Challenge #25: Optional Theme...Out with the Old, In With the New

Hello and welcome!  Before we begin, from all of us here at The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up, we wish you all a very Happy New Year filled with good health and prosperity!  It is amazing that a brand new year is upon us. For those of you who have been with us during the last two years, we thank you for your continued support. If you are brand new, welcome! We're so glad you found us!

Now I must apologize to those of you who applied to be on our DT, with the craziness of the season, I just haven't had time to get the new team members contacted and set up. I will do my best to do so during this coming week. Apparently, my Christmas wish of getting five extra hours a day was just too big to fulfill. 😉

Right now, as it is the first day of a new month AND a new year to boot, it is time for our next challenge to get started! 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.
• 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 #25.

Challenge #25

Optional Theme: 

Out with the Old, In With the New

Happy New Year! It was quite a year last year, wasn't it?! Lots of changes in the world and in our own lives. As we bid a fond farewell to one year and say hello to a new one, we thought that this challenge would be a good time to reflect that same kind of thinking in our projects.

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, be sure to include on your card, something old and something new that you have just received in the last month. So dip into your stash AND grab one of your shiny new items or toys, or it could even be a new technique you're trying for the first time, and get busy creating. Please be sure to let us know what your new and old item(s) are.  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 a $15.00 gift certificate from Ike's Art.

Talking about Ike's Art, it is time to refresh ourselves with the details of this great returning sponsor...

Hi there – I am Ike……a nickname that I got hooked with many years ago due to my surname, and in my profession at that time, …they just loved to give nicknames ☺.
I live in Greece and have a passion for kitties ☺
I am a complete nutter or should I say I’m ‘zany’ hahaha. I have a very strange/sick sense of humour and I must admit I spend a lot of time talking to myself!! Well, I get more sense out of me! I reckon in a few years I shall be known as the “crazy cat lady” ☺
I am an artist and have a strange mind when it comes to creating my art. I either go completely true to life… right down to the last hair… or I go totally surreal. I have a passion for all things horror/Gothic etc. I’ve always loved horror films and books and I guess that’s why it creeps into my stuff ! Had I been a bit younger I swear I would have been a Goth……luuuuuv it.
Next time around I am gonna be a witch or a cat ☺
I started my Blog 5 years ago and although I love crafting, my real passion is drawing, and now I just love making digital images.

IKEsART FaceBook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/IkesArtFanPage/

Cat Lovers’ Challenge : http://showusyourpussies.blogspot.gr/

My Challenge Blog:  http://ikesworldchallengeblog.blogspot.com

My Shop:  www.ikesart.com

My Blog:  http://suzy-ikesworld.blogspot.com

Check out all the fabulous images that the Sleigh Belles got to work with this month for the start of the challenge. You'll get to see the images that the Merry Maidens worked with at the midway. Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to the appropriate sections within the digital stamp area of the Ike's Art store.

It Wasn't Me from the Fleaz Navidad Set  (My Latest Designs section)

Poinsettia Cluster  (Other section)

 Robins (Animals section)

 Christmas Poinsettia (Other section)

Now normally I showcase a specific set of papers that I designed for the month. Unfortunately, I have been so super busy that I just didn't get a chance to get them started never mind finished! Given the theme of the challenge, the team members opted to use previous papers as part of their 'old'.

I am hoping that I'll be able to find some time to put together a set before the midway.

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

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...

New Item:

 Image used.

Old Item:  

The paper.

New Item:

 Image used.

Old Item:  

The paper and sentiment which is from a retired set.

New Item:

 Sentiment stamp and image used.

Old Item:  

The paper.

New Item:

Gold metallic gems and also a new way of using Glamour Dust with a glue pen.

Old Item:  

The paper.

So what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for January! 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 in about a week (between Jan 8 &10), when we hope to publish the names of the winners and top picks from Challenge #23. 
• Then, be sure to join us again on January 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens!
• Then during the third week of January, Pat should be here to share a Christmas tradition and.or recipe with us 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), January 1st until 11:59 p.m. (23:59 hrs), January 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.
• Only a maximum of three (3) entries will qualify for the draw for this month's prize of  a $15 gift certificate to the Ike's Art store. 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.

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 #25
Please link up your Anything Goes Christmas and/or December holiday themed CARDS with the optional theme of Out with the Old, In With the New, below. Be sure to add FT after your name if you followed the theme.  Please see above for all the rules and details.

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1. Marie Bingaman

2. Crafting Vicky

3. Lisa Lynn FT

4. TracyM #6773 FT

5. AJ

6. Carol S

7. Rosins

8. de kaarten van ons mam

9. Majda

10. Valerija FT

11. Desire Fourie

12. cheiro urgia

13. Valerija FT

14. Hazel

15. Hazel

16. Teresa

17. laila - koneko

18. Crafting Vicky FT

19. CraftyGirl

20. CraftyGirl

21. Christine Harrop

22. Debbie M

23. Hazel

24. Winter fun

25. Marie Bingaman

26. Hazel

27. Hazel

28. Debbie M

29. Borqna

30. Gerda

31. Gerda

32. treebug (FT)

33. treebug (FT)

34. Edwina Brown FT

35. Edwina Brown FT

36. Gerda

37. treebug (FT)

38. Hazel

39. Marie Bingaman FT

40. Borqna

41. Rosina

42. Majda

43. Hazel

44. Marie Bingaman FT

This linky list is now closed.

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