Challenge #30: Optional Theme...Fur, Fluff, Feathers OR Fins

Howdy Folks! Welcome to The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up. It is the first day of June and that means it is time for our next challenge to get under way! Spring may be in bloom but it doesn't dissuade our quest to add to the Christmas and other December Holidays Card Pile!

Right now, it is time to get down to business. 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.
• 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 #30.

Challenge #30

Optional Theme: 
 Fur, Fluff, Feathers OR Fins

What would Christmas be like without our furry, fluffy, feathery or finned companions in our lives?! Have you ever watched a dog with its head stuck in a Santa hat or packaging as it snuffles its way across the floor? Or, how about having to anchor a Christmas tree so that your cats don't bring it down? Our animal companions add an extra heap of joy to most Christmases. That is why we want to see a Christmas card that features an animal that one might have as a household pet. Dog lover, cat lover or somewhere in between, what will your focus be?

In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, make sure that your Christmas card has an image of a household pet as the focal point (i.e., cat, dog, bird, mouse, rabbit, hedgehog, ferret, fish, turtle, etc.). IMPORTANT: 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, have a chance to win a special mini kit of digi papers 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 $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! Digis by Kris™ is a mother/daughter team bringing you our cutest hand-drawn images that you can flip, re-size, re-color, print & use in your crafting creations!  Almost all our digi sets include both color & outline formats & include sentiments for a great value.  In addition to carrying family-friendly digi stamps, we also offer digital papers and KD-Kits, all available as instant downloads!  You may want to check out our Free blogwear category, as well as find freebies on our Facebook Page and join in our monthly challenge!  You can read more about us here on our 'About the Arists' page.

Check out the adorable 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 the Imagine That Digistamp store where each of these images can be found.

Christmas Sled

 Happy Howlidays

 Snow Mice

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 Touch of Frost: Animal Tracks. Check out the preview...

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of June 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 June. Poll will be open until June 30th, 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 June! Whether you choose to link up two Anything Goes themed cards simply to earn your free paper this month, link up one or more cards for your chance to win the mini kit of digi papers shown above, 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!

• We hope to publish the names of the winners and top picks from Challenge #27 as soon as we can get to it. While it is normally scheduled for the 8th, these past few months it has been rather late. Sorry for any inconveniences this may cause anyone. 
• Then, be sure to join us again on June 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by the Merry Maidens!
• Then during the third week of June, Pat will 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), June 1st until 11:59 p.m. (23:59 hrs), June 30th, 2017.  All times listed are in EST.
  
• 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 $10 gift certificate to the Imagine That Digistamp 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 #30
Please link up your Anything Goes Christmas and/or December holiday themed CARDS with the optional theme of Fur, Fluff, Feathers OR Fins, below. Be sure to add FT after your name if you followed the theme.  Please see above for all the rules and details.