power.

Little people have big power. Yesterday the CPSC has granted a 1-year stay on the new law while they revise & edit the law.

Meanwhile...I got kind of excited about refocusing my sometimes hobby excess/sometimes extra moolah business away from baby/children. Here's my new Etsy store banner:


And here's my new label design, just sent off to the weaver for garment labels! (the care/content/origin labels are boring so we'll just skip that picture.)

I must be on a red/aqua kick (when aren't I?) because while off for my little weather suckage break, I also have been working on a spring skirt from the book Sew What Skirts:


from this fabric


It's mostly finished.


Waist & zip are done


Only hem to go, which will be dotty. Of course.


This book is very cool eye candy, but more importantly, it shows how to draft a skirt to your measurements. You can draft a straight "pencil" skirt, a-line, circle, wrap around... with various modifications for each of those. And there are no size limitations because you use your own measurements to draft! Very cool.

Flickr group HERE. Another HERE.

Spring skirts with snow still on the ground...who else does this?

cpsia

I've been holding my tongue on this one for well over 2 months now. I hope by now that all of you are aware of the effect a recently amended law will have on handmade goods for children 12 and under.

I was one of those moms who chose wooden and other "all-natural" toys for her toddlers. In fact, I got into sewing & crafting because I was so interested in an alternative to cheap, plastic toys & mass produced clothing & accessories. That was about 15 years ago.

I started crafting wooden toys first, then after I found my love affair with fabric & my sewing machine, I started doing children's clothing.

I was never "big time". I was never highly in demand. But I always sold out.
Even if I couldn't afford handmade items to purchase for my kids (I was a single mother of an infant and toddler by the time I was 27) I could always make the items. And frankly, my crafty imagination has always been one of my better qualities.

People would see the things I made...and want one. Thus started a limited selection of items. I've never made more than 2 of anything.

I started focusing on clothing & accessories after the kids were bigger and no longer interested in wooden toys. My girl was also less interested in handmade clothing (*cries*) yet I still had the urge to create.

That little venture has served me well, when I wanted it to, over the past 5 or 6 years via eBay and more recently Etsy.


I don't do this full time, never have. I was never brave enough to cast all my pebbles in the same basket, to be honest.

But there are plenty of people who DO make beautiful handmade items for children full time. And they are the ones in danger of losing their livelihood on February 10.

The CPSIA's purpose was to protect children from lead and phlalate poisoning, and pushed through Congress in the wake of the many toy recalls in 2007 (nearly all of which were imports from China).


And while I can see & support the good intentions behind this new law...it has far-reaching ramifications that were neither considered nor have they been addressed.


Handmade clothing and toys for children 12 & under WILL be unlawful to sell without expensive 3rd party testing for lead & phlalates after February 10.


I hope you'll join me in the fight to save handmade. For more information click the button below.

I also highly recommend you visit youtube and search CPSIA. There are a wealth of news stories about local crafters and toymakers all over the country who will be affected by this law.

As always, XOXO to my friend Christa for the beautiful photos
of her daughter Bella in jemima*bean.

pity

Oh, Brad....poor, sad, multimillionaire. How we feel for your frustrations with the media and the incessant glimpses into your private life. It's not easy being a movie star, huh?

I could say more, but "Davey" in Brisbane said it better...

"Tell ya what Brad, lets swap. I'll do your next movie, you do my next tour of Afghanistan."

Oh, SNAP.

wonderland - day 2

Landscapes...

Livestock...


Cold but enjoying it...

I'm feeling generous, so I'm sending all of my blogger friends on the East Coast some snow.

You're welcome.

glazed

Yup, it came. Still coming. Look how pretty it is:


Pretty much everything looks like a winter wonderland. Super dangerous to walk and/or drive on though! Staying home (& indoors) today!! Here's my little dog's "path" in the backyard. That's not snow...that's sleet buildup.


Missing this morning from my backyard was my little bird friend. He sits outside my kitchen window every morning and we eyeball each other while I make my hot cocoa.


These pics are all from a couple days ago when I couldn't resist any longer. He's so fat and cute!


I think he could hear the shutter & zoom clicking!


I'm not exactly a bird watcher or anything, but I really love birds. Especially when they sit and let me snap about 30 pics of them. I hope the little guy is holed up some place warm this morning!

ice ice baby

Ice warning for me. Which means ALL my laundry is now done and ALL the dishes are clean. The dishes (nor the laundry) quite knows what to think of me.

StickGirl nudged me to cook up a few dinners that can be eaten in the days to come if (when!) I lose power. StickGirl is so smart.

Sadly, my laptop battery is toast, so...if the power goes so does my connection to the lovely blog world. *cries*

I have been planning activities for the no tv, no internet, kids driving me crazy day or two ahead...

I have this pattern ready to pleat for Lu. It's not often you find a smocking pattern that tweenish girls will wear. She really likes this one though:



And this is darn cute too, especially if I make a little cropped or swing jacket to match:


I've seen this one made up as a top wtih jeans in Sew Beautiful, and it really was sew beautiful (harhar).


The Lexinator needs something smocked I'm thinking. She's such a hellion. Hellions should wear frilly Nelona Swiss batiste with French lace methinks. I've been thinking bishop since she's not immediately available to measure. This is a bishop pattern, for those of you not familar with smocking: (although I've got a whole stash of AS&E magazines with gorgeous bishop patterns that I'll be using for the base):


Ok I gotta scoot, cause the living room floor is currently covered in pink & black giraffe print knit. Yup, the BWOF 2/08 dress is actually in the PROGRESS stage!! It has 4 pieces that have to be cut out in the single layer stage, so I got tired. Well, ok. I got bored. But back to it. Now.

Stay warm!

new-old

You know the problem (that isn't much of a problem) with BWOF? It comes every month, and I totally forget about great issues! There are just so many good ones, and even the not so good ones have at least one amazing thing I want to make.

One of last year's that I really enjoyed but forgot about was the February 08 issue. This is a great dress:


I absolutely forgot about it until Rachel reviewed it last night. Dang, that is one hot dress! (Rachel is new to blogging, but makes really great clothes, so go over and say hi! ) I have been holding onto a giraffe print knit from Gorgeous Fabrics for over a year because I couldn't decide on a suitable project. I think this dress might be it!

While I was flipping through 2/08 I also "remembered" I wanted to make this top:And this spring coat is just fabulous.I wanted to make this little dress for my Lu, I LOVE the big ruffle at the hem. I'm sad the style is too young for me (sniff.)
Luckily BWOF anticipated my sniffles and gave me a grown up spring dress to compensate. Very pretty...although where in the world would I wear it? Although prom is coming up (you know, in 4 months. :D )


What are your favorites from past BWOF's that got away from you?

The very talented and very generous Melissa gave me the Kreativ Blogger award this week! I love blog buttons, and this one is so cute!


Now it's my turn to give it away! The rules are simple, link to the blogger who nominated you, then nominate 7 creative bloggers & let them know they can pick up the cute little button for their site! I read SO many creative blogs out there. But here are 7 of my faves, old & new...

*Shannon of Frogs in a Bucket
*Meg of Boutique Nutmeg
*Laurraine at Patchwork Pottery
*Nettie at A Quilt is Nice
*Heather at Bluhm Studios
*Kristine at Just Keep Sewing
*Lory at the Diary of L (who needs to get her butt back to blogging pronto!!)

I didn't put any effort into seeing if any of these charming, talented bloggers have already been nominated. So if you get it twice, you're just twice as special! And thank you Melissa!

Off to do Saturday things...