Child's Play Charity Promotion!

20% of sales from http://hippybeads.etsy.com and http://artfulunity.etsy.com will go to http://childsplaycharity.org, a charity that helps out children's hospitals throughout the world. They have already raised over half a million dollars in the last month and hope we can help give them some more. I started keeping track on thanksgiving and will turn the final donation in on Dec 30th. All sales count including sale items, custom items, and in person sales (if you know me in real life). These guys rock; help them out!

Why do they rock? Because it's a couple of passionate gamers, who write a webcomic, who got tired of the negative light that the media painted gamers in and decided to start a charity for Children's hospitals. They decided to buy toys and raise money for a couple of hospitals in their area. They ended up with about $200,000 in donations and toys that year in a one month period just by putting it out there to their readers. This is their 6th year and they more than doubled that figure their first week this year. They are now up to over $700,000 worth of donations since the beginning of November, and it all goes to help kids.

Hillary is an avid gamer and was raised in an environment of helping. She continues that spirit of helping every day as a social worker. She loves that there is a way that her jewelry businesses can help out and she really loves that there is a charity that promotes a positive image of an amazing group of people that she is proud to belong to.

In celebration of her Child's Play event, Hillary has made shipping on all items half price. She has also updated the shop, put some more items on sale and added some pieces:





We hope to be adding one or two more pieces soon so that there will be even more for you to buy to help out http://childsplaycharity.org .

Artists I'm Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Today Hillary Wanted to share some artists she's thankful for:

Amanda Palmer - She's an amazing musician, She encourages other artists and she seems to know almost no bounds. Seeing all of her crazy creativity actually producing positive results is one of the things that keeps me going in life. If I'm a foul mood, her music cheers me up; if I'm in a creative slump, her twitpics of crowdsurfing and her face covered in glitter or her arm covered in messages to fans remind that any crazy thing I want to try really could work.

Kim Graham Smith - Her art is at the same time fun and skillful, her facebook feed is hilarious, she brings her fun spirit to events and parties around the Birmingham, AL area, and she uses her considerable talents with art and graphic design to help Birmingham AIDS Outreach in just about every way possible.

Sanspointe Dance Company- I took dance from Michelle for several years before she and Shellie founded Sanspointe. I was always Amazed at her creativity, zest for life and respect for other people's ideas. I highly respect Shellie as a teacher, choreographer and dancer, and she was the impetus behind making sure I could take dance classes at Children's Dance Foundation when I couldn't afford them. I've taken from and danced with many of the choreographers from Sanspointe and they're all unique amazing individuals.

The Santa Hunt is on!

The eSMArts Santa Scavenger hunt is on!
Check out http://esmarts.blogspot.com/2009/11/enter-to-win.html for details on the prizes and
http://esmarts.blogspot.com/2009/11/hidden-santa-treasure-hunt-november-14.html for instructions on how to enter.
Here's a picture of the piece we donated:



and a slideshow of all the pieces donated:

Thanks for stopping by and happy hunting!

sSMArts Secret Santa Giveaway

the eSMArts team is sharing the love with a handmade bundle
to warm your holidays and ArtfulUnity is participating! Check back here shortly to see details on the piece we donated and look below for details on how to enter.

Enter our Hidden Santa Treasure Hunt to WIN a Christmas Gift Bundle of
unique handmade creations.

The complete prize package, item photos and detailed descriptions will
be announced on the eSMArts blog. Our contest begins November 14th so check
back there.

Sponsor Shop banners will be displayed at the top of the eSMArts blog (both
left and right sidebar).

Simply click the banners to visit each of our Sponsor Shops.

How to Play:

- Check the eSMArts blog for contest details and a list of participating
eSMArts Sponsor Shops.
- Visit each participating shop to find images of our santa.
- Make note of the url where you find our santa pictured!
- HINT: santa images are not embedded yet. They won't be online until
the contest start date of November 14, 2009.
- Here's how to complete each entry: Find 3 Santa images that you
haven't previously submitted. Email the urls along with your name &
address to esmartspromos [at] yahoo.ca to be entered. Find
new/unsubmitted Santa image urls and enter as many times as you like!
~Entries will be validated to ensure that contestants are submitting
fresh Santa spottings. Remember that 3 new Santa image urls equals ONE
additional contest entry.
- Contest runs November 14-28, 2009 (close is November 28/09 at
midnight eastern).
- Drawing takes place November 29th
- Winner will be announced here November 30th
- Prize package ships December 1st, 2009.
check back for hunting hints and tips!
and Happy Hunting :)