when we hope to publish the names of the winners and top picks from Challenge #17. 
• Then, be sure to join us again on July 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens!
• Then during the third week of July, we'll hopefully be back here to share a Christmas recipe with you.
• 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), July 1st - 11:55 p.m. (23:55 hrs), July 31st, 2016.  
• 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. 
• 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.  HOWEVER, if you decide to follow the optional theme of Christmas Blooms  (see specific details above), only a maximum of three (3) entries will qualify for the draw for this month's prize of three images from Robyn’s Fetish Digital Stamps.  You must add 'FT' after you name so we know which cards to add to the random draw for the sponsor's prize.
• No backlinking.
• 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. Only permalinks are accepted.

We look forward to seeing you participate!

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