Where is Cameron? Speaking of handmade toys...

Some of you lovely people who actually read my blog might be thinking, "where is Cameron?" Cameron is up to her ears in photo editing. I have approximately 9,000 MORE images to edit in the next week.

I promise I'll be active on this blog next year when I figure out this whole "how-to-juggle-your-life-as-you-knew-it-now-turned-upside-down."

Until then, I leave you with this cute photo (shot by Matt) of Owen playing with his GREAT handmade toy from Matt's Uncle Jim (Aunt Phyllis painted all the rocks). It's modeled after a REAL filling station on route 66. Uncle Jim is a real craftsmen. Actually, everyone in Matt's family is an artist of sorts. It's just about the best thing ever!! I included some photos of the artists at work...







One guess how you know this photo was shot by Matt? Take a look...

hummm, Oh, is that a baby on a chair by himself? The other photos had Matt's hand in them just "in case"-- I reminded him that babies shouldn't stand on chairs by themselves. Ah men. They just live a tad more dangerously, eh?

Small Baby businesses! Save THEM

This is from an old friend from 8th grade who I got in touch with recently on Facebook. Thanks Kristen!

Her friend, Keely Shaw, the genius behind Kiddiewinkles Design and purveyor of all things hip for moms and babies, forwarded this information to me. If it burns you up as much as it burns me up, I hope you'll consider doing something about it:

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (the bit that Congress passed to make less lead allowable in toys and children's products as a reactionary measure following the China craziness last year) requires lead testing on EVERY product for children manufactured or sold in the United States. The level of ridiculousness is so high that EVERY color and type of fabric must be tested separately, and every sub-part on the items. So for a diaper it'd be the microfleece, the PUL, the snap, the tag, and the velcro as well as the inner fabric. On a wetbag, the PUL, the regular fabric, the zipper, the hanging loop, and the tag. Each test (third party) costs upwards of $100.

They're including clothes, shoes, bedding, durable goods (which are subject to a higher standard and must be certified and have the certificate and registry with them or some such crazy shit).

The small businesses and independent toy makers of the US are trying to do something, but the law is so blanket that it doesn't include any stipulations for small manufacturers or home businesses. In effect, you couldn't even sell kid stuff at your local craft fair under this law. It was a hugely reactionary measure, (though admittedly well-intentioned) and passed and put into effect before it was fully understood the ginormous consequences.

Consider that the vast majority of your diapers come from WAHMs (even Fuzzibuns, Happy Heiny's, Drybees, and bumGenius are or were at one time WAHM operations), and the fact that the beautiful wooden handmade toys we all hunt down for our kids will be no more if this is allowed to take effect as written. Not only will we lose out on all WAHM products diaper-wise, imagine what this testing will do to the cost of children's clothing at Target or Gymboree.

Of course, this all comes to a head when Congress is recessing, but you can still do something! If your Congressperson was re-elected, contact them now! If you have an incoming Congressperson, contact their local field office!

Here are some links that explain more about what will need to be tested:
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/cpsia-what-must-be-tested/
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/

ALSO, if you have a baby and use cloth diapers, you should totally buy up Keely's inventory right now:
http://www.kiddiewinklesdesigns.com/catalog/