January Challenge Theme: Winter Whites and Icy Blues

It’s almost 2012 !

January's Monthly Challenge Theme

We’ll be starting the New Year by celebrating on the Challenge Blog with Winter Whites and Icy Blues... That's right, January's Challenge theme is: Show us a wintery white or icy blue product !

Here are a few examples...

Antarctica

White Agate Necklace by RedChair

The Winter Ptarmigan

Bird Card by EthelandIris

Haiku

By Elaine Magliaro

After the blizzard

snowmen are sprouting up

like winter wildflowers

Sleet tap-dances

on my roof, clicks its icy heels

on my windowpane

Snowflakes fluttering

from a wintry sky…a flock

of white butterflies

With his frosty feet

little mouse prints a message

in the snow: Hello!

Like stars shaken from

The sky, snowflakes whirling down

In white galaxies

A snowman shadow

paints himself in blue upon

a cold white canvas

Winter Night in Portland

Print by AlexWijnen

So what are you waiting for… enter today!

Here's HOW TO ENTER:

If you are an EFA member & would like to submit an entry, please convo our Challenge Blog Leader, Jess ofjessicalynneart, with the following information:

1. PROViDE the link to an item in your shop that fits the theme or has been created for the theme.

2. EXPLAiN how you think the item fits the monthly Challenge theme

3. TELL US a bit about your work/donations/volunteer work with animals or animal charities

4. TiTLE your convo with the name of the MONTH and the word CHALLENGE, for example: JANUARY CHALLENGE.

Two more important steps:

5. TAG your Etsy listing with the monthly Challenge theme tag (this month = teamefawinter) (see the Themes-at-a-glance list for other tags). Be sure to ALSO keep your regular team tag in place, either 'team efa' or 'team efa cotm'

6. Renew your listing !

Remember, when we've received sixteen qualifying entries... these will be featured in a Treasury and in our Challenge Competition, where the winner will get a free etsy mini 1x1 advertising slot on EFA's Challenge blog the following month.

Challenge entries are also promoted on Etsy Teams, EFA's Yahoo Groups, Twitter and Facebook... so get your entries in asap...

Looking forward to seeing your wintery wares

Heather of TheBlueWindmill

Monthly Challenge Leader

2012 EFA Monthly Challenge Themes-at-a-glance

EFA's Challenge Leader, Heather of the TheBlueWindmill, & I are happy to announce our Challenge Themes calendar for 2012. Thanks to our membership for their suggestions and after much exciting deliberation, we've come up with a list that will inspire any of our members to enter our Challenge month after month during the year. We look forward to seeing your entries throughout the calendar !

2012 EFA CHALLENGE

THEMES-at-a-GLANCE

January 2012

Winter Whites and Icy Blues...

... show us a wintery white or icy blue product

Tag your listing: teamefawinter

February 2012

I Love Animals...

... enter a product that depicts your love for animals or something with a heart

Tag your listing with: teamefalove

March 2012

House Pets...

... show us a house pet or something made for a pet

Tag your listing with: teamefapet

April 2012

The Green Earth...

... pay homage to our planet by depicting a landscape, something green or eco-friendly

Tag your listing with: teamefagreen

May 2012

All Things Garden...

... enter something that relates to gardens, plants, herbs, or insects

Tag your listing with: teamefagarden

June 2012

Summertime...

... enter anything that relates to summer, the ocean, the water element or creatures that live in it

Tag your listing with: teamefasummer

July 2012

Beautiful Sky...

... pay homage to all things sky, birds or the air element.

Tag your listing with: teamefasky

August 2012

Anything Goes...

... show us one of your favorite products

Tag your listing with: teamefaanything

September 2012

Autumn Colors...

... enter a product that celebrates autumnal colors or something relating to the element of fire

Tag your listing with: teamefafire

October 2012

Spooky Artsy Black or Orange...

... enter a product poetically or musically inspired; or a Halloween item in black and/or orange

Tag your listing with: teamefaspooky

November 2012

Creatures of the Earth...

... show us a creature that lives on the land; something earth tone or made with an earth element

Tag your listing with: teamefaearth

December 2012

Festive Holidays...

... enter a festive gift item in red, green, gold or silver

Tag your listing with: teamefafestive

Click HERE for directions on

HOW TO ENTER the MONTHLY CHALLENGE !

Organic Catnip Snakey Mouse Toy Set by catcalls

Yummy yummy! Long snakey organic mice in my tummy! Every cat deserves a Snakey Mouse for Christmas. A treat by catcalls that will last for a looong time into next year. Filled with fresh, potent, organic catnip, it's sure to entertain both kitty AND you!

I am involved with EFA as the tweeter for @Etsy4Animals tweeting news of importance as well as tweeting listings that are shared on the forum. I also support The Feral Cat Rescue in Oregon whenever possible.

Retro Blanket by BarkingDogBlanket

What a treat for your furry one to cozy up with this retro blanket all to themselves. They will love you for pampering them so with this treat from BarkingDogBlanket! I was gifted both of these fabrics and just fell in love with them. Could not wait to make a blanket for some lucky furry one.

My blankets are sold online on etsy and at several pet boutiques here on Oahu.

I donate 10% of all sales and then some to our local Hawaiian Humane Society and OahuSPCA plus every month I send a little love to our Team COTM. Every little bit helps!

I have lately been doing more behind the scenes help at our shelters in addition to the donations. I designed and made kennel covers for the off site adoption kennels and a wind block for the bunny hutch to keep the bunnies protected from the gusty wind. Recently a local high school student asked if she could mentor with me ; ) she is designing sustainable doggie toys and we plan on selling them at the shelter with 100% proceeds to our local OahuSPCA.

Coffee Fairy Birthday Card by FairyCardmaker

This birthday card by FairyCardmaker is perfect for the coffee lover in your life or workplace. Who wouldn't want to treat themselves to a little extra cream? Especially on your birthday! 10% of this hand-coloured fairy birthday card will be donated to the Southern Ontario Animal Rescue (SOAR), which is a small Canadian dog rescue and foster care charity.

I teach cardmaking and paper crafting workshops as fundraisers for SOAR. In 2011, my workshops raised just over $100 for this little charity and my creative crew also donated their handmade holiday cards for SOAR to use this season.

Corduroy Dog Collar by davir

This Wintertime corduroy collar and leash set by davir is perfect for the holidays. The softness of dark blue corduroy and the white hearts remind us of snowflakes and Christmas time.

I try to do my best in my home and participate in dog rescue programs. I especially support the Pumi Rescue Service, because I have two of this breed (Pocok and Juharka, a boy and a girl).

Creamy Caramel Dog Hat by jessicalynneart

Treat your dog to a warm, toasty winter and yourself to a laugh or two with the Creamy Caramel Dog Hat by jessicalynneart. Our "cousin," Doodles the Shih Tzu models her own caramel hat and enjoys talking long walks in the snow as it keeps her ears away from the cold winds of New England.

I am the Challenge Blog volunteer for Team EFA and donate $1 from every order in my shop to the Pug Rescue of New England, the MSPCA, and other New England animal shelters. Last month I was ecstatic to be able to donate $100 to animal shelters and rescues thanks to all of my wonderful customers on Etsy.

Purr Word Balloon Cat Toy by thefrogbag

Does your feline have an interest in comic books? If so, there's no better way to pamper her than by getting her very own word balloon by thefrogbag!

I give 20% of anything purchased in my shop to the Tapir Preservation Fund. Tapir conservation is rain forest conservation, after all. I am a Team EFA volunteer- I manage our Facebook Fan page.

White Christmas Pet Necklace by scrappyrat

What dog wouldn't want to enhance their natural charm with a kitschy, fun, and just a little bit elegant necklace like this one by Scrappy Rat Designs ?

I always have charity items in my shop, with 100% of the proceeds from the sale of these items (before shipping) is donated to the EFA COTM. I also foster small animals (rodents, primarily) for Carolina Pet Rescue, and do all I can to advocate for animals' rights in general. I am also a volunteer for Team EFA serving as COTM Co-Leader.

Jourdan Springer Spaniel Dog Art Magnet by terikor

Dogs and cats love treats and toys, but what are they to do when their human mom forgets to buy the goodies for them? To help them remember it is a great idea to have a refrigerator magnet all set and ready to hold your furry companions shopping list. Cori’s Pawtraits makes an assortment of magnets to choose from. This magnet is called Jourdan and features a lovely Springer Spaniel who looks like he is reminding or saying don’t forget my treats please. The magnet is accented with a luscious red.

The charity designated for this magnet is Old Dog Haven. They specialize in rescuing dogs of all ages especially those that are senior citizens. All dogs need a safe haven but seniors need it more then ever because they cannot always be re-homed.

Paw Print Turquoise Earrings by LolaLynn

What does your pet want for Christmas? He/she wants you to show the world that you are a super animal lover by wearing a pair of Paw Print Earrings in the Team EFA colors!

Lynn, Sophia and Dubinsky of LolaLynn's etsy shop wish all creatures great and small a purrfect holiday loaded with love, peace and joy. LolaLynn's donates to EFA's Charity of the Month and other great animal charities through out the year.

Blessed Bunny Bundle of Organic Treats by brizel4TheAnimals

Pruning season is about to begin here at Twilight... Hooray for the bunnies and this Blessed Bunny Bundle by brizel4TheAnimals is just the Nirvana ticket for those hares of yours...

Offering up an array of fresh organic treats sure to please those buns:

21 oz of gourmet apple wood chew sticks
03 oz freshly picked rosemary sprigs
plus
01 plastic bunny, which the human gets to keep.

The apple wood gnawers measure between 7-8" long and their thickness will vary between 1/8" to 7/8" (I hand cut & create an assortment of different sizes for each order!) The fresh rosemary sprigs will also measure approx 7-8" and you may even see some yummy tasting flowers attached to these green twigs since the rosemary bushes begin to bloom at this time of year ! and the plastic bunny will arrive in one of these variable colors: orange, pink, purple, yellow, green or blue !

***

I own some 20 acres up in the mountains where I have planted orchards and floral gardens. Personal 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 2,000 acre ranch out in the chaparral wilderness where wild animals still roam.

I provide a home for my animal rescues, create & maintain habitat for wildlife to prosper, support animal welfare through petition & animal advocacy work, donate 10% of my Silk Tapestry Art Box sales to EFA's Charity of the Month, and promote & support Team EFA members through Etsy Treasuries & the EFA blog. I am also Team Captain, Membership & COTM Leader & Blog Editor for Team EFA !