Friday 1 December 2017

CHNC challenge extra for December 2017


It's always a delight to see the wonderful festive creations that are entered for our challenges and November was no exception - what a bumper lot of entries.

Now that we are beginning December, we need to get those Christmas designs done very soon - I hope you will be able to join in our October challenge. ... it can be any creation as long as it's for Christmas and you can enter as many times as you wish.

Please click here to see the winner of CHNC challenge extra for November.
It's worth looking because it might be you!

Before we go any further, I have some sad news for you. I thought long and hard about this decision, but regret to say that this monthly challenge blog is closing, so the December 2017 is the last challenge here. There are two reasons for this:

Since January this year I've made my weekly Christmas challenges 'anything goes as long as it's Christmas' as well as having a purely optional theme. This means that people can enter the weekly challenge and the monthly extra one with any Christmas creations week in and week out. Until this year, the weekly ones always had a theme, but now that it's 'anything goes' it seems a bit silly to run both the weekly and the monthly now.

The other reason (and perhaps the main one for me) is that I find it very difficult at the moment to keep all the plates spinning, as it were, as John's health problems aren't getting any better, which puts more demands upon me (although I'm not at all complaining about that). I therefore feel that I need to look at what I'm doing and make changes where necessary.

I want to thank everyone who has been involved in making this challenge blog so successful for the past five years, for the DT members, both present and past, thank you them all for their support, their dedication and, of course, for sharing their inspirational festive creativity month by month - it has been a pleasure working with you all. Thank you also to Bugaboo Stamps who have generously sponsored every monthly challenge throughout the five years.

And, of course, thank you to all of you who have entered your lovely Christmas crafting month by month, because, without you all, there would have been no challenges.

This last challenge will last for the whole month of December 2017 - anything goes as long as it's Christmas - it doesn't have to be a card, you can link any project as long as it's Christmas! 

Once again this year, all of these monthly challenges are being generously sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps - a winner will be randomly chosen using random.

Bugaboo Stamps are proud to sponsor this challenge - they are offering four digital stamps to the randomly selected winner.

Everything That You Ever Wanted to Know About Bugaboo Stamps: A Short Essay
As if raising five children in the frozen land of the North was not enough of a challenge, Jodie Mackrell decided to dip her cold little Canadian toes into the world of papercrafting by opening an online store full of her illustrations. That was two years ago. Today Bugaboo Stamps is one of the leading companies in digital images, and we're still growing!  From seriously snarky to sugary sweet to sublimely soulful all the way over to the other side of the super sexy spectrum, you're bound to find all that you need and more to create your paper projects.  Jodie works very hard to provide New Releases and Freebies every week! 

If your taste runs to rubber (and you know who you are), you can find Bugaboo Stamps   at Totally Stampalicious. And finally, join the Bugaboo Stamps DT  for weekly challenges at Catch the Bug

Here are the delightful designs of the team:

All digital stamps used were kindly supplied by our sponsor, Bugaboo Stamps:


Fiona
using Sign It snow friends

Hazel

using AKV Mary and child (retired)

Helen
using Reindeer peeker


Myrna
using Crow (retired)

using Big bauble Santa (retired)

You may add any Christmas creation for this challenge - it's 'anything goes' every month, as long as it's Christmas

There really aren't any rules as such - just have a look at what I've written on the right hand sidebar and join in! You may link as many entries as you like as long as they weren't blogged before 1 December 2017.

Weekly challenges continue on my CHNC challenge blog - all challenges there are now 'anything goes as long as it's Christmas, with an optional theme - but anything that you enter there can be entered here as well, so you increase your chance of winning a prize.

And, of course, you can chat about this monthly challenge extra blog on the CHNC facebook page as well - if you haven't joined that yet, please follow the link and 'like' the page.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with for this challenge - please add a link to your blog post (not your blog, but the actual URL where your creation can be found) by 20:00 UK time 31 December. Please mention my blog and create a link within the post for your creation. The winner will be announced at 23:00 UK time on 31 December. 

Please add your link to inlinkz. If by any chance it disappears, please leave a comment with the link to your blog post and I will make sure it is added.

If you haven't done so already, please become a follower and grab my bright pink button to post on your sidebar and help continue to spread the word about this challenge blog - thank you.

I also run a challenge blog called Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - anything goes as long as you use some patterned paper - a randomly chosen prize winner every month. Please click on the link to find out more. If you have used patterned paper for your Christmas creation, why not enter it there too. And please be aware that the Patterned Paper Challenge is not restricted to Christmas - it is for any occasions as long as some patterned paper has been used.

Thank you for your support
I look forward to seeing your entries


20 comments:

  1. Hazel, I am sorry to hear that you are closing this challenge, but I also commend you for your decision. My sweet hubby is in the final stage of MS and I can empathize with your struggles. Right now, cardmaking is therapy for me. But I don't HAVE to do it. I can't image the extra stress of being responsible for a challenge blog. So, kudos for putting your husband, and your health first. May God bless you and your time together!

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  2. PS I just noticed that the linky notes that the collection closes in 395 days. Is that an oopsie?!

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    1. Thanks for pointing that out, Kathy - it had changed to 2018 instead of 2017 - lol! Put right now. xx

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  3. Sorry to read this blog will be closing, Hazel, but I completely understand.
    Thanks for all you did in the past 5 years.
    xxx Margreet

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  4. Lovely cards. Thank you for another challenge Hazel. have a great month and a very happy Christmas.

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  5. Thank you Hazel for the new challenge and the lovely DT creations as well ~ I pray your husband gets better and I totally understand closing a challenge - it has been a blessing entering here - I will miss it - but seems like the weekly one is continuing-- if not, I understand that as well - have a blessed week and Merry Christmas

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  6. Thanks, Gail. Yes, the weekly one will continue (more news on that later - some of the team from here are going to join me there). Now that the weekly one gives the option for 'anything goes' it seemed to make sense to close this one. However, it was a very difficult, sad decision, especially when I see how many entries there were for November - made it harder. xx

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  7. Hazel, thanks for providing us with the opportunity to create wonderful cards and entering them into your challenges. I totally understand. Keeping all our plates spinning and enjoying our hobby is a must. Thank you for all you do and the inspiration you provide. Hugs to you!

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  8. Everything changes in this life, and although I'm sorry to see this challenge end soon, your priorities have shifted and you need to make the adjustments! I'm glad you'll still be keeping the other challenges and we can still play along, but hopefully this will lighten your load and make life better for you! Best wishes to you and your hubby, and Merry Christmas a bit early too! Thanks for all you've done for so long, it's been a great ride :)

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  9. Dear Hazel, totally understand the family situation, I'm pulling out of my current AT this month for very same reason.
    I want to thank you and DT for all the hard work, you've put into it! Gd bless you and your darling hubby and family this Christmas time as celebrate thebirth of our Saviour.
    Hugs prayers,
    Shaz in Oz.x

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  10. Thank you for having both challenges for so long. I am in a similar situation with my hubby, and I can barely keep up with participating in some challenges and doing a couple of design team entries - I cannot imagine how you keep everything going with different challenges. All the best, and I look forward to "seeing" you in your remaining challenges. Have a blessed Christmas.

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  11. Oh, Hazel, I am so sorry to read about your husband's ill health. I pray he will be okay. I can certainly understand you closing the challenge blog and I support your decision. I have enjoyed playing here for the last 4 years, ever since I started blogging. I will continue to support your weekly challenges for as long as you can keep them going. It has been a pleasure to play here, thank you so much for all the inspiration, prizes, and the time that you have shared with us. Sending prayers for your husband, and strength for you.

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  12. sometimes one has to make more difficult choices... Family is more important than blogging and challenging, even if it is a challengeblog with a lot of entries... Thank you for all the fun we had on this blog! Good luck for you and your husband!
    See you on your other challengeblogs!
    Nancy

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  13. Totally understand your decision Hazel, thank you so much for running the challenge for so long and for all the great inspiration from you and the team. Sending hugs and best wishes to you and hubby for a Happy Christmas, love Jacky x

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  14. So sorry to hear you are closing the challenge, although not at all surprised as the strain on you with running all these challenges and being on lots of DTs when you have to look after John must be unbearable. I know crafting is a release from stress, well it is for me anyway, but when it becomes a burden something has to give!
    Jane

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  15. Ha, my comment disappeared! Just to say how right this decision is - your weekly challenge is enough chick. And both you as well as John have to come first. Jane's comment above is so true.

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  16. Thanks for invite me here, too. I entered.
    Sorry to hear of your husband's ill and for the challenge closing, but I understand very well... There are priority in life! Blessings and prayers for you.

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  17. Thanks Hazel for running this challenge blog for all these years. I enyoyed to participate in this challenge and it made it easier to make Christmas cards all year round. And I am glad to read you will keep running your CHNC challenge blog.
    I wish you and your husband a blessed new year and strenth for you both.

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  18. Hi Hazel, thank you for your dedication in running not only this Challenge blog but all your other ones as well. I wish you and your husband all the very best for the coming year.

    Jocelyn x
    Instead of Ironing Blogspot

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  19. Thank you Hazel for letting me know about this challenge. So sorry to hear you are closing; but family and health come first. I am sharing my favorites from 2017; but have never entered this Reindeer; because I wasn't aware of this challenge. Merry Christmas Hazel. Hugs, Gloria

    http://purpleglocreations.blogspot.com

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