Sad Thought

I remember a time when gorgeous craft supplies weren't so easily accessible, but it's quite trendy now.
... I feel sad thinking that maybe it will go out of fashion, and I won't be able to get things in the future. I also see lots of fantastic things right now that of course won't be in fashion in the future- scrapbooking paper designs. :( But I can't afford them now, and even if I could I think I'd still want more in the future.

Christmas Decorations

Danish hearts by ViolinKeri
I want to make Christmas decorations. Now that I have dexterity in my fingers, unlike when I was in junior primary school and making popstick stars, I can actually make some decent things. Even simple things look nice.
I'd like to make some bead angels, make some polymer clay ornaments, and whatever else I can find. They'd be great to give as random presents to brighten people's day.




Link

(our tree is just a tree, no animals. And our candle thing holds two tiny candles, one at each end, and has people in it, not a town scene).

I'd like to make some from different cultures to remind me of our travels. In our house we've got some little ornaments from Germany- some wooden deer, and a tree made with curled shavings, and a little candle arch thing. They had them all over Germany and we loved them. Several years later my mother's penfriend sent us a tiny one. Getting the wooden tree was an 'ordeal'. We were in a Weinachtsmarkt (Christmas market) and I pulled myself together, got brave, and asked in a pretty good attempt at German, how much the little tree was. The woman answered me in German, and I asked her a few more questions. Until she said "Oh, let's just speak in English. I'm American!"

It was my first night in Germany and my first attempt at German too.

I'd also like to make some Danish paper hearts, as pictured above. I didn't see any, because I didn't go to Denmark, but when I was student teaching my mentor had one pinned to her noticeboard near her desk. It seems like a great project for kids either at home or in class, and you could teach them about different cultures and traditions while you do it, or you could buy them to give as cards or to put in your windows, if you're not in a making mood like I am.

I think I'm going to make it a tradition that every year, I'll make some more ornaments.

CPSIA Laws

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.

How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:
Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:
Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.
Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:
Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:
Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:
Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:
Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:
Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

If you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Law
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.




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I know I'm Australian, and my friend is British. But this will affect a lot of my hobbies, a lot of my international friends, will affect possibly what items I can sell on Etsy or Ebay to raise money (they won't be for children, but they might be considered 'for children' by idiots because they're dolls).

One Sold!

The Flying Spaghetti Monster Sold!
It would have been nice if there'd been a bidding war though. Hmn.

I've also put Jeeves and Wooster back up.

The minimum bid is AU$40, which is a very good deal. I've been selling it for US$40 on Etsy.

Flying Spaghetti Monster

The other thing I put up on Ebay was one of my two flying spaghetti monster ornaments. The tie is a narrow strip of leather. And it's great for Christmas!


May you be touched by his noodley appendage!

Go and bid, the auction's almost over, and it's going for AU$10, which is hugely cheap.

Why Jeeves and Wooster?

The first thing is of course, I love Jeeves and Wooster. I started making figurines of them ages back, I made one for a friend. And then I realised that people would actually want to buy them- I know a lot of Jeeves and Wooster fans. I accidentally underpriced for a few of the figurines though. Each one is made with polymer clay, (it's like plasticine that you bake and it goes hard) and so far, has taken about three hours each.

I'm perfectly capable of making other sorts of figurines, but I really love Jeeves and Wooster. Also, my friend and I really enjoy watching it together, so it's an 'in' reference there. And it's British. And about two people who help each other out. And, possibly best of all, its in the public domain- the stories are, not the tv series. So that's why my figurines aren't supposed to be Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry.

Why are they faceless? I like them that way. I think people can imagine the expressions onto their faces better than I could actually create them myself.
Plus, if you look at the opening credits of Jeeves and Wooster- they're all faceless!