Yes, this is what we woke up to this morning here in Western Washington!  Almost 4-inches fell overnight, and te snow is still coming down. - big, fluffy flakes that have already covered the driveway I spent 30 minutes shoveling.  I guess I’m not going anywhere today after all!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!  If it’s snowy or icey where you are, stay safe and we’ll see you all next year!

What they don’t realize (if they even know about it) is that on February 10, 2009, most of the manufacturers of handmade toys, clothes, science kits, etc, will be shut down.  Out of business.  No longer to pay their bills, no longer able to sell their products.

Are you a Mom or Grandma who loves to find handmade, natural toys for the kids in your life?  Better get them quick.  Yes, those hand-carved wooden toys will soon be illegal to sell in the USA.  Do you like our kids tote bags?  The nightgowns that we occasionally offer?  The oven mitts that we have sizzed down for smaller hands?  Sorry, those will not be available by February 11, 2009.

Yes, this applies to clothing too.  As the regulations stand TODAY, ANY PRODUCT THAT IS INTENDED FOR KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 12 will be affected.  Each product must be tested by an independent testing agency (which will add to the cost for those few products that do survive the regulations).  That testing in and of itself costs thousands.  THOUSANDS.  Guess who will be paying that… yes, it will be you, the consumer

Is there anything that can be done?  Always!  Please take some time to get informed on the issue - I have included a short list of sites that have info for you to look through below.  Once you are informed, please take a few moments to sign petitions, write to your congress person, write to the CPSC, write to the congressional committee responsible for these over-reaching blanket regulations.  Spread the word to other parents.

Some sites with info:

nationalbankruptcyday.com

Fashion Incubator - CPSIA forum

AAFA

CPSIA impact on Children’s Apparel petition

CPSIA Impact on Children’s Toy Manufacturers petition

CPSIA Central

HandmadeToyAlliance.com
- they have a wonderful proposal to rework the CPSIA that will not put us all out of business

Write to the CPSC here

Write to your Senators here

Write to your Representative here

There are many other sites that are getting the word out, I’m sure that a google search will bring up even more options to learn about this.

Yes, as a mom I don’t want to see these products containing lead imported into our country and set down among our children any more than you do, but I also don’t want to see the wonderful alternatives that exist today to be removed from store shelves!  As someone who tries to love a more “natural” or “earth-friendly” lifestyle, I value these alternative products.  I love handmade cloth dolls!  I think that wooden puzzles and toys are a wonderful alternative to the plastic junk that clutters our store shelves!  I think it is a gross oversight on the part of the congressional committee that they did not think of these small businesses that manufacture these natural products - especially with the economic crisis that our country is already facing.

Yes, this will cause even more people to be out of a job.  More businesses will be shutting down, laying off their employees, defaulting on the loans that they got in the past.  I though our government was supposed to be figuring out how to create more jobs, not getting rid of the ones that people already have!

Please, I urge you to take a few moments to let your voice be heard.  The small business owners in America who make the high quality, natural, handmade products that you love will thank you!

Well, with each new month comes a new featured bag or set, and this month is no different! Our featured set for December is meant to help you with your gift giving! We are making a wonderful set that has a Morgan Handbag and Rebecca Clutch that match, and combining them with a second handbag/clutch set! As always, you choose the fabrics and you can mix and match them between the sets.

I will be getting a picture if the set posted this week, I promise! But until then, here are some separate pics of the bags to help you visualize them…

Morgan Handbag

Rebecca Clutch

The cost for this Holiday Handbag Set is $100 - that’s 4 bags, and the possibility of 4 gifts.. or just one for a very lucky friend! Or, give one set as a gift, and keep the other for yourself! After all, don’t you deserve to receive a great gift like this?

Please choose from the fabric options in the shopping cart, as well as the closure options for the handbag - ribbons, button and loop, magnetic snap or open top - and we will get to work on your set as soon as we can!

If you want to place your order before I get the picture posted, just click on the button below and we will get started.

For orders with regular Priority Mail shipping, please make sure you place them early… see the dates below.

International orders need to be placed by Dec. 5th for Priority handling.  Express mail gives you through Dec 12th to order them.

Within the US, please place your order by December 12th.  We will do our best to get your packages out in time for Christmas delivery.

If you have any questions, ust drop us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can…

Merry Christmas!
Jennifer

Our office will be closed while we celebrate Thanksgiving with our families and friends, but the website will stay open through the long weekend.  All emails will be returned starting on Monday, Dec 1, and all orders placed will be completed in the order they are received.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
Jennifer

Thanks!
Jennifer

We have the Breast Cancer Awareness Wallet to give away, and the 350 for climate change Toshi Grocery Bag to give away.  Both of those have a deadline of November 1, and the drawings will be held on Nov 3rd.

Also going on right now or early in November are the following giveaways:

A Blog Of Goodies - Karen is participating in the Bloggy Carnival again, and is giving away a Rachel Wallet - check out her blog for the details.  Contest ends October 31, 2008.

The Dirty Shirt - Jennifer will be doing a review and giveaway of one of our bags in November - she is having a fun contest with a new prize each day for two weeks - head over to get the skinny on it.  Her contest runs the first 2 weeks in November.

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Those are the two that I can remember right now… I seem to have finally gotten past the “I’m a little bit sick” with this head cold, and moved to the “I really should be in bed” stage.  Ugh.  If I remember the others (it sure seems like I am missing one or two) I will post them!

Have a fabulous week - and good luck on the contests!
Jennifer

Yes, you too can tell the world about the need for climate change without saying a word!

This highly vocal bag is made of dark navy cotton with crashing waves inside. It features a cotton and felt earth appliqué with fluffy white clouds encircling it stating our magic number of 350 for climate change.

It is one of our Toshi grocery bags, so you know that it is big enough to hold whatever you need to carry in it - we have stuffed 6 half-gallon milk cartons inside, or a weeks-worth of veggies from our local CSA farm. The wide straps are lightly padded so that even if you pack this baby full, they aren’t going to cut into your shoulder. Oh, and there is a large pocket inside too, with another earth appliqué on it.

So, how can you get in on this giveaway?

Comment, comment, comment!

I want to hear from you on why climate change is an important issue, and your thoughts on what you can do to help reduce the carbon footprint of your family.

Want a second entry? Tell others about the giveaway! Share with your readers on your blog and send us a trackback.

Want a third entry? All orders for a reusable grocery bag in the month of October will get an entry into the drawing. One entry per bag ordered… so, as you can see, you can have as many entries as you want!

Our reusable grocery bags are great gifts too - or use them as the packaging for another gift. help spread the word that we need to do something to help our planet, before there isn’t much of one left to pass on to our grandchildren.

Use the official entry form below…

Or head over to the Contest Page to check out the entries!

Good luck!
Jennifer

Michelle Shoulder Messenger Satchel

The Michelle bag is a great foundation to build upon. We currently offer it in three styles - a handbag with a short, fixed handle, a shoulder satchel with a long adjustable handle, and with a messenger flap to dress it up a bit! The picture of the messenger bag has needed updating for some time, and we finally got a good picture to replace the old one with!

The Michelle bag has a zippered top to keep everything in, and a zippered pocket inside to hold small items like your lipgloss, a cell or iPod, and your handbag hanger!

Shannon Shoulder Bag

The Shannon Shoulder Bag is a smaller bag with a zippered inner pocket. This one is made in the Playa Sur fabric, anchored with a rugged black to help tone down the boldness - the bottom is even quilted with big black-on-black circles! The girls think that it is the perfect size to use as a fashionable lunch box… and I am inclined to agree. This is a bag that will hold a generously sized wallet and lots of other necessities with plenty of room to spare.

Rachel Credit Card Wallet

Thus little purse is a bit deceiving… who would believe after looking at the sleek outside of this little bag that the inside will hold cash, receipts and 12 credit cards or membership cards? Check it out…

All that, and it still has room for your cell phone and lip gloss.

This is our giveaway bag for our Breast Cancer Awareness Giveaway, so it’s pink, of course! The outside is made our of a pink and cream Amy Butler fabric, and accented with a darker pink and white floral.

The handle is fixed, and it had a flap to dress it up a bit more. There is a zipper top to keep everything contained, and the strap is just long enough to put it on your shoulder and tuck it under your arm.

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These are a few of the bags that we have been working on lately. What do you think of them? We love to hear your feedback!

Thought I’d make it a little easier for everyone… if you join the Gal to Gal Walk under team Mimsi, leave us a comment here to get entered in the contest!

For those friends of ours who have joined already (You Mom Dot gals know who you are!) go ahead and comment here as well - I’ll verify that you’ve joined and enter you too!

What is the Gal to Gal Walk? It’s an online fundraiser for women with stage IV breast cancer. Its $5 to join - although you can donate more - and you don’t actually have to break a sweat!

The goal of the Gal to Gal Foundation is to raise $250,000 this month to donate to women with stage IV breast cancer and their families - to make dreams come true and to help them out.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and if you don’t know someone who has had it, chances are that you will someday soon. It is affecting so many of us in so many ways. Why do I care about breast caner awareness? My grandma had breast cancer twice… has had both breasts removed, and is still alive to tell about it. Praise God! He brought her through the trial and she is a living, breathing, walking testimony of His healing power… but there are many women who are still fighting that battle, and many who have already lost it.

Help me help them!

Join with me - and the thousands of others - and take part in the Gal to Gal Walk! Everyone who joins up and leaves a comment here sharing why YOU care about helping out will be entered to win a free Rachel Purse - a special pink purse just for October.

Legal stuff:
Giveaway open to residents of the USA & Canada, ages 18 & over. Drawing will be held on or around November 3, 2008. Winner will be notified via email, and will have 48 hours to respond before another name is drawn.

Join with us to help these amazing women! Head over to GalToGalWalk.org and sign up - we are walking as team Mimsi.

Don’t forget to come back here to comment! You get a second entry for blogging about the walk and the giveaway - just send us a trackback or leave a second comment!