I think I was still pregnant when Mr. Broken Plate came running up to my craft show booth, absolutely glowing about his recent purchase for the baby. He pulled out this handmade Dead Kennedy’s T-shirt by Sweet Pepita. A little while later I went over to her both, met Shannon, and fell completely in love with her shirts. I have even gotten some custom stuff since then, including this Guinness T, handmade from the first thing Mr. Broken Plate ever gave me for St. Patricks day. Every time Nolan wears one of these shirts out, we get stopped for compliments. Now, I have to keep Mr. Broken Plate away from her booth at shows because Nolan would have every band or beer baby shirt she can make!
It might have been the next craft show that my booth was placed right next to Cotton Monster. Mr. Broken Plate wanted to get one so bad, but I talked him out of it so that I could order a custom monster for him and Nolan to give to him at the baby shower. Jen was so accommodating and created the perfect monster for them, complete with our favorite colors and a lightning bolt. Nolan’s favorite new trick is hiding the remote in his belly. I am sure that of all of his toys, this one we will keep forever.
These are two of the many reasons I was so sad when I heard about the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act. This act, written in response to the rash of lead tainted toys from China will basically put small businesses out of business with the costs of mandatory testing. From the Handmade Toy Alliance website:
- A toymaker, for example, who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the $4,000 fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.
- A work at home mom in Minnesota who makes dolls to sell at craft fairs must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.
- A small toy retailer in Vermont who imports wooden toys from Europe, which has long had stringent toy safety standards, must now pay for testing on every toy they import.
- And even 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.
This change goes into effect in 54 days. Please take a moment to sign a petition, write your United States Congress Person and Senator, and hug your favorite toy or clothing maker. Below are just a few of Nolan’s favorite handmade goods…
Nolan feeds toys from China to his Cotton Monster!
***Update, I just learned from Red Prairie Press that even shops who alter pre-made shirts for children with screen printing, appliques and goofy ties will be “Illegal” too. Unbelievable! How can you deny these gems from Red Prairie and Fort Cloudy??
That last picture made me laugh for the first time in days
I felt so sad this morning when I saw Pepita’s cotton monster- she named him ‘Him’ and picked him out all by herself. I am so sad for children of the future. We have to beat this act! Power to the Mommas and the handmade babies!
Thank you SO much Juliet for bringing this issue to those of us who are in the dark. I echo Shannon’s sentiment that we have to stop this because it is utterly ridiculous. I’m signing the petition right away and forwarding your posting onto everyone I know.
Thank you!
As a mother, aunt and godmother to you children, i certainly echo this concern…i will pass along to others to help the cause. Thanks!
Thanks for posting Juliet! I’ve been sick to my stomach ever since I got word of this news. I’ve been trying to call my Cotton Monsters “Art Objects” and “Soft Sculptures” for years now, to keep them out of the toy realm….but I don’t know how that will stand up with the new laws. People buy my work and the work of so many other amazing artists/crafters for their kids. Parents should have the option to buy handmade if they so desire. I can’t imagine what will happen if this law passes….
Thanks Juliet. I stole a photo of Nolan to put on the Red Prairie blog, hope that’s okay to exploit him a little more for the cause. He’s just so precious. As are ALL children in our lives. Who we HAPPILY buy handmade for. Buying from the person who MADE the item, and being able to ask questions about safety directly, seems so much safer than trusting the lobbist run government organizations to certify big business and overseas toys as being safe. Just sayin. Plus, I’d take a cotton monster over a barbie doll any day.
I’m going to sign the petition right now.
Thank you Juliet!
[...] a very important message from nolan, please see today’s post on the broken plate blog and the red prairie press blog. [...]
Of course I had to sign, afterall, I’m still waiting for my Cotton Monster for Christmas!!;>
Juliet, well said! Nolan is so handmade rich!
I have to add that as a mom of a child with lead toxicity, it’s certainly an issue that I think (and everyone does, obviously) is important. There’s got to be a way that the govn’t can change this to help kids AND avoid putting crafters out of biz. This solution is just not sustainable.
–Heather
[...] don’t have time to properly explain, but Juliet, Rachel, Shannon, and etsy have all explained it really well. Please read about the law that goes [...]
I just signed the petition. I remember when I was a youngster, my elderly neighbor made me a homemade Raggedy Ann doll (which I still have) for my birthday. It was the best gift so definitely support handmade toys.
Thanks for posting this Juliet!
[...] and speaking of little people- have you checked out rachel and juliet’s [...]
Hey, I love the Dead Kennedys, but why do you use little folks as billboards? Isn’t a baby wearing a Guiness shirt a little weird? Trying to force your values on a kid?
Hi Glarg the Clam. Im a little confused by your comment. The reason someone would use a little person to defend the continued free creation of toys and childrens clothes is that….they are for little people. All of these pictures are just pictures TheBrokenPlate has taken over Nolan’s life, and arent staged promo pictures. TheBrokenPlate spends her money on handmade goods, and stands behind them as quality products. She doesnt just talk about it…she is about it. Had the camera been pointed in the opposite direction, you would have seen her with a felt broach or a broken plate pendant and earrings from a local metal smith. But these artists arent the ones being attacked. The artists making clothing and toys for children are. Trust me, if you knew Nolan, you would understand that he has no problem standing up for the ladies of the craft scene. They knew him before he was born, and they have all watched him grow. And he loves his handmade toys and shirts for that matter.
As for the Guiness shirt….maybe you missed the part about the senimental meaning behind that particular shirt; that it was the first gift that Nolan’s dad ever gave to his mom. instead of throwing it out, or making it a rag, or worse yet, letting it ride around in the drawer for an eternity (which is against a Virgo’s nature), she had it made into a shirt by a fellow crafter….to make Daddy BrokenPlate smile. I dare say that Nolan is not now jonesing for a Guiness in place of apple juice in his sippy cup. He just knows he looks pretty dapper in his handmade shirt, which wont fit him much longer anyway. Wearing a Guiness shirt espouses no other value then perhaps the love of a beer (in and adult), or appreciation of Irish heritage (which Nolan has), or maybe just an appriation for the color the the shirt. In this case, it espouses nothing more then appreciation for a shared story (the first gift) and the craftsmanship of a well-made shirt.
And thats the way I see it…..