Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Challenge #37 Winner Announcement

Hello to all our Christmas crafting friends!  In just a few moments we are going to announce the winners and top picks for Challenge #37 but first I want to discuss some new changes to our system taking effect for the new year.

Yes, I realize that sounds rather odd given that we are almost five full months into the year. Those of you who join us regularly know that the last few months have been rather tough for me. Compile that with that fact that I was already behind due to an extremely busy schedule, it hasn't made posting on time an easy task. As such, we are behind in our winner announcements. Ultimately, I would like to be behind just one month so technically, in May we should have been posting the winners for the April challenge. Sadly, we're four months behind right now. I'm going to try my hardest to rectify that but until I do, I ask for your patience.

One thing we had decided on for the new year (i.e. starting with the January challenge which is challenge #37), was that we were going to change the way we chose our Stocking Stuffers. Since the link up started, we have always asked the entire team to provide their input for choosing our Top Picks. With all our lives in such a whirlwind of responsibilities, errands, business and day-to-day activities, Pat and I thought we would make choosing our Stocking Stuffers easier for the whole team by implementing a new method of selection.

Now don't worry, for each challenge we will still have three Stocking Stuffers. The difference is that instead of asking ALL team members to submit their choices, in the new system there will be only THREE DT members scheduled on a rotation, who will be responsible for making the choices each month. Each of these three people will put forth their choice for their favourite card and it will be those three cards that are showcased as our Stocking Stuffers.

We've decided to try out this method for at least six challenges (i.e. Jan to June). After the trial period is up, we'll re-evaluate and decide whether we stick to the new system or go back to the original one. Hopefully, with this new system in place it will allow us to catch up quicker and then stay on track.

We just wanted you all to be aware of our new selection method. Everything else regarding the winner announcement and its processes will stay the same for now. If any further changes are made, we'll be sure to keep you updated. 

So, on that note, it is finally time to announce the winners and our top three Stocking Stuffers from Challenge #37.

We had 62 entries in our January challenge. Those numbers were up by a total of six in relation to the previous month.Those were actually half decent numbers for a typical January. Right now, it is time to get on with the finding out who our winners are.

Are you one of those lucky peeps?! Let's find out!







Angelique, you are the winner of a $10.00 gift certificate from Scribbles Designs, our guest sponsor for January (chosen by miniwebtool.com based on all eligible entries).


Angelique, please send an email to the_12_moc_linkup {at} outlook {dot} com (or click HERE to bring the address up in your email program), with the subject, "12MoC Challenge #37 WINNER" to make arrangements to receive your prize. Please note that it may take me several days to get back to you. Thank you for your patience. In the interim, please grab a copy of the winner badge below for your blog.





Next, it is time to get on with showcasing the top three. With so many wonderful entries to choose from, it is always such a difficult task for the design team. For Challenge #37, Julie, Suze and Helen G. are scheduled to choose their favourite card. So, without further ado, here are the Stocking Stuffers for January:





Congrats to our top three Stocking StuffersEdwina, ValeryAnne and Grietjes, please grab a copy of the badge below for your blog.






Everyone who links up two cards each month is eligible to receive a free digital paper. All but one individual who linked up two cards during the months of November and December have previously been mailed their paper. We did have difficulty trying to email to one of our participants. Zajawka--if you are reading this, your email came back as undeliverable. Now, I see that you have also entered cards into the January challenge and it looks like the address is slightly different. I'm guessing there was a typo last month when entering your email address into the form. So, I will try and send out the papers from Nov. and Dec. along with the one from Jan. at the same time and hopefully you will receive them. For anyone else who thought that you had linked two, but did not receive a free paper, please contact us and let us know and we'll look into it for you.

The individuals who linked up a minimum of two cards each during the month of JANUARY, qualifying them to receive the digital paper from that month, will receive the blue coloured background paper which received the majority of votes. I have included the watermark of it, below...

To all of you who linked up during January, thanks ever so much! We are so happy to have all of you with us and hope that you'll continue to link up your holiday cards as you continue to work on your stash for 2018!!! It is never too early to get working on your holiday cards!

Papers will be sent to the email address that qualifying participants used when they added their cards to the Link Up as soon as I can manage.

As always, we are going to have a random draw from all the entries and give out a set of six digital papers to one lucky individual. The papers are all made so why not have an extra prize! Here is the watermark for the full set...



The winner of A Touch of Frost: 
Rich Colours Collection Mini Kit is
(chosen by random.org)
 
Majda, as you were originally entitled to receiving the freebie as you entered a minimum of two cards in January, I will instead send you the full set when I do the mail-out for the individual paper.

Well folks, that is it for today. While you are here, please be sure to check out the details for our current challenge going on now (if you haven't already), with the Optional Theme this month of "Make it Feminine". You can find out all the details along with the link up, by clicking HERE.

Other special posts may be published throughout the month; so, be sure to sign up to have our posts delivered by email or follow us through Bloglovin' so you don't miss a thing!

Until next time,

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Challenge #41 Midway: Optional Theme...Make it Feminine

Hello and happy Tuesday folks! We are halfway through the month of May and it is time to see what the entire team has been up to with their lovely images from A Day for Daisies, our guest sponsor this month! If you will recall from the start of the challenge, there was a bit of a snafu with me getting our request in on time so both our Sleigh Belles AND Merry Maidens will be here today to showcase their creations.



Check out all the fabulous images that the teams got to work with this month. Clicking on any of the image watermarks will take you to the section within the digital stamp section of the A Day for Daisies store.


Shopping With Scotty
Shopping With Scotty


Wild Rose Nymph
 Wild Rose Nymph


Two Girls and Mom
Two Girls And Mom


Gentle Baby
Gentle Baby


Placing the Stars Fairy
Placing the Stars


Carolling With The Birds
    Caroling With The Birds


Little Cats Christmas
Little Cats Christmas

Thank you so much to this month's generous sponsor for providing such adorable images for the team to work with! Please pop over and pay A Day for Daisies a visit when you have the chance! You are sure to find something to add to your wish list while you are there!


If you've been following my story this past couple of months, you'll know that I'm facing some difficult challenges which has prevented me from spending as much time as I normally do working on-line. Sadly, this past week my hubby and I have also had the additional heartache of having to put our furbaby to sleep. She was 16 and had developed some medical issues. With this additional challenge, I was only able to get five of the papers completed for this month's digi paper set. 

So, while I don't have a preview or full set for you to look at, I figured that you could vote on the ones already designed. The set will be called Frosty Swirls: The Pastel Collection.  Thankfully, I had the first five papers done before we said goodbye to our baby so several team members have used them in their creation. 

Everyone who links up a minimum of two cards during the month of May 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 May. Poll will be open until May 31st, 11:59 p.m. EDT.



Now check out what the Sleigh Belles and Merry Maidens 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. Both Pat and Susan have made an additional card using a Day For Daisies image already in their collection.





http://craftinghelen.blogspot.co.uk/



http://susanrenshaw0404.blogspot.com/





http://patacakespages.blogspot.ca/





http://www.fstampaholic.blogspot.com/



http://creamieke.blogspot.nl



 




So if you haven't entered already, what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for May. Whether you choose to link up ANY type of Christmas or holiday card you've made for a chance to win this month's Paper Kit, or link up two of them 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! 

Here is a refresher of the details for this challenge...

Please remember that this is a CARDS ONLY link up. While we've had some lovely tag entries in the past, we've sadly had to disqualify them.


Challenge #41

Optional Theme: Make it Feminine

This month, in over 149 different countries around the world, mothers are being honoured during Mother's Day. In fact, there are only two months during the year where there isn't a Mother's Day celebration and that happens to be January and September. There is at least one country celebrating in every other month, with the two highest concentrations being in March and May. Since the focus is on dear old mom this month for many people, we thought that it would be a nice idea to focus on femininity for our theme. When you think of Christmas, what would it be like without a feminine touch. All those lovely little nuances that only a female can provide.

That is why this month, in order to have a chance to win the prize from our guest sponsor, we want you to create a card that that would be considered FEMININE. Whether you decide to use an image that would be considered feminine, or pretty papers and colours, or even dress up your card with lace, ribbons and/or flowers, as long as your card has a feminine touch, then it will qualify. 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.

Keep in mind though, that you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month or for a chance to win the featured paper set. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $12 gift certificate to the A Day for Daisies store.



If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab.  As this is a different kind of link up where we have both an Anything Goes Christmas or other December Holiday option AND an optional theme to follow, be sure to read all the details and rules you need to know in order to participate, by checking out the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog).


You can find the Challenge Details Summary along with the link up for
Challenge #41 by clicking HERE.


 Don't Forget, if everything goes according to plan...

  • I'll try and get the winner announcement done before the month is out. 
  • Our new challenge will start on June 1st.
  • 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!
the_12_moc_linkup@outlook.com

We look forward to seeing you participate!

Tuesday, May 01, 2018

Challenge #41: Optional Theme...Make it Feminine

Hello crafters! It is the first day of May and that means it is time for our next challenge to get under way! Spring might be on our doorstep but that doesn't mean we can't sneak in some time to get a couple extra cards completed. As such, it is time to continue with our quest to work on all those Christmas and other December Holiday cards we will need for year end!

However, before we begin. I must apologize yet again. If you have been with us these past couple of months, you know that life has thrown me a curveball. I am currently being challenged both physically and mentally and I have had a lot less time than normal on the computer. Due to this, I didn't get the images for the team ordered early enough and as a result we don't have any samples to share with you showcasing the lovely images from our wonderful sponsor. Sigh...I also didn't get the paper pack made. HOWEVER, this just means that our midway post will be packed with projects from the entire team featuring digi stamps from the ever fabulous A Day for Daisies. You won't want to miss all the incredible creations to come, so be sure to join us again on May 15th.

Even though we don't have any designs to share just yet, we still felt it important to get the link up started. So, 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 #41.


Challenge #41

Optional Theme: Make it Feminine

This month, in over 149 different countries around the world, mothers are being honoured during Mother's Day. In fact, there are only two months during the year where there isn't a Mother's Day celebration and that happens to be January and September. There is at least one country celebrating in every other month, with the two highest concentrations being in March and May. Since the focus is on dear old mom this month for many people, we thought that it would be a nice idea to focus on femininity for our theme. When you think of Christmas, what would it be like without a feminine touch. All those lovely little nuances that only a female can provide.

That is why this month, in order to have a chance to win the prize from our guest sponsor, we want you to create a card that that would be considered FEMININE. Whether you decide to use an image that would be considered feminine, or pretty papers and colours, or even dress up your card with lace, ribbons and/or flowers, as long as your card has a feminine touch, then it will qualify. 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.

Keep in mind though, that you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards and earn a free paper each month or for a chance to win the featured paper set. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $12 gift certificate to the A Day for Daisies store.

Talking about A Day for Daisies, it is time to refresh ourselves with the details of this returning sponsor…

A Day For Daisies provides themed categories of over 3000 digital illustrations including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions!

ADFD Website: www.adayfordaisies.com
ADFD FB: https://www.facebook.com/adayfordaisies/
Private ADFD Community on FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adayfordaisies/
ADFD Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/adayfordaisies
Be sure to join us on May 15th when the team will be here to showcase their projects featuring awesome stamps from A Day for Daises! At that time you will also have two weeks to vote on the digital paper you'd like to see given out for this month.


So what are you waiting for? It is time to link up your Christmas and other holiday cards for May!

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 #37 as soon as we can manage. 
  • Then, be sure to join us again on May 15th, for our midway post where you'll get to see cards created by both the Sleigh Belles and the Merry Maidens! You will be able to vote on the paper given out for May during that post as well!
  • Pat will hopefully be around 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), May 1st until 11:59 p.m. (23:59 hrs), May 31st, 2018.  All times listed are in EDT (Eastern Daylight Savings 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
  • If you receive a free digi paper, you are not obliged to use it in any future link up; though, if you do create something, be sure to let me know as I'd love to see it.
  • This is NOT a progressive challenge. You can jump in at any time.
  • You are allowed to enter as many Anything Goes cards as you'd like. HOWEVER, please note that if you follow the optional theme for the chance to win this month's prize of a $12 gift certificate from A Day for Daisies, only a maximum of three (3) entries will qualify for the draw.
  • 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.
  • 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.
the_12_moc_linkup@outlook.com

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 #41

Please link up your Anything Goes Christmas and/or December holiday themed CARDS with the optional theme of Make it Feminine below. Don't forget that i
f 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. Please see above for all the rules and details.