Challenge Guidelines - Updated for October 2021 to June 2022 Term

27 September 2021 -- Hello, STAMPlorations friends! September's almost over...which means the STAMPgirls' summer break is just about over as well and we'll soon be back to regular programming here on the blog! 

Our 3 main challenges will resume: Theme & Photo Prompt Challenge, CAS Cards Challenge, and Stencil Challenge. All 3 challenges start on the first of each month at 1 am (Theme & Photo Prompt), 2 am (CAS Cards), and 3 am (Stencil) Pacific time. Then we have our Never-ending Anything Goes Challenge for those of you who love to create projects using STAMPlorations products.

For the 2021-2022 term, we have revised the prizes and the use-by-date of prize codes. The entry limit is still THREE (3) per challenge, so enter your best projects. While STAMPlorations products are not required in projects entered into our main challenges, those who do use our products and are picked as winners will enjoy some perks. We also ask players to link back (with a text link) AND display the challenge graphic (on their blogs; non-blog players are not required to display the challenge graphic) if they want to qualify for the prizes. 

Beginning October, here are our updated challenge guidelines and prizes:

***A note to all players: If you have word verification turned on, our design team may not be able to leave a comment, so please consider turning it off.***


THEME & PHOTO PROMPT CHALLENGE GUIDELINES
This challenge starts on the first of the month at 1 am Pacific time and ends on the last day of the month at 11:55 pm Pacific time.
  • Link up a maximum of 3 entries regardless of the platform you use for linking up your projects (blog, Flickr, IG, Splitcoast, etc.)
  • Projects must be NEW, not something you created or posted on your blog/IG prior to our challenges starting.
  • Entries should either be based on the theme, photo prompt, or both.
  • You must use stamps in your project(s) -- rubber, clear, or digi from any company. Non-STAMPlorations stamps are OK. (But please don't use our challenges to enter projects you make for promotional purposes.)
  • No sneak peek projects! Full project photo must be displayed on the player's blog post in order to qualify for the prizes.
  • To qualify for the prizes, players must display challenge graphic and have a text link back to the challenge post (blogs only).

CAS CARDS CHALLENGE GUIDELINES
This challenge starts on the first of the month at 2 am Pacific time and ends on the last day of the month at 11:55 pm Pacific time.
  • Link up a maximum of 3 cards regardless of the platform you use for linking up your projects (blog, Flickr, IG, Splitcoast, etc.)
  • Projects must be NEW, not something you created or posted on your blog/IG prior to our challenges starting.
  • Create a CAS card with or without the optional color twist.
  • Non-STAMPlorations products in entries are OK. (But please don't use our challenges to enter projects you make for promotional purposes.)
  • No sneak peek projects! Full project photo must be displayed on the player's blog post in order to qualify for the prizes.
  • To qualify for the prizes, players must display challenge graphic and have a text link back to the challenge post (blogs only).

STENCIL CHALLENGE GUIDELINES
This challenge starts on the first of the month at 3 am Pacific time and ends on the last day of the month at 11:55 pm Pacific time.
  • Link up a maximum of 3 projects (cards, tags, layouts, mixed media, etc.) regardless of the platform you use for linking up your projects (blog, Flickr, IG, Splitcoast, etc.)
  • Projects must be NEW, not something you created or posted on your blog/IG prior to our challenges starting.
  • You must use a stencil or stencils (any brand) in your project(s) - if it isn't obvious that you used a stencil in your project, your entry may be deleted or will not be eligible to win.
  • Non-STAMPlorations products in entries are OK. (But please don't use our challenges to enter projects you make for promotional purposes.)
  • No sneak peek projects! Full project photo must be displayed on the player's blog post in order to qualify for the prizes.
  • To qualify for the prizes, players must display challenge graphic and have a text link back to the challenge post (blogs only).

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ANYTHING GOES CHALLENGE GUIDELINES
This challenge is a never-ending challenge.
  • You must use STAMPlorations products (clear stamps, digi stamps, ARTplorations stencils, CUTplorations dies, STAMPlorations clear stickers, and/or ShakerBlends) in order to link up to this challenge. You may use stamps/stencils/dies by other companies but STAMPlorations products must be the "star" of your projects. (Using a small sentiment from any of our sets and then images from other stamp companies doesn't qualify - you can enter those to our other challenges, but not to this one. STAMPlorations stamps must be obvious and front-and-center in your creations.)
  • NEW creations only please.
  • Submit as often as you want and combine with as many challenges as you want, so long as each project you submit is different.
  • Any and all types of projects are welcome.
  • Link directly to your blog post.
  • To be eligible for the prizes, display our special challenge badge on your blog post and link to the Never-Ending Anything Goes Challenge page and encourage others who have STAMPlorations stamps to play.


Monthly Prizes
  • $20 prize code to the winners in the challenges (3 main winners - chosen by design team members); OR $25 prize code if a STAMPlorations product was used as the MAIN/FOCAL point in the project (for Theme & Photo Prompt Challenge and CAS Cards Challenge) or if an ARTplorations stencil was used and is obvious in the project (for the Stencil Challenge).
  • $10 prize code to two (2) randomly picked players per challenge (6 random winners); OR $15 prize code if the a STAMPlorations product was used as the MAIN/FOCAL point in the project (for Theme & Photo Prompt Challenge and CAS Cards Challenge) or if an ARTplorations stencil was used and is obvious in the project (for the Stencil Challenge).
  • $10 prize code OR choice of product (up to $7 value) to two randomly picked entries in the Never-ending Anything Goes Challenge
  • $7 prize code to ten (10) randomly picked commenters in all posts published on the blog and Instagram throughout the month. 


About Prize Codes
  • Prize codes (formerly called gift codes) expire 4 weeks (30 days or 1 month) from the date they are issued to winners. However, challenge winners who use STAMPlorations products in their winning entries will be issued prize codes that expire 60 days from their issue date.
  • A player and/or commenter who is picked more than once will be issued one prize code that combines the winning amount (e.g., if a player is randomly picked for a $10 prize code in one of the challenges and is also picked as a $7 winner for commenting on one of the posts, she will be issued a $17 prize code)
  • Prize codes may be combined, provided the first prize code has not yet expired or has not been used.
  • A prize code can be applied on all products (digital and physical) found in the main, outlet, and digital stores, before shipping. It can be used with a free shipping code (if available) but the sub-total must be equivalent to or more than the value of the prize code -- e.g., a $10 prize code will NOT work if the sub-total (before shipping) is less than $10. The shopping cart will display an error. There must be at least $10 worth of products in the cart for a $10 prize code to work.
  • Prize codes issued to challenge winners and post commenters are not transferrable. A prize code is tagged with the winner's name and if it is used by someone other than the one it was issued to, the order will be voided and the prize code will not be re-issued. If you have a prize code that you don't intend to use, simply let it expire or send an email to stamplorations@gmail.com so it can be deactivated.

Claiming Prizes

Winners have 2 weeks to claim their prize. The winners post is published on the 10th of the month, so winners have until the 24th of the month to claim their prize. Prizes not claimed by the 24th of the month are forfeited -- no exceptions.

Please understand that because we have a lot of winners and give away over $200 worth of prizes each month, it would take a lot of time to contact the winners individually. We also want to be fair to those who regularly visit our blog and claim their prizes within the time frame given.

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