i like the non-team

(this treasury challenge was inspired by that cute whale t-shirt and, in a way, sesame street)

because of my impending vacation, i'm on a temporary hiatus from participating in the non-team treasury challenge. when i post recent treasuries (to store them somewhere they'll stay indefinitely), most of those treasuries are non-team challenges. i think the non-team is one of the best parts of etsy, so if you are an etsy seller and haven't heard about it, here's what you should know:

the non-team *is* actually an etsy team. it didn't start out that way, but around the time etsy began to limit what subjects could be discussed on the forums, and forced all other conversations to take place in a team setting (different subject entirely), the non-team became a team. unlike most treasury teams, though, it does not require that you make treasuries with a certain number of other team members items, or that you make a treasury around a particular theme. there is nearly complete freedom over your treasury, except...

one item is featured in all treasuries each week. the seller of that item judges all of the treasuries and chooses a favorite. there is some incredible diversity in the themes based on the featured item, and it's fun to think of a theme, title, and arrangement that is like no one else's. the creator of the winning treasury gets to choose one of their items that is featured in the next treasury, and the cycle begins again, every week.

it's a good fit for me, because:
1. i like making treasuries. this gives treasury making more of a purpose, and more reason to be seen.
2. creative freedom with just enough structure. i don't want to be limited to certain sellers when making a treasury.
3. i am not really a joiner, and the non-team doesn't demand a certain level of commitment. you can just join this team today if you want. you don't have to be approved by anyone. if you stop participating for a while, it doesn't matter.
4. there is a three day window to make the treasury. it's good for busy people.
5. i like a good contest.
6. it's good company - there are some talented treasury makers who take part, and their ideas are fantastic.

i didn't miss any of these challenges at all until last week, and after six months, it seems weird to skip out. i won't be online much so i can't really participate in the off chance that i would win. it would be great to win someday - i've had three honorable mentions in the past several weeks, so i'm still hopeful, even though there are over a thousand people participating now.

and as the non-team grows, it just gets better.