I'm nearing the end of my second year in business, thankful for my wonderful customers and retail shops who have made 2008 such a delightful success. At the same time, I fear the ringing in of the new year because of legislation signed into law that goes into effect on February 10, 2009 - the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This issue is dear to my heart as a mother and maker of products for children, but also how it affects all who make, sell, or buy products for children in the U.S.

The US Congress passed the CPSIA and on August 14th, President Bush signed the Act into law. The Act goes into effect on February 10, 2009 and puts much stricter safety regulations on products intended for the use of children ages 12 and under. While the intentions behind the law are unquestionably good, there are major problems with how the law is currently written. No one disagrees that we need to have measures in place to insure the safety of our children. The CPSIA imposes strict new regulations on testing for lead and phthalates, both of which are horrible substances that certainly should not be in products intended for children, or anyone.

All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational toy manufacturers to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each toy have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and updating their molds to include batch labels. For small American, Canadian, and European toymakers, however, the costs of mandatory testing, to the tune of up to $4,000 per toy, will likely drive them out of business. And the handful of larger toy makers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007. Toy makers won't be the only ones impacted by the CPSIA, the thousands of US businesses who offer clothing, jewelry and other gifts for children --in essence-- the entire children's industry will be as well.

The CPSIA simply forgot to exclude the class of toys that have earned and kept the public's trust. The result, unless the law is modified, is that handmade toys will no longer be legal in the US.

Thriving small businesses are crucial to the financial health of our nation. Let's amend the CPSIA so that all businesses - large and small - are able to comply and survive! I ask and urge you to please click the image above to read more and learn how you can help.

Etsy also wrote an open letter regarding the CPSIA, which I think captures the passion and urgency for home-based, handmade crafters like myself:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/handmade-childrens-items-unintended-consquences-consumer-pr-3056/

If you would like to read the actual law, it can be found here:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsia.pdf

The FAQ from the CPSC is located here:
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/faq.html

FREE SHIPPING!
Yes, save on shipping costs - yay! Just purchase 2 or more items and receive free shipping. Please wait for an adjusted invoice prior to paying.
Special offer is valid today through Monday, December 1st.

SHOP FOR YOUR DINE.N.DOODLES NOW!
Perfect for holiday travels + they make super fun stocking stuffers!

C-U-T-E! Seriously, these are THE cutest cross-eyed sheep you'll ever see --- they make you smile. I was silly with anticipation for the arrival of this laminated cotton. No sooner had I taken it out of the package (after dashing 1/2 down my driveway to meet the post officer delivery lady!) I had a chalk mat in production.  Available now in my Etsy shop!

And for a bit more of sheep goodness, here are three adorably cute sheep products made by fellow EtsyKids members --- (l to r): "Match Made in Heaven" print by cicifactory; Vintage Storybook Lamb Print Pink-n-Blue with Snowy White Blanket by eblankies; Set of 3 Farm Patch Quilt Clips by LittleElephantCo. Enjoy!

1,000 SALES ON ETSY!
*This is a picture of Lilly celebrating her 1st birthday. It sits in my work area and never fails to put a smile on my face. It is the perfect picture to symbolize this happy moment!

I did it, I really did it! Oh how I need a nap. No, seriously, I really do...but fret not, I'm not slowing my momentum. I'm more motivated than ever! Sleep is over-rated anyway, right? I got really good training when Lilly was born --- she didn't sleep through the night until 8 months old (!) --- and nighttime is when most of my sewing happens. Thank you, thank you to all of my fabulous customers for buying my Dine.n.Doodles. I am so grateful for your support!

So, I just had to share my joy in reaching this big milestone --- 1,000 sales in my Etsy store! I sold my first item on December 13, 2006 and a mere 680 days later, my shop ticker hit 1,000. I like to think of it as my first 1,000 sales.

As my Scrabble tile pendant that I'm wearing right now says, "Keep Calm and Carry On." Onward and forward!

I'm always looking for a good bargain and now I'm offering one! Lil.B.Design's is participating in a BOGO sale of monstrous proportions for the EtsyKids Street Team...

Friday, October 24th & Saturday, October 25th over 175 EtsyKids’ shops (!!!) are offering the sweetest deals on what you need this holiday season for children big and small. Get your shopping list ready today and beat the crowd by previewing the entire list of EtsyKids shops taking part in this colossal event:

http://etsykids.blogspot.com

Participating shops will post their BOGO deals in their Etsy shop announcements, plus you can search tags for "EtsyKids BOGO" to get the full item list.

Now's your chance -- buy 1 Dine.n.Doodle, get the 2nd 30% off (equal or lesser value)! They make the perfect stocking stuffers -- visit Lil.B.Designs on Etsy. Happy Shopping!

Just in time for this year's holiday season, I'm rolling out new Roll.n.Go Crayons designs. Here are the first three, with many more fun and colorful designs to come. I'm finally getting to my special stash of new ribbons! Stay tuned to see what's coming off of the sewing machine next...

New designs are now available for purchase in my Etsy store.

Cupcake Cuties

Vintage Airplanes

Where The Dinosaurs Roll

Congratulations to Shari and Amber for opening their virtual Happy Chickadee doors this week! YAY! And, I might add, they have put together a super fun assortment of girlie girl must haves...including, you guessed it, Dine.n.Doodle chalk mats! To celebrate their grand opening, one very lucky person will win his/her own chalk mat in the most cutest print ever -- Sleeping Beauty Fairytale. Enter the contest by visiting Happy Chickadee and leaving a comment stating your favorite item in the shop on their blog. Easy peasy! You have until October 7th to enter...so visit - or better yet SHOP - Happy Chickadee today!

COMING SOON: an amazing toddler couture website - babywearsprada.com - catered to moms who are in search of high-quality baby/kids products. Baby Wears Prada will include blogs, giveaways, product reviews, reader interaction (comments and message board), and information on the top boutique brands and upscale online boutiques. Right now, to celebrate their big launch, sign up for their "VIP list" and earn a chance to win a Juicy Couture diaper bag! Wow! And stay tuned...one of their future giveaways includes a Dine.n.Doodle chalk mat. Double Wow! :)

We are extremely excited to announce that the fabulous online children's boutique - Izzy and Ash - now carries both Dine.n.Doodle chalk mats and Roll.n.Go Crayons! The store is full of designer originals sure to awesomely outfit your child. I couldn't help but say "oooh's and ahhh's" as I checked out their offerings...now see for yourself!

Now available! To order, visit my Dine.n.Doodle shop on Etsy.