ACEO Quilt Auction Is HERE

Don't miss out! It's finally time to release this beautiful handcrafted ACEO Endangered Species Quilt into the world. Without further ado - here's where to go to bid on the quilt and save some endangered rainforest land and species at the same time:

ACEO Endangered Species Quilt

"Dad & Jr. Go For A Walk" - Carly, age 11

TITLE: Dad & Jr. Go For A Walk
ARTIST: Carly, age 11
EBAY ID: lala15108 (on behalf of Carly)

Why I'm using my creativity to save the rainforest...

I created an Endangered species ACEO because penguins are one of my favorite animals and I don't want to see them disappear forever!

"Scratchboard Drawing Of An Elephant" - art-by-darla-h

TITLE: Scratchboard Drawing of an Elephant

ARTIST: Darlene

EBAY ID: art-by-darla-h

Why I'm using my creativity to save the rainforest...

I am a self taught artist who has been an animal lover all my life. Most of my art is animal art. I belong to A4C a group of artists who sell there art to benifit animals in need so the idea for this quilt just fit what I believe in.

"Red Panda" - maryhelen22

TITLE: Red Panda

ARTIST: Mary Helen Epps

EBAY ID: maryhelen22

Why I'm using my creativity to save the rainforest ...

Once, when I was young, I watched a documentary of a film crew that had happened upon an indigenous tribe, living deep in a rainforest near the Amazon River. The film makers called the tribe the “flower people” and continually compared them to early man, stressing that this was the tribe’s first encounter with “civilization”.

They were a beautiful people, decorating themselves and everything in their village with a multitude of tropical flowers in all shapes and colors. Their main diet was the pulp of a certain tree, which after the pulp was removed, the hulled out trunk became a canoe, the branches a hut or fire wood. They would celebrate the harvested tree, placing flowers and a new sapling in the spot where the tree had been taken.

They smiled and laughed a lot. They were friendly and more than hospitable to the strangers who had come to film them. It was like a Utopia. I longed to live with the “flower people”. Some time after, I saw “The Medicine Man” and realized that the “flower people” probably no longer existed.

Oh sure, there may still be a tribe, although they were probably relocated and are wearing tee-shirts with words and logos they don't understand instead of flowers. Trying to make whatever money they can, to feed and shelter their children and pay for medicines for their new illnesses. Everyday watching as more of the beautiful trees and flowers they once called home disappear. And knowing their children will never have the chance to experience the beautiful existence that those before them had.

I hope that my participation in this quilt and the money made for the Rainforest fund, will aide in making sure that the Utopia that is the rainforest, never disappears. In a world where so much is taken, we each must strive to give back.

"Loggerhead Turtle" - isablue123

TITLE: Loggerhead Turtle
EBAY ID: isablue123

Why I'm using my creativity to save the rainforest:

I have a BS degree in Zoology, and my favorite courses as a student were those dealing with biodiversity and ecology. I have been deeply affected by news of shrinking ecosystems and the devastating effects on some animal populations in the world, and even more appalled by reports on poaching that is putting at risk some of our closest relatives like chimpanzees and gorillas. It is estimated that 40% of all organisms are at risk (source: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). Many species could be going extinct unnoticed due to our careless exploitation of the world's resources.

When the ACEO ~ Art Cards editions and Originals group suggested "Endangered Species" as a monthly topic, I was thrilled! There was a chance to paint one of my favorite subjects. I never imagined that we would get together as a group to try and save a little piece of our planet. Starr, however, mentioned the efforts of the World Land Trust, an organization that purchases acres of rainforest to protect it for posterity. So far, the WLT has purchased and protected over 350,000 acres (142,000 hectares) of rainforest and other precious wildlife habitats worldwide (http://www.worldlandtrust.org/).

Starr proposed that interested members of our group contribute a portion of their "Endangered species" sales to purchase an acre or more of threatened wildlife habitat. She has been educating us on the extent of the problem, and her voice has been heard in the group. Char took the project one step further by volunteering to make a quilt based on the artwork submitted for the "Endangered species" theme week. All the contributing artists have graciously agreed to have their image reproduced for the quilt. Char generously donated her time, materials and talent to create this beautiful quilt that Starr will auction on eBay, with 100% of the proceeds going to the WLT. Joy stepped in to flesh out ideas to promote the sale of the quilt, and we have been working together to make this event happen. I am very excited to be part of this meaningful group effort that, for once, will change the world for the better!