CFA Safari Contest

All of our animal loving friends are invited to join CFA in our
December Safari
for a chance to win one of these fabulous prizes!

Safari with the C...

Curated By: TantalizingSt...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Deadline for submitting entry form: December 20

Directions: Search through the prize listings (simply click on the item in the collection) and find three different animal images. You will find these images inside the listings. For your convenience the animal has been labeled as in the example to the left (and that is your first animal found so you already on your way through our Safari.)

Once you find all three animals, fill out our quick entry form.

The winner will be randomly selected from the correct entries.

Upon the Northern Hemispheric full moon the animals will be revealed and a winner will be announced. (The winner will be announced on December 21.)

The winner will have three days to respond to our email and let us know which item he/she would like and the address to which the prize should be sent to.

Is there such thing as a December Safari? If you are from the Northern Hemisphere then December reminds you of cold and snow. But as many people can attest a December Safari is the best. In Botswana, you can find antelope grazing and impala hunting. In the Galapagos Islands, you can find giant tortoise eggs begin to hatch. And even in Antartica (if you wanted a cold safari) you will find seals, penguin, albatross, and whales.

Our Personal Personal Pet and Rescue Stories................by BJ

This week's story was submitted by one of our CFA-Guild Members Debra of Sleepy Cat Designs and Sew Bizzy Gifts on Artfire.

Debra is a self proclaimed cat-a-holic. She loves to make various kinds of craft items, but her favorite thing is working with fabric.

This is a story about a beautiful orange cat who came into her life very cautiously & is the inspiration for her cat related items. Thank you for sharing this great story with us, Debra.

SEE STORY BELOW

__________________________________________________________________

CHESTER

What a gorgeous orange tabby, I thought, as I walked into the “new arrivals” room at The Hermitage Cat Shelter in Tucson, Arizona, that hot August afternoon in 2005. I had been wandering around this marvelous, no-kill facility that houses about 400 cats of every shape, size, color, and type. I was on a mission to see all the orange tabbies.

That’s because I had my heart set on adopting an orange tabby cat this time. My long-time furry friend, Chelsea, a gorgeous solid gray kitty, had died in July at the age of 19 (she had moved in with me at the age of 3 months). She was not sick…she just died of “old age.” What a fun life we had together…traveling all over the country. But those are other stories…this is about my quest for a new pet. I was missing having a furry companion to share my life with; and though I was still grieving her loss, I knew my recovery would only be helped by finding a new kitty who needed a good home. I wanted an older cat, one others did not want. Kittens are amazing but too much for me to handle these days! I’m older and disabled, and I knew I needed a more settled and laid-back companion.

So, regarding this particular one who caught my eye, I was told his name was Beetlejuice (yikes!). His golden-green eyes were huge as I got closer to him, perched high on that wall unit. I asked the staff if I could see him, and it took about 20 minutes for him to be “caught.” Poor fellow, he was a little frightened. But once the staff got him down from the wall unit, he ran into a cubby on the floor nearby and I sat down on the floor to try to get to know him. He watched me cautiously, eyes still huge.

I slowly reached one hand toward the cubby opening, and to my delight, this big guy allowed me to rub his head and chin, and he loved it! I pulled my hand away and in a few moments, after giving it a little thought, he came out of the cubby to head-butt my hand! Then he flopped down on the floor near me and rolled over and showed me his belly. And he was purring! So I cautiously reached out to touch his belly fur, and he scooted over a little closer so I could rub it really well. A tummy rub on the first meeting! Wow! The staff and volunteer workers were amazed because he had not let anyone else do that! And of course, I was smitten! He ran back into the cubby a few times to hide when noises frightened him or when I moved too quickly. But he would come back out each time and let me pet him again, always flopping down and rolling over for me to rub his gorgeous white belly!


Needless to say, I was in love and so after 2 more visits and a home visit which led to me being approved to adopt this special-needs kitty (who needed a quiet, one-person, one-kitty home), I was allowed to take him to my tiny apartment. He was so shy to begin with, but in time he has learned to welcome all of our visitors (rather than hiding in the tub) and spends lots of time in my lap, purring loudly, finally able to relax and be happy. He does not even flinch when the phone rings now!

By the way, I changed his name to Chester…which is much more appropriate for this handsome, 18-pound, gentle giant. And he seems to like it, always coming when I call his name or answering me if he is too busy lounging in one of his three beds! Spoiled, you may say. Most definitely, I would reply, just as he should be!

Daisy…………………………………………………….with love by Pam Todd

She’s gone. Our Daisy. Eleven going on twelve. Perhaps, the vet said, when he came to our house that day, that she had developed cancer of the pancreas as much as a year ago. He said that was a common occurrence in dogs Daisy’s size, as well as retrievers and other dogs of similar size. Feeling her abdomen, he knew. We had noticed her decline only recently and had made an appointment for the vet to come and see her. But, time was not on Daisy’s side, nor ours.

Up until a couple of years ago, Daisy loved to catch a frisbee in mid-air. She was so agile and athletic. She never missed catching it. When she brought it back, she would play keep-a-way with it, and it was a real effort to try to get it away from her to throw it again. We used to do this every day!

Daisy’s best buddy was Bob. She rarely left his side. Wherever he went, she would go…..down to the utility room to do laundry; outside to work; to the bathroom to lie patiently while he conducted his business there! On her last day, they sat on the porch together. She could barely walk. He got up and left the porch, and she followed him about twenty feet, and then had to lie down. He cried to realize that she would follow him with the last bit of strength in her body.

Daisy loved watching over her dominion of two acres, especially from the porch, out the window, and in the back by the pine trees. As a young dog, she would chase the deer that like grazing in our yard, and eating the fruit from the apple and pear trees. She would take off like a shot, and they would run, leaping through the yard and into the woods. She would come back panting. She never caught one! She was a good mole finder, though, and many met their demise at her skillful digging and sense of smell and movement under her feet. During the summer months, she would nuzzle me about 6 a.m. because she knew I liked to get up early and go outside and work in the flower areas. She loved going with me because she knew we would be out there at least two hours! Funny thing, though, on the days I wasn’t home, she never nuzzled Bob at 6 a.m! He doesn’t get up that early. Daisy was one of the smartest dogs I’ve ever known.

She never told me she didn’t like it when I put some of my crocheted creations on her for a photo shoot, so I just kept making her my model. A beautiful one she was, too.

Daisy’s other best buddy was Eddie. We knew that he knew she was sick in the last few months because they had stopped playing that nightly game of growling at each other and trying to nip one another. Eddie was inside after the vet left, and Bob, Jill, and I had gently placed her in the ground and covered her with a rug, tears dropping like rain, as we placed the dirt over her. It had been hard, knowing that she was not going to be with us, and finally making the decision to let her leave us in peace and dignity. Even though Eddie was not outside during her last moments, just this week, as he and Bob went out for a walk, Eddie went to Daisy’s grave and lay down on top of it. Dogs know, and they grieve, too.

Daisy was our girl. We loved her, and we miss her. Daisy – October 28, 2010.

Our Personal Pet Stories...........by BJ

This week's story is about Calcifer (yawning below) his family, Ozzy, Cedric and mom Michelle. CEDRIC (middle)

OK I've got tons of stories, but I think I'll share Calcifer's story first. Calcifer's story actually starts with Ozzy.

I adopted Ozzy before he was
even fully weaned. His mother had been hit by a car when he and his
siblings were just starting the weaning process. Ozzy was a little black bundle of energy from day one, and we bonded instantly.

Ozzy (lower right) was my constant companion for 13 delightful years. He died on the first day of
winter, December 21, 2010. It broke my heart

and I missed my loving friend
very much. I knew I would get another animal when I was ready, but our
other cat, Cedric helped speed that decision along a bit.

Cedric and Ozzy had been like brothers, and Cedric mourned Ozzy's death as much as I did.

It was obvious he was lonely- he had never been an only cat. I missed
having a lap cat and a snuggly friend. Cedric was affectionate, but wasn't
a lap cat at all. So I started going up to PetSmart on the weekends when
they had their cat adoptions. Of course I wanted to take home every single
cat I saw, but I had a few criteria I wanted to stick to. I wanted a
kitten, so he would adapt to a new home better, and would accept Cedric (and
vice versa) more easily than an older cat who might be more set in his
ways. I wanted a male, because they seem to get along better, and have
fewer health issues (in my personal experience). As for specific breed,
I've always wanted a Maine Coone, but knew I would adopt any kitten that
seemed "right". After several trips without finding "the one" I wandered
past the cages on an early spring day. One fluffy kitten caught my eye. He
seemed a little shy, but he was beautiful. My heart dropped when I read the
name on the tag: "OZZY". I thought, "This is too much. I can't have
another Ozzy- there's only one." So I went to look at the other kittens,
only to find myself drawn back to Ozzy's cage. I asked the lady about him
as I held the squirmy bundle of fluff. The poor kitten only had sight in
one eye, the other was covered by a milky film. He had been one of about 50
cats rescued from a hoarder's small apartment. The shelter nursed him back
to health, but said that he would always be blind in one eye. They said
they'd even give me a discount on the adoption fee because of his eye and
the fact that he was so shy. They feared no one would adopt him because of
his drawbacks. Then I'd looked at his date of birth- December 23, 2 days
after Ozzy died. I looked into those beautiful kitten eyes and I just
knew. Just a bit of my Ozzy's very special soul had come back to me in the
form of this "less than perfect" kitten.
Within a few hours of being in his new home this "shy" kitten showed me his
true personality. Fearless, loving, playful, and intelligent.

It took no time for him and Cedric to become fast friends. And I am Mommy- the love I
feel from this creature is absolute. He too, was very young when he lost
his mother. I think that's why he started suckling on my hair when I held
him. I'd hold him on my chest, over my heart, and he'd bury his face in my
hair, suckling and purring loudly, kneading my hair with his tiny paws. Now
the really bizarre thing is that this is the ONLY time he purrs, no matter
how happy he is (and he's a very happy kitten). I think of it as our
special time together, and we've bonded more strongly than any other animal
I've had. He has many of the same habits as Ozzy too, and even sits in some
of the exact spots, in the same positions. And after I took him to my vet I
discovered that he may be able to regain some of the sight in his bad eye.
He has diminished vision, but it doesn't seem to slow him down in the
least. And as he grew, I found out he IS a Maine Coone cat (there's really
no doubt when you look at him now). He's everything I could ever want in a
cat.
And the unique name Calcifer come from the movie Howl's Moving Castle by
Hayou Miyazaki. Calcifer is the (good) fire demon whose magic moves the
castle (among other things). And my Calcifer certainly lives up to his
name! The way he races and leaps around here you'd think he had wings!
This fluffy beast is pure joy. He's almost 11 months old now (and growing
like mad!). He still cuddles with me (and suckles on my hair) several times
a day. And that's STILL the only time he purrs. His curiosity and
intelligence seem to know no bounds. And his love- I have never been so
loved by a cat. As I'm writing this, he's draped across my shoulders
watching the screen. I have LOTS of Calcifer stories, but this is where it
started.
See pictures of Ozzy, Calcifer, and Cedric.
Story by: Michelle of CreativeCritters

Michelle has an undeniable love for critters, especially her cats. You can see her fascination with all sorts of animals, in her Artfire studio, Aptly named " Creative Critters".

Thanks for sharing your great story with us Michelle.

Homeless Pets - 6 Ways to Help

Society has changed over the generations, and what may have worked in the past may not work today or in the future.  In the United States, and possibly in other countries as well, pet homelessness can be nearly eliminated if it is approached in consistent manner that steadily reduces the number of potential homeless animals.  Following is a list of 6 big ways that we can help eliminate pet homelessness in our world.

1.  Learn the good, bad, and ugly of raising pets.  Cute and fuzzy, big eyes and ears, a cute wiggly tail and a button nose - the perfect, cute, lovable pets that we bring into our homes and promise to love and take care of forever.

The loving part often comes naturally, but taking care of them forever is way more than it may appear to be.  These cute lovable babies need training in socializing and housebreaking - they have to learn not to chew cords, where and when they can use the facilities, what toys are meant for them and what toy-lookalikes are not.  They must learn what they are allowed to scratch, and they all must take baths sooner or later.

Pets don't come with instruction books, and just like children, it takes time and patience to teach our pets what is acceptable behavior, and will need to learn to listen and obey.  Further, they will need medical care such as getting them to a vet to have their shots and spaying or neutering, and sometimes they require special medical care for things such as diabetes or heartworm.  Just as humans develop illnesses and get injured, so do our pets. In addition, throughout history we have breed animals for various characteristics; therefore, if we adopt a certain breed, it would be wise to learn the characteristics of the animal that you are inviting into your home.  Some were meant to be hunters, some have higher energy levels, and some are better with people and/or children than others.

Another thing to consider is the type of pet that you are adopting.  Learn about the type of animal that you are bringing into your home and any potential problems or issues they might have from their past experiences. For example, there are feral animals, wild animals, pet shop animals, mill animals, and those who are being temporarily cared for by caring humans at local humane societies or rescuers.  An animal who was abused or neglected will have an extremely different background than the one who was lovingly cared for but is up for adoption because his/her owner passed away.   

2.  SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PET!  I know everybody has heard that they should spay or neuter their pets.  This makes a lot of sense.  In my experience many people don't spay or neuter their pets because they want their pet to reproduce one or more times, because they have a male pet and therefore think they are exempt from being a part of the problem, or because they cannot afford to do so.

A common reason for allowing their pet to reproduce at least once is so that their pets have a "full life" and are able to experience reproduction.  I have seen many pets spayed or neutered early in life and don't seem to see life differently even though they haven't had the experience.  When we think about both sides of the story, I think that those who want their pets to experience reproduction should not only think about their one pet, but about the litter that they are helping to bring into this world.  How often does a human being want a cute, baby pet, and then are unable or unwilling to take care of them as their pet ages?  How often are pets bought as gifts that may not be wanted?  How many young pets are brought to the "pound" as soon as they are old enough to be weaned?  Sadly, I've even heard of people bringing their whole litter to the woods, in a box to a farmer's door without permission, and even to the extent of drowning the litter in a river.  When I've asked about these sad endings, I have heard that the original owners couldn't care for them, that the drowned litter was better off dead than alive, and that the farmer could surely afford to feed and shelter the litter of cats because they have lots of other cats hanging around.  All because they wanted their one pet to have a "life bearing" experience.  Tsk. Tsk.  The consequences to the litter of babies far outweighs the supposed "desire" of the pet.  What does the pet lose by not having a life-bearing experience?  What does the litter go through?  Spay or neuter your pets, if not for the best interest of the litter(s) brought into the world, then for your own peace of mind, as a duty to society, or for the sake of the animal kingdom as a whole.

As far as having a male and therefore having no responsibility to neuter, think again.  Males who are not neutered seek to reproduce.  I have seen male animals break through screens, scale fences, and go to various extremes to get to a female that is in heat.  While some of these males make it back home, many don't.  They get lost, they get hit by a vehicle, they are captured by someone else, they are stolen for use in pet fighting, and any other possibility that can be thought of and more.  Males who are not neutered will also spray their territory to mark it as taken.  This is normal male animal behavior, but all too often they think their territory included your clothes, your furniture, and anything else.  Unfortunately, neutering them after they begin spraying doesn't always correct this behavior and I've seen far too many male animals sent away because of their spraying behavior, which could have been prevented by neutering your pet.  In this instance, not just the litter becomes a problem, but so does the male pet itself.  If not for the sake of your pet, their future litter, then do it for peace of mind, as a duty to society, or for the sake of the animal kingdom as a whole.  

There are many programs out there to help you with the costs if money is the issue.  Contact your local humane society or pet rescue to begin your search for assistance.  There are also many animal clinics and hospitals that offer discounts, payment plans, or free services.  Care Credit is another potential resource that offers credit lines for veterinary care.

3.  Get your next pet from a local Pet Rescue, Humane Society, or other animal shelter.  The animals waiting for adoption are all breeds, sizes, ages, and come from all walks of life.  Some have been trained, some are babies, some have special needs, and one of them is just right for any person seeking a loving companion.  Sadly, many of these pets could have been a loving, loyal companion, but because they were overlooked they end up euthanized or endure an alternate ending of their life.

These three simple things listed above can greatly reduce the homeless animal population by themselves!  If you want to help, do all three of the above or support them in some way.  The following three options are for those who are able to take in a pet as well as for those who can't, for whatever reason, but want to help in some way. 

4.  Volunteer at a pet shelter or rescue  

5.  Donate some cash to an animal shelter, rescue, or organization that is helping the cause.

6.  Be a voice for homeless animals.  There are many organizations out there attempting to reduce pet homelessness and need people to back them up to change laws and codes.  Pets can't talk, rally, or change how they are handled within our society, but we can for them.   There are too many agencies to list here, and each one differs in one way or another.  Do some research online or ask someone at your local pet shelter or rescue what agencies are worth looking into.  Then, find one that suits your beliefs, that has policies that you agree with, and help them raise awareness and make changes in our society.

While it might seem like you are not making much of a difference for all the animals of the world, you could make a world of difference for one animal while helping the larger cause. 

You can make a difference!

Written by Tsilos Schoener

TS Beading and More

The Secret's Out Contest at the Crafting for Animals Guild

Sponsored by SleepyCatDesigns and the Crafting for Animals Guild.

Enter for a chance to win SleepyCatDesigns' handmade Photo Album Brag Book in your choice of fabric (featured in this collection).

Its simple to win! Here's how:

1. Find the secret word that is at this listing: http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=1696137
   
   
2. Submit your entry in the form below or here.
   
   
3. Deadline: All entries must be submitted by November 15. Void where prohibited.
   

One person out of all the successfully submitted entries will be randomly chosen to win SleepyCatDesigns's beautifully handmade Photo Album Brag Book.

Winner must respond to the Winner Email within 3 days with their address so that the prize can be sent out.

The Secrets Out Contest at the Crafting ...

Curated By: TantalizingSt...

ArtFire.com

Jewelry Supplies

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