Holla! Guest Post.

Just wanted to throw you all a link to a guest post that I did for my pal Ashleigh's store Fabrika in Savannah. Just a short book review, but it was a worthwhile book and an even more worthwhile store that you ought to know about.

Updates on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

The other day I had a conversation with another dog owner at the dog park who was wondering what the current status was of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act since she also makes items for children. It got me thinking - I haven't been watching very closely as I haven't been very diligent about my own products what with the wedding and all.

But now that I'm kicking off the holiday season with an attempt to make up some goodies for sale (soon to be seen for sale at Fabrika Fine Fabrics in Savannah, Ga and Valley Flower Company in White River Junction, Vt and on my etsy site), I realized that I'd better get up to speed asap.

The short of it is that not very much has changed in the past few months. The legislation passed, but the implementation of it has been on hold. Major interests have been lobbying on behalf of thrift store, libraries and artisans to attempt to convince the Consumer Product Safety Commission to amend the legislation so that it will fairly address these industries. Libraries were successful and did receive notice that they would not need to test books in their collections. The thrift industry is hoping for the same.

Handicraft artisans are lobbying for an amendment which would exempt natural products (ex. untreated wood, natural fibers, beeswax, etc) from needing to be tested and also putting the onus on component suppliers to prove their items are non-toxic rather than on the artisan to test his/her end product. In the meantime, large toy manufacturers (to whom this legislation was directed) have set up their own testing facilities, certified by the federal government, and have begun to test products already.

For more information, here are some current articles:
The Hill, November 15, 2009
New York Times, October 30, 2009
Nancy Nord's blog - Consumer Product Safety Commissioner

Savannah Shower (and awesome craftacular project)

So my Savannah lady friends threw me a wedding shower last weekend. Can you ask for more than a potluck of delicious homemade dishes and crafting? I couldn't. It was perfect - no embarrassing drunken nights out wearing silly bridal gear - and time with my friends laughing and getting creative.

Brilliant idea, by the hosts Ashleigh and Nora, to custom decorate kitchen towels. Ashleigh sewed up some kitchen towels and then let us have at her studio and sewing machines. With loads of scrap fabric, embroidery thread and the ability to either sew or iron on, people got really creative and came up with some adorable ideas. They are so pretty that I don't want to get them dirty!

CPSIA - an update

Awhile ago, I mentioned the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)and how the bill was going to essentially put most small, handmade, children's products companies out of business (at least most of the folks on etsy) given the exorbitant cost of testing. Additionally, the bill was written so broadly that it was going to affect children's books and therefore libraries. At least it looks like, libraries have gotten a reprieve. I got an update from the American Libraries Association stating the following:

As the American Library Association (ALA) has emphasized since first
enactment of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA),
concern for children*s safety is our first priority in providing
materials to young patrons. On August 26, 2009, the CPSC*s final rule
on children*s products containing lead was released. In the rule,
CPSC confirmed that libraries have no independent obligation to test
library books for lead under the law. CPSC also announced its intention
to release a Statement of Policy specifically providing guidance for
libraries with regard to the treatment of older children*s books that
could potentially contain lead. According to our conversations with
CPSC officials, that Statement of Policy should be released within the
next several weeks.

While we await the Statement of Policy, ALA recommends that libraries
take the following actions. If a library is aware that any children*s
book does indeed contain lead above the legal limits or otherwise
presents a danger to children, it should remove it from public access,
for instance by moving it to the non-circulating collection. We would
also ask that if libraries do learn of any books containing lead to
please let the ALA * Washington Office know so that we might share
that information with other libraries. When the Statement of Policy is
released, we will promptly notify our members.

Getting down to accessories

I've picked up this cute necklace to wear for the wedding. I think that it will be a cute play on the whole autumn picnic idea. And I feel really pleased that I bought it from a fellow crafter off etsy.

CPSIA about to put me out of business

I only very recently found out about the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that goes into effect on February 10th. The intention of the law is to give added protection to children's products in regards to safety and in reaction to the recent spate of unsafe imported toys and toy recalls.

However, the law has been written so that it will affect any sale (or resale) of a children's item including handmade toys, clothing or furniture - even books! This means that I will no longer be able to sell my handmade stuffed animals, baby blocks or any future items without having to pay an insanely prohibitive fine to have the item tested.

Aside from how that will affect just myself, as general consumers our choices will now be severely limited. The costs associated with testing will prohibit many smaller manufacturers, both in the U.S. and abroad, from putting items in the marketplace. That means that you will not have very much choice as a consumer when you go to buy a children's product. Additionally, thrift and resale shops will no longer be able to resell used items. That means that all used items will have to go into the trash! What a waste.

It seems to me that this law was written hastily and is reactionary. The problem of safety is definitely legitimate and needs to be addressed. However, a quickly passed law that will affect businesses and consumers alike by effectively making it impossible for small business to compete is not the answer.

For more information, please check the following links and please consider writing your congressperson to ask for more thought into how they can protect small business and competition while still maintaining the intent of the law.

http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/
LA Times Article on reselling
Sign a petition

Something for myself

Most times I make things they are meant for a gift or to sell. I very infrequently make myself something. So this year I'm knitting myself a sweater. I chose something that is really meant to challenge myself - I've never knitted a full sized sweater & I've never done cables. I've finished the back and am almost done with the left front side.

I'm making the Drop Collar Cabled Jacket published in the Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine (Fall/Winter 08). It took me a few tries to figure out the pattern, but now it's knitting along pretty quickly. I'm using Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton yarn in pistachio which feels sooo comfy. I had to adjust the pattern a little bit to obtain gauge but hopefully it won't come out too badly.

Whaling City Handcrafts

While we were up in Massachusetts in October, we checked out the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Some really interesting exhibits and the most insane collection of scrimshaw, but imagine my surprise when we came across a special exhibit on textile history. Pictures include a close-up of an antique crazy quilt, an antique needlework sampler, and a sewing notion box made with inlaid whale ivory.

Productive Hobbies

Get Rich Slowly had a post today about productive hobbies - pasttimes that can help you either save money or make money. I've been thinking about this all morning since I've been struggling with this crafting stuff lately. The great thing about crafting is that it can save money on gifts - like the jams that most people will be receiving these upcoming holidays or baby showers gifts of stuffed animals. And it definitely feels more heartfelt to give home-made things. I've enjoyed the challenge of selling my things and it is definitely satisfying to know that people would spend money on the things that I make. However, I've been struggling with making sure that I still have fun working on things. I was really pretty burnt out after the craft fair and while I have a large number of ideas in my head for projects, finding the motivation to sit down and just get started has been difficult.

One thing that I'm trying to remind myself is that being creative and making these things needs to be about fulfilling my own need to express myself and not about just making some extra cash. Otherwise it just becomes another responsibility instead of a release. I'm going to challenge myself to work on something that is totally for my own benefit in the next couple of months. I'm still deciding on what my project will be, but will keep the blog updated.

Garlands

So here's some photos of a new product for my Etsy account. I got some great feedback on these at the craft fair, but no purchases. That was either because a. they were more expensive than people wanted to spend at a craft fair, b. they were hard to see the impact because they had to be folded on the table and you couldn't see the full impact, or c. the colors weren't what people had.

I plan to offer them on Etsy as examples of what I could do for custom orders. That way people could order specific color schemes or phrases or names. And I think that I'll create a few that say things like "Congratulations", "Happy Birthday" and "Happy Holidays". Ron thinks that I should do some that might be more appropriate for adults.

I would really appreciate some reader suggestions.

Junk in da Trunk Craft Fair

First craft fair completed. It was a modest success. It was held on Friday night and Saturday during the day during two days which were apparently record breaking heat for Savannah. Not so nice. I made a few sales and enough money to pay myself back for the table and supplies and a little extra in profit. Overall though I'd say that the weather really held people indoors and even we packed up early on Saturday because of it.

Highlights included:
Selling with Lane and Ashleigh - without them it would have been quite boring.
Lots of interest in the baby block sets and the mobile.
Overhearing that another vendor said that I had a "fancy" table.
People love elephants.

If I do another one, I've got some ideas about how to change my display and know what I would do in regards to products. I plan on doing more of the baby blocks and advertising more about the custom orders that I can do. Also more stuffed animals that adults might want - not as strong a focus on just nursery items. I think that I could probably do some shorter garlands too with some adult-friendly statements.

Craft Fair This Weekend

Nothing to do this weekend? Come down to check me out hosting my first table at a craft show. Here's the details:

When? Friday 7-10pm & Saturday 10am-2pm.
Where? Desoto Ave in Savannah (The alley between Bull Street and the Farmer's Market in Starland District)

Nora's Baby Shower

So during my drought of blog posts on crafting this summer, I mentioned that I'd been busy working on some things but couldn't post them yet. Well, my friend Nora had her baby shower yesterday and so I'm finally able to post about some of the things that I was busy making for her.

Kanga and Roo always make a good baby shower gift. I'm especially proud of the sweater since it's the first time that I've knitted anything that needed to be pieced together. I know that I got the pattern online, but I can't track it back down at the moment. Once I find it, I'll post the link. The booties were made by a pattern from Heather Bailey.

New Product for Craft Fair

So I've been trying to come up with some other ideas for the upcoming trunk show in addition to my stuffed animals. I've gotten some great input from friends with a little more experience with these things that it would be good to have some less expensive items on the table. I came up with the idea of some children's building blocks. They are 1" wooden blocks decorated with vintage children's illustrations and recycled book jackets. One lesson learned - the modge podge that I used to adhere the paper remains a little bit tacky even after dried so I will need to put at least one layer of a clear acrylic over it. I'm trying to find an adhesive that will be sure to be non-toxic so that in the event that the blocks get put into little mouths, there's no worry.

I would love feedback from readers on the blocks. Do you think that I'm using too many images? I like the idea of two sides being larger images that can be used as a puzzle, but I'm not sure if having images on all the other sides is just too busy. What price point do you think that these would sell well at?

New design for KatyDidCrafts

My pal Toby has done me a huge favor and is helping me to create a brand logo and business cards. I've just uploaded a new banner for my etsy account. Isn't it cheerful? Plus the little girl is actually me - at least an illustrated copy of a photograph of me at 4 years old.

Abigail Sanchez Mock-up

This weekend I finished up a new sample pattern for another stuffed animal. This time I'm attempting to create a stuffed version of a particular dog. This girl is based off of our friend Abigail Sanchez who lives with Ashleigh (see A.S.S. link in Friends links). Since this is just the first attempt to really get a french bulldog down I can see some changes that I need to make. The head needs to be a little bit wider and the nose needs to be bigger. And the ears were sewn on unevenly. But otherwise I think that it's pretty close. If you can think of other upgrades, please let me know since I'm going to try to get another one done soon.