CPSIA Blog in day

I thought European safety laws were a bit loopy sometimes, but the new US legislation is a whole new level of bonkers. It threatens not only tiny one-person craft workers, without whom Etsy and the like would not exist, but a gamut of other nuts which are being smashed by this legal sledge hammer. And it won't just effect US citizens, but anyone who sells to the American market. Including me. So I raise my head from my work desk to join in today's mass blog, having swiped (with permission) the following text from Kitschy Coo's blog, along with a few hundred other bloggers - do join in with today's mass blog if this concerns you, as a buyer or a seller.

"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.

One would have thought that with economies going down the pan left right and centre, the US government would be more accommodating towards anyone trying to scrape a living with the sweat of their own hands. Apparently not.

UPDATE

Just spotted on Cara's blog - there has been a re-think on this, and not only have the rules been granted a one year stay, but the regulations for small/sole traders look less draconian and should mean that half of Etsy won't be forced to shut up shop. I would love to know precisely how much backlash the US legislators got over this, but I would like to think that a part of it might have been due to crafters and artisans standing together and saying 'show a little common sense!'

A solitary nature

'It's all right,' the Rat would say. 'Badger'll turn up some day or other - he's always turning up - and then I'll introduce you...but you must not only take him AS you find him, but WHEN you find him.'

'Couldn't you ask him here - dinner or something?' said the Mole.

'He wouldn't come,' replied the Rat simply. 'Badger hates Society, and invitations, and dinner, and all that sort of thing.'

'Well, then, supposing we go and call on HIM?' suggested the Mole.

'O, I'm sure he wouldn't like that at ALL,' said the Rat, quite alarmed. 'He's so very shy, he'd be sure to be offended. I've never even ventured to call on him at his own home myself, though I know him so well.

('The Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Graham)

A tale of two Monkeys

"I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert.
Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read,
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed,
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains.
Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Last April I was asked by Stephanie to make her a needle felt creature, and out of all the sketches I produced, she picked the monkey on the right, a kind of Steiff style model. So far so good. I had all kinds of wild plans for this chap - he would have a music box inside him, a ruff, a waistcoat, a fez...he would be the most elaborate toy monkey in the history of toy monkey-dom.

Little did I know what folly I was about to commit. I made the head - which was almost as large as one of my normal toys. Then I lost interest. That was a bit of a shock, as I tend to get obsessed with everything I make and work all hours until it is finished. Months later I made the effort and got the body together. It was about the size of a large aubergine. By now it was beginning to dawn on me that this was really not right. I was beginning to hate it. I stuffed it deep inside my big sack of wool supplies where its grinning face would cease to reproach me. The knife twisted when Andy remarked that it was 'the most unloved toy ever'. At last, just before Christmas, I had a stroke of common sense and realised that I was never going to finish that particular monkey, or if I did, I would take no pleasure in it. The darned thing was simply too big and I loathed the colour scheme. So I started again, the day after Boxing Day. (I was bored witless anyway, as I am not very good at doing nothing). Almost at once, it felt 'right'. The magic was there; it was coming alive under my fingers.

Compare and contrast...

It was a hard lesson learned, for I have been having huge guilt pangs at dragging this project out, even though my lovely client has been terribly sweet about it. But in the end I finished ''Jocko' in a mere five days. He is thread jointed, and his limbs and head swivel pleasingly.

Unwittingly, I formed his tail into an 'S', for Stephanie. Nowadays I make my tails without central support (eg, wire or pipe cleaners) which takes a lot of patient and careful stabbing. This one took roughly 4 hours working time. I did make him a little fez, but Andy suggested he didn't need one...and nor he did. Or a music box, or a ruff, or a waistcoat. He just seems right au naturel.

I can start the New Year with a sense of relief, and Jocko is off to warmer climes. He's going to miss British TV though.

A quiet walk

After our chilly visit from Arctic winds, the weather has returned to it's usual mild subduedety. The countryside is quiet, tastefully dressed in dull greens and drab browns, with the odd natural bauble standing bright against the grey.




I have a new stopping place on my regular walk.





Through the gloom, you might just be able to see some plump little birdy figures behind the fence...





I stood by the gate and clicked at them and after a while they came nodding up, clucking comfortably - all except the one by the laurel bush, who, after some scratching around, suddenly dived into its green depths, and was later heard triumphantly laying an egg with much cackling (I think that's what she was doing, it's the kind of sound I'd make if I had to lay an egg...)






For once my camera wasn't enough: there are only so many snaps you can take. So next time I am going to bring out my sketchbook - I used to love drawing chickens, they are such satisfying shapes. I wished them good day, and headed offroad, across the fields and towards the village, where I found a sad (and fat) little corpse. This shrew was still soft and warm; I wondered if it had been caught as I came over the footpath, and abandoned at my approach? It was a clean and efficient kill, one wound to the stomach.




I'm always interested in dead creatures - it's a chance to get a real look at them and mentally soak up their forms and features, which is often more useful than a barrage of photographs when drawing toys or characterised animals. Aware that this was someone's meal, I left it where I found it - maybe the hunter was impatiently lurking in a bush or perched in a nearby tree, waiting for me to stop interfering and leave it's lunch alone.



I always feel a pang when I come across this kind of thing, but carnivorous wild animals don't have the option of vegetarianism, and the real natural world is not a Disney film. In the cycle of life, and especially in the middle of winter, things must eat other things.

Winding down

The studio brakes have been applied - massive levers and cogs are slowly grinding to a screeching halt as I close up for a week or two of pottering and planning. The last toy in my shop has been sold - to a nice lady not a million miles away from us. (Minxie was so relieved to have found a new home for Christmas). There are but two tree ornaments left for sale; too late for overseas shipping, but if bought by Saturday, probably ok for the UK.

Pinky Brown for sale

SOLD

For once I feel rather laid back, especially now that I have posted out my seventy-odd Christmas cards. I dragged my dusty Gocco out, and put it into action, after watching various Youtube videos. Everyone in them made it look remarkably (if not miraculously) clean and easy. How difficult could it be? I think the knowledge that Gocco supplies are rapidly running out - and even more rapidly rising in price - made me a bit nervous. I had six precious bulbs...I burnt the screen once, but wasn't sure if it had taken or not. First mistake - trying to peel the original photocopy off the screen. Leave it to cool. So just to be safe, I extravagantly used another two bulbs. Which worked too well. I ended up with lots of little blips and spots, because I overexposed the screen. Ho hum. Anyway, a Christmas card had to be printed, so I squidged on the ink, as seen in the videos, and made my first test print. I was quite excited as the numerous articles and blogs I've read about Gocco makes it sound like some wonder machine. However, on my first pressing, no triumphant angels rose with a chorus of Hallejuhas, nor did celestial bells ring out across the night sky . It is, after all, just a little printer.

It was patchy. After a few more goes, the print quality improved, however even though I had faithfully followed the ''how to' videos, there was too much ink, and next time (if there is a next time) I am just going to put it on more thinly with a palette knife. Another thing you don't read about is how stickily persistent the inks are. I split my tube of black and trying to get it off was a nightmare. Washing up liquid did the trick and a bit of white spirits, but I recommend NOT breaking your ink tube, even though they are quite flimsy. Oh, and don't forget, when you are re-inking the screen, put a bit of paper under, or this will happen -

So I persevered, and finally, with an aching back and grubby hands, I had produced a lot of ok-ish cards. Was it less labour intensive and cleaner than other printing methods I've used? Yes, a little.

They looked better once I'd tarted them up a bit.

As I only have two bulbs left, I had a look round various online sites and almost fainted over the prices. Funnily enough, as supplies costs are rocketing, the prices of Gocco machines on eBay seem to have halved since I bought mine. So maybe the rising costs and impending demise are putting people off investing in one. But I am sure there are ways round this. After all, the Gocco is just a dinky little printer. It's drawbacks are that apparently you can only use Gocco products with it. (Which must have been a license to print money at the height of its popularity). This brings all kinds of drawbacks; you can't clean the screens with white spirits (which deteriorates them) you 'have' to use the pathetically small tube of Riso cleaner. You 'have' to use Riso inks, or it won't print properly. The flash bulbs are only made by Riso and now are not even being manufactured any more. And so on. But what if you decided to use the basic machine without all this? What if you simply made your own screens? All you have to do is copy the basic design of the Riso frames with a piece of stiff card, staple silk screen mesh to it, tape the sides, attach a piece of acetate and paint the mesh with photo emulsion - which requires no flash bulbs to expose the screen? In theory what you then have is a screen you can use in far more ways than the specific Gocco product. You have a screen which is more robust, can be used with cheaper, mainstream screen inks, and also can be re-used for fabric printing. It's a bit more labour intensive than the original function - but it's a heck of lot cheaper and still uses less space than a normal screen printing set up. It's the design and action of the Gocco machine itself which is special, not necessarily the materials.

I'm going to give this a go next year; if anyone else out there with a Gocco can add to or refine my solutions, please chip in and spread the word around. Remember - it's just a printer!

Thank you ever so much to Softies Central for featuring Sleepy Sam - I feel as if I've been on the cover of Vogue!

Handmade black hole

CANCER HOROSCOPE DECEMBER 11th 2008

Even if you have already thrown your hands up in despair and let go of your agenda, it's still entirely possible that everything will turn out okay. You may be working overtime to come up with a contingency plan in case things become even more uncertain. Unfortunately, the more you plot and scheme, the crazier it could get. Adjust your expectations, let go and move on.

I heard on the news that scientists have discovered a black hole at the center of our Galaxy or Universe - somewhere big and spacey, anyway. They should have pointed their telescopes at our village, because I can state with certainty that there is a black hole here into which my days are being sucked with frightening velocity.
One of the nicest things to happen this week was the arrival of Jerome. Andy was nosying over my shoulder as I opened the bag, and exclaimed 'ahh, that's nice!' And so he is. He is more than nice, he is splendidly lovely, and he was a very generous gift from Green Phoenix, who makes utterly gorgeous desirables. At the moment he is hanging in my studio, as we are very old fashioned and don't bring our little tree in until Christmas Eve, when he will have a best branch. Thank you so much Nikki - we will treasure him.





My black hole was entirely of my own making - I started making Christmas ornaments and they sold frighteningly well. Faster then I could make them...and as usual, I had dozens of designs and only one pair of hands.








I've been investing in findings and wire, which is a whole new world to muddle my poor head with; wire gauges, split pins and filigree basket beads...luckily I still have a great set of wire tools which Andy's dad gave me way back in 1993, when I had a brief period of making puppets. Or rather, starting them and not finishing them. So for all you crafters who worry about hoarding supplies - don't chuck anything out, you will eventually find a use for whatever it is, even if it is fifteen years later.




However, as anyone who's served time in retail knows, December is Too Late to be stocking up for this year's holiday. So my nice 2009 Country Homes and Interiors calendar starts with my New Year's resolution;




I am so completely off the ball with everything that I forgot to announce the launch of a really beautifully designed new online magazine in PDF form, UK Handmade, (download size 3.41 MB) which is crammed with Good Things and familiar artist/designer names in the Etsy/online crafting world. Toby of Natural Attrill is in there, and interesting articles on fashion, cookery, jewellery, accessories, becoming a small business, lifestyle and somewhere near the end, a rather waffly self penned article I submitted about my discovery of needle felt. When I first heard about it, I hadn't realised just how professional it was going to look; it really is a good looking magazine, and is simply begging to be made into print form. UK Handmade also has a main website with a forum which always welcomes new members.

Did I say that Valentine's Day starts next week? It does in this house; I'm not being caught out like that again and I have so many ideas for little heart-lovey things of gold and silver and felt...

First of December

How lovely to wake on the first of December to some sunshine at last. Having been practically nowhere during November, I was desperate to get out and about. I roused Hercules and we hared off to the woods.




The pale sun shone bravely, like an invalid friend trying to rally himself. The footpaths were punctuated with ice moons; horse hoof puddles frozen solid. All around me birds flustered through the bare hedgerow, though the usual battalions of pesky grey squirrels were nowhere to be seen - no doubt hibernating in their warm dreys. Although there was not much apparently happening, it was joy merely to be out in the fresh, chilly air.




The hazel catkins are almost out - fat little tubes which will burst open in the bitterest of winds. The trees are already preparing for the coming new year - many of them showing tight brown shells, protecting the tiny buds inside. Spring is not too far off. Despite outward appearances.

Spicy pheasant

Little warning to start - underneath this blog post there is a pretty detailed and graphic description of how these birds were prepped, so if you don't like that kind of thing, don't scroll further than the end of this post.


Andy returned from work with these, courtesy of a friendly beater. Unfortunately, not everyone who takes part in organized shoots wants to take their kill home, even though it costs them for each one shot. So these didn't entirely die in vain, and we can't afford to turn down free food. Besides which, I think I can modestly say I have invented the pheasant casserole to end all pheasant casseroles. It really needs starting the night before eating. Our birds hung in the cold, stone outhouse for about ten days, and were still in excellent condition, if a little gamey. When Andy had done the business of chopping the birds up, I was left with the business parts...




Once they were trimmed, washed and checked for stray pellets, I popped them in a Tupperware box and added - a generous slug of Worcestershire Sauce, about a tablespoon of dried herbs, two crushed cloves of garlic, a big squish of tomato puree and another good slug of soy sauce. Then I put the lid on tightly, and gave it a vigorous shaking until the parts were all covered. It was left to marinade for at least three hours.





Then they went into the crock of my faithful slow cooker, along with a tin of chopped plum tomatoes and a tin of haricot beans + the liquor (I would have preferred borlottie or chick peas, but we had run out. You need a good, meaty bean). I also added a tablespoon of brown sugar (molasses would be even better, but I only had soft Demerara) and a bay leaf. The cooker was turned on at LOW at 11pm when we went to bed, and left overnight, until 9, when I went for my walk. It was turned on again at about 12 noon - and at five it was nice and tender (pheasant can be a tough old bird, which is why I leave it in for so long). I chopped the breasts and stripped the legs, trying to remove as many bones as possible. You could also just leave the parts whole as they are, and serve them like that. I left it all for a further hour, before we ate. It was, if I might say so, pretty darned good. What you are left with is a rich, sticky casserole, with deep, sweet flavours - just the thing for a cold winter's day. Soy sauce makes an excellent condiment with this, and a whole grain bread would be the perfect companion. If your birds were shot, do look out for undetected pellets.





And there was enough left over for leftover lunch today.

Recipe for Spicy Pheasant
(adaptable) halve amounts if only one bird
A brace of pheasant, using the legs and breasts
One tin of chopped tomatoes
One tin of hearty beans/pulses - borlotti, chickpeas, haricot

Marinade
About 3-4 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2-3 big tablespoons of mature chutney (I used my own two year old plum)
1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs
About 3-4 tablespoons Tomato Puree
About 3-4 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Later additions
One large bay leaf
Tablespoon soft brown sugar or molasses sugar

Shake bird parts in the marinade, in a tightly lidded box or sealed bag. Leave to souse for at least 3 hours. Put into slow cooker with your choice of beans, the tomatoes, bay leaf and sugar. Cook on lowest setting for at least ten hours, depending on your cooker. You want the meat falling off the bone. I did mine for fifteen (ish) hours.

See also -
Basic pheasant stew
Sticky pheasant

Underneath this nice recipe is a step by step guide to prepping birds quickly, it contains graphic pictures of the bird being cut up, so you have been warned.

Quick prep pheasant

WARNING - contains GRAPHIC pictures and descriptions of birds being cut up, which you may not like if you are squeamish about these things. It is dedicated to all the people who arrive at this blog looking advice on how to prepare a pheasant - it is unbelieveable how many of you there are!


Every so often in the season we get given a brace of these. Or sometimes we happen upon a not-too-squished roadkill bird. When we first started out with pheasant which did not come handily prepared, we plucked and gutted them (a joyless task). But actually, the best bits are the breasts and legs - the rest is quite scrawny and barely worth saving. This fine pair were hanging for about ten days in our cold stone shed, and smelled quite gamey, though they were in good condition. (Don't be put off by the smell, it's deceptively honky). So this is a quick, easy, clean way of butchering your bird - use as sharp a knife as you can get, and be careful with it. First get a black bin liner to work in, else the feathers get everywhere. Lay the bird on its back, and pluck the chest feathers off to expose the skin.




The skin is like a little jacket which holds everything in - what you need to do is gently make a shallow incision from the base of the throat down to the bottom, taking care not to dig into the flesh - you are only cutting the skin, so that you can peel it back. It will come away quite easily. Avoid opening up the crop (which often has the remains of the last meal inside) situated like a little sac near the base of the neck.




When you have exposed the breasts, it will look more familar, like your Sunday roast. All you need do now is cut each one away from the bone.




Then move on to the legs, taking care not to piece any innards.





It takes about 15 minutes to do both birds, and if you have done it in a sack, you can tidy up easily. You are left with a good selection of bits, which just need trimming.





Remove excess feathers, and if you like, singe the fine bits off over a tea light. Wash it all under a cold tap and then use as required. See also -

Basic pheasant stew
Sticky pheasant
Spicy pheasant (this is a great one)