Tuesday's Quote for Thought

"A vegan diet takes care of most of what we need to do. But you'll also want to minimize the use of oils generally, because while olive oil and other vegetable oils are better for your heart than chicken fat, they are as fattening as animal fats. "

~Neal Barnard

Spotlight Seller of the Week

Happy Memorial Day!  While honoring the memory of those fallen, we also have a talented EtsyVeg seller to share with you.   Put down the remote, turn off the XBOX and go analog with gorgeous handmade accessories by Anna from Analog Accessories.  Anna is an ethical vegan with a knack for crafting beautiful fabric accessories with new and vintage vegan fabrics.

Organic Chenille Pouch with Flower Closure

From messenger bags and cute asymmetrical pouches to quilted wall art and fabric flag buntings, Anna has an analog gift for that special someone on your list.  Her coasters and pillow covers are exactly what your house needs for a quick face lift and a little analog to balance out your digital world.

Bird and Tree Banner, Bunting

Anna may have gone analog with her shop, but she stays connected on Facebook, Twitter and her blog, Carrot and Potato Time.  After you've selected your favorite item in her shop, be sure to "Like" and Follow Anna and catch up on some great blog posts.  Then it's time to share your knew knowledge with everyone else.  Treasuries, blog posts and Tweets are always welcomed and encouraged, so don't be shy.  Come on back and give yourself a shameless plug with the widget below and get back to your barbecue.

Friday Finds - Spotlight Sellers

For a couple weeks now, etsyveg has had some great features each week on Spotlight Sellers from our team! This week, as a Friday Finds special, I'm sharing an item from each of those Spotlight Sellers shops. Enjoy!




Flowing Green by Katkin Studios





The Blues, Light And Dark Blue Striped Glass And Dark Wooden Bead Knitting Stitch Markers by Baubles 4 Knitwits





Lampwork Terrarium Necklace Handblown Glass by Abbie Lyn





Super Soft Chunky Scarf by vegangurl





Blue Stamp Lamp - upcycled glass jar tealight candle holder OOAK by luniquejewellery




Traverse City cherry earrings by thelittleschremlin

Tuesday Quote for Thought

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."

~Elie Wiesel, writer and Nobel laureate (1928–)

April's Challenge Winner Is...

Yay! We've got a winner of our team creative challenge for April! Congratulations to Cherie of Jag & Nevie! Cherie's upcycled raincoat got the most votes for top entry. Way to go, Cherie!

HAND PAINTED RAIN COAT 18-24 months UPSCALED

by Jag & Nevie

Thanks to everyone who entered! Please check out the blog for our current challenge- enter until May 31st!

Spotlight Seller of the Week

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend filled with Rapture parties.  I'm sure Sarah from The Little Schremlin is ecstatic to still be around because she is this week's Spotlight Seller!  Let's get this party started, shall we?

Owl and Moon Necklace

Among Sarah's beautiful items are nature and animal inspired necklaces, earrings and even adorable cake toppers for your Spring or Summer wedding.  You'll also find a little humor in her geekery items such as a Harry Potter bookmark or Star Trek earrings.  Each piece is beautifully handcrafted by Sarah and Schremlin approved.  The Little Schremlin, of course is the inspiration behind Sarah's shop.  He is her loving companion and Quality Inspector Extraordinaire. 

Turtles Cuff Bracelet- Mother and Babies

Now on to the party games!  First, just try and pick one favorite in Sarah's shop.  I dare you!  When you've given up and added several items to your favorites, share them with the other guests- err, the world, through Facebook, Twitter and some lovely treasuries.  While you're on those social media sites, don't forget to follow Sarah on Twitter and "Like" her Facebook Fan Page for exclusive insider information from "The Schrem".  Come back here and link up with our little widget and leave a comment to let us know you've done your share.  Then you can relax knowing that you've been an awesome friend and that the Zombie Apocalypse has been postponed.
 

Tuesday's Quote for Thought

"As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together."

~Isaac Bashevis Singer, writer and Nobel laureate (1902–1991)

Spotlight Seller of the Week

It's that time again! No, not that time... It's time to spotlight another talented EtsyVeg team member! This week I bring you Lucy of Lunique Jewellery. Lucy creates lovely jewellery and home decor items such as cushions and stamp lamps, often "upcycling" the old into the new (and fabulous!).

Film Fan Bangle of Upcycled Materials

You can get the inside scoop from Lucy through Facebook.  She could use a few more Twitter followers to encourage her to tweet more often, too!  After you've stalked her social media pages, be sure to add some awesome items of hers to your favorites on Etsy and maybe make a sweet treasury to showcase one in.  Then meander on back to leave a comment letting us know how you've shared the spotlight and plug yourself into the widget at the bottom of this post.

You are then free to go enjoy the rest of your day in whatever weather you may be having.  Looks like more rain over here...

"I Love You, My Deer" Pillow/Cushion

April's Challenge Entries- Vote for your Favorite!

April's "Spirit of the Earth" challenge entries are in! Between now and Wednesday, May 18th vote here for your favorite creation. The winning veg artisan will be featured in a prominent ad on the EtsyVeg blog for the next month. Yay!

A big congrats to last month's challenge winner, Abigail of Abbielyn, who was chosen as the top entry by voters!

See the poll below to vote!

Striking McCoy Cookie Jar Red Hibiscus Poppy Flowers with Green Leaves

by mothra sue & co.

Upcycled 4 Seasons Clay Bottlecap Magnets

by Vegan Gurl

Green is Sexy -- Upcycled T-Shirt Safe Sex Pillow

by EcoImbiber

Lil Bunny Amongst The Carrots, 5 x 7 Fine Art Print

by The Blue Windmill

Vintage Map Glass Magnets and Decorated Wood Trinket Box Gift Set Wooden with Lid

by ShabbyNChic

turtles cuff bracelet - mother and babies

by the little schremlin

World Rat Day, Set of 5 Hooded Rats

by Scrappy Rat Designs

Fluffy Cloud Mug 14 oz.

by Karin Lorenc

The Red Tree on the Hill - Original Acrylic Painting

by Jen O'Connell

Cute amigurumi crochet teddy bear toy

by glycosidic

Tree Hugger polymer clay wearable art pendant

by Art by Susmitha

Giant Purple Tulip Photo Archival Photography 8x10 Matte Photo Paper Pop Pow Pizazz Purple Punch

by 3 AM Art Productions

Three Patchwork Flowers - Handsewn Applique Picture

by Fire Horse Textiles

Victorian Jeweled Pendulum- Romantic Drop Pendant OOAK Upcycled

by SilentLotus Creations

Spring Bunny

by Mumbot

HAND PAINTED RAIN COAT 18-24 months UPSCALED

by Jag & Nevie

Stay tuned until Friday, May 20th for the voting results! Good luck challenge participants, and thanks to everyone for voting! Look for details on our "May Flowers" monthly challenge on the blog. And please join in the creative fun! :)

"May Flowers" Creative Challenge

You are cordially invited to play, get more involved with the team, get inspired, share your talent, take advantage of some free promotion... get ready for May's team creative challenge!

May's Challenge

This month's "May Flowers" challenge is inspired by spring blossoms, sweet-smelling buds, wildflower blooming across fields of green, garden awakenings, blue skies, and sparkling sunshine. The challenge theme is very subjective, so enter whatever handmade creation, vintage item, or supply, new or already listed in your shop, that you think fits the theme (get creative with it)! ;)

Each month's challenge entries will be listed on the blog and put up for public vote, the winner receiving an ad for their shop on the team for the entire month following. :) Every 6 months, all 6 winners from the last series of challenges will be put up for a vote together, the top vote getter winning a grand prize! Yay!

Please join in our creative celebration for this month! Here's how to enter...


*Challenge Guidelines*

~Participation is open to any EtsyVeg team member.

~Each member may enter one item. Entry involves simply posting the link to an applicable item in your Etsy shop in May's monthly challenge forum thread and tagging that item with the tag "mayisblooming" (all one word, without the quotations). You must also have your entry tagged with the official team tag, "etsyveg team."

~If an item entered in the challenge sells before the end of the month, please send a convo to the EtsyVeg Etsy shop, including the link to the sold item, so that it can still be included.

~Deadline for entry is Tuesday, May 31st.

~All entries will be featured in a treasury on the EtsyVeg blog next month, to be voted on by the public (EtsyVeg members can vote, too). The top vote-getter will be awarded with an ad for their Etsy shop on the top of the blog sidebar for the entire month until the next winner is chosen. At the end of six months, all winners from the past six months will be up for vote on the blog again, this time eligible to win a grand prize gift!

~All EtsyVeg members (not just participants) are encouraged throughout the month to initiate forum threads about the challenge, make treasuries by doing a tag search for "etsyveg team" with "mayisblooming" and putting only those items in the treasury, or to generate other types of promotion. (If you do any of these, please let everyone know so that we can all post or click to keep it going!)

~Please direct concerns or questions to http://silentlotus.etsy.com/ or http://thebluewindmill.etsy.com/.

Looking forward to seeing what amazing creations you enter! :)

Spotlight Seller of the Week

First off, Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mommies out there! I hope you're enjoying your day. I know I am!

This week's Spotlight Seller is Julie from Vegan Gurl! Julie is a "Jill of All Trades" with a plethora of knit goodies, vegan dog treat recipes and various other cool crafts that improve you and your four legged companion's quality of life while staying green and vegan.

Knitted Yellow Flower Keychain

Keep up to date with Julie in all her craftiness through Twitter and Facebook.  Then, once you've visited Julie's shop, you'll have found a favorite or ten to share with the world.  Put your social media skills to work and get posting to your Twitter, Facebook and through Etsy treasuries.  Don't forget to add something to your favorites so your Etsy Circle can admire your good taste and peruse Vegan Gurl as well.

Brandy Biscuits Peanut Butter Hearts Recipe

When you're all done browsing (and maybe ordering) you can come back here to leave a comment and share your own link in the widget below. 

Spotlight Seller

This week's Spotlight Seller has some amazing talent!  Let's help Abbie Lyn of Abigail Lyn Lampworks get the exposure she deserves.  I've had the pleasure of seeing Abbie Lyn's work first hand and this woman puts some love into every piece.  Her newer line of wearable terrariums is absolutely gorgeous!

Planter Terrarium Lampwork Necklace

Terrariums aren't the only awesome you'll find, though.  Get caught up in the intricate detail in Abbie Lyn's lampwork beads or gaze in awe at her lovely fine silver art necklaces and earrings.  I've spent a long time going through each piece only to have a list when trying to pick my absolute favorite.

Fine Silver Handcrafted Necklace

Head on over to Abbie Lyn's shop to show her some love and you'll soon be clicking that little heart and adding everything you see to your favorites.  Share them with the world through Twitter, Facebook, your blog, your mom's blog.  You get the point.  Come back here and leave a comment and don't forget to link up your own shop or other form of social media through the widget.