January Challenge - Theme and Sketch

Hello! Welcome to our first theme and sketch challenge for 2017. Thanks to those of you who played in last month challenge! We'll announce the winner and top picks on Tuesday, January 10, together with all of last month's challenge and blog hop winners.

We're tweaking our challenges this year. We've updated the Challenge Rules and Guidelines page to reflect these changes so please check out that page so you don't miss out (especially on the prizes).

And speaking of prizes, starting this month, one winner (voted by the design team) will receive a $10 gift certificate to the store, while the two top picks will each receive a $5 gift certificate. If there are at least 50 entries, we'll also draw a random winner and she gets to choose her prize -- a 3x5 stamp set OR 2 standard size stencils OR 1 CUTplorations word/phrase die. 

And last, all Theme and Sketch challenge players get a chance to win a $25 gift certificate -- we will randomly draw this winner from all the entries from 4 challenges (CAS Card Challenge, Mixed Media, CUTplorations, and this challenge) so the more you play, the better your odds are at scoring some spending money.

We'd love for you to create and link up your projects based on this month's theme, sketch, or both -- you've got the whole month of January to play :o)

Our theme is STAMPS & MIXED MEDIA. For this challenge, our definition of mixed media is using stamps and inks + 2 other elements (techniques and/or other products). If you end up with a mixed media card that's also clean and simple, make sure to link it up to the January CAS Card Challenge. 

And here's our fun sketch to get inspired by as well:

Have a look at the STAMPlorations girls' projects inspired by this month's theme and/or sketch!

HELEN (theme and aketch)

(Faith Expressions, Crisscrossed stencil)

LAURAJANE (theme and sketch)

(Hidden Hearts stencil, Framed Carnation, Faith Expressions)

CHRIS (theme and sketch)

(Balloons and Banners, Buttercups and Butterflies stamps and coordinating CUTplorations die, CUTplorations ATC tag builder, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle dies and Tribal Swirls stencil)

WEI WEI (theme)

(Bloom Boldly stencil, Hugs word die, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, and VIGNETTE: Tree Silhouettes)

.

JULIE (theme)

(Kathryn's Big Wishes, Sentiment Builders Happy, and Wonderful word die)

JERRIE (Theme)

(A Cuppa Love, Square Links stencil and Hidden Hearts stencil)

BECCA (theme) 

(Fond Expressions 2)

SUCHI (theme and sketch)

(Tweet Love, Bubbles stencil)

READY TO PLAY?

Please keep in mind our simple guidelines:

• Link up any type of project(s) based on the theme, the sketch, or both.
• You must use stamps in your project(s) -- rubber, clear, or digi from any company. Non-STAMPlorations stamps are OK (although please don't link up a project you've created for the sole purpose of promoting another company; those projects will be deleted or will not be considered in the running for winner or top pick.)
• Link up to 6 entries and link up to as many other challenges as you want.
• Link directly to your blog post, not to your main blog. (This makes it easy for us to find and comment on your entry.)
• If you have word verification turned on, our design team may not be able to leave a comment, so please consider turning it off.
• Link back to this challenge post (not our main blog) to encourage others to play too. You must also display the challenge graphic (for the theme or the sketch or both) in order to be eligible to win and receive the corresponding prize.
• Link up by January 31, 11:55 p.m. Pacific time.
• Have fun creating your project(s)!

~ The STAMPlorations™ girls

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