The most amazing bake sale ever.

This will just be a brief post, to be followed by a much more substantial one later in the week (with pics!).

Yesterday was the NYC Vegan Bake Sale for Haiti. The main organizers were the VET's very own Lisa of Panda with Cookie and our good friend Dayna of the awesome blog Seitan Said Dance; I played a distant third fiddle and MANY others contributed very significant help, like the amazing Janice who designed our flier.

Well, to put it lightly the event was a raging success! A completely astounding number of wonderful people baked a ridiculously delightful array (and quantity) of baked goodies. People came out en masse to volunteer, buy, eat, purchase raffle tickets, donate, and generally support the cause.

Thanks to this outpouring of awesomeness, we were able to raise approximately $4600 in a single day, every penny of which will be sent directly to Doctors Without Borders to help fund their current work in Haiti.

To everyone who was involved in this and all of the other Vegan Bake Sales for Haiti that have been happening and continue to happen all over the world - collecting over TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR HAITI to date!! - thank you, thank you, thank you.

When vegans really come together to make some thing happen, is there anything we can't do?

Team Treasury : Vegan Love

Thanks To Pinkbubble for procuring this treasury!

How do you respond to a crisis? Vegans fundraise!(Part Two.)

So yesterday you learned all about the great vegan fundraising efforts happening for Haiti right on Etsy. What else are vegans doing? We're all having bake sales!

OK. Now, on its face that sounds a bit silly. But hear me out. When done right, a good bake sale can bring in some dough, (ha ha! - pun enjoyed but not intended) and I'm talking dough that can be counted in hundreds or even thousands. And believe me when I tell you we're doing it right. You get some vegans together who are really into baking, and the delicacies that come forth are out of this world.

And then there's the matter of quantity. There are bake sales happening all over the U.S. and in parts of Europe, and maybe elsewhere too. Several bake sales have already happened here in the states. I don't know about all of them, but those I do know about have taken in close to a collective $10k! Of course every penny is going straight to Haiti. Each bake sale team has chosen its own worthwhile organization to support - groups being donated to include Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health, World Society for the Protection of Animals, and Food for Life Global.

I'll be participating in the bake sale here in NYC - it's going on all day long at Moo Shoes on Sunday, January 31st. (Hey fellow NYC VET members - hope to see you there!) Yeah, I'm making cupcakes. You know it. We're donating proceeds to Doctors Without Borders - those docs are doing amazing work, and amazing doctors are a big part of what's needed there right now. This bake sale is gonna be HUGE - and with an insane raffle too. Srsly ppl, do not miss this event.

I'll also be stopping by this month's Vegan Drinks on Thursday the 28th, which will be featuring its own mini vegan bake sale for Haiti! (Like that event needed to get any awesomer.) They will be supporting Sodopreca, a group of veterinarians heading across the border from DR to help out.

[Geography Lesson] Hispaniola = the island on which are the countries of Dominican Republic and Haiti.[/Geography Lesson]

Also this coming weekend are the big vegan bake sales in Chicago and Portland - I know those will be major. I'm excited to see that my home town ot New Orleans will be getting in on the Vegan Bake Sale action on February 6! Isa of the Post Punk Kitchen is doing an amazing job of keeping a comprehensive Vegan Bake Sales for Haiti list. Readers - If you're involved in any sales please leave a comment and give us all the details!

But guess what? Bake sales aren't it! There's also the amazing Josh Hooten and his partner Michelle of Herbivore Clothing Company: they teamed up with Ink Brigade to create this fab t-shirt. Naturally proceeds are going straight to the epicenter. Shirts have just begun to ship - I've already ordered mine... you're waiting for what, exactly?

So that's the news flash folks. Vegans are compassionate about animals - we're also compassionate about people! When you care, you care. And it's important to realize here that everyone can help. So you're not a doctor or nurse who can go volunteer; so you don't have "disposable" cash to donate. No matter. Pick up that wooden spoon and whip up those chocolate chip cookies! Can't bake? Then just go volunteer your time during the bake sale - it takes a good staff to run one successfully. No bake sales in your area? Organize one! Or get creative and see what else you can come up with. We can all do something, and at times of such desperate need we all should.

So do it people - shop on Etsy, eat a cupcake, and buy a t-shirt for Haiti!

How do you respond to a crisis? Vegans fundraise!(Part One.)

As every reader undoubtedly knows, a few weeks ago the country of Haiti suffered severe damage in an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale. Just over a week later, it endured an aftershock of 6.1. This was a severe blow for a country already enduring hardships barely imaginable to most of us, and its ramifications will be far reaching and long lasting. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, pretty much the whole world has jumped to action.

Being a person who had my own city partially destroyed in a semi-natural very-disaster not so many years ago, I have to say that sitting here watching this happen is really, really anxiety provoking. I have absolutely zero connection to Haiti, other than the facts that it's also populated by humans and cool animals and is on the planet earth. Nevertheless, the mere thought of the magnitude of human suffering that is happening there right now makes me start to freak out and cry a little bit. The only consolation I have for it is in focusing on what I can do, and that is to get involved in (and tell you about) all of the fabulous fundraising that is happening in the vegan community.

I am, frankly, just amazed at the outpouring of charity that has come from vegan contingents all over the world, beginning just a few days after the first quake. What are we doing?

Well for starters, many Etsy sellers have started to donate a portion of their sales to various relief organizations currently working in Haiti. I, for one, will be donating 50% of the sale price of any item in my my shop bright. until further notice. I'll be rotating monthly among a few worthwhile orgs including Doctors Without Borders, Partners in Health, and the World Society for the Protection of Animals.

Vegan Etsy Team member Panda With Cookie will be donating 100% of all profits from her clearance section to Doctors Without Borders, via a NYC bakesale that I'll be telling you about tomorrow. Vegancraftastic is donating 100% of sales of her knitting patterns to Doctors Without Borders through Ravelry knit and crochet community. And Sweet V Confections - yeah, that's right, think dessert - is donating 100% of chocolate fudge sales and 25% of all other sales to Doctors without borders! Mmmm, delicious compassion...

In addition, Vegancraftastic, Cards and Jewelry by Michele, and many (many many) other stellar Etsians have donated items to Hearts for Haiti, an Etsy shop which also donates 100% of all proceeds to Doctors Without Borders. At the time that I'm writing this, thanks to all the artisans who have donated items to sell, Hearts for Haiti has generated close to twenty thousand dollars!

As if that weren't enough, Michele and other VET members are also involved with another animal-friendly Etsy group, Etsy for Animals, which is having a Haiti Animal Relief Fundraiser. Various percentages of the sale price of Etsy items tagged with this moniker are donated to the World Society for the Protection of Animals,

So there you go. Want to help Haiti, but not sure what to do? Just do some shopping with the Vegan Etsy Team and you'll be on your way!

Member of the Week: Cards & Jewelry by Michele!

This week's VET Member of the Week is Michele of Cards & Jewelry by Michele. You'll find that this shop holds a wonderful combination of intriguing paintings, striking photographs and other fine art, and simply adorable bobbles. Let's hear from Michele in her own words:

How did you choose the name of your shop and how long have you been a member of Etsy?
I have been selling on Etsy for about 3 years. I'm still trying to come up with a creative shop name that fits. ;) I will love ideas!

I sell custom animal portraits, cards and prints of my paintings and photography, and jewelry/accessories made with vintage and recycled findings. I am inspired by my love of animals and nature in all of my creations, and hope to pass on the love and respect I feel for them to others.

I run Etsy for Animals: Artists Helping Animals and give at least 10% of my shop sales to our animal charity of the month. I also have items listed with 50% or 100% to the Etsy for Animals charity of the month and other charities. In addition I have items listed with 100% to charity in these wonderful shops: Hearts for Haiti, Vegan Craft Samples, Handmade 4 Hounds, and Brynn Alex. I also love donating handmade items to animal charity auctions and fundraisers.

What are some of your favorite things about Etsy?
I love that you can truly find anything you can think of, handmade, and know that it wasn't made in a factory with workers being paid minimum wage. It's so wonderful to be able to find unique, artistic, amazing things on Etsy! I especially love finding items helping charity; it's great to shop for a cause! I also love the communities I have become a part of with my teams, uniting with other animal lovers, vegans, veggies, and eco-friendly artists/crafters. It's great, and helps me feel connected to others with similar ethics.

Do you sell your items outside of Etsy, either online or in retail shops?
I sell in craft fairs once in a while, and sell my jewelry in this wonderful DIY boutique/art gallery in San Francisco, CA called Needles & Pens.

Have you been featured anywhere?

• Buttercup Bungalow
• Vegan Etsy for Peace to All Creatures Zine
• Craftevolution
• Etsy for Animals Challenge Blog
• Etsy Veg Blog
• And our animals were featured on the Etsy Veg blog too!

How long have you been vegan, and what made you go vegan?
I have been vegetarian since I was 13, which is 16 years, and vegan for 12 years. I became veg and vegan because of my love for animals. I try to live my life in the most compassionate way possible for animals, and that means being vegan. ;0) The moment that really switched on my "vegan switch" was when I was 17 and saw the film Baraka; I saw the male baby chicks being ground up alive, as a byproduct of the egg industry. I then started thinking about leather and meat and how all animal products cause suffering.

I went to a farm/arts boarding school at the time, and had a chance to spend time with, connect with, and photograph/draw/paint the amazing, beautiful farm animals there. I started researching factory farming, and did a final project and gallery exhibition incorporating a long research paper about the cruelty and environmental impact of factory farming. It also incorporated paintings, photography, and collages inspired by the animals at The Putney School and my feelings against factory farming.

What are your favorite foods?
Avocado, Turtle Mountain Purely Decadent soy ice cream, vegan pesto, tofu and mushroom tempura, rice, salad... soy lattes, mango, tahina, hummus, seitan...

Do you have any favorite vegan things, like books, websites, stores, etc.?
I'm currently reading and love Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It's so great, and amazing for the animals that it's selling so well and getting such great publicity, such as on Oprah! I also love all of Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson's books. I can't wait to read The Face on Your Plate; I loved When Elephants Weep and The Pig Who Sang to the Moon. I also love Veg News magazine, and Pangea.

What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have?
I love walking in nature, especially with our foster seeing eye pup, Whiskey, and like to go to the gym and do yoga. I'm getting better with my vegan baking and cooking, and am trying new recipes. I love painting and making jewelry for my shop and for auctions helping animals.

Do you have any animal companions?
My husband and I have two adopted kitties. I adopted Moses from the Feral Cat Foundation in CA, and we adopted Tala together from the Be'er Sheva SPCA here in Israel, where we currently live (my husband is Israeli). We are also fostering the cutest, sweetest, most amazing seeing eye puppy, Whiskey, for a year; it has been wonderful.

Do you have any future plans for your shop?
I will be making and listing new jewelry and pins soon, and as always I will be using vintage/recycled materials. I will also be adding more of my artwork and photography as cards and prints.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I love Vegan Etsy!

;0) Michele

Three Cheers for Three New Team Members!

Please welcome our three newest Vegan Etsy Team members - Crooked Metal Jewelry, Kittee: Craft Maker to the Stars, and Soapwalla Kitchen. Stop by their delightful all-vegan shops, take a look around, and of course make them your favorites!

Blue Goldstone and Sterling Silver Wire Wrapped Bracelet
from Crooked Metal Jewelry

Polka Dotted Number
from Kittee: Craft Maker to the Stars

Almond Oil and Oats Soap Bar
from Soapwalla Kitchen

My Vegan Valentine

Whether you hate it or heart it, Valentine's Day is on its way! Celebrate with compassion with these cute goodies from the Vegan Etsy Team!

18 Pack of School Valentines by my zoetrope:

Vegan Cookies and Chocolate Gift Basket by Sweet V Confections:

Candy Hearts and Roses Vegan Soap Gift Bag by Crafty Moon Crab:

Devil Heart Magnet by Sick on Sin:

Lunette - mixed metal and synthetic pearl earrings by Art By Susmitha:

For tons of more awesome Valentine ideas, search "veganetsy valentine" on Etsy!

-Kala (Vegancraftastic)

Make Your Own Herbal Flea & Tick Bandana

Herbal Flea & Tick Bandana

1 bandana (can be found in most craft stores)
1/2 tsp rubbing alcohol
1/4 cup water
2 drops cedarwood essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops citronella essential oil
2 drops geranium essential oil
2 drops neem essential oil

In a bowl, mix all ingredients except the bandana together. Add bandana, soaking it with the mixture. Hang to dry. When it’s dry, it’s ready to use. Tie around your dog’s neck, allowing two fingers of space between their neck and the bandana. The repelling benefits should last for about a month. After that, wash the bandana and repeat.

You could also use a collar instead of a bandana. :)