Thursday, January 8, 2009
clearing out winter at the shop!
For all of you not on my mailing address that keep up with the blog....here's a little january fun!
Monday, January 5, 2009
SAVE THE HANDMADE!!!
We need your help!
Written by another designer/blogger but speaks for us all:
As most of you know I own a children’s clothing business, and as of February 10, myself and thousands of others in the children’s industry will be deeply affected financially or will be out of business.
Remember the outcry last holiday season over lead in imported toys? In order to combat such safety issues, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has passed legislation called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). The law sets stringent guidelines for children’s products containing lead and phthalates (a chemical used in some vinyl products).
It is supposed to go into effect February 10th, 2009, and after that date any product intended for children ages 12 and under must meet these guidelines, and have a certificate of compliance from a CPSC-accredited laboratory. This includes not just toys, but clothing, jewelry, blankets, sheets, books, bibs, strollers, carriers, and anything else that a child under 12 might come in contact with. Sounds great, right?
In theory, maybe. But in actuality the law is so far reaching that it may succeed in turning the economy upside down. For starters, the CPSIA requires end unit testing on every product intended for use by children under 12. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to do this testing, regardless of how small the business. That means that manufacturers (like myself ) will have to pay to get every different product they offer tested. These tests have to be done at a CSPC accredited lab, and cost tens of thousands of dollars. For example if you offer 3 different types of dresses. Each dress contains 2 different fabrics, as well as buttons, and thread, so that’s potentially $600 to test one dress. But if you have 3 or more styles, that’s $1800. And when you get a new bolt of fabric, you need to start all over again.
At present, there are no exemptions for small businesses and “micro” manufacturers and most handcraft artisans. There is no exception for quantities made, where the garments/products are made or anything else. Nor is there an exception for unadorned fabric components, unfinished wood components, materials which, by their nature, are free of lead and phthalates.
Also, the Act takes a “guilty until proven innocent” approach, which would treat a handmade, unfinished wooden toy that doesn’t meet the certification deadline of 2/10/09 as a “banned hazardous substance” which would be illegal to distribute in this country. Each infraction carries a $100,000 felony charge. This legislation is also retroactive for any pre-existing inventory as of February 10th, 2009. This means that everything on the shelves in those big (or small) stores will also be “banned, hazardous substances” - contraband.
Larger corporations that can afford testing will incur thousands, maybe millions of dollars in fees, and this expense will be handed down to the consumer, probably making the prices for children’s products go through the roof.
This also means that after that date, even selling your kids old things on eBay or Craigslist will be illegal. Charities will not be able to accept donations without a certificate of compliance either. February 10, 2009 is being dubbed “National Bankruptcy Day” by many people in the apparel and toy industry. If this legislation is not amended, it will affect everyone from port workers to parents looking for legal products. Billions of dollars worth of children’s products will have to be destroyed because they can’t be legally sold, and this will cause major environmental problems.
While I am all for higher safety standards and keeping our kids safe, this law is so overreaching as to put thousands on manufacturers of children’s products out of business -hurting our economy and causing even more loan defaults. Though this legislation was well-intentioned, it cannot be allowed to stand as is.
Please help us defend the American dream and our entrepreneurial spirit! This law affects every stay at home mom trying to help put food on the table and every grandmother knitting blankets for the local craft fair. It makes the thousands of us who have found a niche in the burgeoning children’s market have to make a tough decision - continue to produce items illegally and possible incur a $100,000 fine, pay the enormous fees and raise costs of goods sold, or close up shop!
Please help us!
Contact your Congressperson using this link: http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=12274476
It only takes 30 seconds!
If you have an extra minute send a hard copy of the letter as well!To sign the online petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.htmlRead more about it here: http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/
Please copy and paste this on your blogs, we need all the help we can get!
NOTE: This flawed legislation will hurt all of us. Large and small manufacturers and consumers! Let us work together for the good of all.
Written by another designer/blogger but speaks for us all:
As most of you know I own a children’s clothing business, and as of February 10, myself and thousands of others in the children’s industry will be deeply affected financially or will be out of business.
Remember the outcry last holiday season over lead in imported toys? In order to combat such safety issues, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has passed legislation called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). The law sets stringent guidelines for children’s products containing lead and phthalates (a chemical used in some vinyl products).
It is supposed to go into effect February 10th, 2009, and after that date any product intended for children ages 12 and under must meet these guidelines, and have a certificate of compliance from a CPSC-accredited laboratory. This includes not just toys, but clothing, jewelry, blankets, sheets, books, bibs, strollers, carriers, and anything else that a child under 12 might come in contact with. Sounds great, right?
In theory, maybe. But in actuality the law is so far reaching that it may succeed in turning the economy upside down. For starters, the CPSIA requires end unit testing on every product intended for use by children under 12. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to do this testing, regardless of how small the business. That means that manufacturers (like myself ) will have to pay to get every different product they offer tested. These tests have to be done at a CSPC accredited lab, and cost tens of thousands of dollars. For example if you offer 3 different types of dresses. Each dress contains 2 different fabrics, as well as buttons, and thread, so that’s potentially $600 to test one dress. But if you have 3 or more styles, that’s $1800. And when you get a new bolt of fabric, you need to start all over again.
At present, there are no exemptions for small businesses and “micro” manufacturers and most handcraft artisans. There is no exception for quantities made, where the garments/products are made or anything else. Nor is there an exception for unadorned fabric components, unfinished wood components, materials which, by their nature, are free of lead and phthalates.
Also, the Act takes a “guilty until proven innocent” approach, which would treat a handmade, unfinished wooden toy that doesn’t meet the certification deadline of 2/10/09 as a “banned hazardous substance” which would be illegal to distribute in this country. Each infraction carries a $100,000 felony charge. This legislation is also retroactive for any pre-existing inventory as of February 10th, 2009. This means that everything on the shelves in those big (or small) stores will also be “banned, hazardous substances” - contraband.
Larger corporations that can afford testing will incur thousands, maybe millions of dollars in fees, and this expense will be handed down to the consumer, probably making the prices for children’s products go through the roof.
This also means that after that date, even selling your kids old things on eBay or Craigslist will be illegal. Charities will not be able to accept donations without a certificate of compliance either. February 10, 2009 is being dubbed “National Bankruptcy Day” by many people in the apparel and toy industry. If this legislation is not amended, it will affect everyone from port workers to parents looking for legal products. Billions of dollars worth of children’s products will have to be destroyed because they can’t be legally sold, and this will cause major environmental problems.
While I am all for higher safety standards and keeping our kids safe, this law is so overreaching as to put thousands on manufacturers of children’s products out of business -hurting our economy and causing even more loan defaults. Though this legislation was well-intentioned, it cannot be allowed to stand as is.
Please help us defend the American dream and our entrepreneurial spirit! This law affects every stay at home mom trying to help put food on the table and every grandmother knitting blankets for the local craft fair. It makes the thousands of us who have found a niche in the burgeoning children’s market have to make a tough decision - continue to produce items illegally and possible incur a $100,000 fine, pay the enormous fees and raise costs of goods sold, or close up shop!
Please help us!
Contact your Congressperson using this link: http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=12274476
It only takes 30 seconds!
If you have an extra minute send a hard copy of the letter as well!To sign the online petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.htmlRead more about it here: http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/
Please copy and paste this on your blogs, we need all the help we can get!
NOTE: This flawed legislation will hurt all of us. Large and small manufacturers and consumers! Let us work together for the good of all.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
the best girly {digital} elements...
If you read my blog than you know I love Rhonna Farrer's digital brushes for scrapbooking...and for me, almost anything I do can use a little fluorish or crown attached to it! Well, Miss Rhonna has started a new blog for all her fans! And....to top it off she is doing a huge give away of 209 digital kits! So run on over and become a part of all the fun! I used several of her elements in my Christmas card on my previous post...I'm telling you, you can't go wrong!This was the little bird creation I made to top off one of my mom's presents....of course I think this was the first thing my little Aspen tore into on Christmas morning, she is definitely just like her mama!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas Tutu You!
Wishing all of you a very glorious Christmas! Here is the finished card with the photos I took below! Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Aspen's Christmas stocking...
Hooray! I finally finished Miss Aspen's Christmas stocking!!! I had intended to make her a beautiful stocking, but somehow time seems to always get away from me this time of year no matter how early I start things {as you can tell by the infrequency of my blog posts}. So I am walking through Target and I spotted this darling shabby chic stocking...a perfect bare bones stocking to make up for Aspen the way I was thinking I could! This is my version of crazy quilting with all the adornments I love....though truthfully I only went through one box of ribbons crazily grabbing pieces to add to this stocking to save time.
I attached a beautiful lace {everything by hand, I think it's a bit faster!} and then I just embellished on top of it with old ribbonwork as well as pieces I made. Above is a little purse made of vintage ribbon with lots of rosettes, and a vintage chiffon flower.
My mom and I have a friend who dyes old velvet ribbon these fabulous colors...this is part of my stash I only use when I am absolutely keeping the item, or giving it to someone who will really appreciate what it is, as they are so difficult to find! Then I made a basket full of ribbon flowers all out of new dyed ribbons and antique gold lace...and of course my mom wants this as her Christmas present after seeing it! 
I just weave in the silk ribbons however, I sort of like that look best, more so than something very structured. I could go nuts doing this, but you know then Santa would be wondering where Aspen's stocking is because it surely would not be hanging by the chimney with care! 
I love double faced silk ribbons...that's what this beautiful ribbon is...they make perfect bows! And the ribbonwork next to it is my mom's work. She made this little beauty for me a couple years ago and both Aspen and I adore it, so I figured her cherished stocking would be the perfect place for it to settle in for a long winter's nap!Thursday, December 11, 2008
decorating the house...
Gotta have pink wherever I can get it as you can see....Here is some of our recent work around the house!! Aspen is a huge fan of all the Christmas trees and almost every other decoration you can think of!
The mantle is really fun...but a lot of these snowman are up all the time because I love them so much!
More sparkle, more glitter please!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
