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 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 (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 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 !

It’s time to get your “spook” on... October's Monthly Challenge Theme

It’s time to get your “spook” on

because October’s Monthly Challenge theme is…

“Things that go Bump in the Night”

written by Heather of TheBlueWindmill

The Count Dog Collar by BeanTownHandmade

… and creatures of the night unite!

Crow Raven Blue Moon Print By ArtbyAkiko

Need some inspiration ?

Try Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem “The Raven” read by the mellifluous voice of James Earl Jones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcqPQXqQXzI&feature=related

To participate in this wonderful challenge, simply tag your entries “teamefanight”

without the quotation marks and convo your entry to jessicalynneart asap by October 7th.

Here are the specifics on how to enter a monthly challenge:

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: OCTOBER CHALLENGE.

One more important step:

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

Remember, when we've received sixteen qualifying entries they will be entered in our Challenge Competition where the winner will get a free one month advertising slot on either EFA's Challenge Blog for the following month !

Thanks !

Heather of TheBlueWindmill

Monthly Challenge Leader

August Monthly Challenge Theme: Reptiles Rock

August 2011

Monthly Challenge Theme:

Reptiles Rock

Show your love for your favorite reptile... be it turtle, snake, or lizard... by entering August’s Monthly Challenge: Reptiles Rock !!

Here is a famous poem by Emily Dickinson for some inspiration…

A NARROW FELLOW IN THE GRASS

A narrow Fellow in the Grass

Occasionally rides--

You may have met Him--

did you not

His notice sudden is--

The Grass divides as with a Comb--

A spotted shaft is seen--

And then it closes at your feet

And opens further on--

He likes a Boggy Acre

A Floor too cool for Corn--

Yet when a Boy, and Barefoot--

I more than once at Noon

Have passed, I thought, a Whip lash

Unbraiding in the Sun

When stooping to secure it

It wrinkled, and was gone--

Several of Nature's People

I know, and they know me--

I feel for them a transport

Of cordiality--

But never met this Fellow

Attended, or alone

Without a tighter breathing

And Zero at the Bone--

What an awe-inspiring affect snakes have on us!

So what are you waiting for?

Let’s see your take on “Reptiles Rock”!

Simply tag your entries “teamefareptiles” without the quotation marks and convo them to Jessicalynneart. We are now taking entries until August 7th!

Remember, when we've received sixteen qualifying entries they will be entered in our Challenge Competition where the winner will get a free one month advertising slot on either the EFA website or the Challenge blog, winner’s choice, for the following month!

For further information on August’s Monthly Challenge... check out this link:http://www.etsy.com/teams/6354/efa-etsy-for-animals/discuss/8740252/

Thanks !

Heather of TheBlueWindmill

July Monthly Challenge Theme: In the Deep Blue

July’s Monthly Challenge Theme
In the Deep Blue

This upcoming month’s theme is “In the Deep Blue, so choose an entry from your primary EFA shop with an ocean or sea influenced theme and enter, enter, enter !

There are many wondrous creatures in the ocean to inspire us...

“Tails Away” by PoSHGallery

Sea Creatures
anonymous

Come along, come with me,

Take a dive in the deep blue sea.

Put on your gear, let’s explore

All the way to the ocean floor!
See that snail wrapped in curls?

Look! An oyster wearing pearls!

Watch the octopus oh so dark,

But don’t you dare to pet the shark!
Dive on down, seaward bound,

Motion in the ocean is all around!

Dive on down, seaward bound,

Motion in the ocean is all around!
Now we’re very far below,

The lantern fish are all aglow.

Is that a tiny shock you feel?

You just met an electric eel!
Giant blue whales start to stir,

Bigger than dinosaurs ever were!

Wave good-bye to the squid and sponge,

This is the end of our deep-sea plunge!
Dive on down, seaward bound,

Motion in the ocean is all around!

Dive on down, seaward bound,

Motion in the ocean is all around!

So what are you waiting for ?

All entries need to be tagged “teamefadeepblue” without the quotations and sent to Jessicalynneart.

Remember, when we've received sixteen qualifying entries they will be entered in our Challenge Competition where the winner will get a free one month advertising slot on either the EFA website or the Challenge blog, winner’s choice, for the following month!

We are now taking entries for July's 'In the Deep Blue' and will accept entries until July 7th!

For further instructions on entering the challenge, check out this link:
http://efaartistshelpinganimals.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-enter-efas-monthly-challenges.html

For further instructions on how to tag your items, check out this link:
http://efaartistshelpinganimals.org/about.htm#n

THANKS !
Heather of TheBlueWindmill

MAR 2011 EFA CHALLENGE: Sweet Shelter & Cozy Comforts

EFA's Monthly Challenge theme for March is

- Sweet Shelter & Cozy Comforts -

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

The Circle by Arlene Pace

Once I was a lonely dog, just looking for a home. I had no place to go, no one to call my own. I wandered up and down the streets, in rain in heat and snow.

I ate what ever I could find, I was always on the go. My skin would itch, my feet were sore, my body ached with pain and no one stopped to give a pat, or gently say my name. I never saw a loving glance, I was always on the run, for people thought that hurting me was really lots of fun.

And then one day I heard a voice so gentle, kind and sweet, and arms so soft reached down to me and took me off my feet. No one again will hurt you" was whispered in my ear.
"You’ll have a home to call your own where you will know no fear”
“You will be dry, you will be warm, you’ll have enough to eat”
“And rest assured that when you sleep, your dreams will all be sweet”.

I was afraid I must admit, I’ve lived so long in fear. I can’t remember when I let a human come so near. And as she tended to my wounds and bathed and brushed my fur,
she told me ‘bout the rescue group and what it meant to her.
She said, ”We are a circle, a line that never ends”.
“And in the centre there is you protected by new friends”.

“And all around you are the ones that check the Pounds,
And those that share their home, after you’ve been found”.
“And all the other folk are searching near and far”.
“To find the perfect home for you, where you can be a star”.
She said, “There is a family, that’s waiting patiently,
and pretty soon we’ll find them, just you wait and see”.
“And then they’ll join our circle they’ll help to make it grow,
so there’ll be room for more like you, who have no place to go”.

I waited very patiently, the days they came and went.
Today’s the day I thought, my family will be sent. Then just when I began to think It wasn’t meant to be, there were people standing there just gazing down at me. I knew them in a heart beat, I could tell they felt it too. They said, “We have been waiting for a special dog like you”.

Now every night I say a prayer to all the Gods that be. “Thank you for the life I live and all you’ve given me”. “But most of all protect the dogs in the Pound and on the street”. “And send a Rescue Person to lift them off their feet”.

This story was found at the Australian Animal Protection Societ

http://www.aaps.org.au/poems/poems.html

I think this story is so sweet and shows what a wonderful thing it is to provide shelter for a stray animal ! So once again, tip your hat to the lovable furries you live with and enter this month’s challenge !

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: JANUARY CHALLENGE.

One more important step:

5. TAG your Etsy listing with the monthly Challenge theme tag:

teamefashelter

and be sure to ALSO keep your regular team tag in place, either: team efa' or team efa cotm if it will benefit our cotm program.

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 !