Challenge #37: Optional Theme...A Touch of FROST

Hello crafters!  From all of us at The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up, we wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR! For those of you who have been with us during the last three years, we thank you for your continued support. If you are brand new, welcome! We're so glad you found us!

On this very first day of a brand new year it is time for our very first challenge of 2018 to get under way! Now I realize that the last thing that many of you want to do is think about Christmas right now but it is never too early to get started on all the Christmas and other December Holiday cards you are going to need when December rolls around!

With that in mind, it is time to get down to the business of our latest challenge. 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.

Now that the basics are out of the way, how about we get on with the details of Challenge #37.

Challenge #37

Optional Theme: A Touch of FROST

Happy New Year! If you happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere of this beautiful planet, January is one of the coldest months of the year. If you live in a place like I do, then you may have woken up on this first day of 2018 to a frosty, snow covered scene as well. The ground is layered with snow, icicles hang from the eves and the windows are nice and frosty. In fact, we're having an extreme deep cold snap here in many provinces of Canada. The temperatures were soooooo frigid that many of the planned outdoor New Year's Eve celebrations and concerts were cancelled! Good thing that the temperatures didn't interfere with the ball drop in New York!

That is why this month, in order to have a chance to win the prize from our guest sponsor, be sure to have some sort of frosty element on your card (for ex. icicles, snowflakes, snow, frost, etc.). It can be the image itself or in the paper(s) you use, or even in your embellishments but it must be featured 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. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $10.00 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs.

Talking about Scribbles Designs, it is time to refresh ourselves with the details of this returning sponsor…

Looking for a unique image or sentiment? Well then! Head on over to Scribbles Designs and check out Sandy's world of her funky imagination and quirky characters. Sandy has loved art, drawing, water colouring and doodling for many years... and with the digital image world she can now share it with all of you. Brrr (Penguin) was her first main character and her other quirky images followed not long after. We hope you enjoy the endearing images available in the store and add Sandy's images to your digital stamp collections.

Click HERE to head to the store and HERE to check out the Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. You can find the Scribbles Designs Facebook Group HERE.

Check out the fun and quirky 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 spot in the Scribbles Designs store.

#A 49 Snowheads 2

#243 Snow Kisses

#8111 Festive Trees

#8120 SS Snowman Sign

#876 Jack Frost

You'll get to see more awesome images used during our midway so be sure to come back again at that time!

Oh and if you like these images and are looking to join a new design team, Scribbles Designs is currently having a DT Call. You can find out all the info you need by clicking HERE.

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: Rich Colours Collection. Check out the preview...

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of January 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 January. Poll will be open until January 31st, 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 January!

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 #33 ASAP. 
• 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! 
• Pat will hopefully be back towards the end of the month with a special Christmas Craft for you to try!
• 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, 2017.  All times listed are in EST (Eastern Standard Time).
  
• 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 prize of  a $10.00 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs.
• 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 #37
Please link up your Anything Goes Christmas and/or December holiday themed CARDS with the optional theme of A Touch of FROST, below. Please see above for all the rules and details.