Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

It seems like we all have more questions than answers about this new law.

Basically, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act requires any item for children under 12 to be tested for lead and phthalates. Not having lead in children's toys sounds like a good idea, especially with all those toys with lead in them being imported. Despite its feel good name, this is a horrible law. The third party testing this law requires is very expensive. If you buy or sell children's items, this will affect you.

This law just doesn't make sense. Say you make some wood blocks, either natural or finished with beeswax. How on earth would lead get in that? This law hurts small business and even larger business. It hurts people making natural and handmade toys and children's items, items that are already designed to be better and not harmful.

Spread the word about this, write to your representatives and the president.

For more info:
http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/
http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.html

Read the whole thing here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.4040:

Results Are In December 22th Blog Carnival

For all those Holiday traditions:

http://stormydesigns.blogspot.com/2008/12/december-22-edition-etsy-bloggers.html

Christmas/ December 22 Blog Carnival

I'm writing this before the week is suddenly over! I've been busy with work, although not as busy as before, and shopping, and trying to find time to create!

Christmas traditions
Christmas Eve we go to the candlelight service at church. Then we come home, have snacks and hang out, we usually end up opening a present each.

This will be my first Christmas Eve night not sleeping at my parents house. When I lived far away, I'd be there on vacation. Now I live close by with my baby (kitten) who doesn't get to go.

Christmas Day I'm usually woken up by people wanting to open presents right away. I wonder if I'll get wake up phone calls at 6am this time around... We exchange gifts and hang out some more, then do a big family lunch.

This year we'll also do Christmas stuff later for the people who don't get to be there on the day of.

Christmas Spotlight
I don't have Christmas themed items in my shop right now, but I do have lots of things that would make great gifts!
Here are some more gift ideas from my etsy friends:

For little ones:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15884825
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_17&listing_id=18637483
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6223847

For knitters:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13258254

Or Spinners:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15791795

For people who wear belts:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12526850

For your favorite craft fair vendor:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12258538

For people who like to bathe with yummy soaps:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_11&listing_id=18742503
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_4&listing_id=18585287

For someone who deserves a beautiful flower:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13972246

Or an angry cookie:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15685654

New Batch of Magents

These are of a variety of places... Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois.

Results Are In December 8th Blog Carnival

For lots of talk about Brownies and Flowers!

http://homemadeoriginals.blogspot.com/2008/12/etsy-bloggers-carnival-december-8.html

For the Hero of Canton

A friend of mine was talking about dressing up as Jayne Cobb, and we got to talking about me knitting a Jayne hat. Well, it took me a while, but I got it done! I made a pattern for a Jayne hat.

As a Christmas present to all you Browncoats, I've decided to post it here!


For you non knitters, custom knitting services are available...



Jayne Cobb Hat Pattern

Wool-ease Super bulky Weight
Size 11 needles
guage: 2.5 stitches per inch

Made for a head 22 to 24 inches around

Cast on 56 stitches in orange and join

Work 1 by 1 rib for 3 rows
Then knit 2.5 in of orange (3.5 in orange total, 13 rows)

Length of hat body = 8 in

knit 6 rows yellow
Begin decreases
row 1: k2tog, k6, 7 times around
row2: knit
row3: k2tog, k5, 7 times around
row4: knit
row5: k2tog, k4, 7 times around
row6: knit
row7: k2tog, k3, 7 times around
row8: knit
row9: k2tog, k2, 7 times around
row10: knit
row11: k2tog, k1, 7 times around
row12: k2tog, 7 times around

Pull end through remaining stitches

Ear Flaps

Placed slightly towards the back of the hat.
Pick up 15 stitches
Knit 17 rows stockinette
K2tog, K2tog, knit till 4 st remain, SSK, SSK
P2tog, purl across, P2tog
K2tog, knit across, K2tog
Repeat last two rows until 3 stitches remain
Cut yarn, pull end through last 3 st, tie, and leave end to hang.
Weave in end at top.

Make a pompom and attach it at the top, weave in any last ends, and you're done!

Featured Etsy Blogger for December

Each month the Etsy Bloggers choose a member to feature and write about. The featured Etsy Blogger for December is SpottedCowSoaps.


You can find her blog here http://SpottedCowSoaps.blogspot.com

and her Etsy shop is here http://SpottedCowSoaps.etsy.com

SpottedCowSoaps sells a variety of soaps, lotions, and bath accessories. She has so many delicious looking soaps!

Winter Flowers Blog Carnival

This topic just made me think of BeadFloraJewels. She makes such pretty flowers! She has some gorgeous wedding bouquets, I just love them!

BeadFloraJewels is one of the Challengettes in Bittersweets One A Day Challenge. She makes her flowers with lots and lots of tiny seed beads.









You can check out her whole shop at: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5621213
and her blog here: http://beadflorajewels.blogspot.com/


You can see items by all the Bittersweet Challengers here: http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title&search_query=oneadaychallenge

Etsy Knitters Holiday Calendar

http://etsyknitters.blogspot.com/2008/12/day-1-of-holiday-calendar.html


The Etsy Knitters Street Team is featuring a Holiday Calendar. It's looking pretty cool so far. Something from my blog is going to be on there....
Enjoy and keep checking back to see the whole calendar!