Secret Santa Surprise

Sure many of you have ever done one of those Secret Santa or Secret Sister trades, I expect a few of you will understand what I am about to blog about. I have done several of these only to generally come up disappointed. I have always put some heart into whatever I was purchasing. Working very hard to ensure that the receiver would think "WOW!! How thoughtful!" But when it came time for me to open my gift, it was a rushed just grab something type of thing. Or even worse, one time I was in a woman's group that continued the secret swap for 3 months. There were 2 Kim's in the group and I am sure you can already see what happened. Yep, Kim B. was lavished with wonderful gifts, while I got nothing for 2.5 months because I was too "polite" to say anything. Finally the organizer of the swap realized I never spoke of the little things I received and figured it out on her own. Anyway, I am not picky, and I defiantly don't look at price tags when it comes to something I have been given. If it is from the heart it shows no matter what the cost. But I have always ended up on the short end of these swaps. Seeing the wonderful things that others received, the pretty earrings, sun catchers, hand knitted scarves, picture frames, journals, etc and I would get the dollar store bunny statue (I am so a chicken person). A very good friend of mine made an excellent point. She said "You really can't expect to much. After all, it's stranger picking out something for you." Very true!! And even with all the wonderful lists we fill out of our likes and dislikes, sometimes you are still left to guess. Well this year, I wasn't going to do it. No secret Santa's between cyber friends for me. Not falling into that disappointing trap again. Then it happened. It is no secret that I sell handmade crafts on ETSY. Many of my readers know what Etsy is but did you know that as a seller you can join into the community with other artisans in teams? Teams allows you to connect with other ETSY sellers of a like mind, interest or geographical area (there are many different teams to choose from) to really get some support and feedback. Well I am on the EasternWaTeam on Etsy. A wonderful group that really seems to enjoy helping and learning from each other. And of course, the Secret Santa sign-ups went up. I signed up once again, this time lowering my expectations knowing that even with the $20 guideline, I would be happy to just receive something. But, this year was different. It appears that when you get a bunch of handcrafters together, they know about heart. The put effort into their gifts. I was delightfully surprised!! My gifter was Monti of http://www.glitznglass.etsy.com/ . She really blessed me!! Look at those pictures!! I got to tell you, the earrings are right up my alley, I love handmade jewelry and the Peppermint Cinnamon Candle is Divine!! It had me scrambling for something to eat it smelled so good!! So I wanted to to blog about it. I had to put a shout out for her. Check out her shop! For that matter, go to http://www.etsy.com/ and under TAGS type in EasternWaTeam. Check out what all my fellow team mates have to offer. I promise you won't be disappointed!! Oh and with my faith in the Secret Santa restored, Anyone up for a swap?

Blessings, Kim O.

New CPSIA Regulations

I am all for legislation to protect our children. In light of the recent issues with lead and other hazardous chemicals on and in the toys and other products intended for children, I KNOW that something has to change. It is time to create effective legislation that will aid parents in securing healthy products for their children. However, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement ACT (CPSIA) goes well beyond this goal and into bankrupting many many small businesses. The act requires testing on every component of a product for each color and batch. This testing is quite expensive ($500-$4000 per component) and would have to be repeated for every new batch and color. As a home crafter of children's products (baby and doll slings, hats and clothing) I would have to test to the tune of $2500-$20,000 per item. I am not the only one in this position and hand crafters are not the only ones being effected. Large corporations will have to do this testing too, of course they have teh legal resources to find the loop holes in these sorts of laws. Consumers will no longer have the option of buying handmade items from WAHM's or other Artisians just trying to make ends meet in todays economy. Instead, they will be required t purchase from large unfeeling manufacter's and settle for the limited variety of higher priced (to absorb the testing costs) items available. Grandpa can no longer hand carve wood toys to sell at a craft sale, grandmas baby quilt will be considered contraband, and I will be sitting along side them doing jail time and paying fines of $100,000 per item!! There are many proposed solutions that would result in a winning situation for all involved. One of them is outlined here http://twurl.nl/4y520m would allow for full compliance among trusted countries (and within our own) requiring testing only when a product is under suspicion. Countries that have proven themselves to be untrustworthy due lead and other hazardous chemical levels would still be held to the testing. It certainly would make an excellent arguement for the "Buy American Made" campaign. There is an excellent article that explains this entire situation even better then I can. You will find it at http://grecowoodcrafting.wordpress.com/ . This is another homecrafter who like me, is deeply concerned with both the issue of protecting our children and protecting our livelihood. Please read the informaytion and consider contacting your congressmen regarding this issue.

Blessngs, KimO

Work in progress

Well, I continue to learn new things everyday!! This blog is teaching me a lot. It is a work in progress. I am hoping to be able to add "comments" today. I thought I had done that earlier but apparently, it did not work out!! :) Anyway, isn't it great how we can be a work in progress. It allows for us to dismiss some of our imperfections as areas that we can work on instead of complete failures!! It allows are attitudes about our self to shift into something a bit more positive. I certainly need a bit more positive in my life right now. With everything on the news in the papers and on our lips being so negatively charged with the economy and such, I really cherish all things positive!! The little look on my babies face that says "Mom, I trust you completely." Or the Accomplishments that my older children make in their journeys to gain knowledge. That special word of encouragement that is spoken by my husband on my most down days. All things that I work to desperately hold onto.
If I am a work in progress then so are the people we deal with on a daily basis. Everyone, even the nastiest, most judgemental or most narsticistic of us all are a work in progress and should be given the allowances that we would wish for ourselves. The room to grow. My prayer for today is that I allow those that I would otherwise butt heads with the room to grow and see them as the beautiful creations that God made them and is growing them into being.

Blessings, KimO

SALE in my shop!!!!

Okay, it is Cyber Monday!!! Officially it should be a good day for me. SOOOOO, I am making it a reall good day for you! Free shipping AND 10% off all orders made today by midnight PST!! What can beat that? Well maybe the satisfaction of knowing that your loved one is getting a great gift handmade with a lot of love and you got a great deal!!

Just hit the ETSY button or go to www.RedheadO.Etsy.com

Blessings, KimO