Kids Accessories by Kidcessory Haven

The Gift Of The Magi

2011-12-03T13:45:00.009-05:00

I thought I would share one of my favorite stories read to me by my parents when I was young at Christmas time...The Gift Of The Magi. Enjoy.

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home. A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name "Mr. James Dillingham Young."The "Dillingham" had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, though, they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called "Jim" and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good.Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result. Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated. They always are. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling--something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pierglass in an $8 flat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, had mastered the art.Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood before the glass. her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length.Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle still in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street.Where she stopped the sign read: "Mne. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie.""Will you buy my hair?" asked Della."I buy hair," said Madame. "Take yer hat off and let's have a sight at the looks of it."Down rippled the brown cascade."Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand."Give it to me quick," said Della.Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present.She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one else. There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out. It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation--as all good things should do. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim's. It was like him. Quietness and value--the description applied to both. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87 cents. With that chain on his watch Jim might be properly anxious about the time in any company. Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason. She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends--a mammoth task.Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy. She looked at her reflection in the mirror long, carefully, and critically."If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty- seven cents?"At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops.Jim was never late. Della doubled the fob chain in her hand and sat on the corner of the table near the door that he always entered. Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment. She had a habit for saying little silent prayer about the simplest everyday things, and now she whispered: "Please God, make him think I am still pretty."The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two--and to be burdened with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.Della wriggled off the table and went for him."Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow out again--you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's be happy. You don't know what a nice-- what a beautiful, nice gift I've got for you.""You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor."Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?"Jim looked about the room curiously."You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an air almost of idiocy."You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you--sold and gone, too. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be good to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered," she went on with sudden serious sweetness, "but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I put the chops on, Jim?"Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction. Eight dollars a week or a million a year--what is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer. The magi brought valuable gifts, but that was not among them. This dark assertion will be illuminated later on.Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table."Don't make any mistake, Dell," he said, "about me. I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first."White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.For there lay The Combs--the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoise shell, with jewelled rims--just the shade to wear in the beautiful vanished hair. They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: "My hair grows so fast, Jim!"And them Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit."Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. You'll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it."Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled."Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on."The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.
Be your own 'magi' this Christmas by giving the gift of a beautiful Jingle Bells Hair Tutu or a Jingle Bells Head Band from Kidcessory Haven!
source; http://www.online-literature.com/donne/1014

Thanksgiving Headwear Activities

2011-11-16T14:11:00.004-05:00

Traditional Pilgrim Hat

To shield themselves from the sun and rain, the Pilgrims wore broad-brimmed hats. Outfitting your dinner crowd with this popularized version is a fun way to top off your family's holiday celebration.

Materials
Poster board (black, gold)
Staple
Markers
Glue
Paper clips

Instructions:
On the black poster board, mark the dimensions of the Pilgrim hat shape and the separate headband, as shown in the diagram. Cut out both pieces and use them as templates to trace and cut each additional hat you plan to make.
Center each hat shape atop a headband so that the hat brim extends below the band, as shown. Staple the hat to the band, then fold the brim upward so that the crease is flush with the bottom edge of the band.
For each hat, cut a basic buckle shape out of gold poster board and use a glue stick to attach it to the Pilgrim hat.
Secure the headband with 2 paper clips around the head of each "Pilgrim."

You can find complete directions and patturns for this craft on Disney's Family Fun Site.

Girl Pilgrims Hat Craft

What you will need: Paper Grocery bags scissors and white paint, white ties cut from material.

How to make:

1. Cut the bottom off the grocery bag so that it is about 8" high.
2. Cut one of the short sides out. (One of the sides that has the folds in it.)
3. Fold back the edges of the side that you just cut about two inches. Do it two times. Now paint the hat white and staple or glue on some ties. If you don't have time to make a hat you can just tie a white scarf on the pilgrim.

You can find the complete directions and patterns for this craft on Danielle's Place of Crafts and Activities on the Paper Doll Crafts Page.

Don't forget to visit Kidcessory Haven to see this months featured Coco Hair Tutu with beautiful fall colors!

Fourth Of July Fun Facts

2011-06-25T21:17:00.002-04:00

On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, starting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.
Here are a few 4th of July 'Fun Facts'...strictly by the numbers....
Patriotic Places
31
Number of places nationwide with "liberty" in their name. The most populous one is Liberty, Missouri (29,149). Iowa has more of these places than any other state: four (Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty).
Eleven places have "independence" in their name. The most populous of these is Independence, Missouri, with 116,830 residents.
Five places adopted the name "freedom." New Freedom, Pennsylvania with 4,464 residents, has the largest population among these.
There is one place named "patriot" — Patriot, Indiana, with a population of 209.
And what could be more fitting than spending the day in a place called "America"? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, with 26,263 residents.
Fourth of July Barbecue
As with many holidays, the 4th of July celebration includes food, drink and the realization of how fortunate we are as a nation.
More than 81 million
Number of Americans who said they have taken part in a barbecue during the previous year. It's probably safe to assume a large number of these events took place on the Fourth.
Although we do not have a fixed menu for the celebration of the Fourth, you can almost count on traditional favorites such as hamburgers and hot dogs, chicken, ribs, garden salads, potato salad, chips and watermelon. Following is a summary of where these foods come from:
There's a 1-in-6 chance the beef on your backyard grill came from Texas. The Lone Star State is the leader in the production of cattle and calves.
The chicken on your barbecue grill probably came from one of the top broiler-producing states: Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina and Mississippi.
The lettuce in your salad or on your hamburger probably was grown in California, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of USA lettuce production.
Fresh tomatoes in your salad most likely came from Florida or California, which, combined, produced more than two-thirds of U.S. tomatoes. The ketchup on your hamburger or hot dog probably came from California, which accounts for 95 percent of processed tomato production.
As to potato salad or potato chips or fries, Idaho and Washington produces about one-half of the nation's spuds.
For dessert, six states — California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Arizona and Indiana — combined to produce about 80 percent of watermelons last year.
Fourth of July Fireworks
$190.7 million
The value of fireworks imported from China, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imports ($197.3 million ) in 2010. U.S. exports of fireworks, came to just $37 million in 2010, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($6.3 million).
U.S. Flags
$3.2 million
The dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags in 2010; more than half of this amount ($2.8 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.
$486,026
Dollar value of exports of U.S. flags in 2010. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $256,407 worth.
50
The number of U.S. flags that are flown 24 hours a day at the Washington Monument in Washington DC. Other places where American flags are flown continuously include Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland; the United States Marine Corp Memorial (Iwo Jima) in Arlington, Virginia; on the Battle Green in Lexington, Massachusetts; and over the White House in our nation's capitol.
State Park Lakes and Beaches
66 million
Number of visits in a recent year to our national parks — a particularly scenic locale for a July 4th picnic. There were 766 million visits in a recent year to another popular picnic venue — state parks or recreation areas. Those in California (80 million), Ohio (59 million), New York (56 million), Washington (48 million) and Illinois (44 million) recorded the highest number of visits.
You may or may not be able to picnic there, but a visit to a national historical site is a particularly fitting way to celebrate our nation's heritage. In a recent year, about 72 million people flocked to national historical sites and 24 million to national monuments.
Coming to America
33.5 million
The number of foreign-born residents in the United States in 2003. They accounted for 11.7 percent of the nation's total population.
More than 1-in-3 foreign-born residents were naturalized U.S. citizens.
Among the foreign-born population, 53 percent were born in Latin America, 25 percent in Asia, 14 percent in Europe and the remaining 8 percent in other regions of the world, such as Africa and Oceania.
The British are Coming!
"The British are coming! The British are coming!" These days, this cry applies to tourists rather than "redcoats." Nearly 5 million tourists from the UK visited the United States in a recent year, more than from any other country except Japan.
$74 billion
Dollar volume of trade last year between the United States and the United Kingdom, making the U.K., our adversary in 1776, our sixth-leading trading partner today.
Hair Ties
One Billion Gajillion
Number of patriotic hair tutus sold worldwide! Don't miss out on your 'Stars' 4th of July Hair Tie at Kidcessory Haven!!
Source: U.S. Census Bureau

CPSIA Urgent Call To Action!

2011-05-26T20:51:00.004-04:00

We have worked 3 long years to get where we are today and we need your help.
Our CPSIA amendment is currently in mark up in the Committee of Energy and Commerce in the House of Representatives. This amendment should, hopefully, be presented for a vote in this committee today. Sadly, we do not have Democrats in support yet. The HTA is in support of this amendment, known as the ECADA. Read more in our letter to endorse here: http://handmadetoyalliance.blogspot.com/2011/05/hta-letter-of-support-for-hr-1939-ecada.html. This amendment must make it through Committee mark up in order to be presented to the full House for a vote - then it is on to the Senate (fingers crossed). We truly need bipartisan support for this legislation if we have any hope of it progressing through both houses of Congress.If your Congressman is on this list, please call them, or if you have time, call them all and tell of the hardship that CPSIA has created and will create when the stay is lifted. Job loss, money loss - it is okay to tell them the whole sad story here. Please share this with your friends and family, post on your facebook, tweet it. We need to do this today!Thanks for your support. Together, we can do this!

Small businesses like Kidcessory Haven depend on your support!

source; CPSIA email update

The Most Versatile Blog Award

2011-05-22T21:12:00.022-04:00

Thank you Lisa from My Colorful Treasures for presenting me with this award! Lisa, you really are a sweetheart! If you haven't already, you should stop by her blog and follow her.

The rules after excepting this award:

Thank the person who awarded you.

Divulge 7 things about yourself.

Award 15 discovered bloggers.

Let's see...7 Things About Me:
1. I am always in a rush.
2. I am tremendously proud of my two kids.
3. I love going to see movies.
4. I love to sleep late (probably why I am always rushing ;)
5. Working outside in the garden relaxes me.
6. I love spending time with my kids.
7. I love meeting new bloggers.

And The Versatile Blogger Award goes to..................
1. Kim at Kims Catalog Company
2. SoHo Accessories
3. Teri at Mom To Bed By 8
4. Jen at Home Schooling At Heart
5. Ron at Inspire!
6. Eloise at Mommy 2 Two Girls
7. Janet at Grammy Janets Place
8. Izzatul at Cutie Cupcakes
9. Lisa at Hog Wild and Lovin It!
10. Ms Muffin at Muffins And More
11. Margie at Margie's Creative Projects
12. Julie at Pink Mama, Blue World
13. Julie at Julie The Army Wife
14. Judi at Bentley Boutique
15. Sheila at Welcome To My Kitchen

Congratulations to ALL of you! You deserve this award and Kidcessory Haven was proud to have been able to sponsor it!!

2011-03-19T09:37:00.003-04:00

In your Easter bonnet,

with all the frills upon it,

You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter Parade.

I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,

I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter Parade.

On the avenue, Fifth Avenue, the photographers will snap us,

And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.

Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,

And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter Parade.

Easter is one of the most auspicious festive times for Christians. And the tradition of wearing bonnets to church on every Easter Sunday grew out of the pleasure and thrill surrounding the holiest of times for the Christians. So, is it just another holiday fad? No, it is believed that the first Easter bonnets were worn before we even started celebrating Easter. So let us all sneak a peep into the History of Easter Bonnet.

Hats are usually worn during events like Easter Parade and church services. If we want to delve into the history of Easter bonnet then we have to talk a bit about the history of Easter Parade. The Easter Parade had its beginning in New York in 1870s. Originally the church goers would carry Easter flowers from St. Thomas Church to St. Luke's Church. The social elite would attend services and parade down to give onlookers - and each other - a chance to show off their new Easter hats and bonnets.

Easter was once known as the "Sunday of Joy." After the Civil War, mothers and daughters who had donned the dark colors of mourning for such a long time began wearing colorful flowered hats and elaborate corsages as part of the Easter celebration. Their hats were adorned with blooming and fresh flowers. If the flowers were not blooming they would make them from paper, ribbon, feathers or sea shells.

Why not start your own Easter tradition this year with a beautiful Sorbet Hair Tutu from Kidcessory Haven today!

source; dgreetings.com

High School Girls Give Up Makeup - A Passing Trend?

2010-10-22T09:59:00.005-04:00

Nina Smith, 16, could not wait until her mother finally gave her the green light to wear makeup about five years ago. But now the Texas high school junior can't wait until Tuesdays roll around — the one day of the week she and some 200 other girls at her school forego their lipstick, mascara and other beauty products.

Nina says she enjoys the extra 30 minutes of sleep on Tuesdays, but that's not why she bypasses the makeup bag. She and five other girls formed a club at Colleyville Heritage High School this year. They wanted to send a small, symbolic statement that girls don't need all the goop and glitter to be beautiful.

Their message was heard loud and clear. The school-sanctioned club — Redefining Beautiful: One Girl at a Time — quickly grew to 200 members. Boys at the school even formed a support group to encourage the girls.
"We didn't think it was going to catch on, because people are self-conscious about how they look. It's high school: You want to look your best," Nina told TODAYshow.com. "To have over 200 girls, it's crazy."

But catch it on it did. Not only at Colleyville, but surrounding school districts and others from as far away at the Netherlands who have heard about the club.
Only skin-deep The formation of the club at Colleyville and the wide interest in it at other schools is reflective of the growing dissatisfaction many have with the message spread by TV, magazines and the Internet that girls have to look a certain way to be attractive, said Suzanne McGahey, the club's faculty adviser.
"It is definitely a response to that ... I think the girls wanted to send a positive message that you can be beautiful no matter what the circumstances," McGahey said. "It's about empowerment and self-affirmation for younger girls."

The girls wear sky-blue T-shirts with their club logo on Tuesdays. As a show of support, boys at the school will soon wear dark-gray Ts with purple lettering that says "Give me that girl" on the front and "That's the you I like best" on the back.
"It's really all been positive. Everyone's really excited," Nina Smith said.

According to Smith, the movement was inspired this summer by a mentor to the girls who referred them to a website called "Operation Beautiful," which was featured on TODAY in August. The site encourages women and those who love them to leave little notes around reminding them they are beautiful and loved, regardless of how they might look physically.
"I have heard about the Colleyville girls, and think they are amazing," said Operation Beautiful founder Caitlin Boyle, 26.

"Those girls are looking inward to define their own worth and not allowing their worth to be determined by outside sources, such as magazines, makeup companies, boys, or the impossible standards of beauty set upon women, and men, by society," Boyle said. "I really admire their efforts."

And to show off that beautiful face, treat your self to one of Kidcessory Haven's pretty Hair Tutu's!

By John Springer TODAYshow.com contributor

Environmentally Friendly Babies

2010-10-12T07:53:00.003-04:00

If you want to have a healthy baby it is important to create a healthy environment for them right from the start. Ensuring that you have a healthy child begins even before conception. If a woman is healthy, happy and drug free the odds of her having a healthy baby increases exponentially. Women who are interested in having children or are actively attempting to become pregnant can do a number of things that will increase the chances their baby will be healthy. The first thing they should do is adopt a healthy lifestyle. Eating a wholesome diet, taking the time to exercise regularly, stimulating your mind with positive information and affirmations and staying away from illegal drugs is a great way to prepare your body for conceiving and developing a healthy child. Being in a positive stable relationship and avoiding high risk sexual behavior is another way to increase the odds of having a healthy baby. Creating a healthy living environment also positively impacts the health of the unborn child.
Many people mistakenly believe the only things that affect a child are the things the mother does after she becomes pregnant. Nothing could be further from the truth. The overall health of the woman at the time of conception plays a crucial role in the health of the child she will bear. Throughout her pregnancy she must also maintain good health practices and expose herself to only healthy environments. Fresh air, clean water, nutritious foods, moderate exercise and time spent enjoying the peace, harmony and beauty of nature all have a positive effect in the pregnant woman and by extension her child.
Once the child is born it is vitally important that its food, clothing and shelter be free of harmful chemicals. This commitment to avoid harmful chemicals should also extent to the towels, sheets, blankets, pillowcases and any other products that come in contact with the child. Surrounding your newborn with chemical-free environment friendly natural fabrics like wool and cotton can lead to a healthier, happier baby.

How To Explain The Fourth Of July To Kids

2010-06-21T15:00:00.007-04:00

Most people in the United States celebrate the 4th of July, but do you know exactly why the holiday is so important to our country? Imagine how you would feel if someone older than you (maybe an older sister or brother) kept telling you what to do all of the time and kept taking more and more of your allowance. That is how the colonists felt in the years leading up to 1776. Great Britain kept trying to make the colonists follow more rules and pay higher taxes. People started getting mad and began making plans to be able to make their own rules. They no longer wanted Great Britain to be able to tell them what to do, so they decided to tell Great Britain that they were becoming an independent country. (To be independent means to take care of yourself, making your own rules and providing for your own needs.)
The Congress met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and they appointed a committee (a group of people working together to do a specific job) to write a formal document that would tell Great Britain that the Americans had decided to govern themselves. The committee asked Thomas Jefferson to write a draft (first try) of the document, so he worked for days, in absolute secret, until he had written a document that he thought said everything important that the committee had discussed. On June 28, 1776, the committee met to read Jefferson's "fair" copy (he put his best ideas together and wrote them neatly.) They revised (made some changes) the document and declared their independence on July 2, 1776. They officially adopted it (made it theirs) on July 4, 1776. That is why we call it "Independence Day." Congress ordered that all members must sign the Declaration of Independence and they all began signing the "official" copy on August 2, 1776. In January of the next year, Congress sent signed copies to all of the states.
The Declaration of Independence is more than just a piece of paper. It is a symbol of our country's independence and commitment to certain ideas. A symbol is something that stands for something else. Most people can look at a certain little "swoosh" and know that it stands for "Nike." Well, the signers of the Declaration of Independence wanted the citizens of the United States to have a document that spelled out what was important to our leaders and citizens. They wanted us to be able to look at the Declaration of Independence and immediately think of the goals we should always be working for, and about the people who have fought so hard to make these ideas possible. The people who signed the Declaration risked being hanged for treason by the leaders in Great Britain. They had to be very brave to sign something that would be considered a crime! So every time we look at the Declaration of Independence, we should think about all of the effort and ideas that went into the document, and about the courage it took for these people to stand up for what they knew was right -- independence!

Stop by Kidcessory Haven to see our new 'Stars' Hair Tutu and be sure to be voted the 'Most Patriotic Person' at this years event!!

source; holidays.kaboose.com

Gulf Coast Oil Disaster: How You Can Help

2010-06-09T21:45:00.008-04:00

As a lover of all things that have to do with the ocean, and a resident of a state that is surrounded on three sides by it, the Gulf Oil Spill has had a particular interest for me.

As I watch the spill near the shores of Florida and the Florida keys, I wonder how I can be of help....so, being the true 'Google Master' that I am...I found a link to the Audubon society that had a lot of tips on how to get involved. I want to share that with you here.

Audubon is inspired by the many people who have contacted us to find out how they can help the birds and other wildlife threatened by the Gulf oil spill. Your commitment to their health and safety during this crisis is greatly appreciated – and it underscores how much you value the natural world.
Audubon is working with many other public and private conservation organizations to coordinate volunteers and connect them with oiled-wildlife response leaders to help in the recovery effort. Hands-on work to protect and save birds and other wildlife will be a complex and potentially dangerous process, and first and foremost it is important that only trained volunteers participate on the front lines. Untrained volunteers can pose a risk not only to themselves, but to the birds and wildlife they are trying to save. If you would like to receive updates on Audubon's response efforts and be notified when volunteer opportunities arise, please fill out our volunteer registration form.
Attention, Gulf Coast Birders! Your help is needed to help document bird distribution at Gulf coast sites, and the effects of the oil spill. Learn more.
Here's another way you can help. Urge Congress to fully fund restoration efforts in Coastal Louisiana. Restoring habitat is key to the survival of that region and the people and wildlife that depend upon it.
Your donation will support Audubon as we address the oil spill disaster affecting birds and other wildlife in the Gulf Coast's already-fragile ecosystem. Your gift of any amount helps provide important resources for our volunteers and for the vital work being done on the ground. Thank you for your support!
Kids Are Already Helping! The spreading Gulf oil spill threatens birds and wildlife on Louisiana's coast. Save Them! Help Audubon rebuild the healthy habitat they need.
Other ways to report oiled wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401 and leave a message. Messages will be checked hourly. Even if you don’t live in the Gulf coast region, you can provide healthy habitat for birds, especially migrants, by taking some of these simple steps from Audubon At Home.

Kidcessory Haven is donating 10% of all sales in the month of June towards the clean-up effort in the Gulf. Please visit our website and know that in addition to purchasing a beautiful Hair Tutu, Gift, or Accessory, you are doing a little bit to help those in the Gulf Coast area who have had their livelihoods destroyed by this disaster.

source; Audubon.org

The Memorial Day Poppy

2010-05-25T21:56:00.009-04:00

That old vet sitting at his table a few weeks before Memorial Day got me wondering about the story of the red poppy.

Its legend reaches back thousands of years. They have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back 3,000 years. There is a drawing of a poppy that was found in the Codex Vindobonensis which was put together for the Byzantine princess Anicia Juliana. The Codex is dated at over a thousand years. Homer mentions poppies in the Iliad, comparing the head of a dying warrior to that of a hanging poppy flower. Many of the ancient Greek and Roman gods are associated with the poppy. The god Morpheus made crowns out of the poppy flowers and gave them to those he wanted to put to sleep. Poppy flowers were used to decorate his temple.

The Greeks have a legend that explains how the poppy came to be called the Corn Poppy. The poppy was created by the god of sleep, Somnus. You see Ceres, the goddess of grain, was having a hard time falling asleep. She was exhausted from searching for her lost daughter; still she couldn't fall asleep and had no energy to help the corn grow. Somnus cooked up a concoction and got her to take it, soon she was sleeping like a baby. Rested and relaxed Ceres could then turn her attention to the corn which began to grow. Ever since that time the people believed that poppies growing around cornfields ensure a bountiful harvest. And so was born the Corn Rose, or as we call it today the Corn Poppy.

Those are some of the ancient legends associated with the poppy. Now you are asking if I am ever going to explain the war connection. This too is an ancient connection going back to Ghengis Khan. It is said that after his annihilation of the enemy the fields were churned up and drenched in blood. Soon they were covered in pure white blooms of the poppy. During the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century the same phenomenon occurred. Churned up blood-drenched fields erupted in poppy flowers.

John McCrae was a Canadian who enlisted to help the allies in the war. He was made Medical Officer upon landing in Europe. During a lull in the battle with the nub of a pencil he scratched on a page from his dispatch book. The poem found its way into the pages of Punch magazine. By 1918 the poem was well known throughout the allied world. Moina Michael, an American woman, wrote these lines in reply.

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies

She then adopted the custom of wearing a red poppy in memory of the sacrifices of war and also as a symbol of keeping the faith. A French women, Madam Guerin, visiting the United States, learned of the custom and took it one step further. When she returned to France she decided to hand make the red poppies and sell them to raise money for the benefit of the orphaned and destitute women and children in war torn areas of France. This tradition spread to Canada, The United States and Australia and is still followed today. The money collected from the sale of poppies goes to fund various veterans programs.

Why not celebrate Memorial Day this year in style by wearing Kidcessory Haven's United Hair Tutu, a beautiful hair tutu is made with Grosgrain, Satin, and Poly Blend ribbons? Come visit Kidcessory Haven for many more beautiful things to be 'Remembered' by as well!!

source; Botanical.com

Welcome To My Friday Follow

2010-05-07T22:42:00.002-04:00

Here’s how YOU can join the Friday Follow celebration:
Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.
Grab the Friday Follow button and include on your Friday Follow blog post.
Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you’d like.
Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you’re from Friday Follow.
Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow.
This list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.
As hostesses, we realize the time required to participate in Friday Follow. Due to the overwhelming number of entries each week, we understand everyone, including ourselves, may not be able to follow every blog. To keep it fun, follow what you can at your own pace. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your continued participation!

And The Winner Is.....

2010-05-02T16:09:00.011-04:00

Kat Lassiter Jones of Fayetteville, NC!! You have won our Kidcessory Haven Blog 'Follower' contest!! Kat's little princess picked out our beautiful 'Carnivale' organza Hair Tutu! We know your little girl will be so happy with it and thank you again for becoming a 'Follower' of Kidc essory Haven!!

Mayday Madness!

2010-05-01T10:41:00.006-04:00

Well, it is a fact that May Day, which the children do enjoy with all vibes, is not an overly prominent holiday in America. Yet, it does have a long and notable history as one of the world's principal festivals. The origin of the May Day as a day for celebration dates back to the days, even before the birth of Christ. And like many ancient festivals it too has a Pagan connection.For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today's customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.May day observance was discouraged during the Puritans. Though, it was relived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn't have the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient fertility rights.

In celebration of the month of May and the season of Spring in general, we are featuring our 'Citrus' Hair Tutu as our Hair Bow of the month!! Come and get one while Kidcessory Haven is still having our semi-annual Hair Tutu sale going on now!

source; The Holiday Spot

April is Stress Awareness Month

2010-04-28T08:25:00.004-04:00

by Stephanie Heiliger PM Golden Triangle

Do we really know what stress is? According to to Webster, stress is “mental, emotional, or physical TENSION or strain.” There are two different kinds of stress — the kind that makes you feel overwhelmed(ex: when you have too many things to do), and the kind that makes you feel excited (ex: when you are looking forward to something). However, both “positive” and “negative” stress have the same physical effect on your body when unchecked — they deplete your reserves and leave you DRAINED. The only solution is to either make a conscious effort to spend more time in a lower gear, or take time in between bursts to rest and RECUPERATE. We all know that this can be very difficult to do given the busy lives that we all lead. Stress is unavoidable, however we can all find ways to try to alleviate some of our stress as much as possible. Here are a few tips to help reduce stress in our daily lives.
1. Prepare for the morning the night before. I find that this makes all the difference in the world in getting the kids off to school in the mornings.
2. Make a list. Don’t rely on your memory when running errands, making appointments or picking up groceries and household items.
3. Learn that it’s OK to say “no”.
4. Ask for help.
5. Laugh as much as possible. Surround yourself with a good support system of friends and family.
6. Think positively.
7. Give yourself a time-out.
8. Instead of trying to do everything at once. Do a little at a time.
9. Always have a back-up plan.
10. Get plenty of rest.
And remember its not always about what situation you are in, but how you choose to handle that situation that makes the difference.
For more information on Stress please visit: http://www.stress.org/
Note: I found this out on Hearts Make Families blog. I thought it was a good thing to share with everyone.

Don't forget that an easy way to manage that stress is to have good time management. Why not treat yourself to a beautiful new Virgencita Watch from Kidcessory Haven? They are not only trendy enough to go with anything you are wearing, they are economically priced to buy a few!!

Some Fun Stuff

2010-04-24T22:53:00.002-04:00

Stumbled across this cute website and found out what kind of 'Flower' I am.
Kinda apropo...don't you think??

I am a
Sunflower

What Flower
Are You?

Click on the link to find out what kind of 'Flower' YOU are and then come over to Kidcessory Haven to check out some GREAT Mothers Day gifts such as our Spring Street Card Case and Vitamin holders!!

Kidcessory Haven Blog Follower Givaway!!

2010-04-18T19:14:00.005-04:00

Kidcessory Haven Blog Givaway - One lucky follower from Kidcessory Haven's Blog will win a beautiful Hair Tutu of their choice from our website http://www.kidcessoryhaveninc.com/ so become a 'Follower' today by clicking on the 'Follow' button in the right hand column!
Givaway ends on midnight May 1st!

The Origin of Mothers Day

2010-04-12T13:12:00.007-04:00

This day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of Greek gods. This festival was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome itself from the Ides of March (15 March) to 18 March.
The ancient Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to Juno, though mothers were usually given gifts on this day.
In Europe there were several long standing traditions where a specific Sunday was set aside to honor motherhood and mothers such as Mothering Sunday. Mothering Sunday celebrations are part of the liturgical calendar in several Christian denominations, including Anglicans, and in the Catholic calendar is marked as Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Lent to honour the Virgin Mary and your "mother" church (the main church of the area). Historians think that children who served in houses were given a day off at that date so they could visit their family. The children would pick wild flowers along the way to place them on the church or to gift them to their mothers.
International Women's Day was celebrated for the first time in 28 February 1909, in the US. By that time Anna Jarvis had already begun her national campaign in the US, so it wouldn't be an antecedent but a contemporanian. It is now celebrated in many countries on March 8.
The "Mother's Day Proclamation" by Julia Ward Howe was one of the early calls to celebrate Mother's Day in the United States. Written in 1870, Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation was a pacifist reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. The Proclamation was tied to Howe's feminist belief that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level.

As the US holiday was adopted by other countries and cultures, the date was changed to fit already existing celebrations honouring motherhood, like Mothering Sunday in the UK or the Orthodox celebration of Jesus in the temple in Greece. In some countries it was changed to dates that were significant to the majority religion, like the Virgin Mary day in Catholic countries, or the birthday of the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad in Islamic countries. Other countries changed it to historical dates, like Bolivia using the date of a certain battle where women participated.

The United States celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May. In the 1880s and 1890s there were several attempts to establish a Mother's Day, but they didn't succeed beyond the local level. The holiday was created by Anna Jarvis in Grafton, West Virginia, in 1908 as a day to honor your own mother. Jarvis wanted to accomplish her mother's dream of making a celebration for all mothers, although the idea didn't take off until she enlisted the services of wealthy Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker. She kept promoting the holiday until President Woodrow Wilson made it an official national holiday in 1914. The holiday eventually became so commercialized that many, including its founder, Anna Jarvis, considered it a "Hallmark Holiday", i.e. one with an overwhelming commercial purpose. Jarvis eventually ended up opposing the holiday she had helped to create. Jarvis was derided and regarded as a lunatic, and was eventually committed to an asylum in 1944. Her bills there were paid by the Floral Exchange, a flower industry group pleased with the results her holiday had on their sales. She died in 1948, regretting what had become of her holiday. In the United States, Mother's Day remains one of the biggest days for sales of flowers, greeting cards, and it is also the biggest holiday for long-distance telephone calls, in addition to gift giving.

Why not come over to Kidcessory Haven to pick up a little 'bauble' for that special mother in your life? We have wonderful matching mother/daughter jewelry sets and the Virgincita watches and Spring Street Accessories are already a big seller this year!

article source; Wikipedia

My Diva Egg Baskets

2010-04-08T01:28:00.004-04:00

Well....lazy me. Here it is, several days after Easter and I have had many queries on how my Easter Eggs and Easter Basket project turned out. As with any project, it was a trial and error 'labor of love'. But with anything of this nature, especially when you are working with small children...it was fantastic.

A couple of changes I made to the basket instructions...

For some reason...and I am not sure if this was a typo on their part...the actual basket material called for 'Foam Board'. Well...the only foam board that I am acquainted with, is thick and un-bendable. So I opted for some stiff felt material instead. It came in many colors (which was good as I WAS dealing with an 8 year old boy who is NOT into anything 'too' girly...he he he).

The cutting directions were a little un-clear to me, but with a little experimentation, I was able to create the 'box' portion of the basket, more or less to match the picture. But other than that, I followed the instructions almost to the tee.

*** A WORD OF CAUTION - Be very careful using the hot glue gun. Although the glue did not soak through the felt...it was EXTREMELY hot to the touch!

We had a FANTASTIC time coloring the eggs!

We colored the eggs the 'traditional' way one day, however I did not have the supplies yet to do the 'artwork' on them. So we stuck them in the fridge, pretty much after dying them. The next day we pulled them out to find that they had formed a really cool 'tie dye' patturn on them, which I can only assume happened because of the condesation that formed in the fridge. Using the pens were great. You really could do whatever your imagination thought up and the kids had a great time drawing anything they wanted! Bella even did a great little 'Seurat' dot patturn that actually looked pretty good!

Anyway..hope you all had a wonderful holiday, whatever particular way you and your family choose to spend it and please come over to Kidcessory Haven to find that perfect gift for Mother's Day, which in the U.S., falls on May 9th 2010 this year!!

Coloring Easter Eggs the Diva Way

2010-03-28T16:28:00.005-04:00

This year I decided to do something a little different when it came to coloring the Easter Eggs. About two years ago (yes....talk about procrastination) I tore out a magazine ad that featured some really cool designs for decorating the Easter Eggs. First I hard boiled a dozen eggs using this recipe http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_perfect_hard_boiled_eggs/ then after letting them cool, I mixed up the different colored dyes. I like to use the instructions for using vinager as I really think you do get GREAT vibrant colors. So today we are just going to dye the eggs in solid colors, without all the stickers and such. We are going to decorate the eggs using the instructions here; http://tinyurl.com/mydivaeggs . Then we are going to follow the instructions here to make the baskets; http://tinyurl.com/divaeggs .

Will let you know how they turn out....

In the meantime..come check out our featured Hair Bow for Easter here! Kidcessory Haven also makes Custom Hair Bows, so don't forget we can match that perfect Easter outfit that you may have in mind for your little bunny.

And The Winner Is......

2010-03-22T15:33:00.009-04:00

Tiffany Johnson Swinford of Columbia SC!! You have won our Kidcessory Haven Facebook Fan contest!!

Tiffany picked out our beautiful 'Be My Valentine' organza Hair Tutu!

We know your little girl will be so happy with it and thank you again for becoming a 'Fan' of Kidcessory Haven!!

Kidcessory Haven Facebook Fan Contest

2010-03-19T13:34:00.003-04:00

Facebook Fan Contest - One lucky fan from Kidcessory Haven's facebook page will win a beautiful Hair Tutu of their choice from our website http://www.kidcessoryhaveninc.com so become a fan today here http://tinyurl.com/kidhavenfacebook ! Contest ends on midnight March 21st.

The Legend of St Patrick

2010-03-17T09:56:00.004-04:00

Remembering the legend of St. Patrick

The day is widely celebrated, but there are many who wonder who St. Patrick is?

The saint is one of the most recognized figures in Christianity. The Irish folklore has it that St. Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland, perhaps a metaphor for promoting Christian faith as he converted royalty and aristocracy into Christianity.

One of his teachings included using the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish people.

Though much is not known about his early life, it is believed that he was born in Britain in the fifth century.

It is also said that he was kidnapped by the Irish raiders and held captive as a slave, when he was sixteen years old. According to his confession, God told him in his dream to flee captivity and return to Britain. On returning, he joined the Church in Auxerre and studied to become priest.

Later he was called back to Ireland, where he promoted Christianity.

Since March 17 is the death anniversary of the patron saint, it is celebrated as the St. Patrick's Day.

In today’s time, the celebration basically includes wearing green clothing, and eating Irish food.
If you don't have proper clothes for 'The wearing of the green', you can always accessorize with a beautiful St Patrick's Day hair tutu from Kidcessory Haven!

source; The Money Times

Kidcessory Haven's Semi-Annual Sale

2010-03-03T15:37:00.004-05:00

Kidcessory Haven is proud to announce their semi-annual sale on all Ribbon Hair Tutus! Our beautiful Hair Bows,
normally priced $7.50-$11.50 are now up to 40% OFF!!
Come see our new selections for St. Patricks Day on our Ribbon Hair Tutu page!

The Origin of Valentines Day

2010-02-08T10:26:00.007-05:00

In Ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno, Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Feast of Lupercalia started the next day.
During these times boys and girls were segregated. However, the young people had a custom that began on the eve of the Festival of Lupercalia. The girl’s names were written on pieces of paper and inserted into jars. Each boy then drew a girl’s name from the jar and they were partners throughout the Festival. After being paired, the children would often continue to see each other throughout the year and on occasion even fell in love and got married.
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Emperor Claudius II of Rome, also known as Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time recruiting men as soldiers. He believed that the men did not want to leave their sweethearts and cancelled all engagements and marriages throughout Rome. St. Valentine, a priest of Rome at the time, secretly married couples. He was eventually caught, arrested and condemned. He was beaten to death and beheaded on February 14th, around the year 270.
Lupercalia was a feast to a heathen God. Pastors and priests of the early Christian church did away with the pagan custom by replacing the names of the girls with the names of saints. They chose St. Valentine’s Day as the day of celebration for the new feast.
Valentine Day greetings became popular during the middles ages. During that time period, lovers sang or spoke their sentiments. Paper and written Valentines became popular at the end of the 15th Century. The oldest Valentine that exists today was made during this era and is on display in the British Museum.
In early years Valentine cards were handmade. Rebus Valentines had verses in which tiny pictures took the place of some of the words. Fraktur Valentines had ornamental lettering in the style of illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages. Cutout Valentines were made by folding a piece of paper several times and cutting out a lacey pattern with small, pointed scissors. A Puzzle Purse Valentine was a folded puzzle, which was read and refolded. Among the numerous folds were written lines and verses that had to be read in a certain order to be understood. Using a stencil cut from oilpaper and painting through the stencil made Theoren Valentines. These Valentines originated in the Orient. Pinprick Valentines were made to look like lace by pricking tiny holes in paper with a needle or pin. I well remember receiving one of these from my grandmother many years ago.
During the 1800’s Valentines began to be manufactured in factories. In the beginning they were handpainted by the workers and came only in black and white similar to silhouettes. Fancy Valentines of the day were made of ribbon and lace. Paper lace was not introduced until the mid 1800’s. By the end of the 19th Century, Valentines were made by machine. Handmade cards became very rare.
Norcross, today known as Hallmark, began to manufacture Valentine Day cards in the early 1900’s. Each year, Hallmark displays a collection of antique Valentines in its stores. Rare cards are also displayed in museums and libraries around the world during late January and throughout February. If you have a chance to take in one of these displays, be sure to do so. You will not regret your decision.
During the 19th and 20th Centuries, postcards with Valentine greetings were produced. They came in categories of humor, romantic and friendship. I have numerous Valentine cards in my postcard collection – all magnificent specimens of a bygone era.
When I was in school, the teacher always covered a cardboard box with red tissue or construction paper, then cut an opening in the top. On February 14th, we all took our cards to school to give to our friends. Woe to the person who gave a romantic card to a member of the opposite sex, for he/she would be tormented unmercifully for the entire day. I remember quite clearly the first time I gave a “mushy” card to a cute boy. We became childhood friends, then sweethearts and a few years later became man and wife. I have given many Valentine cards over the years but none as special as the one I gave on that day so long ago.
Today, due to busy lifestyles and lack of time, we usually buy the Valentine cards that we send to our loved ones and friends. However, I always take time to help my kids make cards by using lace doilies, red tissue, or construction paper. A handmade card is delightful and in my eyes a much more personal gift than an expensive store-bought card.

This Valentines day surprise your special valentine with a beautiful handmade Organza Hair Tutu! Our 'Be M y Valentine' Hair Bows are made from delicate red and white organza.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

source; eassortment.com

What is the Pro Bowl?

2010-01-31T17:07:00.007-05:00

In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Fo o tball League (NFL). Since the merger with the rival American Football League (AFL) in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference (AFC) against those in the National Football Conference (NFC).

Unlike most other sports leagues, which hold their all-star games during the halfway point of their respective regular seasons, the Pro Bowl is generally the last game played at the end of the NFL season. The first Pro Bowl, featuring the all-stars of the 1938 season, was played on January 15, 1939 at Los Angeles's Wrigley Field. The game was then played at various venues before being held at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii for 30 consecutive seasons from 1980 to 2009. The 2010 Pro Bowl will be played at Sun Life Stadium, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV, on January 31, the first time ever that the Pro Bowl is held before the championship game, and the teams are not to include players from the teams that will be playing in the Super Bowl.

Remember to show your team spirit by donning your favorite teams hair tutus...whether it be the New Orlean's Saints Hair Bow or the Indianapolis Colts Hair Bow. You can find your favorite hair accessory at Kidcessory Haven!

source; wikipedia/probowl

New Orleans Saints Logo

2010-01-30T16:16:00.008-05:00

Except for minor modifications, the Saints' logo and uniforms have basically remained the same since the club debuted in 1967. The team's logo is a fleur-de-lis (a symbol of the City of New Orleans and of France's Bourbon monarchy), while its uniform design consists of gold helmets, gold pants, and either black or white jerseys. Minor changes to the uniform stripes and trim have been made throughout the years. The team wore black helmets during the 1969 preseason, but NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle barred the Saints from using the helmets during the regular season, since owner John Mecom, Jr. did not notify the league office of the change.

The Saints predominantly wore white at home when the club played at Tulane Stadium from 1967 through 1974 (except in 1969 and 1970), forcing opponents to wear dark colors in the subtropical climate of New Orleans. When the surface at Tulane Stadium switched from natural grass to AstroTurf in 1971, field temperatures became hotter still. In Archie Manning's first game, in the 1971 season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, temperatures on the field reached as high as 130 °F (54 °C). The heavily favored Rams wilted in the stifling heat, and the Saints claimed their first-ever victory over their NFC West rivals, 24-20, on Manning's 1-yard quarterback sneak on the last play of the game.

The Saints switched to white pants in 1975, coinciding with the team's move from Tulane Stadium to the Superdome. One year later, they started to wear black pants with their white jerseys, a move influenced by coach Hank Stram, who introduced red pants to the Kansas City Chiefs' uniforms in 1968. In an October 3, 1976 home game against the Houston Oilers, Hank Stram used the Saints' road uniforms, the white jerseys and black pants. The Saints lost that game 31–26. During the 1981–82 seasons (Bum Phillips' first two seasons as coach), the team wore white jerseys with black pants at home, but reverted back to the black jerseys and white pants for 1983. They reverted back to wearing gold pants with both their black and white jerseys in 1986 under new coach Jim E. Mora. From 1986 through 1995, the sleeves of the jerseys and sides of the pants featured a logo with a fleur-de-lis inside an outline of the state of Louisiana. The logo replaced the striping pattern that had been on the uniforms since the team's inception; save for color variations, the striping pattern was similar to that used by the Washington Redskins (until 1979), Green Bay Packers (until 1997), and Cleveland Browns (still in use as of 2007^[update]), which is likely why the change was made. That logo was removed in 1996 and replaced with a fleur-de-lis on both the sleeves and sides of the pants.

From 1996 through 1998, the Saints returned to gold numbers on both the white and black jerseys, but complaints about the numbers on the white jerseys being too difficult to read forced the numbers on the white jerseys to be changed to black in 1999. The Saints wore black pants with a wide gold stripe with their white jerseys in 1999, but following a 3-13 season and the dismissal of coach Mike Ditka, the black pants were mothballed by new coach Jim Haslett.

In 2000, the Saints won their first playoff game as they hosted the St. Louis Rams and after having a better road record than home record, they wore their white jerseys, helping them get a 31-28 win over the defending champion Rams. The defining play of the game came with the Saints clinging to a three-point lead with minutes to play. The Saints punted to the Rams' Az-Zahir Hakim (who would play one season for the Saints in 2005), who fumbled the punt deep in Rams' territory. Brian Milne recovered for the Saints, who then ran out the clock to preserve the victory.

In 2001, they wore their white jerseys in the first six home games. During that same year, they primarily wore black pants with both their white and black jerseys. They became the first NFL team to wear all-black uniforms in a week 5 road game against the Carolina Panthers, and again in weeks 16 and 17 in home games against the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers.

In 2002, the Saints wore black pants with their white jerseys (except for the final road game, a 20-13 loss in Cincinnati when they went back to the gold pants), and gold pants with their black jerseys, a gold alternate jersey, and a 1967-style throwback uniform. But one season later, they stopped using the alternates and again reverted back to wearing gold pants with both their black and white jerseys.

The team introduced a gold alternate jersey (worn with the black pants) during a December 15, 2002 game versus the Minnesota Vikings, a 32-31 loss, but have never worn them since then. Because of the metallic gold's bright color, the gold jerseys were considered the "light" jersey in the game, so the Vikings wore their purple home jerseys as the "dark" colored team. One team must wear "dark" and one team must wear "light", the only exception being if both teams are wearing throwback uniforms, such as Thanksgiving Classic games. Today only the New England Patriots have a "light" jersey (their alternate, a bright metallic silver) that isn't white in which the other team would wear their colored, or "dark" jerseys against them since the third jersey rule was implemented in the NFL in 2002.

The Saints also introduced a 1967-style throwback uniform in a 23-20 win in week 13 (December 1) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This also was never worn again but re-introduction of the jerseys in stores suggests they may make a comeback as the Saints' alternate uniform.

In 2006, to honor their return to Louisiana, the Saints wore a patch on their uniforms with an outline of the State of Louisiana with a fleur-de-lis superimposed, similar to the logo from the 1980s.

The Saints originally planned to wear white jerseys at home for the 2006 season, but during the season, the players voted to wear the black jerseys at home after the second home game. Since the team had informed the NFL office that they planned to wear white jerseys at home, each of the Saints' remaining home opponents would have to agree to New Orleans' request. The Cincinnati Bengals did not agree to the switch, forcing the Saints to wear white jerseys for that game.

Starting in week 13 of the 2006 season, the Saints wore white jerseys with black pants and in a Week 16 game in The Meadowlands against the New York Giants (a 30-7 Saints win), the Saints wore the black pants with their road white jerseys. The Saints later stuck with that combo in the NFC Championship in Chicago.

The Saints wore white jerseys for their first four home games of 2008. Three of the four games the white jerseys with black pants combination were worn at home, while the white jerseys with gold pants combination were worn for the first of those four games. The Saints chose to wear the all-black combination for the October 26 game at Wembley Stadium in London vs. the San Diego Chargers, in which New Orleans was the designated home team. They also wore black jerseys with black pants for the rest of their home games at the Superdome following the game at London. The Saints wore their white jerseys at home for the first three home games of 2009. All with the white jerseys and gold pants combination. They have worn the all-black combo the last two home games.

You too can show your team spirit wearing your 'Saints!' Hair tutu found exclusively at Kidcessory Haven!

Indianapolis Colts

2010-01-25T15:22:00.005-05:00

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Con ference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL).

The club was officially founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1953, but can trace its history to the Dayton Triangles, a founding member of the NFL that was originally created in 1913. After a series of changes, it assumed the "Baltimore Colts" name, replacing a prev ious team that folded in 1950. Playing at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, the Colts became the first NFL team to have cheerleaders, although the Steelerettes, the Pittsburgh Steelers cheerleaders from 1961-69, dispute this claim.^{[citation needed]} The team then relocated to Indianapolis in 1984, first playing at the Hoosier Dome, which was then renamed the RCA Dome before moving to Lucas Oil Stadium in 2008.

The Colts won four NFL championships (three NFL Championships in 1958, 1959, 1968; and Super Bowl V in 1971) while in Baltimore. Since moving to Indianapolis, they won Super Bowl XLI in 2007. Also since 1998, the team has become the first in league history to win 12 games or more in five consecutive seasons—extending this record to seven after the 2009 season.

Don't forget to show YOUR team spirit this Superbowl Sunday by wearing one of our fabulous 'Colts' Ribbon Hair Tutus which can be found on our 'Team Hair Tutu' page on our Kidcessory Haven website!! GO TEAM!!

source; Wikipedia

New Years Traditions in America

2009-12-31T17:23:00.004-05:00

The whole range of celebration of the New Year's Day basically stems from the various ways ancient societies used to greet the new harvest seasons. In fact, it is the number of harvests, whether of fruit or grain, that determined how many New Years were observed. The origins of the customs that we think of as peculiarly associated with the celebration of the New Year, took roots in the ways the ancient peoples regarded the New Year. Likewise the other ancient societies in other parts of the world, the New Year festivities had been observed in our wild forests and plains by the native Indians. To the Creek Indians the ripening of the corn in July or August signified the termination of one year and the beginning of another. It was their customs to drape themselves with new clothes, replace the old interiors and households.

The Iroquois, another native Indian tribe who inaugurated the new year in January, February or March with ceremonies emphasizing the expulsion of evil spirits. The customs of sporting disguise and masks, making noises and confessions were all practiced by them.

Symbolically, New Year signifies a renewal of life. Hence, the spirit of celebration for the regeneration, while discarding the old and worn out. The customs and practices, though modified through the centuries, have still their distinctive strains in the ways we welcome each onrushing year.
It was the Dutch, in their New Amsterdam settlement at mid-17th century, who originated the modern American New Year celebration. The New Year's Day was the most important holiday for the Dutch who were noted in all the colonies for their love of beer and wine.

Given here are some instances of New Year's Day revelry with their historical trails:

Midnight Noise Making - The idea of making deafening noise is to drive away the evil spirits who flocked to the living at this climactic season with a great wailing of horns and shouts and beating of drums. This is why at the stroke of midnight we hear the deafening cacophony of sirens, car horns, boat whistles, party horns, church bells, drums, pots and pans - anything that serves the purpose of producing a devil chasing din.

Spectacular Parades - The popular Tournament of Roses Parade held on this day in Pasadena, CA, was started in 1886 by the Valley Hunt Club, whose members decorated their carriages with flowers, creating what was meant to be " an artistic celebration of the ripening of the oranges in California". In the afternoon athletic events were held. The city of Pasadena later relieved the club of sponsorship of the parade, and the city was in turn succeeded by the Tournament of Roses Association, which till date directs the activities. Gradually the flower-decked carriages gave way to floats that by parade rules can be covered only with fresh flowers. Yet another annual attraction, the Rose Bowl football game, became part of the festivities in 1902. The traditional and spectacular Mummers' Parade of Philadelphia owes its origin to the Christmas celebrations of the Swedes and the Englishmen who settled along the Delaware River.
The masked revelers among the Swedes saw to it that the festivities of the Christmas season lasted until the New Year. The English brought with them their ancient practice of mumming. This, in America, took the form of groups of men presenting costumed plays, going from house to house reciting their parts in expectation of money or some of the Christmas fare. It was since then the parade has been divided into three main sections: the fancy-dress division, the clown division, and the string bands.

New Years Resolution - In order to have a 'clean slate' on which to start the New Year, people in times past have made certain that they had all their borrowings cleared. Those were the days before such complexities as credit buying. The New Year resolutions, which we are so fond of, represent other efforts to make the year brand new. In fact, we often say that in the New Year we are "turning over a new leaf."

Luck In The New Year - It is traditionally thought that the first day of the year is symptomatic of the approaching 364 days. Accordingly, people try to spend the first day of the new year in the best possible way in the company of family and friends. It was once believed to be a good omen if a tall dark-haired man visits your house on New Year's Day. Traditional New Year foods are also thought to bring good luck. In many cultures, it is a predominant belief that anything in the shape of a ring brings luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. It is primarily for this reason that the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day brings good fortune. Black-eyed peas and other legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Consuming cabbage is also considered a potential harbinger of good luck. In some regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day.

Early American Observances - When they eventually lost control of New Amsterdam to the English for the last time in 1674, they had no trouble persuading the English to abandon their March 25 New Year and observe it on January 1.
The principal customs of the day were visiting friends and exchanging gifts, to which the English added the turkey shoot. But in March 1773, the New York State legislature outlawed the firing of guns and explosions.

Gatherings - The practice of visiting friends continued until the first years of this century. It was a gala time when everyone held open house and laid out enormous feasts for any one who should drop in, whether friend or stranger. To neglect this annual visit was a terrible sight, and the roads were thronged with carriages bearing the holiday-makers.
Unfortunately in time the custom was abused; the distinction between privacy and sociability was ignored and troops of unwanted guests descended on the open houses, using them as eating and drinking stations. Politicians and those with an eye on the social ladder were said to have spread their blight over the purposes of the day. People began to send invitations to special guests for their own protection, and the old custom fell irretrievably into decline.

Thus the whole range of ideas of purgation, purifications, the confessing of sins, driving off demons, expulsion of evil out of the village and so on transpired. The idea remained the same the abolition of the past. So is the case of masked processions - the masks representing the souls of the dead.The ceremonial reception of the dead, who are invited to feast and led back at the end of the feast to the borders of the territory, to the sea, or the river, or wherever else, is also in line with this concept. Add to these the interlude of Carnival, Saturnalia, reversal of normal order. Though all these constitute the much familiar New Year revelry, these are just part of the rites practiced by primitive man during the celebration of their own New Years.

So, from our family to yours, we here at Kidcessory Haven, wish all of you a very Happy, Safe, and Prosperous New Year!!

excerpts from The Holiday Spot So

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Internet Christmas Shopping

2009-12-06T21:57:00.006-05:00

If you are like me then you may well enjoy the Christmas season, love the giving and receiving of presents, but you just cant stand Christmas shopping!

There is an alternative to wandering through the shopping malls, looking at endless presents, getting fed up with the Christmas crowds, and generally feeling a bit fed up with Christmas, with Christmas presents, and all things festive.

Christmas shopping for gifts can be a chore, but it doesn't have to be that way. The answer is to do your Christmas shopping on the Internet!

Christmas Present Shopping on the Internet

The internet is full of great ideas for Christmas presents, and you can enjoy looking for them from the comfort of your own home. But you have to be aware that all these wonderful Christmas gifts that you are looking at have to be delivered to you. So make sure you do your Christmas internet shopping nice and early!

The only draw back to shopping for Christmas presents on the internet is the delivery. Typically deliveries only occur between the hours of nine and five, the time you may well be at work! However most companies will allow you to deliver presents to addresses other than the billing address. So why not use your work address? That way there should always be someone to pick up the Christmas present.

Christmas Present Ideas

One of the best sites for nice Christmas presents, especially when you have absolutely no idea what gift to get, is Kidcessory Haven! This site contains plenty of interesting hair accessories and even Dog Collars that will keep the receiver happy for months, or possibly just a few hours on Christmas afternoon...

Lisa Verde, owner of Kidcessory Haven says that this years 'hot gift' is the Virgencita Watches that she has on her site. "They are selling like hot-cakes" and since she only carries one of each style, stock is selling out fast.

If your potential gift receiver isn't into electronics gadgets and gizmo's you could always try buying some DVD's or CD's. A good site for this is CD WOW which contains a good catalog of cheap CD's, with cheap delivery as an added bonus.

If you want to go for a little more luxurious Christmas present then you could use the online Boots store, have a look for something that will give someone a pampering to the lucky receiver of the Christmas present. Or for that real Christmas spirit then why not try a case of wine from Virgin Wines ?

For a slightly different, more adventurous present then try Experience.com, where you can buy all manner of fun days out. From motor racing to hot air ballooning you should be able to find the perfect Internet Christmas present for anyone who likes to get out and about. However we can't recommend sky diving for the faint hearted.

source; http://www.whatprice.co.uk/internet-christmas

Black Friday On The Internet

2009-11-25T22:51:00.007-05:00

Cyber Black Friday

The term Cyber Black Friday, refers to online retailer's Black Friday promotions. According to comScore in 2008:

Evidently, one of the benefits of avoiding the Black Friday crush at retail stores and opting to shop online is not having to wake up at the crack of dawn. The early morning rush online – between the hours of 4:00-8:00 AM – accounted for just 11 percent of the day’s total online retail sales, while the period after 8:00 AM saw 84 percent of online sales take place. The 12:00- 4:00 PM segment represented the highest share of Black Friday online sales (24 percent), with the hour of 12:00-1:00 PM being the heaviest individual hour of spending with 8 percent of sales.

Cyber Monday

The term Cyber Monday, a buzz word invented by the National Retail Federation's Shop.org division, refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, which unofficially marks the beginning of the Christmas online shopping season.

In recent years, Cyber Monday has become a busy day for online retailers, with some sites offering low prices and other promotions on that day. Like Black Friday, Cyber Monday is often wrongly said to be the busiest shopping day of the year for online shoppers, though in reality several days later in the holiday shopping season are busier.

Earlier in the 2000's the day had more significance (though it was not named as such until 2005) as most people did not have broadband connections at home and presumably used the first day back at work from the long Thanksgiving weekend to take advantage of such connections in the office to do online shopping. In response, many retailers now encourage people to do their online shopping at home on Thanksgiving Day itself by offering their Black Friday sales online that day.

source; Wikipedia

Please be sure to stop by Kidcessory Haven for Christmas Hair Bows for you and your little princess or looking for a trendy gift for that special someone?? Virgencita Watches are the newest rage among old and young alike! Come check out all of the great items on our site for all of your holiday needs.

The Handmade Toy Alliance Meets with top CPSC officials and responds to NY Times reporting

2009-11-01T17:16:00.004-05:00

October 31, 2009 --

After a full year of efforts trying to save their small businesses from the mandates of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), the Handmade Toy Alliance (HTA) met two important milestones yesterday.

First, assisted by Senator Merkley (OR), the HTA met via video conference with CPSC commissioners Inez Tenenbaum and Robert Adler, an aide to Senator Dodd (CT), and a team of about a dozen CPSC staffers to discuss policy actions to protect small batch children's product manufacturers.

Second, the New York Times reported for the first time on the CPSIA's impact on small businesses. The report focused on the HTA's efforts to convince congress to amend the CPSIA.

“It was a very busy day,” said HTA secretary Jill Chuckas, owner of Crafty Baby (CT). “In the morning we got the chance to tell the CPSC what we need. And then in the evening I found myself quoted in the New York Times.”

During the morning CPSC meeting, Commissioner Adler expressed a desire to protect small manufacturers as much as possible within the constrains of the CPSIA. Speaking about the difficulty small businesses have affording the testing required by the law, he said “You're the folks who keep us awake at night.” He also reiterated that “The CPSC did not write this law.”

The meeting centered on nine requests the HTA submitted to the CPSC, the most important of which would stay enforcement of testing requirements for another year so that the CPSC can finalize rule-making on a host of important issues. “Our goal is not to create loopholes in the law for unsafe products,” said Dan Marshall of Peapods Natural Toys (MN) “We just want to save our small businesses.” The full text of the HTA's requests to the CPSC can be found at http://handmadetoyalliance.blogspot.com/2009/10/handmade-toy-alliance-requests-cpsc.html .

In the Times article, titled “Burden of Safety Law Imperils Small Toymakers”, Nancy Cowles of the consumer group Kids in Danger was quoted as opposing the HTA's efforts to reform the CPSIA, claiming that big industry players “are not above using the small crafters to reopen the legislation and get the changes they want.”

“This is the absurd logic that we've been hearing for a long time,” said HTA board member Rob Wilson of Challenge & Fun (MA). “We are not agents for big companies. We have been highly critical of Mattel and other multinationals for their role in shaping the CPSIA in their favor. What Cowles is basically saying is that handcrafters and small batch manufacturers are closing their businesses as a favor to Mattel.”

“If Kids in Danger and other consumer groups would just respond to our repeated requests for dialog, I'm sure we could reach an understanding that serves both our interests,” said Marshall. “If they could have listened to our morning meeting with the CPSC, they would understand our desire to fix this law without compromising safety. Unfortunately, they seem more interested in protecting the status quo.”

The HTA's next steps are to include more meetings with the CPSC, which will hopefully lead to policy actions and the clarification of a number of issues. The HTA is also offering to help the CPSC reach out to small batch manufacturers.
“Even though we feel very encouraged by the CPSC's willingness to work with us, we need to keep in mind that their hands are tied on many issues,” said Wilson. “We need Congress to pass a technical amendment to the CPSIA, and we need Senator Pryor to begin that process with an open hearing in his Senate commerce committee.”

The Handmade Toy Alliance is a grassroots alliance of 395 retail and online stores, toymakers and children's product manufacturers from across the country who want to preserve consumer access to unique handmade toys, clothes and all manner of small batch children's goods in the USA. Formed in November of 2008 in response to the CPSIA, HTA members are parents, grandparents and consumers who are passionate about their businesses as well as the safety of the children in their lives. While in support of the spirit of the law, the unintended consequences of the CPSIA have motivated members of the HTA to work to enact change at a federal level. More information at www.handmadetoyalliance.org.

by Jill Chuckas, Owner, Designer
Crafty Baby (Stamford, CT)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 888-788-5168
jill@craftybaby.com handmadetoyalliance.org
source; Free Press Release

The Last Pumpkin

2009-10-21T19:22:00.005-04:00

Imagine you are the last pumpkin - the last pumpkin in the field. The nights are getting colder and there is snow in the air. Won't someone come and take you home to a nice warm house? You hear voices and see someone coming towards you....

It is a child, his name is Abdul. He takes me to his nice warm house. His mom was carving Jack-O-Lanterns. I was afraid..but they carved triangle eyes and nose, and a big smile. Abdul wanted to give me a body. He got many vines and cut legs, arms, hands and a body and he glued it to me. He let it dry and then I looked like a pumpkin person. His mom made costumes for people all around the world! He wanted to look like me for Halloween. So his mom made a suit that looked just like me and then he went trick or treating with his friends.

written by Christian Verde, age 7
for a 2nd grade school assignment.
(and yes..that is MY son!)

Paper Is the Right Choice for Clothes and Shoes: Marking One Year of the CPSIA

2009-08-17T13:45:00.001-04:00

On Friday, we are marking the one-year anniversary of the Consumer
Product Safety Improvement Act, landmark legislation that provided
needed resources to the Consumer Product Safety Commission to improve
consumer product safety. We are also commemorating the second of three
phase-in dates for reductions in lead standards for children's products.

As tradition holds, the first anniversary gift is paper. For our
anniversary gift, Congress should consider giving the producers of
children's clothing and shoes a thoughtful piece of paper: legislation
allowing the U.S. apparel and footwear industry the opportunity to
continue making safe clothing and shoes.

The CPSIA was an effort to adapt consumer product safety to the changing
manufacturing landscape. While well-intentioned, the CPSIA has unduly
burdened businesses by shifting focus away from risk toward legal
compliance. As a result, companies that manufacture and sell safe
products have been forced to shut down.

The legislation went far beyond its intended purpose of keeping unsafe
and dangerous toys off store shelves by creating a "guilty until proven
innocent" compliance environment - even for products that have always
been safe. As a result, manufacturers of children's products are
spending tremendous resources in duplicative testing of their products
simply to comply with the legislation. These extra costs are doing
little to improve public health or provide safety, and they are adding
enormous pressures to companies already scrambling for ways to cope with
the economic downturn.

The U.S. apparel and footwear industry has been a victim in this
unfortunate debate that pits compliance against safety. We believe we
have a strong safety record. While any recall is one too many, the
amount of recalls in our industry in 2008 equaled less than 0.0082
percent of total merchandise sold. To give you an idea of that figure:
If a football player were to stand at one end of a football field and
run 0.0082 percent of the way to the other goal line, he would travel
only a small fraction of an inch.

For us, product safety is engineered into clothing and shoes from the
start. That is why we need strong and clear product safety rules that
can be communicated and understood up and down the supply chain.
However, the CPSIA's rigid parameters have eliminated key "flexibility"
and "risk assessment" tools that are needed for the product safety
system to work efficiently. And with some rules implemented
retroactively or being announced only a few days before they take
effect, the system falls apart.

We will always work with the CPSC and consumer interest groups to
determine what, if any, product safety problems exist in the industry
and how to best rectify them. Congress should encourage this cooperative
environment because it alleviates many of the current burdens the CPSIA
imposes on industry - burdens that do not improve consumer safety. This
transparent process creates a risk-based, common-sense product safety
regulatory network that is agreeable to all stakeholders.

The current regulatory framework has made even the most low-hanging
fruit nearly unreachable. When the legislation first passed, our
industry began the process of seeking out a rule exempting fabric and
textiles from the lead standard because the materials are inherently
lead-free. Due to strict statutory language, the tedious process
involved hearings, comments, thousands of test reports and several
meetings. The final rule came out on Aug. 7, almost one year since the
law was enacted. In the meantime, the industry has spent millions of
dollars to demonstrate what it already knows - your plain white cotton
T-shirt does not have lead in it.

Other exemption requests posed by our industry and others have not been
so successful. Crystals and rhinestones on children's clothing, shoes,
princess costumes, dance uniforms, cell phones, jewelry, accessories and
eyeglasses are now banned hazardous substances despite a CPSC staff
determination that this "bling" does not pose a health risk to children.
Furthermore, data shows crystals and rhinestones would leach less lead
than some jewelry that is compliant with the strictest CPSIA lead
standard that goes in effect two years from now. However, as new CPSC
Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum stated, "A decision to grant the exclusion by
using compliant metal jewelry as the baseline for assessing the
acceptable level of exposure will reintroduce risk analysis back into
consideration. ... Such an interpretation of the exclusion section of
the CPSIA appears to be in direct conflict with the statutory language,
which does not allow for the consideration of risk."

Last week, the Senate moved quickly in confirming the two remaining
nominees to complete the slate of commissioners at the CPSC. For too
long our nation's product safety regulatory system had been underserved
because of long-standing vacancies in vital leadership positions.
Fortunately, the recent batch of confirmation hearings has renewed the
discussion aimed at restoring common sense to our product safety rules
and regulations. Through the appropriations process, chronic
underfunding issues are swiftly being resolved as well.

Now that we have five commissioners providing leadership at the CPSC,
the commissioners should begin following through on commitments made
during confirmation hearings to quickly issue comprehensive and
unmistakable guidance to fashion designers, manufacturers and retailers
to resolve the immense confusion that has held our industry back.

Congress has an important role to play as well. Hearings are urgently
needed to provide all stakeholders an opportunity to document the early
successes and failures of the CPSIA. More importantly, with the one-year
anniversary behind them, key Members of Congress should take a hard look
at the legislation to see what fixes can be made - technical or
otherwise - that will make this law work better and as intended. In
answer to Chairwoman Tenenbaum's appeal last week, one urgently needed
legislative clarification would provide the CPSC with needed tools to
grant common-sense exemptions based on risk.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was a historic piece of
legislation that should have been lauded but instead has become known as
the law of unintended consequences. For our one-year anniversary,
Congress should give American consumers and businesses a piece of paper
that makes it easier to buy and sell safe and compliant clothes and
shoes.

Source: Roll Call 8/14/2009
Kevin Burke is president and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear
Association.

A Quick History on Sport's Uniforms

2009-08-05T12:04:00.005-04:00

It's time to play ball! Your favorite team takes the field. You love the colors of the uniform and the cool mascot on the jersey. Have you ever wondered what some team colors mean and how their uniforms were chosen? Here are the histories behind the uniforms of some sports teams.

Duke University's Blue Devils

During World War I, the Chasseurs Alpins, also knows as "les Diables Bleus," were popular French soldiers who gained attention when their unique skills were relied upon to bring an end to trench warfare in their native region of the French Alps. Their presence didn't affect the cause that much but the Blue Devils were recognized for their courage, and their unique blue uniform with flowing cape and beret captivated the public interest. After the United States entered the war, some units of the French Blue Devils helped to raise money for the war effort by touring the country. Trinity College, now know as Duke University, chose the Blue Devils mascot and blue/white colors from nominations that included Blue Titans, Polar Bears, Royal Blazes and Blue Warriors.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers, originally founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates, changed their name to generate fan support since the steel industry was the city's primary source of employment. In 1962, Republic Steel of Cleveland asked the Steelers to use the Steelmark, the logo used by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), to honor the Pittsburgh steel heritage. The logo's colors represent the three materials used to produce steel: orange for iron ore, yellow for coal and blue for steel scrap. The Steelers are the only NFL team to sport its logo on only one side of the helmet.

Anaheim Ducks

How did a hockey team choose the "Ducks" for its uniforms? The Mighty Ducks were actually founded in 1993 by The Walt Disney Company. The team's name was chosen from the popular Disney movie The Mighty Ducks, a story about a group of troubled kids that turned their losing youth hockey team around and became winners. Disney created an animated series called Mighty Ducks that included a fictional Mighty Ducks of Anaheim team. The real team uses the Mighty Ducks logo on its uniforms to this day.

Other quick uniform facts:

• The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first baseball team to wear knickers instead of pants. The reason for this choice was to show off the team's high red socks that had been designed by the owner's wife.
• In 1976, the Chicago White Sox wore shorts during the first game of a doubleheader. The players hated the shorts so much that they all switched back to pants for the night game.

So next time you need something original for your little leaguer's uniform or need something unique and want something handmade to pull your little soccer players hair from her face...please don't forget to visit Kidcessory Haven's Team Hair Tutu page!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Crystal_Ware

You Can Join The Handmade Toy Alliance

2009-07-20T20:31:00.004-04:00

Becoming an official member of the HTA is very important for us because we

are turning the corner from being an ad-hoc group to being a bona fide
trade association.

Our goal in doing this is nothing less than promoting the long-term
health and viability of of our members. If the CPSIA has taught us
anything, we needed the voice of Handmade Toy Alliance a year ago when
we could have fixed the CPSIA before it ever became law. For better or
worse, however, the CPSIA has brought us all together and this is our
opportunity to strengthen that bond.

The Handmade Toy Alliance is now incorporated and is in the process of
becoming a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) trade association. The amount of work
and money needed to accomplish this has been formidable. Thus far,
these expenses have been borne primarily by our board members, which is
not a sustainable solution. Legal fees alone amount to $2,000. Other
expenses include mailing list services, a booth at Toy Fair, domain name
registry, accounting software, and printing costs.

That is why we need your financial contribution to continue our work.

Now is the time to give a small amount of money to the Handmade Toy
Alliance and make a big difference. We have arguably been the most
effective voice arguing for reform of the CPSIA on behalf of small
businesses, such as Kidcessory Haven. Our accomplishments have been significant, but much more
work needs to be done. With your contribution, we can all continue that
work and build upon our successes.

Here's what we need you to do: go to
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/join-the-handmade-toy-alliance and
follow the links to complete our online membership form and then go to
http://handmadetoyalliance.org/join.htm to submit your membership
payment via paypal or check.

Please make your financial commitment to the HTA today. Help us create
a sustainable, meaningful alliance.

Posted by Dan Marshall
Peapods Natural Toys & Baby Care

Do Pacifiers Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?

2009-06-28T23:08:00.003-04:00

I found the following case study while doing some research on pacifiers and pacifier holders and thought it was an interesting read...

Pacifier use has been reported to be associated witha reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but mostcountries around the world, including the United States, havebeen reluctant to recommend the use of pacifiers because ofconcerns about possible adverse effects. We searched the Medline database (January 1966 to May2004) to collect data on pacifier use and its association withSIDS, morbidity, or other adverse effects. The search strategyincluded published articles in English with the Medical SubjectHeadings terms "sudden infant death syndrome" and "pacifier"and the keywords "dummy" and "soother." Nine articles met the criteria. Two independentreviewers evaluated each study on the basis of the 6 criteriadeveloped by the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force onInfant Positioning and SIDS; in cases of disagreement, a thirdreviewer evaluated the study, and a consensus opinion was reached. Published case-control studies demonstrate a significantreduced risk of SIDS with pacifier use, particularly when placedfor sleep. Encouraging pacifier use is likely to be beneficialon a population-wide basis: 1 SIDS death could be preventedfor every 2733 infants who use a pacifierwhen placed for sleep, based on theUS SIDS rate. Therefore, we recommend that pacifiers be offeredto infants as a potential method to reduce the risk of SIDS.The pacifier should be offered to the infant when being placedfor all sleep episodes, including daytime naps and nighttimesleeps. we recommend pacifier use for infants up to1 year of age, which includes the peak ages for SIDS risk andthe period in which the infant's need for sucking is highest.For breastfed infants, pacifiers should be introduced afterbreastfeeding has been well established.
Source; Fern R. Hauck, MD, MS, Olanrewaju O. Omojokun, MD and Mir S. Siadaty, MD, MS

Departments of Family Medicine
Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC

Toymakers fight complex new safety rules

2009-06-13T11:01:00.004-04:00

Intended to keep toxic substances out of children's products, new CPSIA rules have snarled small manufacturers in red tape and confusion.

By Sharon McLoone, CNNMoney.com contributing writer

WASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) -- For toymakers, the world changes on Aug. 14. That's the day a new regulation takes effect that small manufacturers say could force them out of business.

"I hear gut-wrenching stories every day, like the soldier's wife who doesn't think she can continue her homemade doll business or the Native American women who are worried that they'd run afoul of the law if they continue to make handcrafted authentic clothing for Native American children," says Rosario Palmieri, vice president of regulatory policy for the National Association of Manufacturers.

Last year, in the wake of several high-profile toy recalls, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). Intended to ensure that children's products are free of lead and toxic chemicals, the law has been taking effect in phases -- and each new rule that kicks in brings with it a raft of unintended consequences.

Amy Sharp is exactly the kind of parent the law is intended to reassure. Two years ago, she made multiple treks to the post office to return 10 lead-tainted Thomas the Tank Engine toys to their manufacturer -- toys her young son had repeatedly put in his mouth. The experience prompted Amy and her husband Joe, a trained carpenter, to launch a line of natural wooden toys for babies. Their venture, Little Alouette in Columbus, Ohio, has built a loyal fan base and helps keep the Sharps afloat financially.

Toymaker Joe Sharp is worried his small business won't be able to untangle complicated new CPSIA rules and afford the compliance costs.

A T-Rex teething ring from the Sharps' line of handcrafted toys.

But now the Sharps are worried that their popular Harper the Hippo teether will go the way of the dodo.

"We don't think the entire law is a bad law, but we are a small and new business," Amy Sharp says. "When it comes down to these testing and labeling expenses, we don't think we'll be able to thrive. I started this company to provide a safe alternative to mass junk out there, and here I am having to prove myself. It's definitely a monetary issue."

New rules

The Sharps are just two months away from a deadline Amy says could force their two-person shop to shutter. In mid-August, a new provision takes effect that requires children's products to carry a permanent label or mark with manufacturing details. The label is intended to ease recalls, but many toymakers are frustrated by the new requirement's rigidity and complexity. The Sharps don't fully understand the convoluted regulation and aren't sure they'll be able to absorb the costs of compliance.

Too many questions about implementation remain unaddressed by the law's overseer, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, critics say.

"What if it's a product that uses a lot of pieces and you decorate it yourself?" asks Palmieri of National Association of Manufacturers. "What if it's a screen printed t-shirt where someone makes the t-shirt but then someone else decorates it and then someone else sells it -- who's responsible for the labeling?"

Talk back: What do you think of CPSIA?

"There's some critical questions that CPSC needs to answer on tracking labels," said Jonathan Gold, a vice president with the National Retail Federation. "The concern is that if a business goes off and does take some action, it might end up being wrong, and ultimately [incur] a penalty."

For toy manufacturers and sellers, this latest skirmish feels like déjà vu. Earlier this year, the industry and the Consumer Product Safety Commission had a showdown about the CPSIA's stringent new lead testing and certification rules, which were slated to take effect in February. The backlash against the requirement was so strong that the CPSC backed off and delayed enforcement of its rule's most controversial aspects for another year, postponing them until February 2010.

Industry groups hoped for a similar stay on the labeling requirement, but the CPSC last month turned down a delay request made by a coalition of retailers and manufacturers. For now, Aug. 14 remains D-day.

Changing of the guard

That could change as the commission prepares for new leadership. Commissioner Nancy Nord stepped down as chairman June 1 after a four-year run as the organization's leader. She plans to continue as a CPSC commissioner until her term expires in 2012. Commissioner Thomas Moore is the group's acting head until the Senate confirms Inez Moore Tenenbaum, a former South Carolina superintendent of education picked last month by President Obama to lead the troubled agency.

While still the agency's chair, Nord told lawmakers that implementing the CPSIA law has been a "tremendous challenge" to the commission's 450-person staff because of the aggressive timetable. Congress's own analysts sounded an earlier warning: In a 2007 report, the Congressional Budget Office cautioned that implementing such sweeping legislation would impose significant new costs on manufacturers of children's products and on mom-and-pop shops.

But more help is on the way. The Obama administration requested that the agency receive $107 million in fiscal 2010, a big bump up from the $80 million it got in 2008 and a 71% increase from its fiscal 2007 levels. The legislators who wrote CPSIA, which was signed into law by then-President George W. Bush, had requested a funding level of $118 million for fiscal 2010.

Obama also announced his intention to expand the number of CPSC commissioners to five from three. Right now, one of those three spots is vacant, leaving critical judgments to be made by the slenderest margins -- the decision not to postpone the labeling requirement was a 1-1 vote, with the tie leading to the measure's defeat. In addition to Tenenbaum, Obama has nominated Robert Adler, currently a professor of legal studies at the University of North Carolina, to become a commissioner.

Barring more time, manufacturers are hoping for clearer rules to follow. A House Small Business Committee panel held a hearing last month at which a parade of witnesses criticized the CPSC's opaque communications.

"As entrepreneurs struggle in the current economic climate, the vagueness of important CPSC guidelines have left businesses in limbo," said Jason Altmire, D-Pa., chairman of the committee's investigations and oversight group.

Atlanta-based Tiffin Mills is among those who feels at sea. Mills sells lighting fixtures made out of vintage lamp parts though her online shop, LinwoodAvenue.com, and through Etsy, an online craft marketplace that has been a nexus of anti-CPSIA backlash. Mills has tried to understand the new rules but been frustrated by the "high-end legalese" of their wording.

"Everyone is getting their information from other crafters' interpretations," she said. "There's not much information from experts out there."

As the CPSC scrambles to pull together that information, small business proponents are looking for leadership in bringing the letter of the law more in line with its spirit.

"A lot of small businesses are asking Congress to refine the law," said Linwood Rayford, an assistant chief counsel at the SBA Office of Advocacy. "Nobody is saying this is a bad law, they're just saying it's overly comprehensive and too many people are caught in the net."

“The Handmade Toy Alliance reacts to the CPSC settlement with Mattel and Fisher-Price”

2009-06-08T02:32:00.003-04:00

United States of America (Press Release) June 6, 2009 --

Friday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a settlement with Mattel Inc., of El Segundo, CA and its wholly owned subsidiary, Fisher-Price Inc., of East Aurora, NY in the amount of $2.3 million for violating the federal lead paint ban. Enacted in 1978, the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) prohibited toys and other children’s articles from having more than 0.06 percent lead (by weight) in paints or surface coatings. In 2007, about 95 Mattel and Fisher-Price toy models were determined to have exceeded this limit. As a broad reaching reaction, Congress enacted and President Bush signed into law the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August of 2008.

“One of the biggest frustrations with this issue is that Mattel and Fisher-Price broke a law that was already on the books, but the Congress reacted by writing another law that doesn’t improve the safety of children’s products on the market,” Mary Newell of Terrapin Toys (OR) states. “Instead, small companies get penalized for not having the capital to third party test their safe products, and Mattel and Fisher-Price get a financial slap on the wrist.” Members of the Handmade Toy Alliance (HTA) have received quotes from certified third party testing facilities that range from $300 to over $4000 to test one batch of product that has often already been shown, via component certification and/or natural material exemptions, to be safe as per the CPSIA guidelines. HTA manufacturers typically work in small batches, ranging from 10 -100 products in a batch in contrast to the 100,000+ product that larger product manufacturers may create in factories.

With the stepping down of Nancy Nord as acting Chairperson at the CPSC and the inevitable confirmation of a new Chairperson in the foreseeable future, there is hope that some of the specific issues that plague small businesses regarding the CPSIA may soon be addressed. “But, the law continues to ignore the general principles of risk assessment and is just an example of government ineffectively trying to fix a problem without looking at the practical application of the law to small business,” Rob Wilson of Challenge & Fun (MA) discusses. “The fact remains that Mattel and Fisher-Price violated a well established law and rather than looking at ways to improve enforcement of the law on the books, [Congress] enacted new, overly broad reaching legislation that could serve to destroy some of the most safety conscious children’s product manufacturers out there.”

The Handmade Toy Alliance is a grassroots alliance of 366 toy stores, toymakers and children's product manufacturers from across the country, who want to preserve consumer access to unique handmade toys, clothes and children's goods in the USA. They are parents, grandparents and consumers who are passionate about their businesses as well as the safety of the children in their lives. While in support of the spirit of the law, the unintended consequences of the CPSIA have motivated members of the HTA to work to enact change at a federal level.

One Lovely Blog Award

2009-05-30T01:36:00.006-04:00

Kids Accessories by Kidcessory Haven has been blessed to win it's second Blog award!!
The award was given by the wonderful mom of four at Giggles And Dimples.

Here are the rules:
1. Post the award on your blog together with the name of the person who has given the award and the blog link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here are my recipients;

1. Mom Tools - Resources We Use
2. Heartfelt Handmade
3. My Colorful Treasures Blog
4. Bentley Boutique Blog
5. Cest Magni Boutique
6. Crafts For Kids
7. Mommy's Random Thoughts
8. Parents For Wellness
9. The Finley Family - So Happy Together!
10. Drachma Girl's Blog
11. Memories Of You
12. Trockle
13. TLK Knit N Sew
14. Kookie
15. Cloth Diapers Made Simple

Congratulations to all of you who have 'Lovely' Blogs, whether they be based on looks and/or content. All of you ladies are wonderful and it is with my deepest sincerity that I have been blessed enough to have 'discovered' your great blogs...thank you!!

Today's Small Business Subcommittee Hearing Proceeding

2009-05-14T19:31:00.004-04:00

The Small Business Subcommittee hearing proceedings from this morning are now up on YouTube. See http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C589CFEAB108E72F . From what I've seen, this seems to be nothing less than a home run for small batch producers. HTA member Suzi from Starbright Baby did an awesome job! She and several other business owners did a great job describing the difficulties the CPSIA is causing for small businesses. This was the first post-CPSIA Congressional hearing and our first chance to tell Congress what we need.

Steve Lamar, Exec. VP of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) says, 'There is guaranteed to be a second hearing in the coming weeks or month or so. That will be the Senate confirmation hearing for the two new Commissions. This will give Senators a chance to identify and articulate issues related to the CPSIA bill and its implementation, as well as their hopes and dreams for the new Commissioners. That is a good opportunity to suggest questions'.

I know we're always asking you to send your story to someone, but it makes a HUGE difference.
We want Congress to understand the full scope of this problem. Again, the email to send your testimony to is: Erik.Lieberman@mail.house.gov .

Below is a copy of the cover page I used. Please feel free to adapt this to your own use:

May 13, 2009

Erik Lieberman
House Small Business Committee

Re: Written Testimony for the May 14, 2009 House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight Hearing “The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and Small Business”

Dear Mr. Lieberman,

On behalf of the Handmade Toy Alliance, an alliance now numbering 335 toy stores, toymakers and children's product manufacturers from across the country who want to preserve unique handmade toys, clothes, and children's goods in the USA, we respectfully submit the following testimony for the House Small Business Committee's Hearing on the CPSIA.

Please add this letter and the two pages which follow into the official record of this subcommittee hearing.

We appreciate your assistance with this matter. Please contact us if we can be of any assistance.

Watching The Space Shuttle Liftoff

2009-05-12T21:00:00.008-04:00

I decided to take a little break from making Ha ir Tutus, and decided to drive the four hour trip north to watch the Atlantis Space Shuttle take off on Monday May 11th, 2009...as this will be one of the last times you will get to see it. NASA is discontinuing the Hubble Program. The Hubble Telescope is getting its fifth and final fix-up. Astronauts on the space shuttle Atlantis will repair and replace broken instruments, add a new long-gazing camera, and then say goodbye forever to Hubble. If it all works, Hubble will get another five to seven years of life, before it is remote-control steered into a watery grave.

I was a little dubious of this last minute trip with the kids as this was the first time that my family or I have ever seen a liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center. However after arriving at my husbands cousin's house in Oviedo, I went online to do a little researching to see where the best vantage point would be to view the liftoff.

The liftoff was scheduled for 2pm sharp...so we arrived at beautiful Sand Point Park in Titusville at 12 noon. All of the information that I had read up on the night before stressed getting to your destination at least 3 hours prior to liftoff to ensure a good space...however, with two small children in tow....punctuality is not always a reality. The park is situated on the north west side of the Intracoastal waterway on Max Brewer Parkway. It is a rather large park with ample free parking, a large playground (which was great for the kids) and a few restrooms located at opposite ends of the park. An added bonus was that if you wanted to walk out to the street there were a hot dog, and pizza vendors...and an ice cream truck too!

We were armed with our beach umbrella, chairs, cooler, and camera and were able to get right up to the waters edge with no problem. We also had an unexpected surprise visit by two manatees who languidly swam not 10 feet offshore from where we sat for over an hour. It was a great treat for the kids to see.
At 1:30pm we watched with trepidation the dark rain clouds rolling in from the West, which would have surely triggered a cancellation of the launch. However the prevailing easterly breeze worked in our favor...not only keeping us cool, but ensuring the launch go off as scheduled.
We counted down the seconds to liftoff...then as quiet as could be...you saw the ball of fire slowly lift into the sky, leaving its long spiraling tail below. It was only after the shuttle was completely out of site, did you hear the roar of the rockets. It came on low.....like the roll of thunder. Louder and louder it came, sounding somewhere between a freight train and a twister. Then...gradually fading off again.
I know for me it will be a sight to remember...and I know my kids will too.

PS....Skip swimming in the parks ponds!!!

The Handmade Toy Alliance applauds the naming of new leadership at the CPSC

2009-05-07T15:34:00.004-04:00

United States of America (Press Release) May 6, 2009 --

The Handmade Toy Alliance (HTA) applauds President Obama’s nomination of 2 new Commissioners to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Tuesday as a step in the right direction to remedy the many unintended consequences of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). The CPSC has been left grossly under funded and understaffed despite the increase in demands on the agency since President Bush signed into law the CPSIA of 2008. With the installation of two new commissioners, a third appointment expected this summer, as well as a 71% increase in funding from fiscal year 2007, there is new hope that the CPSC will be able to address some of the issues that befall the HTA membership.

President Obama’s nominee for Chair of the Commission, Inez Moore Tenenbaum, has worked in the field of education as the former State Superintendent of Schools in South Carolina. She currently serves as special counsel to the McNair Law Firm in the area of public school finance. Robert S. Adler, nominee for an additional Commissioner of the CPSC, spent eleven years (from 1973-1984) as an attorney-advisor to two commissioners at the CPSC and was part of the President’s transition team, co-authoring the agency review report on the CPSC. The President also intends to extend the size of the CPSC to include 5 Commissioners and additional staff in the months to come.

While restoring the overall health of the CPSC is a step in the right direction to enhance the regulatory functions of the agency, there is still much work to be done to correct the unintended consequences of the CPSIA. “I am greatly encouraged by the President’s naming of nominees. Congressional members have been telling us for 6 months now that new leadership at the CPSC will fix the unintended consequences of the CPSIA” Jill Chuckas of Crafty Baby (CT) states. “Still, though, I believe that the wording of the law itself restricts the Commissions ability to remedy all the errors of the CPSIA and the HTA will continue to lobby for a technical fix utilizing risk based assessment.”

With confirmation hearings in the near future, there is hope that the process will move swiftly as the August 14th, 2009 deadline for third party batch testing by certified laboratories and batch labeling procedures loom over the HTA membership and thousands of small manufactures throughout the country. “Having spoken personally with Mr. Adler, he appears to have a good understanding of the unintended consequences the CPSIA has had and will continue to have on home based businesses and other small manufacturers in our membership,” Jolie Fay from Skipping Hippos (OR) shares. “The announcement of these nominations gives me renewed hope for change, and a much needed added burst of energy while I continue to work towards a legislative change in the CPSIA.”

The Handmade Toy Alliance is a grassroots alliance of 334 toy stores, toymakers and children's product manufacturers from across the country, who want to preserve consumer access to unique handmade toys, clothes and children's goods in the USA. They are parents, grandparents and consumers who are passionate about their businesses as well as the safety of the children in their lives. While in support of the spirit of the law, the unintended consequences of the CPSIA have motivated members of the HTA to work to enact change at a federal level.

Dan Marshall,
Peapods Natural Toys & Baby Care (St. Paul, MN)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 651-695-5559
dan@peapods.com
www.handmadetoyalliance.org

Jill Chuckas, Crafty Baby,
Owner, Designer (Stamford, CT)
source: FPR

The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 888-788-5168
jill@craftybaby.com
www.handmadetoyalliance.org

Cecilia Leibovitz, President
Craftsbury Kids (Montpelier,VT)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 802-223-7143
ceci@craftsburykids.com
www.handmadetoyalliance.org

Rob Wilson, Vice President,
Challenge & Fun (Ashland, MA)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 888-384-6200
hta@challengeandfun.com
www.handmadetoyalliance.org

For more information:

888-788-5168
The Handmade Toy Alliance
www.handmadetoyalliance.org

Craft It Forward Givaway!

2009-04-12T00:07:00.003-04:00

This post will remain on top until I get the 5 comments on here I need. Hurry 5 free gifts, handmade by Kidcessory Haven! Comment now! Recently, Heather From Crafts For Kids, started up a bit of a 'craft-it-forward' handmade giveaways. I found out about this through Heather and I will be receiving something from her, so I’m following up my end of the bargain, and offering something up to you. P.S. There is FINE PRINT so, read carefully!

Here is the fine print:

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me!

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

* I make no guarantees that you will like what I make but I will do my best.

* it will be done in the next couple months

* you have no clue what it’s going to be - that’s the fun part!

It could be artwork, handmade stationary personalized for you, baked goods from my kitchen, or something crocheted or knitted. What will it be? You’ll have to wait and see!

I reserve the right to do something completely bizarre or completely normal.

Here’s the (really) fine print:

In return, all you need to do is post this text into a note of your own and make 5 things for 5 others. What could be more fun! Some ideas you could do for others: artwork, CD’s, burn a DVD, write a poem, crochet a scarf, make a mini book, send a photograph (a printed one, not e-mailed. etc…).

If you are interested, leave a comment below with your email address (if you don’t have a blog-based email address and are not comfortable leaving your personal email address, you can also email me at kidcessoryhaven@comcast.net

Amend The CPSIA

2009-04-01T09:55:00.002-04:00

I am sure you are aware of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and the unintended and disastrous consequences this ill written law has on our National economy. Businesses large to small, like Kidcessory Haven, have been working to Amend this Law and so far, without success. However, I am very pleased to announce that Amend the CPSIA is organizing a Rally on Capital Hill, April 1st from 10am EST to 11:30am EST. For complete information regarding this historic event please visit our website at AmendtheCPSIA.com. We will have congressional representation, industry leaders and businesses owners, affected and outraged by this law, there to speak on behalf of all of our businesses that are currently in jeopardy. I urge you to participate and there are many ways to do so via the website. You can:

Join us at the Rally! Click here for more information.
Submit your personal story online about how this law has affected you and your business.
Get Involved with our organization and let your voice be heard! Click here for more information.

We have a large list of Sponsors including Goodwill Industries, Handmade Toy Alliance, Motorcycle Industry Council, and the Alliance for Children’s Product Safety, just to name a few. The list showcases the broad impact this law has on so many vital organizations in our communities.

We invite you to join us at the Rally. Please submit a Registration form* (*not required to attend) so that we can keep track of attendees at the event. We also ask that you subscribe to the site so that you can receive email updates as they are posted. At the Rally there will be a check in table with information about the impacts of the CPSIA, samples of products affected, and great souvenirs to buy to help defer the costs of the event.

We truly appreciate your ongoing support to Amend the CPSIA. Participate and be heard!

Let's keep children's products safe, and American businesses in business!

You Can Do It- Simple steps to feeling beautiful

2009-03-26T23:29:00.003-04:00

This is a really cool article written by a woman that I did a book review awhile back for. We subsequently became 'online' friends. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did.

Click here to check out The Reality of Weight Loss by Teresa Bondora.

One day while working, I found a call to be in the Magazine, MORE for women. The article was open to women nationally and when I first saw the opportunity to throw my hat in the ring I looked amusingly at it and passed it by. I wouldn’t qualify for a national magazine article like I’m some kind of special person. I’m not glamorous, I’m 43 and the signs of aging are creeping in. I’m a stay at home mom with a fledgling web site that after 4 years is just breaking even. Yes, my body is trim and tight from my weight loss and I love climbing and it has totally changed my life but I’m just me in a house doing my best each day. I don’t have an agent or a national best seller I don’t “have people”. I color my own hair because I can’t afford a salon and I don’t wear make up.

So I did my nightly chores, talked with hubby for a few minutes, read, then I went to bed. I found myself noticing myself. I realized that voice that was telling me I wasn’t article material was just a voice in my head and that nothing was stopping me from throwing my hat in the ring. So what if they saw my entry and laughed at me and said to themselves that I was crazy entering something like this. What if I added to their long list of people they had to toss to get to the good ones and so I was part of making their job harder. So I laughed at myself. I was going to do this. I knew it.

Gutsy move

So the next day I emailed and sent the required info they were asking for. I got a reply of thanks and we’ll be in touch..blah, blah, blah. And of course no “in touch" came.Then a few months later, I got an email asking for more information, that I was “in the running” for the article. WHAT??? WHAT?? I can’t tell you what kind of validation that was. If it didn’t go any further, this alone changed how I saw myself. I was so excited and over the next few days I realized changes taking place inside me. The validation, the outside someone saying I was beautiful, different from the others, worthy, made me feel different and pretty and like I had accomplished something. I rode this wave for a long time, I changed my hair, got a new pair of shoes. I fixed my hair more and smiled more. I ate less junk and more quality food. I added real quality chocolate which led to my research on chocolate and that led to my writing a book on chocolate which has led to many other things.

So instead of waiting to see if I made the cut, I let it go. I won in my mind and I certainly doubted, that since only 4 people would be chosen, I’d be in there, but to get this, was plenty. And then out of the blue, it happened again. 2 months later - another email. I had been chosen as one of the 4 to be featured in the article. They needed more information. I think I leapt out of my body. I ran around telling my kids and calling people. I don’t think I touched the ground that day.

So time passed as I waited for more information. During that time many things happened to me emotionally because of this. And I made some discoveries that I knew every woman needed to know, if they didn’t already. Men, if you are reading this, please make sure any woman in your life gets a copy.

One night almost asleep, the question came to me….how is my body any different now than it was 4 months ago, before this article? And I realized it wasn’t any different. Why did I feel so powerful and beautiful, one of the lucky ones now when nothing at all has changed about me? I’m still the mom in the house with the fledgling web site and still 43 and still look the same in the mirror. I’m still struggling financially, and I still work to believe we’ll all be okay through these uncertain times. I still look at 20 something’s in the gym and try not to compare myself. Yet I feel beautiful now. Why? Because someone else validated it? Who? The media?? People I don’t even know, who don’t know me? If that was all it took then why couldn’t I have just skipped all that sooner and just validated it myself, or through those around me? I couldn’t answer myself as to why and where I lost that feeling of knowing I was beautiful.

We were born beautiful.

No matter what glasses you wore or how fat you were or your braces or allergies, you knew you were beautiful when you were little. Don’t believe me? Spend some time watching children at parties or children's play places. Yesterday I took my son to Monkey Joe's an indoor inflatables place. The children there were amazing. One girl had on a Tiara and I told her it was pretty. She told me yep, she was. One boy had an Iron Man tattoo on his arm. I told him it was a cool tattoo. He said, “I am Iron Man” and he took a muscle pose and looked so strong and proud. There was a pudgy girl about 5 years old who came over and asked me if I liked her new glasses. She said they were cool and that her friends wanted them. Children just know they are beautiful. All of them. It took me a while to remember but now that I do, I know I'm beautiful.

So now comes that part….do you think you are beautiful and worthy of national attention? I know. After others make fun of you, after people can be cruel, after life takes its toll after aging starts to grab your attention, it gets difficult to stay beautiful and to feel like you are a Goddess. It’s probably more like how much of a failure we are because we leave so much undone at the end of each day. Think I don’t leave dishes in the sink or have to choose between that or time with my kids or time with my husband or time taking the kids outside? Some things are not going to get done. I don’t have a house keeper or anyone who comes by once a week. So the house and laundry are just there and get done when I can. Most days I throw my hair up in a pony tail.

So how can we feel beautiful when we have no motivation and no time and don’t know where to start?

Change

The beginning of creating change in our life and feeling like a million bucks is to first identify what’s keeping us from feeling that way now. This exercise will hopefully make you uncomfortable. Please do not dwell on each question. Write what your mind brings you first, second, third. Do not analyze it and don’t worry about what you should be writing. Notice some questions ask about you specifically and some are about your life, these would include work, people, circumstances, items, and you. If you don’t think you have time for this. Then print this out and answer one question a day at lunch or at bed time.

· What things about you, your personality, your genetics, etc do you wish you could get rid of, what holds you back?

· What thoughts do you tell yourself that you think may not be true and may be holding you back?

· What are the traits about you that make you good, that help you get ahead or that you feel are desirable qualities about you?

· What experiences in your life propelled you forward in your heart or in your thinking or financially?

· What parts of your life today are you happy with, make you better and you would want to keep more of?

· What parts of your life today do you wish to get rid of?

· What nagging small issues are you dealing with right now, what hopes do you have, what things are on your mind that you are pursuing, worrying about or that consume your thoughts.

· If someone else were defining your traits to a potential employer and they were brutally honest and knew you well, what would they tell the employer? OR Describe yourself basically.

· What are you grateful for?

· Describe your extended family in 5 adjectives on your mother’s side…..your father’s side….step parents’ side….

· Which of those traits do you think you currently posses?

· Which of those traits do you think are still unconsciously causing you issues?

· Which of these traits do you have that you like?

· Which of those adjectives have you rid from your life or do you dis-identify with?

· What on these two pages would you be embarrassed for a potential customer, employer or mate to see?

· What on these two pages are you proud of?

· What accomplishments in your life are you proud of?

I was asked each of these questions during my therapy at one time or another. And had to write the answers.The thing about these open questions is they are very telling for you. You can diagnose yourself very well by seeing exactly what your mind brought forth first, second, third, what’s on top and comes to mind, etc. These are the things that are the issues you will deal with. Yes there are others but they will rise to the surface when it’s time. I do this questionnaire about every 6 weeks. I find that once I deal with them I change and start to feel kind of icky again and know that it’s time to revise. Because life is a path, not a series of dead end streets, we are always changing and so are our issues, concerns and backgrounds.

So, let’s look at what you wrote. Read back over your answers and see the number one item you mention the most. Is it something you don’t like or something you do like?

Work

So what we’re going to do now is divide the items we wrote about into want more of and want to go away. Every time I do this, my list of each is usually around 10 things so if you need more room, get a sheet of paper to work this on. Most of the time many items leave the list and others stay every time. Those I don’t like come and go and a few persist. I keep a spiral notebook and do this in it so I can see what issues disappear and return, become less important, things I forgot I wanted to keep, etc.

So list them in this format:

Things I want to keep in my life

· Here’s an example:

My family, my car, my positive attitude, my husband’s muscles, my new necklace, my ability to give and love people, the new soup recipe I just got, my grandmother, the times I get to see my dad, the money that comes into our lives, my broad shoulders, my pretty skin.

Things I want to get rid of-

Fear of lack, not trusting people, quick to make assumptions, feeling like a victim, feeling old, my tummy fat, my hair cut, feeling like I don’t do enough, worrying about my children, panic attacks, worrying about breast cancer.

Things I want more of in my life-

If you struggle with money, there’s a few very simple things you can do that at first seem lame. But do them and watch what happens to your mind. To begin, take a few dollars and change them to quarters. When you go to run your next errands, give the quarters out to people. That will be something you’ll never forget doing. You’ll be surprised at 1) how many people won’t take it and 2) how you feel after you’ve given them out.

Next, when you order something at a fast food place or coffee place and the person after you has an order under $5, pay for it. Do it quickly and real matter of fact and try to get away quickly before they can thank you. I do this all the time. Suddenly I started feeling like I wasn’t so broke if I could afford to pay for things for other people. Isn’t that one of the reasons we want to be rich? So we can help others? Buy the homeless person some fruit or juice or chocolate milk. Doing this on a regular basis will help you feel rich. Overhaul your budget and make envelopes for gas and groceries at the first of each month. Put the cash there and keep to it. That way the necessities are taken care of and will be there.

Be careless. I had a very rich bachelor friend a long time ago and I noticed that he had money everywhere. 20's out on the counter, bills crumpled in the floor of his closet and in junk drawers, bills in the back seat with straws and napkins and fast food trash, he gave out 20's to homeless at red lights, he was careless with his cash because he could afford to NOT account for every single dollar. So I decided to adopt this attitude. I put singles in the drawer by my bed and scattered them around. They stayed there until I forgot they were there. When I needed to look for something, they got shoved around with everything else. I started emptying out my pockets and putting the change in drawers around the house. I began putting 5's in pockets and leaving them there, including coats and jackets. Eventually I forgot how much money was running around loose in my life, in my car, behind seats and furniture, etc and it made me feel less uptight and more loose and relaxed about money.

These are just a few simple ways to make small changes that add up to big emotional changes. And they don’t require a life overhaul.

Your body

If you are overweight or out of shape, I have a book that covers this subject. I had kids and was busy and didn’t have much money and I lost weight using what I know as a science person and from my therapy days. Afraid you’ll fail? I wrote another article on that and you can read it here… http://www.TheRealityOfWeightLoss.com it’s right at the top.

These changes are easy to fit into your daily life, like packing a book bag with weights and running your errands wearing it or wearing your kid. Put a weight at the foot of the stairs, every time you go up the stairs pick it up, throw it in the laundry basket and carry it up. When you get to the top, set it down. When you’re ready to go back down, pick it up and carry it down. I have many of these in the book. Get a pedometer and see how much you walk a day. You'll be very surprised. Lack motivation? Ha! I've got that covered too!

Fear of the economy- lack of control

Overwhelmed. When you look at your list it can seem overwhelming. I can stop that dead in its tracks. But you have to be willing to feel uncomfortable and put pen to paper again. Remember the list of things you want to get rid of and things you don’t like?

List them. Once you make that list, you will write one of 3 things beside it:

Drop it

Change it

Accept it

Because in life we always only have one of these 3 choices. We can change the situation. If we have no control over it, we can accept it. Or we can choose to leave the situation. Many times we are stuck because we mistakenly think we have no choice. What we really mean to say is “The consequences I will suffer if I change or leave this are way more than what I suffer now.” The problem with this is that you may be wrong. The second problem with this is that if you are right then you forget that you are making a choice, a choice to accept it. And then you stay mired in this unhappy place of “I hate it and can’t leave it or change it.” That’s the victim role. Unfortunately I was comfortable in that role and when presented with the opportunity to make a choice, I chose to stay mired in the poor me place. I eventually learned that it was only serving to harm my physical body through stress and began to make those harder choices to save myself.

In reality you must find the courage to change it or take the chance to leave it. But if you know that neither is possible then you are stuck with the even harder work of acceptance and making peace with it. I go even further and make myself find happiness and gratitude with it. If I cannot, then I muster the courage to change or leave it. In this way we cleanse our lives of things that needed to go, we open the way for others to be free, to make changes and to struggle with their own choices. We become an example to our children and those around us. We unload baggage or we learn to graciously accept what is before us.

Affirmations

I remember near the end of my therapy when I was encouraged to try affirmations I thought they were silly. I did them anyway but when I didn’t see immediate results or they didn’t knock me over the head with change, I dropped them. I have since learned the error of my ways and now affirmations have become the primary way I make changes I my life.

I have the perfect beginning thing for you to try. You must declare yourself the Goddess of Beauty. And here’s how. Take a photo of yourself looking proud, as if you have just been named queen or your photo is being taken for the cover of Best Woman magazine! Print that picture. Now make a paper frame and paste it around the photo. At the top, write your name in capital letters. At the bottom, write “The Goddess of Beauty.”

Now, attach it to your bathroom mirror where everyone, including you will see it every day. Nope, no excuses. Do this no matter how dumb, stupid, silly or weird it feels. Ignore what you think the others will say. And especially if you’re having a party soon, this will need to go in the bathroom everyone will be using. Yep.

This will cause many changes. Others who see it, even if they don’t say anything to you will think about it and may go home and make their own. Your kids will see you as a role model and will think of themselves the same way. Your husband or significant other will agree with you. If they’ve forgotten to see you this way or express it, they will remember. Over time you will see subtle changes in the voice in your head. And over time you will notice you feel more motivated to make more changes in your life.

Your Home

When I feel stale or down I make simple changes to my environment. I don't have the money to redecorate or buy new furniture so what I do is rearange a room, move the furniture around and change up where things are sitting. I am not a clutter freak and I don't gather stuff but if you do, it would help you to choose a stack or a corner and go through it and empty it out. I have many things that mean a lot to me. I like to keep them by the bed, things my children made, a rock i found on my honeymoon, a gnome my daughter gave me, etc. I will move them around or swap them out for other things. Lately I decided to paint my kitchen. WOW. I live with a painter so I had his help and good tools and it totally changed my work area. I now look forward to cooking in that room. Ask yourself what part of your house tends to bother you the most compared to what you rarely notice. For me it's the sink and the coffee table. If wake up to dirty dishes it tends to punch me in the gut first thing in the morning. If I walk in the den and the coffee table is clear, I tend to be okay with stuff on the floor. Find what these things are for you and set out to make them right. I recently made these changes and once I got started, I got excited and couldn't wait to get up to keep going. It injected new life into my home. I emptied out my laundry room and made it clutter free and now I am going to paint it. Simple things can pack a punch for your mind!

Teresa Bondora. Find me online at www.TheRealityOfWeightLoss.com

Twitter- teresabondora

BUY HANDMADE has expanded

2009-03-14T13:27:00.003-04:00

I don't know if any of you have noticed the Buy Handmade.org link on the main page of Kidcessory Haven? It is a webpage dedicated to those who have pledged to buy only handmade items as opposed to mass produced, 'big store' products mainly produced in Asian countries.
After visiting this site again after a long absence I noticed that they now have a dedicated Blog and can also be found on many popular 'social entertainment' sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Please show your support by clicking on the below links and joining if you have not already done so.
Buy Handmade Website - http://www.buyhandmade.org/
Buy Handmade Blog - http://blog.buyhandmade.org/
Buy Handmade Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/people/Buy-Handmade/675407276
Buy Handmade Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/groups/buyhandmade/
Buy Handmade Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/buyhandmade
Buy Handmade Twitter - http://twitter.com/buyhandmade

In our ongoing cause to save handmade, custom items from extinction please familiarize yourself with the new CPSIA law and its consequences to small businesses in the USA.

Breaking News - CPSIA Hearing in DC

2009-03-13T15:25:00.003-04:00

Dear Supporter of Handmade,

I'm very excited to announce that fellow CPSIA activist and inspiration Rick Woldenberg, has arranged an open hearing and rally on Capitol Hill. In Rick's words: "Having been repeatedly denied the opportunity to explore the issues created by the CPSIA in public hearings...we have elected to organize our own rally and open hearings for this purpose... By calling this rally and open hearing, we are announcing an end to old school "closed door politics" and shining a light on a matter of critical public importance during a severe economic downturn."

A wide range of speakers and participants will attend this event. It will include support from numerous trade organizations and is expected to feature remarks by Members of Congress as well as scientists and representatives of various organizations affected by the legislation such as small businesses, libraries, charities and thrift stores. This event will also be open to the media.

The event will take place on April 1. In spite of the ironic April Fools date, this is indeed very real, and is happening. I hope you can join us. Final details are still being arranged. More information can be found on Rick Woldenberg's blog: http://learningresourcesinc.blogspot.com/2009/03/cpsia-rally-and-open-hearing-april-1-in.html/ If you would like to join the team organizing this event (whether or not you'll be attending) please send an email to hearings@cpsiahearings.com.

Another important note: Recently Congressman John Dingell sent a letter to the CPSC asking for specific answers regarding the CPSIA, and said he intends to work on fixing problems with the law. You can find a link to the letter here:
http://ceska.typepad.com/little_ida/2009/03/dingell-wants-cpsc-to-explain-problems-with-cpsia.html/
Please take a few minutes and draft a response to this letter, thanking Rep. Dingell, and answering the questions. Then send your letter to commentsfordingell@cox.net . Rick Woldenberg will pull together all of the responses and send them to the CPSC and to Rep. Dingell's office.

Thanks so much for your continued support. Our voices are being heard. Particularly encouraging is a recent letter written by Congressmen George Radanovich and Joe Barton, including quotes from crafters and small businesses. You can read it here:
http://www.radanovich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=113689
We have come so far simply by speaking out about how this law affects us. I hope to see you in DC!

Cecilia Leibovitz

Congressman George Radanovich

Source: www.radanovich.house.gov

A New Slide Application

2009-02-22T19:16:00.003-05:00

Look at this VERY cool Slide application that I discovered today! You can post it on your website, blog, facebook page....virtually any place that you can add an HTML code.

I am still experimenting with it, but plan to put this on my Facebook Page to showcase my hair bows, belts, dog collars, and jewelry, and thought I would try it out here first.
The style and skins are customizable with pre-designed layouts and has a very easy to use, user friendly interface.
Feel free to add your pics too!!

For those of you not familiar with Slide, it was started by Max Levchin. He was the co-founder of Paypal and subsequently sold it to Ebay for 1.5 BILLION dollars at the age of 26. Yeah..wow.
Click here to get your own 'Slide Guestbook' and tell me what you think!!

6th in the 6th...I've been Tagged

2009-02-13T14:07:00.005-05:00

I've been tagged by Amy from Giggleberry Creations! The tag is to take part in the 6 by 6 game.
RULES:
Choose the 6th image out of your 6th picture folder from your computer and blog it. Then tag 6 more people to do the same. So here goes.................

This pic was taken in 2007 at Santa's Enchanted Forest..which is an attraction in Miami, Florida, that is open during the months of November and December.
My daughter, Bella, is riding the pony in the foreground and my son, Christian, is following behind.
Actually...if I remember correctly..the ponies had come to a standstill as one of them was going 'number 2'. Hence the look of disgust on both of their faces!
I know...TMI!!
LOL!!

I tag The Home And The Earth, Cloth Diapers Made Simple, Do I Have To Spell It Out?, Dawn's World, Smart Bottom Enterprises and Therapy Home. Have Fun!!!

PS....Since I have been told to link EVERY blog post to my website...please notice the cute Ribbon Hair Tutus that my daughter is wearing. You can see them here. -Lisa

2009-02-03T21:50:00.004-05:00

On Jan 31, 12:24 am, dan marshall of www.peapods.com wrote on the Handmade Toy Alliance forum a post that I happen to agree with and decided to re-post it here.

I've just caught up on everyone's reaction to today's stay announcement and I wanted to offer a few thoughts in no particular order.

1-I think this is very very good news. Not because it solves our problems, but because it gives us the breathing room to get our problems solved.
Our work is far from done, but I was very afraid that 2/10 would be a death sentence to a lot of our member businesses who might otherwise have benefited from pending rulemaking that won't be online for several more months.

2-Yes, childrens products still have to be in compliance with 600ppm lead. But, as stated before, this has been the law for 30 years. Does it make sense in this environment to get thee to an XRF gun or verify compliance from your component suppliers? Yep.

3-What has been lost in the past few week's discussion, I think, is the looming deadlines in August for labeling and 3rd Party Testing for ASTM compliance. This goes way beyond lead and was poised to be a second wave of destruction that many more of our members may have succumbed to. This, too has been stayed and this gives us a lot more time to prepare and push policy.

4-Why was this released on Friday night? So the CPSC could push SEND and then go home for the weekend. Clearly they are anticipating an uproar. We will need to draft a news release in support of this step and reaffirming our desire for a workable safety regime.

5-If you are contacted by any reporters about this, please refrain from being overly excited. The message is that this stay is definitely an opportunity to pull over to the side of the road and change the tire instead of trying to do it in motion on the freeway.

6-This stay will probably be challenged in court by US-PIRG and possibly other interest groups. This will take months to play out, however, so it has little chance of affecting the overall outcome.

7-The big question I have is, why a whole year? NAM was asking for 6 months. We didn't name a specific length of time. I don't think the CPSC would go that far out on a limb without silent support from congress. Hopefully this signals a technical amendment is in the works.

8-There is a discrepancy between total lead in the CPSIA and soluble lead as mandated in the EU. This is a big problem for certain types of products and hopefully this can be brought to the fore. A whole host of other issues remain which the HTA has not yet taken a position on. We're out of the frying pan, but we still need to escape the fire.

So, we are by no means declaring victory tonight. As I said earlier, I think this is a good time to open a bottle of wine, but not the time to pop open the champagne. We have a lot of work left to do but we are now made fierce because we have proof of our power to make change.

A Dedication to Mom.

2009-01-30T12:45:00.005-05:00

This is a great video that I received in an email today and in light of all the 'heavy' subject matter regarding the CPSIA, I thought we all needed a little break to reflect on why we are carrying on with this fight to save our handmade products businesses, such as I am doing for my Hair Tutus.

this 'Mom Dedication' is sometimes referred to as the Mum Song, and after hearing a variety of songs about moms over the years, I must admit the Patti Harshey version of the Mum Song is by far the best.

Patti Harshey, from the Northland Church in Longwood Florida, recently sang this 'mom dedication', originally composed by Anita Renfroe, and I wanted to share it as it is simply priceless.

This 'Mom's Dedication' does an excellent job of describing what a typical mom says in a 24-hour period, but this mom says it in less than 3 minutes flat.

The 'Mom's Dedication lyrics are displayed as this song is sung, but I thought it would be fun to include the lyrics in full text version below for anyone interested in singing along. If you can keep up, that is.

The Mom Dedication Lyrics

Get up now
Get up now
Get up out of bed
Wash your face
Brush your teeth
Comb your sleepy head
Here’s your clothes
And your shoes
Hear the words I said
Get up now
Get up and make your bed
Are you hot?
Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and hat
Don’t forget you got to feed the cat
Eat your breakfast
The experts tell us it’s the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at three today?
Don’t forget your piano lesson

is this afternoon

So you must play
Don’t shovel
Chew slowly
But hurry
The bus is here
Be careful
Come back here
Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside
Don’t play rough
Would you just play fair?
Be polite
Make a friend
Don’t forget to share
Work it out
Wait your turn
Never take a dare
Get along
Don’t make me come down there
Clean your room
Fold your clothes
Put your stuff away
Make your bed
Do it now
Do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn?
Would you like some hay
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone
Get Off the phone
Don’t sit so close
Turn it down
No texting at the table
No more computer time tonight
Your iPod’s my iPod if you don’t listen up

Where you going and with whom and what time do you think you’re coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me
Makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You’ll appreciate my wisdom
Someday when you’re older and you’re grown
Can’t wait ’til you have a couple little children of your own
You’ll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now
I thank you NOT to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew
Would appreciate
Take a bite
Maybe two
Of the stuff you hate
Use your fork
Do not you burp
Or I’ll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an egg A, Get the door
Don’t get smart with me
Get a Grip
Get in here I’ll count to 3
Get a job
Get a life
Get a PhD
Get a dose of reality
I don’t care who started it
You’re grounded until your 36
Get your story straight
And tell the truth for once for heaven’s sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff
Would you jump too?

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said at least a thousand times before that
You’re too old to act this way
It must be your father’s DNA Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straight when you walk
A place for everything
And everything must be in place
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about
Oh!
Brush your teeth
Wash your face
Get your PJs on
Get in bed
Get a hug
Say a prayer with Mom
Don’t forget

I love you!
**KISS**
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom’s work never ends
You don’t need the reason why
Because
Because
Because
Because
I said so
I said so
I said so
I said so
I’m the Mom
The mom
The mom
The mom
The mom
Ta-da

CPSIA - Blog In

2009-01-28T14:47:00.007-05:00

Kidcessory Haven is participating in the CPSIA Blog-in today. Here is the post provided by Etsy forum member chichiboulie.

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 librfind 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.

-Sign the Petition to 'Repeal' this law at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/RepealCPSIA/
-Sign the Petition for 'Reasonable Exclusions' of this law at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/handmadetoys/
-Sign the Petition to 'Reform CPSIA HR4040 at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/reform-cpsia-hr4040/sign.html
-Write to your United States Congress Person and Senator to request changes in the CPSIA to save handmade toys and children's products. Use our sample letter or write your own. You can find your Congress Person here and Senator here.
-Email the CPSC by Jan. 30th 2009 here http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/ComponentPartsComments.pdf

She urged home-crafters and micro-business owners to lodge their objections no later than January 30 2009 to the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Office of the Secretary, email Sec102ComponentPartsTesting@cpsc.gov . They can be faxed to (USA) 301 504-0127

Snailmail:
The Office of the Secretary,
Consumer Product Safety Commission,
Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway,
Bethesda, Maryland 20814 US.
Comments should be captioned: Section 102 Mandatory Third-Party Testing of Component Parts'

Why you need to contact Rep Henry Waxman as well as Nancy Nord

2009-01-23T15:51:00.006-05:00

This is info I pulled off of The Common Room's Blog. Please read on.

President Obama's hold and review order will NOT delay implementation of the CPSIA. It's truly frightening how little people understand about the limited power of a President.

The CPSIA is a LAW. Presidents neither make and pass laws nor do they pull them off the lawbooks and make them 'non-laws.' They can help write laws, encourage Congress to write them, promote them, and they can sign the finished law or veto it. That's it. CONGRESS writes and passes the laws (that's why it's called the legislative branch)- the president only signs them, or not. Once signed, he can't nullify it, overturn it, cancel it, or alter it in any way.

The CPSIA is a law that was written, promoted, and put to the vote by a Democratic Congress who then presented it to, then, President Bush with a filibuster proof majority, so he signed it. New Presidents CANNOT simply nullify laws that Congress has already passed and previous Presidents signed. This is highly illegal and he simply can't do it.

What Presidents can do, and generally do- when they take office is to put on hold all the most recent regulations, orders, administrative rulings- the sorts of things which are NOT laws and which Congress did not vote on and pass and a President sign. An example of a recent regulation would be the Commission's exemption of unadulterated textiles such as wool, silk, and cotton from the testing requirements That has now been put on hold.

An example of the regulations that President Obama's 'hold and review' order covers would be, in fact, anything the Commission has said or done. This is why it is monumentally important NOT to let Waxman pull the wool (dyed or otherwise) over your eyes and convince you that the Commission is the only agency that can help you. They can't help at all. They can't delay the February 10th deadline- ONLY Waxman can do anything about that by calling a committee meeting of other Congresscritters and voting on it. He's lying when he tells callers that Nord can help.

The Commission is supposed to have three members. They only have two because the Democrat controlled congress refused to seat the third member, a Bush appointee. Instead, Congress voted to 'temporarily' accept the two member commission as authorized to make decisions- they deliberately left that commission undermanned while increasing their workload tenfold.
Congress, recognizing perfectly well that two people is not enough to do the job, ALSO enacted, as part of the CPSIA, a new requirement that at a certain time (I believe it's August), the two member Commission would become a FIVE member commission. President Obama has the authority to appoint five members, but even then, Congress has to approve them. He doesn't have authority to overturn the law. He doesn't have the authority to decide that the Commission will only be three members or should be six.

Waxman understands this all perfectly well. He understands, better than many small crafters, that anything the Commission says has an expiration date anyway, that previously when they have tried to rule favorably to small businesses (making the phthalates ban NOT apply to existing inventory), Congress (in the person of Barbara Boxer) and special interest groups (not, in this case, corporate bogeymen) have lashed out at the Commission and insisted they have no authority to do this, and the phthalates ban must apply to existing inventory.

When his office tells you he can't help, you must contact the Commission and Nancy Nord- he is laughing up his sleeve. He is disrespecting your intelligence and assuming you are ignorant of the facts (hopes you are, in fact). Anybody who sends you after Nancy Nord instead of the Congressman is dismissing you and sending you on a rabbit chase, or bought the empty rhetoric of Waxman's office themselves. The ONLY significant help small businesses can receive right now is for Waxman himself to listen to and act on the letter from Barton and Radonovich.

As they explained to him (but Waxman hopes you don't know):
"...even if the CPSC devotes full staff attention and moves at the most expeditious speed, it will be unable to issue the necessary guidance prior to Feb. 10 without violating Federal rulemaking requirements."
They also explained to Waxman:
"by simply delaying the imposition of pending CPSC action to work our way through this problem we can save many jobs and ensure that toys are safe."

But there's only one way the pending CPSC action can be delayed- and it's not through President Obama (HE CANNOT OVERTURN LAW):

"...the first step toward providing prudent and effective relief is for our Committee to conduct a hearing so everyone involved can explore the facts for themselves, understand the urgency, and coalesce around a solution."

The Committee must conduct a hearing. Only Waxman can call such a Committee meeting. Only Congress can act in a meaningful way to fix the problems with this bill. Nancy Nord and her Commission of two cannot- and whatever they say can and likely would be changed by the new members of the Commission when Obama appoints them.

Henry Waxman, and Waxman alone, can act to call that important meeting of the Committee he heads. There is nothing Republicans can do but pester him with letters (which does not mean it's not a good idea to encourage them to pester him with letters). There is nothing Nancy Nord can do- although personally, I think it would be a good idea to write her and THANK her for putting up with Waxman's demonizing her over his bad law. There is nothing that President Obama can do other than a apply a little moral persuasion and political strong-arming (and it's not a bad idea to write him and ask him to play some of that charismatic political capital), but if Waxman doesn't call a Committee meeting, I don't think the President can force one, so every contact with somebody else needs to be bolstered by contact with Waxman's office, and needs to focus on asking those other people to persuade Waxman to do the right thing. DO NOT let him keep up the deception that this is a Commission problem.

Henry Waxman and the Committee on Energy and Commerce MUST MEET and push back the Feb. 10th deadline. ONLY they can. Here is a sample letter that I wrote. Again, feel free to copy it, put in your info, and mail it.

Contacts:

Henry A. Waxman
California-30th, Democrat
2204 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0530
Phone: (202) 225-3976
Email Form *Please note - You will have to input a zip code from his district. I found this one worked for me 90048-4168

Read This Post. All of it. Pay attention to the addresses and suggestions at the bottom.

Updated with further thoughts:

Really, it appears to me that only Waxman can act at this point- unless there's some other way the House Committee on Energy and Commerce can be called to meet. So I've been thinking of other things to do to try to convince Waxman to have this committee meeting.

Is he married? Contact his wife. Contact the President (who cannot change the law or call the committee meeting but could try to persuade Waxman to do so). Contact Michelle Obama and ask her to persuade her husband to persuade Waxman to call the meeting. Call Obama's chief of staff (who, regrettably, is one of the co-sponsors of the CPSIA), the media, Waxman himself, and particularly other members of the the very powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce- especially if your own rep sits on that Committee, and call your own reps- call, write, email them all and beg them to pressure Waxman to call a Committee meaning and postpone the Feb. 10th deadline and discuss some more sane ways to protect children without testing five thousand samples from the same bolt of fabric, etc, etc.

Here's a list of the members on the Committee of Energy and Commerce:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Commerce_Committee#Members.2C_111th_Congress

See Walter Olson's post at Overlawyered, as well.

He suggests also trying Waxman's Senate counterparts. I'm embarrassingly ignorant here, is that the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, or some other Committee?

Editors note: I found this post today on the HTA's forum

Date: Thurs, Jan 22 2009 7:21pm
From: Jill-CraftyBaby

Just wanted to comment on this article. I shared it with my cousin (again, former lobbyist) and this was her comment "... But one thing is for sure: "It is not clear that the CPSC, whose hands are tied by the law, in fact has legal authority to adopt even these modest exemptions--" is incorrect. Their hands are not tied when the committee of jurisdiction is requesting changes." The Committee of jurisdiction is Waxmen's Energy and Commerce. Her interpretation is that the CPSC, because Energy and Commerce has directed them, in the 1/16/09 letter from Waxmen, et al., should be able to make and adopt exemptions. The process is long and tedious, and definitely confusing, but my cousin is convinced that this will be resolved in a way that will be helpful to all of us.

Jill craftybaby.com

So again....I still think the cause of action for the rest of us is to continue to cover our bases by emailing, calling, and snail mailing everyone involved.

For us, it is an extra 10 minutes of work.

For the people receiving thousands of emails, calls, and mail...it is a message!

A Knockout Fight - Congress vs. CPSC

2009-01-22T20:18:00.009-05:00

There's currently a war going on between congress and CPSC which is
causing INACTION according to a post on the HTA forum.

Representative Henry Waxman and Congressman Bobby Rush created CPSIA and authorized CPSC to interpret it.
After the very recent backlash from his constituents, Rep. Waxman responded
by writing the letter to Nancy Nord, Acting chairman of the CPSC (See Letter HERE).
Please read it. It details the various recommendations that might save your business!

Still, the CPSC (Nancy Nord and Thomas Moore) feel as if their hands are
completely tied and are still not able to APPLY the recommendations
without more direction, and/or authority, and/or money.

There are two things you can do and it is urgent you do them soon and
frequently because meetings are taking place now and your input and
action are necessary.

First, please contact Nancy Nord and Thomas Hill Moore of CPSC and let
them know you are very much aware of the Waxman/Rush recommendations
(See Jan 16 Letter) that they've been asked to implement immediately . This
sends the message loud and clear that they are now accountable. This
message is so important because their response has been that they
have no authority to change anything. Stress that their very
commission ( CPSC ) has been given FULL Authority to make these
necessary changes - it says so in this letter!! Ask what they are
doing about this!? When will we see clarification, such as the applicability of testing and certification on certain children's apparel, and changes that have previously been asked for??!!!
while you are at it, DEMAND THAT THEY ALLOW XRF LASER TESTING OR
COMPONANT TESTING to qualify after August 2009!!!

I've provided phone/fax and email link. use ALL THREE!!!
Cut and paste parts of the Waxman letter.
Click here for a copy of my letter. Feel free to copy it and fill in your info.
If you're really lazy, fax them the above
letter and underline parts you want them to address.

Nancy Nord & Thomas Hill Moore
phone: 301-504-7923
fax: 301 504 0121
email: http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/commissionernord.aspx

The second task is to CALL/EMAIL/FAX Waxman and Bobby Rush. They
proudly passed and defended this unreasonable legislation. And now
that they've written this letter to CPSC, they feel they can wash
their hands of this mess. But it is important that we call these two
and let them know that THEY ARE ultimately responsible for this bill.
The Commission CANNOT undo the law without their direct involvement.

Henry Waxman
California-30th, Democrat
2204 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515-0530
Phone: (202) 225-3976
Email Form *Please note - You will have to input a zip code from his district. I found this one worked for me 90048-4168

(202) 225-2927
(202) 225-4099 (fax)DC
(323) 651-1040 (phone)LA
(818) 878-7400 (phone)LA
(310) 652-3095 (phone) LA
(323) 655-0502 (fax)

Bobby Rush
Washington Office
2416 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
phone: 202-225-4372
fax: 202-226-0333

If you have any questions, or again...if you are a part of any other group that is trying to get HR 4040 amended and want me to post it here..please leave a comment below.
Remember...we are all in this together and by all of us PULLING TOGETHER we WILL get this done!

The Lemonade Award

2009-01-21T08:00:00.003-05:00

I am happy to announce that Kids Accessories by Kidcessory Haven Blog has received its very first Award! Dawn Lidwell with Dawn's Learning Toys has awarded us with the “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade” Award! Thanks so much Dawn!

Dawn is a work-at-home-mom that loves her Discovery Toys business, her two young children, who she calls her 'inspiration and her life' and her husband, who she quotes as being a great father! You can check out her blog by clicking here.

You can look to at the left sidebar to find the award button. If you click on it, it will direct you straight to Dawn's blog!

Now, the way the “When Life Gives You Lemons, make Lemonade” Award (for short, The Lemonade Award) works is:

1) You must link back to the person you received the award from.
2) You have to nominate 10 bloggers who are deserving of this award!

Here are my nominations:

1. Kims Custom Cards and Crafts - http://kimscustomcardsandcrafts.blogspot.com
2. Susan Heim On Parenting - http://susanheim.blogspot.com
3. Giggleberry Creations - http://giggleberrycreations.blogspot.com
4. My Kids My Why - http://successfulwahm.blogspot.com
5. The Jacobsen Family - http://ourjacobsenfamily.blogspot.com
6. My Crazy Life with a Toddler - http://mycrazylifewithatoddler.blogspot.com
7. 1 Girl + 4 Boys = Paradise - http://1girlparadise.blogspot.com
8. Glass Muse - http://glassmuse.blogspot.com
9. Helping People Help People - http://firingbosses.blogspot.com
10. Do I Have To Spell It Out? - http://hollyjahangiri.blogspot.com

Congratulations ladies on having an AWSOME BLOG!

If you have any questions on how the award works, please leave me your question in the comment section below.

Congratulations Mr. President!

2009-01-20T21:37:00.005-05:00

For anyone who missed President Obama's Inaugural Address, please feel free to watch it here.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Congratulations President Obama!
Let's all hope that this day brings new hope and prosperity to our wonderful country.
Especially to our American Small Businesses.