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 :)

JANUARY 2011 EFA CHALLENGE: WiNTER WONDERLAND

Hey Team!

Hope everyone is enjoying their holidays!!

It's time to enter our new challenge for the new year!! Yeah!

For January 2011, we have a great season-inspired theme called-- (drumroll please)..."Winter Wonderland"!

Depict your favorite, cute white winterland animals or flowers! Think... tones of white ! Think... cold, think... warm, think... adorable furries! Think of... lovely winter landscapes or create a wonderful snugly indoor craft!

Theme is open to artist interpretation so use your imagination!!

Share your wonderful talents with the world, or at least our team, and promote your store!

Need more inspiration?

Try poetry...

Winter garden

by Matsuo Basho

"Winter garden,

the moon thinned to a thread,

insects singing."

or

The Snow Storm

by Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,

Arrives the snow, and, driving o'er the fields,

Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air

Hides hills and woods, the river and the heaven,

And veils the farm-house at the garden's end.

The sled and traveller stopped, the courier's feet

Delayed, all friends shut out, the housemates sit

Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed

In a tumultuous privacy of Storm."

If you are an EFA member &

would like to submit an entry...

click HERE for instructions !

THANKS

Heather of thebluewindmill

EFA 2011 CHALLENGE THEMES-at-a GLANCE

A new year is almost upon us !

Below you will find the new themes

for EFA's Monthly Challenges...

We look forward to seeing your entries

on the Challenge blog throughout 2011 !

2011 EFA CHALLENGE

THEMES-at-a GLANCE

January 2011

"Winter Wonderland"

... depict white winterland animals or flowers.

Tag your listing with: teamefawinter

February 2011

"Companions Corner"

... pay homage to your non-human companions and family.

Tag your listing with: teamefacompanion

March 2011

"Sweet Shelter & Cozy Comforts"

... depict 'homes' or things for the home, us or 'theirs'.

Tag your listing with: teamefashelter

April 2011

"Raining Cats and Dogs"

... rain rain rain... things to do with cats, dogs & lots of rain.

Tag your listing with: teamefaraining

May 2011

"Flora and Fauna"

... show off your regional wildlife: flowers and/or animals.

Tag your listing with: teamefaflora

June 2011

"Off to the Beach"

... show us a day out at the beach !

Tag your listing with: teamefabeach

July 2011

"In the Deep Blue"

... a great month to display Oceanic & Sea-fluenced products

Tag your listing with: teamefadeepblue

August 2011

"Reptiles Rock!"

... its time for the reptiles to come out.

Tag your listing with: teamefareptiles

September 2011

"On The Farm"

... feature farmland or animals that can be found on the farm

Tag your listing with: teamefafarm

October 2011

"Things that go Bump in the Night"

... Creatures of the night unite !

Tag your listing with: teamefanight

November 2011

"Thanks for the Smiles"

... products that have humour & make one smile :)

Tag your listing with: teamefasmiles

December 2011

"Treats and Toys"

... what the animals want for the holidays !

Tag your listing with: teamefatreats

Click HERE for directions on

HOW TO ENTER a MONTHLY CHALLENGE !

HOW TO enter EFA's Monthly Challenges

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.

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 !

If you are an EFA member & would like to submit an entry, please convo our Challenge Blog Leader, 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: JANUARY CHALLENGE.

Two more important steps:

5. TAG your Etsy listing with the monthly Challenge theme tag (see the Themes-at-a-glance list) and 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 !

A BiG Thank you to our Challenge Leader: Heather of thebluewindmill & Jess of jessicalynneart who serves as our Challenge Blog Leader.

Comments ? Suggestions ? Feel free to contact us !

Little Deer Notecards by thebluewindmill

This entry fits the challenge by using the definition of old that means "previously existing" or "former" as these cards were made from an already-existing image, the "Little Deer" watercolor painting in my store.

I volunteer as challenge promoter for the team and routinely donate to EFA's COTM!

Dog Collar Clip On ChristmasNAUGHTY bottle cap charm by Shaggychic

Recycled bottle cap (flattened) turned into a dog collar Christmas tag. This cute collar decoration matches our "Naughty" shirts. Same graphic in a flattened bottle cap, covered with a resin dome;two Swarovaski crystals and a bead dangle from bottom. The extra large clasp on top will attach to D-ring on dog collar. I currently have a holiday challenge in my blog (www.shaggychicpetz.com) for everyone who comes by and leaves a little note about a pet, or just says leaves a message, I am putting one of my catnip Fortune Cookies in a jar. Then on Christmas Eve I will take it to our local animal shelter and give all the collected catnip toys to them for the kitties that are there. The jar is filling up fast, first week over 30 cookies in the jar!