CPSC Grants One Year Stay on Testing Requirements

(taken from Etsy)

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously
(2-0) to issue a one year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products, including products intended for children 12 years old and younger. These requirements are part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which added certification and testing requirements for all products subject to CPSC standards or bans.

Significant to makers of children’s products, the vote by the Commission provides limited relief from the testing and certification requirements which go into effect on February 10, 2009 for new total lead content limits (600 ppm), phthalates limits for certain products (1000 ppm), and mandatory toy standards, among other things. Manufacturers and importers – large and small – of children’s products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.
The decision by the Commission gives the staff more time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve certain materials and products from lead testing and to issue more guidance on when testing is required and how it is to be conducted.
The stay will remain in effect until February 10, 2010, at which time a Commission vote will be taken to terminate the stay.

YAY!!!!!!

Meet My Pets- Part 1

So I know I have blogged about our great dog quite a bit, and of course I talk about my kids and hubby. But I have been forgetting to write about another big part of our family- our 4 cats! Yes, I did say 4!! (Someone once said that cats are like potato chips, you can't have just one.)

Introducing- Prince, our 5 year old Siamese mix

Me: Hi Prince, How are you doing this morning?

Prince: I am just feeling FABULOUS today! The sun is shining, it stopped snowing, and my guy is home from work so I can go sit on his lap!

Me: So what is your favorite thing to do during the day?

Prince: In this cold weather I really like to lay in front of whatever heater I can get to and press up against it so all the hot air keeps me warm. In the summer I like to chill in sinks to keep cool, it is a great life!

Me: Who is your favorite person and cat in the house?

Prince: Well of course Klint is my favorite, someday he will appreciate my uber loud purring and tubby belly. And my favorite cat is of course Bo, my long time partner. We cuddle together and yes, I know you have caught us spooning frequently. ;)

Me: With the New Year I know you made some resolutions, would you share some with us?

Prince: 1. Lose a little bit of the tummy and cut back on the kibble. 2. Learn to turn on the faucet for myself. 3. Stop getting jumped by Elmo. 4. Make friends with Spooky, hopefully she will stop trying to turn me into a chew toy!

Me: Well it was great talking with you, last question: What is your best feature?

Prince: Well the baby blue eyes are a show stopper but I think my purr which can be heard anywhere in the house is by far the coolest thing! Thanks to my Siamese ancestors I can share my happiness with everyone!

And that my friends is Prince, our rainbow flag waving fabulously pretty kitty!

Goodbye Handmade, Hello Detroyed Economy

Check out this GREAT post about the ramifications about the new laws that take effect on Feb 10th. Even if you are already well informed it will still shock you!

And while we are talking about handmade here is my newest product: a yoga mat tote!!! (Thank goodness it isn't meant for kids!)

A Russian Invasion!!

I am obsessed with foreign and handmade dolls these days. I have been staring and staring at different templates to make a rag doll for AJ but haven't mustered up the courage to have a go at any of them yet. For now I am content to paint Kokeshi dolls and mini dolls for my girls, but I think my next challenge is going to be Matryoshka dolls- Russian Nesting Dolls! These dolls seem to be a popular theme right now on Etsy so I am going to share some of my favorite works. (Just click on a pic to go to the seller!!

And if you don't want to buy some finished dolls, you can paint your own at Romp!!

Well... New Year, New Changes

Last year brought a ton of changes for our family, all for the better. Some were learning experiences and others were just good all the way around. So what better way to start out 2009 than with a big change. (No, I am not pregnant, erase that thought from your sick minds!) No, we decided to downsize and sell our house.

Now, don't get me wrong, our house is perfect for us. It is huge, our neighbors are fabulous, and and it has a ton of good points. But.... it is also a hefty mortgage, one that I think is a stretch for us to manage and still retain some semblense of having any type of extra monies or savings. Plus trying to heat a house this size is almost another mortgage payment, again, something we just can't afford. Then there is the fact that things keep happening that also hinder the whole "saving for the future" goals that we have- like gutters falling off and tearing down awnings, the car breaking, salaries being frozen, etc. So it is goodbye homeownership and hello renting again.

And this is where things get interesting because where on earth would we find a 3-4 bedroom apartment that is cool with large dogs and cats, has affordable heat, and is in a cool part of town? Well lo and behold we have found such a place that has that and so much more. (More about the potential future Krebs pad later!)

So that is what is going on... it was a hard decision, we love having our house and a lot of work went into painting it and such, but we want to have a good financial outlook for this year and for the future. I will miss most of all our great neighbors who have been beyond awesome, anyone would be so lucky to have them in their lives!!!

Surf's Up- Happy Chinese New Year

Hi there! I was waiting to do my usual Surf's Up for this special holiday. We love celebrating different customs and holidays in my house, especially if there is food involved, so I wanted to share some cool things to do, make, and eat to celebrate the Chinese New Year- the year of the Ox!!

Today my lil ones made some really cool felt and fabric fortune cookies made from this tutorial (these are sooooooo easy!!). The only part that the kids needed me to do was the sewing part.

Then we made some pretty paper lanterns to hang up in the playroom, you can get great directions here! (Kaboose is a great site for activities and other things for kids, reminds me of Wondertime!)



And our last activity before lunch was "reading" tea leaves with Chinese tea. Combine the imagination of a 4 year old and a bunch of soppy tea leaves and you have a good time for sure. (I was told that I will be taking Gabby to the toy store where AJ will make a mess and I will buy Gabby a dino!)
Here is some interesting information about Chinese customs regarding New Year's Day:
House Cleaning
The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment are put away. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day for fear that good fortune will be swept away. After New Year's Day, the floors may be swept. Beginning at the door, the dust and rubbish are swept to the middle of the parlor, then placed in the corners and not taken or thrown out until the fifth day. At no time should the rubbish in the corners be trampled upon. In sweeping, there is a superstition that if you sweep the dirt out over the threshold, you will sweep one of the family away. Also, to sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by the front entrance is to sweep away the good fortune of the family; it must always be swept inwards and then carried out, then no harm will follow. All dirt and rubbish must be taken out the back door.

Personal Appearance and Cleanliness
On New Year's Day, we are not suppose to wash our hair because it would mean we would have washed away good luck for the New Year. Red clothing is preferred during this festive occasion. Red is considered a bright, happy color, sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future. It is believed that appearance and attitude during New Year's sets the tone for the rest of the year. Children and unmarried friends, as well as close relatives are given lai see, little red envelopes with crisp one dollar bills inserted, for good fortune.

And no Surf's Up would be complete without an Etsy creation!

I saw this lovely fortune cookie necklace and fell in love! The creator, Mynta, is offering free shipping fo it so someone please go get it before I do!!!

We Have A Winner!!!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway and for all the nice comments from my Etsy friends! I love handmade toys and am so thankful to be able to share something I made with a child!

Our winner is:

OneMoreHound said...
My favorite toy growing up was Buckey
the Horse from Fisher Price- not only could I store stuff in the saddle seat but
I could take him all over the house, yard and driveway... good times, good
times.I would love to give this house to Aadien (2 years old) who would love a
farmhouse or a gas station for his cars. This is such a precious idea- great
stuff!

YAY!!!!

(please email me at mrs.conniekrebs@hotmail.com to get your prize!!)

January Giveaway!

Every parent knows how hard it is to keep a child entertained in the doctor's office, at church, while taking a long trip in the car. And nothing is worse than toys low on batteries or loud enough to drown out the radio. That is why I am going to give away one reader's choice of a soft dollhouse or farmhouse, made with love by yours truly. The house will be personalized and custom made, a one of a kind toy that will be good for both child and parent!!

Here is what you have to do to win:
1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite toy as a child and who the farmhouse or dollhouse would be for.
2. Make sure you leave your name.
3. The giveaway is open until Friday (Jan 23) at midnight and the winner will be announced on Sat, Jan 24.

These are some pics of some of the other houses I have made for my girls so you can see what some look like.

Surf's Up Saturday- Soon to be Illegal Toys

For this addition of Surf's Up Sunday I decided to feature toys made by fellow Etsians. With the Feb 10th deadline approaching faster and faster the atmosphere on Etsy is very mixed. Some sellers are resigned to getting rid of all their beautiful creations as quickly as possible while others are giving the government the big F*U and sticking to their guns, ready to fight. I have heard a lot of sellers becoming very depressed as selling handmade toys is their passion and income and I am sorry that I cannot feature them all. No matter what there will always be parents who appreciate and look for beautfully made handmade toys and other items for their kids.

Just click on a pick to be directed to each shop!

**Make sure to come back tomorrow for this month's giveaway!!**

Ok Ok I Get It

I take back my post from last night.... when I was complaining about 1 degree weather... can I have my 12 degrees back please? It is -11 here and that is WITHOUT the windchill. For any of you who have no clue what windchill is, it is what it REALLY feels like outside with the wind blowing... usually windchills are about 10 degrees lower than the actual temp. Like here where the windchill is currently -35! YIKES!!!!

I think that I am going to play "Will it freeze?" with the kids, just for fun. It is where you take a whole bunch of random things from Spam to beer, pour it in cups, and leave it outside to see how long it takes to freeze it. =)

Here are some pics of our recent outdoor fun.... when the temps were still in the positives!
The video is our first time getting Spooky to pull the sled, she is strong enough to even pull me!