I’ve just added a new item to my shop. Well, actually, I added it a while back, sold them all, and haven’t had time to make any more. There’s one in there now 
and hopefully more to come. Time sure has a way of flying right by you, doesn’t it? Anyway, check out my Keiki’s Art Caddy. It can hold crayons, art pencils, crochet needles, markers etc. I trim them with rick rack so they’re especially cute. 
Are you in need of customized tags or labels for your sewn goodies? Head over to Jennifer’s Jewels on Etsy – she has a HUGE selection and is just a real pleasure to work with. Her processing time is quick and her tags are beautiful and most importantly, sturdy. LOVE her work! And of course, she has 100% positive feedback because, well, she rocks.
In case you don’t follow Etsy, here’s Matt’s post regarding the CPSIA laws.
Hello Friends,
It is February 10th, the day the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) goes into effect. Eek! Given all the hubbub of late, it is difficult to know precisely where we stand. If you’ll allow me a moment of your time, I will try my best to provide a general overview of the current state of selling handmade and vintage items meant for children under the age of 12.
As always, I urge you to remember that we are not at all out of the woods on this one. Even thought the CPSC has announced a 1 year stay, you should keep the pressure on your representatives and make sure that your interests are being served. (This action kit has information for how to contact your elected officials.)
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Now that it’s February 10th, do I have to stop selling children’s Items that have not been tested for lead?
A: No, not at all. Before you start throwing your toys on the bonfire or hanging up your knitting needles, please understand that the CPSIA does not make it illegal to sell children’s products. So what happens today? As of today, the new legal lead limit for products intended for children 12 years and younger has been reduced to 600ppm. On August 14th, 2009, the legal limit will drop to 300ppm. The new legal limit for Phthalates is 0.1% of the total weight of a children’s product.
Q. What the heck are phthalates?
Phthalates are particularly nasty substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility.
Q. Do I need to have my goods tested by a third party testing facility?
At this point, manufacturers do not need to have third party testing or lead-free certification for their products, but are liable if their products contain more than the legal limit of lead or phthalates. This remains the case until February 10th, 2010. We are not yet sure what will happen one year from now. (Keep the pressure on!)
Q. Ok, I understand that my products do not need to have third party testing or certification at this point, but I know that I am also still liable. I want to make sure my items are safe for children because this is the right thing to do! How can I assure that my products do not have lead in them?
A.
Q. What materials are recognized as lead-free by the CPSC?
The following materials are known by the CPSC to be inherently lead-free or are exempt, and can be used in their untreated/unpainted state without any risk of sanction or penalties by the Commission.
The Commission has also provided limited exclusions for products containing component parts that contain lead in excess of the 600ppm limit, specifically:
Q. I am outside of the United States. Does the CPSIA apply to me?
A: Yes. If you are selling products to customers in the USA, you must be fully compliant with the CPSIA.
Q. Where do things stand for vintage sellers?
Vintage sellers are not required to test their products for lead and phthalates. However, you are liable should the products you sell be over the legal limits.
Further Resources:
- For more info, read the CPSC Small Business Guide or download the PDF.
- The Consumer Product Safety Commission is in charge of implementation and enforcement of the CPSIA. Visit their CPSIA landing page.
- You can sign up for CPSC email updates here.
- Keep informed on CPSC updates here.
Etsy blog posts on the CPSIA issue | BuyHandmade.org blog for more news
I just finished making two minky pillowcases for my kiddos – cornflower blue and red for him, and pink, yellow and green for her. Turned out really cute! Now I just need to dust off the embroidery machine and put their names on them. Maybe by the time they’re 18. LOL
Wow have I gotten busy! I haven’t had time to do any crafting, not to mention blog about crafting. 
Bear with me and hopefully I’ll be back soon.
Happy Crafting everyone!
Ah, the good old days when a box was a fortress and some blankets and chairs made an awesome fairy castle. All is not lost. My son got some fun dress-up items for Christmas and after playing with them off and on I can see some missing items. I love this sword tutorial – great pics, and easy to do! It’s even in Danish – brush up on your foreign languages while you create! I’m sure I’ll embellish when I make one for my king/pirate/viking and I’ll add pics of the finished product.
Here’s the creator with his viking sword.
Are you looking for information regarding HR4040, CPSIA, handmade children’s clothing and toys? Etsy has compiled a wonderful resource here with information regarding the laws, who you can contact to voice your concerns, petitions to sign etc. Please download the PDF file and help save the handmade community!
Here’s the link for all this info.
We’re running out of time. So many crafters are going to be put out of business if this isn’t stopped or at least altered. What does this all mean for you?
Walter Olson of Forbes and overlawyered.com puts it succinctly:
“As of Feb. 10, it will become unlawful to make or sell anything intended
for use by children under 12 without a program to test the goods for lead
— even if no items of their kind have ever been found to pose a lead risk,
even if you make and sell only a few inexpensive items a year, even if
you’ve sourced their materials from the most conscientious local suppliers
and even if they’re items toddlers seldom convey into their mouths, such
as dartboards or bicycle tires.
In August, relatively lenient self-checks will give way to a much costlier
mandate for ‘third-party’ lab testing. That will mean testing every lot of
goods — typically each style/size combination — at a cost of perhaps
hundreds of dollars per lot for simple items, and potentially much more
than that for items with multiple colors, components or materials.
Because there is at present no green light for once-for-all component
testing, the same bit of elastic or fabric trim will have to be tested again
and again as part of each lot.”
THE US GOVERNMENT
What can I do? Who can I contact?
Below you will find those who need to hear from you on this important issue. It is
crucial that you reach out to the CPSC, your elected representatives, and the key
members of The Committee On Energy and Commerce.
1. Contact The Committee on Energy and Commerce
The Committee On Energy and Commerce is the congressional committee that
sponsored the CPSIA, and they are the ones who can call a hearing to delay,
amend, or repeal the CPSIA.
Please urge them to hold a hearing on the CPSIA before February 10th. This is
the first step to getting the legislation delayed, amended, or repealed.
Snail Mail:
The Committee on Energy and Commerce
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Telephone: (202) 225-2927
Web: http://energycommerce.house.gov/
The ranking members of the Committee are:
The Hon. Henry A. Waxman- District 30 Los Angeles
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgibin/
newmemberbio.cgi?lang=&member=CA30&site=ctc
The Hon. Bobby Rush Illinois District 1
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgibin/
newmemberbio.cgi?lang=&member=IL01&site=ctc
The Hon. Joe Barton Texas District 6
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgibin/
newmemberbio.cgi?lang=&member=TX06&site=ctc
The Hon. Ed Whitfield District 1 Kentucky
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgibin/
newmemberbio.cgi?lang=&member=KY01&site=ctc
We encourage all of you to urge your friends and family who are constituents of
these men to let them know that they want the CPSIA delayed, amended, or
repealed.
Sample Letter to The Energy and Commerce Committee
Dear Congressmen [Waxman, Whitfield, Rush, Barton],
The economic crisis in our country is already devastating millions in this country.
That is why it concerns me that under the CPSIA, even more small business
owners will be driven out of business, deepening the crisis. The premise of selfreliance
and entrepreneurship on which this country was founded is in jeopardy.
Under the very important auspices of child safety, the CPSIA may have grave
unintended consequences: fewer choices for families who are looking for
handcrafted and secondhand alternatives. Many artists, vintage sellers, and
craftspeople have expressed fears that they won’t be able stay in business due to
the burdensome cost of testing and certification pursuant to the proposed
legislation.
I urge you, please, hold a hearing before February 10th, to delay implementation
of the CPSIA. It is essential that you amend this well-intentioned law in order to
protect this thriving and crucial part of the American economy. Failure to do so
will unnecessarily devastate countless people, many of your constituents among
them.
It is time to do what you meant to do with the CPSIA, and truly protect your fellow
Americans and their children.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
There is so much more information on how you can help – please read through the whole PDF file here.
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT
==========================================================================================
Please read the following press release. If you are an interested party directly affected by the CPSIA that will take effect as of February 10th, I urge you to join us in this class action lawsuit.
Contact me or the contacts listed below for additional information.
Warmest Regards,
Dawn Michelle LaPolla
http://www.babysproutnaturals.com/
dlapolla@gmail.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
==========================================================================================
Moms band together to save their businesses.
Rachele Dressler-Sweetser is a mother of 3 and owns http://www.MonkeyBabyClothes.com, a creative children’s clothing line. This business is not only her additional “baby” but her main source of income. She created Monkey Baby out of necessity. As a single mother she was faced with the issue of a sick child with medical needs that could not be left alone. She combined her creative sewing skills and marketing knowledge to create a fun and successful children’s clothing line. Waking up to a new year she is faced with her legs being knocked out from under her with this quiet law going into effect with huge consequences.
Dressler-Sweetser says “I have built this business out of love for my children and my God-given talents. It is my dream, livelihood and my future. I can’t sit still. I understand the need to keep our children safe but this law is too broad. It is not in anyone’s interest as it is currently written.” Dressler-Sweetser has contacted the Kushner Law Firm to begin the process of a Class Action Suit to prevent the law’s enforcement of the February 10, 2009 deadline. She is actively contacting businesses owners that this law will effect to ban with her in preventing its enforcement on February 10, 2009.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is requiring lead testing on all products (including apparel and components of apparel which knowingly have little or no lead such as ribbon, tulle, thread, elastic etc.) designed for children under the age of 12. “This new Act is unconstitutionally overbroad and vague, and disregards the significant and disastrous impact on small and medium businesses as Section 605 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act requires” says Michael Kushner, of The Kushner Law Firm.
Immediate action is required in order to save many businesses and to keep costs from skyrocketing for children’s toys, accessories and clothing.
Contact:
Rachele Dressler-Sweetser
http://www.monkeybabyclothes.com/
949.916.9288 ph.
949.916.9087 fx.
Attorney:
Michael Kushner
The Kushner Law Firm
949.421.3030 ph.
949.421.3031 fx.
http://www.kushnerlawfirm.com/
==========================================================================================
Because of the overwhelming response to the potential Class Action Lawsuit, I’m requesting that interested parties, please fill out the form below. This will help as we organize our action as well as alleviate the burden of paperwork once we move forward with the attorney.
You are not committed to any legal obligation by filling out this form, this is just an interest list. Our initial Retainer to hire The Kushner Law Firm, www.kushnerlawfirm.com, is $10,000 divided by the amount of participants. Therefore, the more people that enter into that contract the better. I will update everyone once we’ve achieved 50+ people. Then we can decide if we can all afford the cost at that time, and he will prepare the Ex-Parte filing with the Federal Court. Please direct your inquiries to me, as he legally cannot discuss this issue with you until we as a group decide to “retain” (hire) him.
I will do my best to get everyone’s emails and phone calls returned as quickly as possible. Feel free to forward this to interested parties.
Thank you,
Rachele Dressler-Sweetser
Monkey Baby
http://www.mainemerchants.org//docs/CPSC%20Press%20Release%201-8-09.pdf
And, here’s an email from a congressman – it’s definitely a step in the right direction! At least the ‘powers that be’ are thinking and listening to us.
Dear Mrs. *********:
Thank you for contacting my office regarding the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.
In response to the recall of millions of Chinese-made toys made with hazardous levels of lead paint in 2007, Congress began consideration of a measure to improve safety standards for children’s toys. On March 6, 2008, the Senate passed the CPSIA by a vote of 79-13. On August 1, 2008, the Senate approved the conference report to accompany H.R.4040 by a vote of 89-3. I supported both measures. Consumer safety is vital at all levels, and this legislation can do a great deal to improve enforcement. It is important that the Commission is strengthened with an increased budget at a time when there has been a serious problem with unsafe foreign imports.
The CPSIA authorizes increased funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) so that the CPSC can effectively enforce our safety standards. It also limits the use of phthalates, which are plastic softeners used in toys and are believed to cause harm to reproductive development. Additional requirements include mandatory premarket testing for lead and other hazards by certified laboratories, the mandating of current voluntary standards for toy manufacturing, and a prohibition on the exporting or distribution of products that have been designated as imminent hazards to public health or safety.
In response to complaints from thrift stores and sellers of handmade toys that these new restrictions, to be enforceable on February 10, 2009, are unworkable and would drive them out of business, the CPSC has given preliminary approval to changes in the new lead-testing rules. Tentative exemptions have been granted for items with lead parts children cannot access, clothing toys, and other goods made of natural materials such as cotton and wood, and electronics that are impossible to make without lead.
I will continue to monitor your concerns with the implementation of this Act, and should this matter come before the Senate I will keep your thoughts in mind.
Again, thank you for taking the time to bring your views on this issue to my attention. The concerns of my constituents are of great importance to me. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office or visit my website at .: United States Senator Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania :: Home :..
Sincerely,
Arlen Specter
(from change.org)
Go to their site and VOTE.
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia
A Proposal From the handmadetoyalliance.org:
In 2007, large toy manufacturers who outsource their production to China and other developing countries violated the public’s trust. They were selling toys containing dangerously high lead content, unsafe small parts, and chemicals that made kids sick.
The United States Congress rightly recognized that the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lacked the authority and staffing to prevent dangerous toys from being imported into the US. So, they passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August 2008. Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in children’s products, mandates third party testing and certification, and requires manufacturers of all goods for children under the age of 12, to permanently label each item with a date and batch number.
All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational companies to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each item have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and updating their systems to include batch labels. Small businesses however, will likely be driven out of business by the costs of mandatory testing, to the tune of as much as $4,000 or more per item. And the few larger manufacturers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007.
Anyone who produces or sells any of the following new or used items will be required to comply with the law: toys, books, clothing, art, music, educational supplies, materials for the learning disabled, bicycles, and more. Any uncertified item intended for children under the age of 12 will be considered contraband after February 10, 2009. It will be illegal to sell or give these items away to charities, and the government will require their destruction or permanent disposal, resulting in millions of tons of unnecessary waste, and placing an enormous strain on our landfills.
There is a clear disconnect between the sweeping nature of this law, and the narrow range of products that were problematic in 2007. The CPSIA applies standards that were put in place in reaction to the sale of toys contaminated with lead paint and toxic plastics. Rather than focus on these materials, this law imposes a guilty until proven innocent mentality on all children’s products by imposing mandatory testing and certification, and in the process will kill an entire industry.
Thriving small businesses are crucial to the financial health of our nation. Let’s amend the CPSIA so that all businesses large and small are able to comply and survive!
Stumble It!
