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Friday, February 27, 2009

The Climb

Most hate her, but I love her. What a great song....

Monday, February 16, 2009

I miss you.

It's amazing how much I miss my blog. Between moving into the new house, working and my very busy kiddos, I have found it insanely difficult to catch up!!!!

I'm so sorry blog... and anyone who might possibly care enough to read it!

Off to post a few new posts!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Happy Birthday, MaggieMoo Designs

I started the dream and plan for my business in November/December 2007. It took some planning, preparing and time to get rolling, but I finally did.

February 10, 2008- I placed the first items into my shop. One year later, and over $4,000 in product sold, I am proud to say I am still rolling along! Economic hardships have caused my sales to slow down dramatically, but I am still creating and supplying people with affordable and stylish alternatives to trendy, expensive products!

And what an honor and blessing I had today. I received a gift that the giver didn't even realize she gave me! I got a random message on Etsy today, from a sweet mom who featured my shop in her blog! What a surprise! Please, take a second to read her entry.

I wanted to say a special note. A thank you to everyone who has purchased from me, supported me, or encouraged me! The fresh ideas, tips and support you have given me is priceless, and I am forever appreciative for it!

And now, to dream of bigger things.... a small retail front. A boutique for unique baby and mommy items with clothes, accessories and necessities from a wide array of crafters and suppliers. Fully equipped with an in-house sewing area, nursing areas for mommy's and play area for kids while momma shops! Ahhhhh, dreams.

newbanner

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

The CPSIA Mandatory Testing & Certification Proposed 1 Year Suspension

I am BEYOND EXSTATIC about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My ORIGINAL POST HERE shows my feelings before.

http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/breaking-news-the-cpsia-mandatory-testing-certification-prop-3347/


We are so excited to announce that the Commission has voted for a "Stay of Enforcement of Certain Testing and Certification Requirements of CPSIA" — which means that they are proposing a 1 year suspension of the burden of lead testing and certification while they take more time to review the rules and plan enforcement! All of your hard work is paying off (for the time being at least!). You wouldn't have to pay to do the certification and testing, though you are still liable if your products are found to have lead. We are so pleased that artisans and vintage sellers got their voices heard. Your hard work is not over; we must continue to play a role in advocating for small business people throughout the coming year.

"The action taken today provides breathing space to get in place some of the rules needed for implementation, but it should not be viewed as a full solution to the many problems that have been raised."
—U.S. Consumer product Safety Commission

You'll find the press release below:


CPSC Grants One Year Stay of Testing and
Certification Requirements for Certain Products


Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously (2-0) to issue a one year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification equirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products, including products intended for children 12 years old and younger. These requirements are part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which added certification and testing requirements for all products subject to CPSC standards or bans.

Significant to makers of children’s products, the vote by the Commission provides limited relief from the testing and certification requirements which go into effect on February 10, 2009 for new total lead content limits (600 ppm), phthalates limits for certain products (1000 ppm), and mandatory toy standards, among other things. Manufacturers and importers – large and small – of children’s products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.

The decision by the Commission gives the staff more time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve certain materials and products from lead testing and to issue more guidance on when testing is required and how it is to be conducted.

The stay will remain in effect until February 10, 2010, at which time a Commission vote will be taken to terminate the stay.

The stay does not apply to:

Four requirements for third-party testing and certification of certain children’s products subject to:

The ban on lead in paint and other surface coatings effective for products made after December 21, 2008;

The standards for full-size and non full-size cribs and pacifiers
effective for products made after January 20, 2009;

The ban on small parts effective for products made after February 15, 2009; and

The limits on lead content of metal components of children’s jewelry effective for products made after March 23, 2009.

Certification requirements applicable to ATV’s manufactured after April 13, 2009.

Pre-CPSIA testing and certification requirements, including for: automatic residential garage door openers, bike helmets, candles with metal core wicks, lawnmowers, lighters, mattresses, and swimming pool slides; and

Pool drain cover requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act.

The stay of enforcement provides some temporary, limited relief to the crafters, children’s garment manufacturers and toy makers who had been subject to the testing and certification required under the CPSIA. These businesses will not need to issue certificates based on testing of their products until additional decisions are issued by the Commission. However, all businesses, including, but not limited to, handmade toy and apparel makers, crafters and home-based small businesses,
must still be sure that their products conform to all safety standards and similar requirements, including the lead and phthalates provisions of the CPSIA.

Handmade garment makers are cautioned to know whether the zippers, buttons and other fasteners they are using contain lead. Likewise, handmade toy manufacturers need to know whether their products, if using plastic or soft flexible vinyl, contain phthalates.

The stay of enforcement on testing and certification does not address thrift and second hand stores and small retailers because they are not required to test and certify products under the CPSIA. The products they sell, including those in inventory on February 10, 2009, must not contain more than 600 ppm lead in any accessible part. The Commission is aware that it is difficult to know whether a product meets the lead standard without testing and has issued guidance for these companies that can be found on our Web site.

The Commission trusts that State Attorneys General will respect the Commission's judgment that it is necessary to stay certain testing and certification requirements and will focus their own enforcement efforts on other provisions of the law, e.g. the sale of recalled products.

Please visit the CPSC Web site at www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html for more information on all of the efforts being made to successfully implement the CPSIA.

2 weeks worth

I haven't posted since inauguration day..... what is wrong with me??? Well, for one, relocating my LIFE took a lot of time.

My last post was inauguration day. Needless to say, that was an amazing day! I watched the neighborhood ball that night, and wanted so badly to be part of all the celebrations! I think in the few short weeks as president, Obama has initiated potential for great progress! He is actually at work, which I think puts many peoples minds at ease for some sort of a solution!!!!

We packed, and packed, and packed. How freaking exhausting. I purged quite a bit, but not as much as I would have had to if I had not had that garage sale in the fall! (that got me some big $$!) It's amazing how much CRAP children have, and need! Seriously, half the house is theirs.

We got the keys to our new place on January 27, and started taking small carloads over to the new house all week. I spent the whole day Wednesday as most hardworking, underpaid Hispanic housekeepers do.... scrubbing every surface of someone elses cooties off the house, removing layers of vacant home dust and getting the pent up stench out of there!

LilMan got sick Wednesday and didn't sleep at all Wednesday and Thursday night. DID not help our sheer exhaustion from preparing the house to move out!

Friday was a full day. 3 roundtrips/ 200 miles to the new house, 4 carloads, daycare, dinner, Uhaul, breaking down furniture and the 13th anniversary of my dad's death. That night, as my body CRASHED with exhaustion and a fever, my absolutely life saving brother-in-law came over to help Hubby load up some furniture and appliances into the Uhaul. They spent the whole night, until 1am, drinking as many energy drinks as possible and making fun of my ailing status, all while making progress in the house.

Saturday, moving day, came. We got an early start, with help from 2 brother-in-laws, my nephew and my sister. We got everything loaded into the trucks and prepped to leave. It hit me like a ton of bricks once everything was vacant. I knew it would happen. That was my home. We built it when we were engaged, moved in and stayed there on our wedding night, dreamt of the things we would do to the home, had parties and memories with some of the most amazing friends you could ask for, celebrated and grieved in it, brought our babies home to it and watched so many first in it, and grew as people in it. Like I told Hubby when we left and he was emotionally detached from the situation that was so heavy on my heart, I'd rather remember the time we had it, and not harp on that we lost it. Loosing it is so minuet in light of all the amazing memories we were blessed with in those walls. And in all reality, we ARE reselling it, we haven't LOST it, we are just reselling it at a lower amount and taking a hit on the difference. I hardly count that as loosing it. Someone else will buy it, move in and make memories.

"Bricks and mortar make a house, but the laughter of children make a home" ~Irish Proverb

We got to the new house and those guys worked SO hard to get everything loaded off by 130p when we had to return the Uhaul! Everything was off the truck, and we spent the rest of the evening slowly moving things into the rooms they belonged, and organizing whatever we could. My mom and sister did my kitchen, I achieved most of BabyGirl's room, the guys got all the beds made and ceiling fans up. The night ended up with a much needed shower and CRASHING. Thank goodness LilMan slept!

Sunday started earlier than I would have liked, but thats how it goes for a mom! The kids got up and tested my theory that a 2 level with stairs would be okay about 1,165,564,846 times before 9am. LilMan and I made a trip to Home Depot, Target and Fry's- all 3 miles from home!!!!! WOW! I made my world famous chili and set up more house while LilMan napped and hubby took BabyGirl to Uhaul to return the dolly. We got some of the living room together, a few things hung on the walls, and some little areas of upstairs arranged.

The best part of it all was the short commute to work on Monday! It was AMAZING ALREADY being in town..... not taking 45 minutes to hit the outskirts! Monday was our anniversary too. We were married 02-02-02 at 1pm. Moron..... why didn't I do 2:22pm? I will forever question my antics on that one. But I was not nearly as cool then as I am now, or my colors would have been red and black, the guys would have wore Chuck Taylor's or Vans, my girls would be in black classic pin-up style dresses, all the roses would be deep Merlot red, I would have had a rose in my hair instead of a veil, I probably would have in my signature skully earrings that I cannot live without and my dress would have been red. But I haven't put any thought into that, have I? ;)

So that's been my week(s). Worth the read, probably not. But I owed it to my blog to update!