I have a confession to make. I’ve unashamedly become an Instagram addict lately. My new favourite social media platform, it’s perfect for sharing wildlife photography, animal art and my favourite natural history book purchases! And, as I’ve recently discovered; shopping!
From the gorgeous canvas print that now resides over my bed to the beautiful hand-drawn Lion King fan art I’ve placed in my daughter‘s Disney-themed nursery, I’ve discovered a fantastic marketplace of individuals and Etsy shops offering unique gifts and animal-themed goodies that I just can’t get enough of. Enter; ConSewvation.
After discovering these beautiful one-of-a-kind crocheted elephants on Instagram, I fell in love with both the products and the purpose of ConSewvation.
Motivated by a mission to make these cute cuddly elephants — sold for use as ornaments or children’s toys — to raise funds for her dream of working in the field of conservation; creator Sasha Cole has not only got some serious sewing talents, but an undeniable passion for wildlife that shines through in her craft.
“I want to go back to Cambodia and work in Phnom Tamao Wildlife Centre,” Sasha tells me. “I did a behind the scenes tour there last year and fell in love with the place. It takes care of animals rescued from cruel captive situations and rescues those that have had attempts on them to be smuggled out of the country. Any animals that can be released back into the wild, they do.”
“I fed Lucky the elephant when I was there, so she is my idea behind the elephants.”
Each elephant is unique (Sasha says she never makes the same thing twice!) and I adore the attention to detail. With bespoke characteristics (such as the passport stamp material in the ears of her latest creation, seen below), they really do make for a perfect gift with a personal touch.
A self-declared one-woman handicraft shop, Sasha’s recent trip to Cambodia has also ignited her desire to study Zoology as part of an online course by United for Wildlife.
“I have put all of my efforts into sewing to raise funds for my re-training in Zoology and Conservation. Every penny you spend goes back into ConSewvation and helping me to pursue my dream of saving those who can’t speak for themselves,” she says.
Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center houses the wildlife conservation efforts of Wildlife Alliance; a leading organisation in the direct protection of forests and wildlife in tropical Asia.
As well as caring for and rehabilitating animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, Wildlife Alliance delivers a comprehensive approach for tropical rainforest protection through direct on-the-ground interventions with government rangers and local communities — directly addressing the causes of deforestation and the illegal wildlife trade.
“We build rangers’ professional capacity and provide full support for their livelihoods. This enables them to focus completely on their duties to take strong action and creates a culture of Zero Tolerance for Corruption,” they state.
A quick read of Consewvation’s blog, and it’s entirely evident why Lucky the elephant was the inspiration behind this lovely Etsy shop: “On the car journey to the centre we were handed a book full of heart-wrenching stories of the animals we were to meet later in the day. First up we had Lucky, one of the world’s most charming and trusting elephants,” she recounts of her time Phnom Tamao. “Being able to get up close with her in person, even feeding her directly into her mouth, made me wonder why anyone would want to hurt such gentle giants.”
With such a compassionate creator and such care in their creation, I chose the little yellow elephant with cute elephant and rainbow details in its ears as the ele that would mark my first Etsy purchase. Luckily, my daughter loves it as much as I do.
We named the little guy ‘Sunshine‘ (as this little bright yellow elephant will bring rainbows to the nursery on rainy days), and to be safe around its small parts (ConSewvation recommends designs are best for ages 3 and up), he’ll be waiting on the shelf for when my little girl is old enough to hear about where this little elephant came from and how he’s helped!
Follow ConSewvation’s makes here:
Instagram: @consewvation
Facebook: /ConSewvation
Twitter: @consewvation
Or follow her blog for updates on her studies, creations and fundraising!
Blog: https://consewvation.wixsite.com
I’m sure that Lucky will bring you luck with your fundraising, Sasha!
