FEB 2011 EFA CHALLENGE: Companion's Corner

February's Monthly Challenge theme:

Companions Corner

February's monthly challenge theme is "Companions Corner"; please tag your listing "teamefacompanion", without the quotation marks.

For EFA members when someone says the word "companion" we do not always and immediately think of a human; instead we think of our furry (scaly, feathered, etc) friends who are often much more to us than can be described in words.

For your "Companions Corner" Monthly Challenge entry: "pay homage to your non-human companions and family".

I hope that you will find that in all of the following definitions of "companion", our friends are the best representation of the word:

1. Somebody to be with: somebody who accompanies or shares time with another.

2. Somebody whose job is accompanying another: somebody employed to live with [or help] another person.

3. Matching article: an object or item that goes with another to make a pair.

http://www.bing.com/Dictionary/search?q=define+companion&FORM=DTPDIA&qpvt=definition+of+comapanion

***

"Ode to Companion Animals"

By Margaret Loris, Pet Healer

http://www.sunhealer.com/ode.html

"Have you ever felt afraid, hurt, anxious, or lonely?

Did you ever feel you were alone in the world?

That noone could understand you.

There was noone to help you.

And even if there was, you were so badly hurt that your voice could not even ask for help.

That you felt so much pain that you were afraid to cry.

Because the tears might just never stop.

And then, from nowhere, you get the best gift in the universe.

An animal, no matter what kind, comes ever so gently to comfort you."

***

I am looking forward to seeing all of your entries and all the ways that our team defines "companion" with or without words. Happy crafting everyone!

P.S: Submit your entries asap... remember that the first 16 qualifying entries will be automatically entered into our Monthly Challenge Competition where the winner is awarded a free advertising slot with EFA !

For more information on...

EFA's Monthly Challenge- click HERE

Monthly Challenge Themes-at-a-glance HERE

Entering the Monthly Challenge- click HERE

The Monthly Challenge Competition- Click HERE

THANKS

Heather of thebluewindmill

Fluffy Puppy Necklace by cocoNme

This fluffy puppy three stranded necklace by cocoNme is a charming way to celebrate winter. The bright whites and the shimmer of the silver beads and Swarovski Crystals make this necklace sparkle like fresh snow.

I donate 25% of the proceeds to Etsy For Animals' Charity of the Month (EFA COTM).

Adorable Hedgehog ACEO Painting by SharonFosterArt

A nice blanket of snow helps keep this little hedgie warm in his log in this lovely painting by SharonFosterArt.

I donate 100% of specific sales of my art to animal charities. One of my favorites is Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary. Today, I mailed 4 small 4 inch square animal themed paintings to an auction for A New Leash on Life. A New Leash on Life helps train service animals for kids with autism and others in need.

After the Storm Print by JenniferLynnProducts

This photo by JenniferLynnProducts was taken in Maryland in 2010 after one of the blizzards that shut down the DC area for a couple of weeks.

I donate my art and photography a few times a year to various animal-related fund raisers. I'm also a "mom"/slave to 8 rescued cats. I don't take in animals any more, but I donate my art, money, and wish list items to various animal-related organizations. This past December, I donated a really nice dog bed and some other items to my local animal shelter. I also help to spread the word and put people in touch with one another when a rescue is needed on the ground. Animals are a huge part of my life!

MONTHLY CHALLENGE COMPETiTiON: Winter Wonderland #1

Here are the first sixteen entries to

EFA's January Monthly Challenge

- Winter Wonderland -

MONTHLY CHALLENGE COMPETITION

WiNTER WONDERLAND #1

curated by thebluewindmill

Click HERE to see the Treasury !

featuring in order of appearance:

#1 White Rabbit Silk Tapestry Box

#2 Edelweiss White Bangle

#3 Arctic Serenity Tile

#4 Winter Wonderland Pug Card

#5 Winter Song Oil Painting

#6 Custom Animal Painting

#7 Primitive Snow Balls

#8 Bunny Towel Plush

#9 Mama Polar Bear & Cub ACEO

#10 Tis The Season Cardinal Print

#11 Puppies in the Snow Card

#12 Walrus Mixed Media Stamp Pin

#13 Wintry Cat Love Earrings

#14 Ivory White Silk Nuno Shawl

#15 Penguin Igloo Animal Collar

#16 Be Mine Gloves & Hat

Click on the # number above

to view the Monthly Challenge entry !

A poll has been placed at the bottom of -this- blog

every individual blog visitor has a chance to VOTE

ON WHICH CHALLENGE ENTRY YOU THINK FITS BEST

this Monthly Challenge theme...

"Winter Wonderland:

depict white winterland, animals or flowers"

The Challenge entry with the most votes will win !

This is a new & exciting incentive to participate in EFA's Monthly Challenge as the winner will receive a free one-month advertising slot (etsy mini 1x1) on either EFA's website or Challenge Blog the following month ! Winner gets to pick location... either on EFA's Sponsor page or in the left hand column of the Challenge Blog :)

For more information on...

EFA's Monthly Challenge- click HERE

Entering the Monthly Challenge- click HERE

The Monthly Challenge Competition- Click HERE

Be Mine Hat and Fingerless Gloves Set by knitbyvalerie

This cozy hat and fingerless mitten set by knitbyvalerie was hand-knit with merino wool with a tight-gauge to increase warmth. Finger access is helpful for those who find that regular gloves are too cumbersome.

I have 6 rescues in my home and I have successfully encouraged friends to adopt from shelters. Until recently, I volunteered in the rabbit room at my local public animal shelter and am frequently educating people on the rewards of having house rabbits (rather than caged or hutch rabbits). I started my shop solely to be able to give more to rescues in an economy that would otherwise make it difficult for me.

Igloo Martingale Collar by hollywoofstyles

The happy, fat penguins on this martingale collar by hollywoofstyles are shown enjoying their winter wonderland!

My husband and I share our home with our 2 four-legged children Leo and Snuggs. Snuggs was a rescue from the Katrina storm and she has kept our house hopping ever since we've brought her home.

A percentage of our profits are donated to local Atlanta rescue groups. We also contribute in other ways to many rescue groups throughout the United States. Local rescue groups that we greatly appreciate for their efforts include Adopt a Golden and Rescue Me.

Ivory Nuno Shawl by BlindSquirrel

This ivory silk wrap which is nuno felted, and trimmed with green silk leaf shapes was submitted by BlindSquirrel. The lovely white wrap with a hit of green is a wonderful demonstration of the colors found in a winter wonderland.

My work with animals includes the donations that I give based on my sales, and of my Rainbow Bridge DVD sales. I also take care of the EFA website.

Warm Wintry Cat Love Earrings by chickadeejewelry

These earrings are a whimsical entry from chickadeejewelry. I was looking out the window at a blizzard and thinking that the weather didn't bother me because I had a warm cat (Jezel) sleeping on my lap. This inspired me to make the Warm Wintry Cat Love Earrings. I combined "I love my cat" charms with bicone crystals in winter colours - frosty whites and grays. The Winter Wonderland is outside, but the companionship of my cat and the love I have for her keeps me warm.

I donate 10% of my sales to Ca-R-Ma (Cat Rescue Maritimes Association). I also regularly donate jewelery to them for fund-raising and I volunteer my time. Ca-R-Ma is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless cats. We run a trap-spay-neuter-release program for feral cats and we care for cats in feral colonies. When possible, we foster and adopt out kittens. I have three cats, Sean, Jezel, and Lucy. Jezel and Lucy are formerly feral cats adopted through Ca-R-Ma.

Walrus Mixed Media Stamp Pin by thefrogbag

This pin by thefrogbag celebrates a winter wonderland, since it is almost always winter at the poles!

I help curate the facebook page for EFA and I donate 20% of the sales in my shop to the Tapir Preservation Fund. They believe that conservation of tapirs is conservation of the world's rain forests, and I strongly agree! Plus, I adore tapirs.

Puppies in the Snow Cards by scrappyrat

Wolf pups...snow...what could be more wintery and wonderful than this card set by scrappyrat?

I was inspired to make this card by a humane issue that's been on my mind a lot lately: the aerial gunning of wolves. In the state of Alaska, it is currently legal to harass wolves with small aircraft, flying low to the ground, terrifying and tiring the animal to the point of exhaustion before shooting the wolf from the plane while still in the air (often resulting in wounded animals escaping to sustain a long, painful death) or landing and shooting him or her at point blank range. Nationally, this inhumane pastime was outlawed by the federal government in 1972, but the Alaskan government continues to sidestep the law to keep killing canines in this fashion.

If you are as uncomfortable with this practice as I am, please visit the Defenders of Wildlife website (www.defendersofwildlife.com/) and send a quick letter to the governor of Alaska, asking him to adjust state law to coincide with the current Federal law and end this brutality against animals.

On a personal note, I am a foster for small animals for Carolina Pet Rescue and advocate for animals any way I possibly can. I am a constant pest to my legislators, I'm sure, with all the letters I write in support of animal protective legislation. I am limited somewhat by my handicap (a genetic spine disease that causes constant debilitating pain) but I do my best to continue the activism I've participated in my whole adult life.

I am frequently asked to make cards and gift baskets for animal charities to sell or auction off as a fund raiser and I am always happy to do so. I also have items in my shop that are listed as "charity items". The entire purchase price of these items goes to the Etsy for Animals charity of the month or to another animal charity indicated in the item's description.

I have begun to try to educate shoppers a bit by including descriptions of the issues and ideas that inspire my card designs in my listings. People may or may not agree with my point of view, but I don't like the idea of anyone condoning the horrors of animal abuse out of ignorance.

EFA Monthly Challenge COMPETiTiON: win free advertising !

Announcing a new exciting upgrade

to EFA's Challenge Program:

a Monthly Challenge Competition...

Win free advertising on EFA's website or blog !

As of this month, January 2011, the -first- sixteen Monthly Challenge entries received will automatically be entered into EFA's Monthly Challenge Competition !

Once these 16 entries have posted on the Challenge blog and an Etsy Treasury has been created... a Voter will be placed on the Challenge blog for a period of 7 days (or thru the last day of that month if time period is shorter) where one vote per blog visitor will be accepted and the entry with the most votes will WiN ! woohoo...

This is a new & exciting incentive to participate in EFA's Monthly Challenge as the winner will receive a free one-month advertising slot (etsy mini 1x1) on either EFA's website or Challenge Blog the following month ! Winner gets to pick location... either on EFA's Sponsor page or in the left hand column of the Challenge Blog :)

Please note: EFA's Monthly Challenge Competition will only take place if 16 entries are received ! Should we receive an additional 16 entries after that, EFA's Challenge Team will gladly consider running a second competition simultaneously.

So... what are you waiting for ?! lol

At the time of posting this announcement,

there are still a few open slots left in January's

WiNTER WONDERLAND Monthly Challenge

... and ...

we are happy to accept any/all future

Challenge entries ahead of time !

Zip Hop Fly Swim Slither

Run Walk or Crawl on down

to get your Challenge entries in !

EFA 2011: Monthly Challenge Program

THE MONTHLY CHALLENGE PROGRAM

revised 1/14/11

Entering the monthly Etsy for Animals Challenge is a fun way to participate in the EFA street team !

Every month there is an opportunity for EFA's members to submit one of their product listings to be featured on the Challenge Blog. Each month has a specific theme which the listing must reflect in some way.

For information on HOW TO ENTER the Monthly Challenge (link) and for our Themes-at-a-glance Challenge list (link).

EFA has a blog that is solely dedicated to our Monthly Challenges. Our Challenge Blog provides the perfect venue and setting to display our monthly entries... not only does it make for a festive display of goods but it's also a wonderful marketing opportunity for EFA's artists & suppliers to introduce themselves and talk about how they help animals!

Our Challenge Program starts at the beginning of each month on the blog, entries that have been accepted into the Monthly Challenge will be displayed approximately one each day until all the Challenge entries have been posted. For every sixteen entries received, an Etsy Treasury will be created. These are made on a first come basis.

Members are encouraged to come visit and leave a comment... our participants love to hear the good things members have to say about their work !!!

THE MONTHLY CHALLENGE COMPETiTiON

As of January 2011, the -first- sixteen Challenge entries received will automatically be entered into EFA's new Monthly Challenge Competition.

Once these 16 entries have posted on the Challenge blog and a Treasury has been created... a Voter will be placed on the Challenge blog for a period of 7 days (or thru the last day of that month if time period is shorter) where one vote per blog visitor will be accepted and the entry with the most votes will WiN ! woohoo...

This is a new & exciting incentive to participate in EFA's Monthly Challenge as the winner will receive a free one-month advertising slot (etsy mini 1x1) on either EFA's website or Challenge Blog the following month ! Winner gets to pick location... either on EFA's Sponsor page or in the left hand column of the Challenge Blog :)

Please note: EFA's Monthly Challenge Competition will only take place if 16 entries are received ! Should we receive an additional 16 entries after that, EFA's Challenge Team will gladly consider running a second competition simultaneously.

THE MONTHLY CHALLENGE TEAM

A big Thank you to our Challenge Team of volunteers: Heather of thebluewindmill for promoting the entries on Yahoo Groups & on Etsy and to Jess of jessicalynneart for promoting them on Blogger for us.

Comments ? Suggestions ? Please feel free to contact Nicole of brizel4TheAnimals who serves as EFA's Secretary & Blog Mistress !

Tis the Season Print by AlexWijnen

This little cardinal perched on snowy branches in a print by AlexWijnen is quite a literal representation of a winter wonderland!

My hubby and I have three dogs (all shelter animals) and two cats (both strays) that make us smile every day with their furry faces and silly antics.

We make personal donations to the Oregon Humane Society every year and additionally, I donate in-kind services. I'm a graphic designer by day and have designed their quarterly magazine going on four years now.

I've also started to donate a portion of the sales of one of my prints ("My Little Joker", a pug wearing a joker collar) to OHS and plan to add more cat and dog prints this year, all of which will have a portion of the proceeds go to OHS.

Mama Polar Bear and Cub ACEO by thebluewindmill

Winter white polar bears share a moment amongst the lights of the aurora borealis in this original ACEO card by thebluewindmill. Mama bear gazes down at her adoring cub. This obviously fits the theme because they are white bears who live in a "winter wonderland" environment.

I volunteer as challenge promoter for team EFA and I regularly participate in EFA's COTM; however, 10% of this particular item will be donated to Defenders of Wildlife!

Defenders of Wildlife states that "polar bears could be extinct by 2050 as their habitat melts away due to global warming." They further stress the importance of ice for these majestic animals, saying that "polar bears are only found in the Arctic region and are highly dependent on the pack ice there since they spend much of their time hundreds of miles from land. The most important habitats for polar bears are the edges of pack ice, where currents and wind interact with the ice, forming a continually melting and refreezing matrix of ice patches. These are the areas of greatest seal abundance and accessibility."

Bunny Towel by AubreyMade

This sweet bunny towel by AubreyMade fits the January challenge in all of its adorableness and white, fluffy softness. This comfy companion for newborns and children alike is a lovely celebration of a white winter.

I give 15% Off of selected items that were purchased for the month and I love and feed stray cats.

Primitive Snow Balls by EllaQuaint

These primitive snowballs from EllaQuaint make lovely displays in bowls or can be made into ornaments.

Although the Holidays have passed, there is still much winter beauty to enjoy!

My shop donations go to the Charity of the Month.

I rescue cats (when possible) and am involved in the trap/neuter/release program.

Custom Animal Painting and Greeting Cards by mvegan5

These beautiful animals by mvegan5 love the cold weather of Winter!

10% of shop sales go to the EFA Charity of the Month; http://efaartistshelpinganimals.org/charities.htm. See shop intro. for more information.

Winter Song Painting by KneeDeepOriginals

It's a silvery winter woods scene under close observation by a tufted titmouse as the snow begins to fall in this painting by KneeDeepOriginals. This scene is very much a winter wonderland like we had this year in NC... the first truly White Christmas I'd seen since I was a little girl growing up in Massachusetts!

I have been a member of EFA for a year and a half, having been on Etsy for almost two years. I participate artistically and musically with fundraisers and events for local animal charities, including the Humane Society in two counties and a non-profit rescue organization. Living in a very rural and relatively poor county, I work to educate friends, neighbors, and the community at large about humane animal / pet care, important vaccinations, nutrition, and spay/neutering. It's incredible (and often saddening) what some folks just don't know or think about! My husband and I have three rescue dogs and a rescue kitty.

Winter Wonderland Pug Cards by jessicalynneart

This greeting card set by jessicalynneart aptly fits the first challenge of 2011. When I saw that the challenge was for "Winter Wonderland" I laughed because that was the name that I had already given to my pug greeting cards! The set features a photo of James Dean the pug in his winter gear, roaming in the snow. The image is printed on matte finish white greeting cards and is a great little greeting to send in order to get people into the spirit of winter.

I have always loved animals and I wanted a pug since I was a little girl. As soon as I graduated from high school in 2008, I used my graduation gift money not for college textbooks, but to rescue a pug! I rescued James Dean from the Pug Rescue of New England and ever since that day I have become increasingly more involved with volunteering for rescues and trying to help people become more aware of the number of animals that need to be adopted. I currently donate at least $1 from every item sold in my shop to the Pug Rescue of New England (PRoNE) or the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA). In my spare time, I am a volunteer dog walker for the MSPCA and I also volunteer my time at special events and fundraisers. My favorite way to help animals is by blogging about my own dogs, shelter animals in need, and other pet-related posts so that others can share in my love and respect for animals.

Arctic Serenity Art Tile by terikor

Arctic Serenity by terikor fits the winter challenge in several ways. My title uses the word Arctic, which conjures the feeling of cold, winter and snow. Then the winter white Samoyed was bred for the cold winter weather and to herd reindeer, hunt and pull sleds through the snow.

My own dogs and cats have brought a great joy to my life and I share that joy through my artistic creations. I capture the spirit and emotion of each animal or pet through their eyes. For me the eyes tell it all. I look into the eyes trying to figure the animals inner soul. Every pair of eyes tells a story and my job, as an artist is to look beyond and find the heart and soul of each pet or animal.

Since my pets give me so much joy, I wanted to give some of it back to those animals in need. I started by donated to my own breed's rescue, Stola, Saluki Tree of Life. What began as one charity has grown to about 10 or so charities that I donate a percentage from the sales of the majority of my art.

Edelweiss White Bangles and Beads by LolaLynn

This bracelet from LolaLynn sparkles like ice and snow! A perfect entry for "Winter Wonderland."

I volunteered for over 2 years on the EFA Challenge team and donate funds to both EFA's charity of the month and Gulf turtle rescue groups on a regular basis.

white Rabbit Silk Tapestry Box by brizel4TheAnimals

Brizel4TheAnimals presents, White Rabbit, a unique handmade Silk Tapestry Box, made of banana silk & rayon yarn, perfect for storing a memory keepsake !

Winters in this part of no Cal are green & muddy but here's a carved white bunny on a gorgeous soft fiber arts container... lush vegan banana silk in tones of orange, blue & green paired up with a chocolate rayon yarn that has multicolored flecks.

I own some 20 acres up in the mountains where i have planted orchards and floral gardens. Funds are put towards helping to sustain this habitat which attracts birds, butterflies, bees, bats, hummingbirds... and it is also a seasonal mating ground for dragonflies ! Twilight is part of a 2000 acre ranch out in the chaparral wilderness where wild animals still roam.

I provide a home for animal rescues, support animal welfare, donate a portion of my sales to animal charities (Defenders of Wildlife), and participate in our Team's Charity of the Month ! I am also Secretary and Blog Mistress for our team :)