Thursday, January 22, 2009

Amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act


What is happening with this Act? Let me give you some background of this pending law. When toys where received from China and the paint was found to have toxic ingredients, that could harm our children, a new law was presented to be passed by the Bush administration and that stated that all "toy" producers were to have all aspects of their products checked from a third party. The problems that we are having as crafters of "dolls" is the interpretation of toy. That would mean that someone like me would have to have every aspect of my creation checked and would end up costing the creator money .....$150 per aspect such as eyes, paint, and anything that could effect general safety of the consumer in fact! The problem is is that my creations I do not consider a "toy" for a child. My creations are for adults and adult use ONLY! Whether you are a doll collector, doll enthusiast, home decorator, or just love handmade items...Those people are the customers I'm targeting with my crafts! I have made it well known by the customer ,that is buying my items, that this is the case with my creations so they are aware of what they are buying and the limitations of my products. The rest is the responsibility of the customer to use my item as intended and to not leave the lamps for "HOURS" unattended and put it where small children can get a hold of its contents and choke or get "sick" on its contents, or to give a doll to a child that doesn't understand its purpose and licks the coffee, cinnamon mixture off its body and also gets sick! Sounds strange but it could happen and is a large concern for creators of toys for children under the age of 12! I may tell customers that my dolls are "ADULT TOYS" but this statement is considered MY INTERPRETATION of what I create and will not hold water in court! (It almost sounds like I'm not favoring safety for children. I am a certified elementary teacher and worked in our schools as a substitute for many years. I had an emphasis on early childhood, was a kindergarten teacher's aide for a year and have a child of my own that now is looking into getting married in June! I love children...I have spent a large part of my life working with young children! I wouldn't want to give my child, or any child, ANYTHING that could harm them or make them sick. I am for safety for youngsters. It's just my items are not intended for the use by children. They are for ADULTS ONLY!)Do I hear an echo in here?LOL

This pending act will be either put into law "as is" or may be amended so that we "adult" doll creators will not be effected. Primitives have NEVER made to be in the hands of children and NEVER WILL! If I HAD said my items can be safely given to children and someone got hurt I could see how it would effect me! The point is I don't claim my items can be for ANYONE but adults ....from dolls to pins and lamps. The adults even have a responsibilty though to keep their items out of their children's hands, as I have warned, and use their items with a responsibility to keep themselves safe and their loved ones safe! The law will be going through on Febuary 10th and will effect many crafts...not just dolls or "toys"! Anything that could harm a young person will be touched by this law if it isn't changed and soon! Crafts "COULD" be changed forever....and so could their forums such as Ebay and Etsy! No one will be able to do craftfairs either, "toys" that are not truly "toys" for children but "ADULT DOLLS" .....that will not harm anyone that follows responsible acts of an adult because they were not intended for children's use in the first place .... will have to close their shops and stop production of their craft by this date!


I am sincerely saddened that this has happened and hope that enough people can get in touch with their senators to stop this act to becoming law! I see that some crafters have put their shop items on "hold" until this law is amended or sent through as intended! Whatever the intentions of the designers of these handmade items the law could remain as it is and will effect those that continue their businesses will fall under this new act "as is" and may be subject to lawsuits, financial penalties, and or jail time for not having their items tested and paying these high prices to have all aspects of their creations tested as stated in the act!
It also could be amended enough to "leave out" those of us that do crafts that can be a danger to youngsters because it falls under the muddled title, like "toys" not specifying if for child use or adult use ONLY, or can be items that , if it does get in the hands of child can suffer because of the paint isn't safe because it is for adult use ONLY, small parts can come off and be swallowed and cause choking because it was home decoration ONLY, or certain aspects of a craft that is intended for adults ONLY gets in the hands of a child and can cause harm in some way!


What will I do? Well I do have until the 10th of Feb. I will keep my shop open in Etsy and will continue with my sale as long as I can. Although it is little help I'll start working on safety rules for my items and print them out to be sent with each item I sell. I'll be listening very closely to other crafters to see what is happening in congress and with the uproar of the concerned ,and highly effected crafters. I have contacted my state senator for answers and to see if I can do anything , as one voice of crafters, to amend this act and make it embrace my craft without penalties. I am saying a small prayer for all of us as creators that we can keep handmade items alive and well! Let's not have to look back on this time and say ,"That is the day homemade items died!" Let's try to keep creations alive and well! It has been a part of our history for YEARS and CENTURIES! I believe in what I do and believe in the imagination and talent of others and their crafts to sit and fight. I will do exactly that! If my shop is suddently gone by Feb. 10th you'll know what happened. I will be here to inform you what has happened and why!


Have a great day all! Enjoy today and come back for updates as they come to me!


ETSY LINK

http://www. willowtreetreasures.etsy.com

Monday, January 12, 2009

PreValentine's Day Sale with FREE SHIPPING and HANDLING !





Good morning all! Did someone say, "There is a savings somewhere today?" Well I just did and I invite all of your to check it out in my Etsy Shoppe today! Look at the top of my shop, when you first get into where my items are. This is the area where I post any sales that are going on in my shop. You can also read about it here! This is the special for today until Feb. 14th 2009!



**FREE SHIPPING AND HANDLING

until Feb.14th 2009 SALE! Please contact me and let me know what items you are interested in and I will gladly send you an invoice to make this change. Enjoy this savings and take advantage of this sale! (U.S. purchases **ONLY!) Please send me your email addy and I will be able to successfully send you an revised invoice! Thanks alot!


(Because of the cost to send items to other countries...I am sorry to say that this sale can ONLY involve U.S. sales! I apologize for that but hope you can understand!)

Come in a take a look around and see if there is something that could help you with your home decorating or gift giving. EVERYONE ENJOYS A SAVINGS and I hope you do as well! ENJOY!


ETSY SHOP:

http://www.willowtreetreasures.etsy.com

Sunday, January 11, 2009

A Dove has joined my Etsy shop for Valentine's Day!






Good morning all! How are all of you doing that have been expecting ALOT of snow? In PA I would have to say that we must have at least 4"-5" out of the 10" that was expected. Unless we get the rest today! I was watching the news and saw all the snow Ohio and other areas have gotten and can't believe all that they have!!!! If you are one in these areas that got alot of snow please be careful going out and remember your boots. Thought it was your mother speaking didn't ya? Seems like the older I get the more of my mother's sayings I hear out of my own mouth! I guess it is a normal reaction when you become a mother...and sometimes even when your not one!!LOL

I wanted to inform you of another item that I just added to my Etsy shop. I have added a Valentine's Day dove. It is a wonderful doll or shelf sitter that would be just beautiful in your home ..or the perfect gift to give someone that you love. Please take some time today and take a look. It is well worth taking a peek at! I hope you enjoy this item as much as I have had making it for you!



ETSY LINK:

http://willowtreetreasures.etsy.com

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Check to see who is in the Top 100 Blogs and vote for your favorite!







I have just added my business to Linda Walsh's Originals Top 100 Blog for Crafters. Please come in and take a look who all is here and vote for me when you go to pick blogs that are your favorite. Learn about the crafters behind the art!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Etsy Shoppes, Olde Thyme Mercantiles , Olde Barn Prims Top 100 Lists? Here is are the lists! Check them out!

I have added my name to the following TOP 100 Primitive Sites, Top 100 Craft Sites and Top 100 Etsy Shoppes! Please visit each site and see where my business ranks!












Monday, January 5, 2009

Are you in the mood for LOVE?

Hello all! How is your 2009 going? Are you remembering to write the year as 2009? This year , so far, so good for me! How are you all doing on your resolutions? If your doing fine...good for you and keep going. If you haven't started yet..there is always time to get going and start your changes. Did you give up? I'm sorry to hear that if that is your case...well maybe later this year or try again next year!

I'm winning half of my resolution and that is to keep my business producing ...but have to admit there is not much happening with the weight loss. At least I'm not gaining anything! I'll keep trying though!

I hope you aren't giving up on me! My son has left, once again, and my husband just went back to work today! I have been working on some new Valentine's Day items and have been picking and grinning , in between all the other things I have had going on lately, and I managed to get two more items up for sale in my Etsy shop. I have a shelf sitter dog angel doll and I got a doxie
angel dog doll finished as well! These are some great items to give the love of your life , especially if they have a connection to dogs! I hope you enjoy them and I will keep working on more items to celebrate this holiday of love to help fill up my shop! Please come in today and take a look!

Primitive Valentine's Day Shelf sitter Dog Doll
Primitive Valentine's Day Angel Doxie Dog Doll
I hope you enjoy your visit! Visit as much as you like and hopefully there will be something there waiting for you that you can't seem to leave there!LOL

ETSY SHOP LINK:

www.willowtreetreasures.etsy.com