CPSIA postpones ruling on new lead testing for 1 year

Well let me just tell you how relieved I am to hear this morning that the goverment has postponed passing the new lead testing law for children's products for 1 year. They want to further investigate and modify the law so that it protects our children but does not kill our small businesses while doing so.... Woohoo!!!! I just can't tell you how relieved I feel right now! Of course, there's still no telling what we will face a year from now, but it alteast gives me the freedom to continue making and selling my skirts (and burp cloth sets) for 12 more months... and that makes my heart smile!!! :) Temporary victory!!!! I'm posting another favorite picture of my daughter that is a good representation of how I feel right now!! If you are part of this small business group that designs/manufactures/sells childrens clothing and/or accessories, and you would like to help make sure this new law gets modified as it should be, you can follow this link to sign the petition yourself http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html Every signature helps!

And please continue to say a few prayers for those in Kentucky that still have no power from the ice storm... they are going on 6 days now without power... pray that everyone stays safe and warm.... much of my husband's family live in Paducah, KY... some of them have fled to Clarkesville and Murfreesboro until power is back up and running, but some are still there trying to tough it out with the help of generators.

Have a great weekend everyone!! The sun is shining bright here this morning... so between the new news this morning and some warm sunlight coming through my windows, today is starting out to be a beautiful day!! :)

Ending the night on a good note.

So I just cant end the night with that last blog. I have to leave you with something uplifting... I have to leave ME with something uplifting too... I turn my head up to the heavens and thank our good Lord for so many blessings... a beautiful daughter with a beautiful heart, a wonderful and loving family, unbelievably supportive friends, a home with HEAT (some of our family has gone without heat for 3 days now - in Paducah, KY - ice storm), our kind and gentle animals (2 pups and 1 cat), the list could go on for days... So, big deal! Law makers have found another way to stir up the pot... what a surprise! It will all work itself out... and I will still be here making my skirts!!! :) Leaving you with a favorite photo to close out the night... me with 2 of my biggest blessings. Love to you all... Nighty-night!

Trying to educate myself on CPSIA

Ok, so I have been trying to do a crash course of what's been going on with this new CPSIA law... apparently, some joker that knows nothing about manufacturing and was obviously not thinking anything about small businesses when they decided to pass this new law that requires lead testing for ALL children products that are for children 12 and under... and possibly some other testing as well. These testing costs would cause retail prices to more than double... yeah, THAT'S what we need to help the economy! Geeeeees!! So my understanding is that anyone manufacturing children's clothing (and most other children's products) will have to issue a GCC (General Conformity Certificate) once you have testing results back from one of only 23 CPSA accredited testing labs in the United States, stating that your products contain no more than 600ppm lead. This must be done for every item you sell. This law passes Feb.10th. Then, starting August 14, 2009, this maximum level lowers to 300ppm lead. In addition, all products will have to have a permanent tracking label. A clear explanation of the new requirements can be found at http://nsf.org/business/toy_testing/CPSIA.pdf You can get the most up to date information at http://www.fashion-incubator.com/ and then go to the CPSIA Forum. I'm hopeful this new law is going to be postponed so it can be modified. The magnitude of businesses that this would effect... fabric suppliers, graphic designers, trim suppliers, yarn suppliers, advertising agencies, sales reps, sewing operators, pattern makers, and the list goes on... Little ol' me would not do much to the economy, but thousands of "little ol' me's" would certainly make its mark.

Anyhow, my head is swimming with all this red tape. I still have hope though... and I'm still going to push forward. But nothing like throwing an overgrown wrench into the whole equation, eh?!! Keep your fingers crossed for all of us lone craftsmen and artisans out there!

Snow Day & New, Fun Fabrics!!

So yesturday was a snow day. We had a few flakes come down and they closed all surrounding schools. Im not complaining though... snow days are great no matter what you end up doing! We had a house full of kids running around the house like a stampede most of the day, but it was one of those rare occasions where the sound of the stampede was actaully pleasant and brought a smile to my face.... Im off my rocker, arent I?! They went out first thing in the morning to play in the few flakes laying on the grass, then came in, stripped their many layers off leaving a sea of coats, scarves, gloves and hats in the hallway, then warmed up & recharged with some hot chocolate & popcorn... then off to the playroom they went... like a stampede on a mission! Then we didnt see them again until lunch was served... chicken noodle soup, carrots, apples and string cheese... mmm-good! Once they finished... the stampede fled again up the stairs until it was time for everyone to return home. It was a great snow day!

So I have some new fabrics Im dying to play with!!! Ill try to add a picture of some of them later today. Im thinking about trying my hand at some sun dresses for the Spring/Summer. Skirts are still my 1st love, so there will still be plenty of new skirt designs to come, but Id really like to try out this new dress design that keeps haunting me for the toddler age. So many ideas, so little time!!! Keep checking the site though... I expect to have a couple new things on there sometime next week... well, as long as I can manage my time wisely with my PTO duties... that one is always an unknown... always interesting and keeps me on my toes constantly... I think I secretly love it, but boy-o-boy... it takes quite a chunk of time out of my weeks!!

Anyhooooo, I must confess something to you really quick before I close... I have done HORRIBLY about working out this week... we had off school for Martin Luther King, Jr holiday on Monday, then snow day on Tuesday, and then jumped right into work once Alex walked out the door this morning. SO!! I will use this confession to my advantage... Im closing this out and going straight upstairs to my treadmill... and Ill be feeling those love handles bouncing at every step I climb (boy, you'd think that would be enough of a reminder, ya know?) One day at a time... that's what I need to keep reminding myself... one day at time. Ok, off to make my fate for TODAY!! :) Have a lovely Wednesday my friends!!

Crazy Week / Burpie & Paci Clip Sets

Ok, crazy, crazy week!!! PTO stuff coming out the ying-yang, 1st week of truelly trying to put the house back together from the holidays, working on some new designs for the etsy site, found out my mom's trying to burn down her house (not really.. just a small kitchen fire.. but still!!!), and then had our new bedroom furniture delivered and wow!! never realized a "furniture delivery" could be such a horrible experience! Rooms to Go has an OUTSTANDING sales team, but the delivery company that they contract out to is... well... wow... horrible!! So beware... highly recommend them for the sales team, but be prepared for possible major unpleasantness during delivery time! Email me if you'd like more details on that. And then, of course, trying to keep up with some skirt biz... I have so many ideas that I want to play around with but there is just not enough time in the day to explore it all... I lay my head down on the pillow at night and it just starts to stir at full speed... "oo! what about this... what about that... oo! this trim would be great with this fabric... oo! and if we did a little drawstring pull there... " I just LOVE playing with new fabrics and trims and unique details... it's like a kid in a candy store!!! But I tend to slip back into my old workaholic ways when I get going, so Im constantly needing to keep myself in check... especially when it comes to spending time with my family! It's like diving into the ocean and finding all these new and beautiful things under the sea... but then eventually... you have to come up for air to breath... unless youre a mermaid... and then, well... i guess your sewing machine would get awefully rusty awefully quick... ok, totally getting off the subject, sorry!!

Ok, so I worked up some of my burpie & paci clip sets. I'd love to get some feedback on these. Im wondering if it's enough. Im wondering if the 1 burpie & 1 paci clip is enough to hold its own, or if I need to do 2 burpies & a paci clip, or if I need to do a burpie, paci clip and little plush rattle animal... My thinking behind this set was that I was able to use the funky fabrics I love so much and mix them with some funky ribbons for the paci clip and it made a nice price point for small, easy and quick baby gifts... retailing at $12.00. Im just wondering if I shouldnt be afraid to go up to an $18.00 price point but add a 3rd item to the set. Whatcha' think? Feel free to click the comment button and offer feedback on this.

Bibs and Burpies and Clips, Oh My!

Ok, so my next priority is to get my bibs, burp clothes and paci clips listed. It may take me until next week to get all of my photos taken and listings done, but I will probably have seperate paci clips and then bib/burpie/clip sets... of course, in funky fabrics. I have a ton of boy requests in the past several months so I really need to re-balance my inventory so I'm not so heavy in girls and too light in boys. So to the mommies of sweet little boys... Im working on it... Ill have some fun stuff available for you real soon!

Check out the etsy site around mid next week to see all of the yummy new stuff! :) http://snigglefritz.etsy.com

Motivated!

Ok, so Im feeling good... Im 2 days into my 2009 work-out routine. Im bound and determined to stick to it! I can feel the law of gravity taking hold of my mid section and its just not pretty! When you run up the stairs and you can feel your love handles actually jump up and down at each step... well, that just cant be good!

Some of my family (my Aunt Liz, Aunt Giddi & Uncle Joe) have really kicked some tail with getting into shape. They look great, you can tell they feel great, and there is just this extra healthy & energized glow about them... a couple of them are even doing marathons now! So they are a big part of my inspiration... surely, if one generation ahead of me can get into shape, so can I!! :)

"Just say NO to jiggly love handles!!"

My inspiration

Ahhhhh... and this is the source of my inspiration! (and a few gray hairs)

Skirts, skirts skirts!

Ok, playing around with inserting pictures... this is one my recent skirt designs... trying to navigate around the blogger tools... trying to get the hang of it... fun, fun, fun!

A mom and business owner trying to catch up with the times!

Di here... posting my first blog. Check me out!

Ok, so here's my quick low-down... I worked in the corporate clothing design business for about 10 years... working long hours and traveling out of town for weeks at a time. Then, my daughter, Alex was born in 2001... changed my world. I never imagined myself quitting my job to stay home with kids... but WALA! Here I am! Of course, the term "quitting my job" is used loosely. I quit my "corporate job", but started "Snigglefritz", a small children's boutique here in Knoxville, TN. My daughter has inspired me the whole way! I have been strictly a retailer up until about a year ago a I started playing around with my sewing skills starting with cute paci clips, bibs and burp clothes... and eventually found myself addicted to making skirts for my daughter, so I decided I should add that to the inventory list as well.

I have a store on Ebay and Ecrater, and now I am new to Etsy. Ebay and Ecrater currently have all of my gift items, but Etsy is the only location that I am selling my skirts so far. I am having so much fun with these skirts... I just love finding new ways to mix funky fabrics!!

I am also a 1st year PTO president for my daughter's school this year... woowee!! What was I thinking?!!!! Eh! Actually, its been a ton of fun and very rewarding for the most part... but I will tell no lie... it requires a TON of time! It is the equivalent to a demanding part-time job. So that has been a struggle... trying to juggle it all... keeping the shop going, creating this new line of skirts, PTO, teaching sunday school, bible study, helping my husband with his side job, ANIMALAND (like a build-a-bear business but his is mobile), and then, of course, my 1st priority... raising my daughter and keeping up with her!

So here I am... "daring Di" branching out into the bloggers world! Stop in and visit my shop sometime... here are the links:

www.snigglefritzchildrensboutique.ecrater.com
www.snigglefritz.etsy.com
http://stores.ebay.com/Snigglefritz-Childrens-Boutique

And I welcome feedback, comments, suggestions, advice ALWAYS! So post a comment to me or email me at snigglefritz33@yahoo.com. Help me to continue catching up to the 21st century!! :)