MAY'S Monthly Challenge Theme is...

The May Monthly Challenge theme is...

“Flora and Fauna”

Flora is plant life that is indigenous to a particular region while fauna is animal life that is indigenous to a particular region. Submit an entry that depicts flowers, plants, and or animals that can be found where you live. Tag your listing with: teamefaflora.

I recently found this picture on the Fauna and Flora International website,http://www.fauna-flora.org/about/ , and wanted to share it with the team as I have never seen frogs that look like this. It is a great example of all the biodiversity that exists here on Earth.

Here is another example…

This elusive pygmy hippo does not live in my back yard but he sure is cute! (He is an endangered animal who lives in West Africa.)

We’d love to see what plants and animals are native to your region so submit your entry now! Be sure to tag your listing with: teamefaflora.

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If you are an EFA member & would like to submit an entry, please convo our Challenge Volunteer, Jess of jessicalynneart, 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: MAY CHALLENGE.

One more important step:

5. TAG your Etsy listing with the monthly Challenge theme tag (teamefaflora) and be sure to ALSO keep your regular team tag in place, either 'team efa' or 'team efa cotm'.

Submit your entries NOW & NO LATER THAN THE 7TH OF MAY… remember that once we have 16 entries, those will be entered in our Monthly Challenge Competition where the winner will win a free advertising slot with EFA! The slot will appear as an Etsy mini 1x1 and will be featured either on EFA’s website or the Challenge blog (winner’s choice).

Thanks so much !

Heather of TheBlueWindmill

Challenge Leader & Promotions

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

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"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."

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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

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 !

Themes-at-a-Glance

December 2010 - Out with the old - use up some old supplies to make your challenge. Tag in your shop: teamefaold

January 2011 - "Winter Wonderland" - depict snowbunnies or other white winterland animals. Tag in your shop: teamefawinter

February - "Companions Corner" - pay homage to your non-human companions and family. Tag: teamefacompanion

March - "Sweet Shelter/Cozy Comforts" - depict homes or make things for the home. Tag: teamefashelter

April - "Raining Cats and Dogs" - Tag: teamefaraining

May - "Flora and Fauna" - Tag: teamefaflora

June - "Off to the Beach" - Tag: teamefabeach

July - "Under the Deep Blue" - Tag: teamefadeepblue

August - "Reptiles Rock!" - Tag: teamefareptiles

September - "Fuzzie Wuzzie" - feature a fuzzy creature or create an item from fuzzy material. Tag: teamefafuzzy

October - "Things that go Bump in the Night" - Tag: teamefanight

November - "Thanks for the Smiles" - Tag: teamefasmiles

December - "Treats and Toys" - Tag: teamefatreats

Themes-at-a-glance

How about helping to create a "Themes-at-a-Glance" list for the monthly challenge? Just copy the list of the months, May to December, write a suggested theme next to each month and convo it to me: LolaLynn.etsy.com.

Can't think of something for every month? Got more than one for another? That's OK. Don't worry about it. Send me what you have. It would be great if they could be back to me by February 21.

May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

After the themes are chosen, they will be posted on the blog with the due dates and tags for easy reference.

Thanks,
LolaLynn"

How to enter a Challenge by LolaLynn

Entering the monthly Etsy for Animals Challenge is a fun way to participate in the EFA street team. Think of it as a "Show and Tell." To enter is simple but you must be a member. Contact Michele, our team leader, for membership information: mvegan5

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

EFA has a blog that is solely dedicated to our Monthly Challenges. The Monthly Challenge blog provides a lovely display of goods presented by our artists & suppliers. Its a wonderful marketing opportunity for our sellers and also shows us how they contribute to aiding our animal friends.

To submit an entry, contact etsyforanimals with the following information:

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

2. TELL how the item fits the theme

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

Two more steps:

4. In your shop, tag the item with the theme tag (see Challenge Blog for themes-at-a-glance) Be sure to also keep your regular team tag in place, either 'team efa' or 'team efa cotm'.

5. Please make sure that your convo is specifically titled with the name of the MONTH and the word CHALLENGE, for example OCTOBER CHALLENGE.

Entries that are accepted will be displayed at the beginning of the month- approximately one each day- until all the challenges have been shown off. 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 first 16 challenge entries that are received will be used to create an Etsy Treasury. For every 16 received after that, a new treasury will be created. This will be done on a first come basis.

Suggestions and comments are always welcomed. Contact LolaLynn who serves as EFA's Challenge Administrator.