mamaroots

vintage inspiration

I found this wee little vintage linen and thought it just screamed to be made into a little red elf.  Maybe it was just an excuse to get the linen or practice my knitting skills!  

Either way it was fun to make in the midst of our holiday weekend.  He is at the shop.  Now that Dec is almost here it is time to kick in the making machine!  What have your inspirations been so far?

the right to

Always thankful for this day, the right to vote.  This being my 6th time around the presidential election just makes be proud.  Thankfully there was no school today so my boys and I went to the polls early in the day and then came back to hanging out at home.

Little bit of reading while mama made a pie for tonight and waiting for daddy to come home for dinner and a pot of coffee to get through the night anxiously watching the results. 

Don't forget I am doing a shop update tonight at 9 pm central, the first of the holiday stockings at the shop!

roots

So sorry my friends for a bit of an absence from blogs and from shop updates.  Chickens, Scamps, and chasing after my boys has kept me running.  I am have also been exploring roots alot this summer and am looking forward to some adventures that should help me explore my roots some more.

I have 2 cameras with charged batteries and empty memory cards just calling!  My toymaking hands have enjoyed just a bit of a break as well!  

Taking some time to also order supplies for the upcoming holiday season too.  I waver back and forth on branding, I keep my main logo but have incorporated a few different elements with it.  But it really felt like it was time to just simplify and bring it down to my logo and one element- an unending love of mason jars.

I am deeply rooted in an ancestory of farming, and mason jars just abound.  They are so much a part of my life even now, not being on a farm.  As I type there is one mason I am sipping H2O out of.  So it seemed like the best element to bring in.  So new business cards are ordered with a little mason graphic on the back where I like to write each customer a little note of thanks, and all the muslin bags will also have a mason jar front with the normal stamping on the back.

Thanks for supporting, watching, and helping me keep my mason jar half full!  Stay tuned as I share my adventures exploring roots.  I will be back in this space with some pics and stories and lots of ideas ready to be made into toys next week.

Till then enjoy a chance to win a Cuppow on me, I have really enjoyed using my wide-mouth Cuppow for a few months.  It is my trusty companion every morning on the way to work.  They just came out with the narrow size and I got one for each of the fellas and one more to give-away to one of you.

Leave a comment between now and Sunday at midnight.  Tell me your favorite thing to drink out of your mason!  Good luck and see you soon!

**Congrats to Kathleen- lucky #7 check your e-mail from me- Thanks!

which came first?

You know that age old question- which came first- the chicken or the egg?  Well in our came, the coop!  We have been hard at work for the past week in between baseball practice, morel hunting, and mama working to make the coop.  

My hubby is quite frugal, which is handy most times.  He decided to build the coop from mostly found, recycled materials.  In the construction so far is donated pallets and press board from a friend's warehouse, old decking boards from my parents deck, landscape timbers from the curb, and broken up pieces of sidewalk from the city mulch site.  Not too shabby!  It has been fun watching him design and piece together the coop.  

In all reality I have just helped a little with holding up a wall or two.  My real job will be the painting when it is all built!  

Our resident chicks are on order and will be joining us April 6th, we have settled on some Orpingtons, and Plymouth Rocks.  Though the boys want a Silkie too!  

So my apolgies for being a bit absent for this space as we have been busy getting ready for the girls, and an apology for the flurry of chicken pictures that will invade this space soon!  Urban Chicken farming will be our big spring adventure!  Here is where I will be keeping a photo journal of this adventure.

I wanted to share a little give-away for you since it is spring (my favorite season) and almost Easter to celebrate our entry into the world of chicks.  I have a sweet little set for you.  It is a little wood chick of mine tucked in a lovely wool egg made by Wool Food mama.  This is from my egg stash! You may remember that she is my kin.  She is married to my cousin and we just discovered this a couple years ago.  She also sent me this super sweet wool cracked egg that I wanted to share in the give-away also.  

So here is the scoop- leave me a comment here to be entered in the give-away.  Bonus entry for following me on twitter or facebook or sharing on your favorite social network spot.  That's it- if you are a chicken farmer, especially in the city feel free to share some pointers with us!  

Good luck!  I have a shorter timeframe on this one in case you want to tuck it into an Easter Basket!  The deadline is Tuesday at 5 pm for entry. The contest is now closed.

The winner randomly drawn is lucky #1- Patsy- congrats and if you could e-mail me your address I will ship out this set to you asap!  Thanks everyone!

itty bitty

As we enter the last week of February and the first hints of the tiny bit of springs show them selves, it was fitting that I found an itty bitty treasure at the fleas this weekend.

I was actually on the lookout for a desk chair for Silas.  While I was home with my sick fella this past week I did a big clean up in his room-a little spring detox ironically and realized that it was time for him to have a better chair at his desk.  I did not expect this sweet little book to find me.

It is a fun little vintage fictional look at the process of rain with some whimsy thrown in for good measure. The book is called The Itty Bitty Raindrop and was written in 1948.  It has the approval of Silas who read it out loud this morning who learned a new word "brindled" you know- as in cow!

So, inspired by the hopeful spring months that will bring the rains, I made a itty bitty raindrop for the shop. I am equally inspired by the colors for a fresh coat of paint that will come to the laundry room this spring as well!  Oh and that sweet little chair was there too!  Thank you fleas!

rainbows

You know that feeling after thunderstorms when the rain clears, the sun comes out and there is the biggest rainbow in the sky.  Does it still stop you in your track to see those bands of color up in the sky? Maybe not quite at the "double rainbow" intensity, but I still am in awe and happy when I see rainbows.

Well, for the past 3 years there has been a stormy tide in the toymaking industry.  You have probably heard me talk on and off during the past 3 years about trying to figure out what all of the CPSIA regulations would mean.  To be honest there were many times I did not know myself.  There are many folks that are much more eloquent with their understanding but I thought I would do a post about how I understand everything.  There has been the past few years of a "stay" until the government could figure out the new law.

This past fall there was a pretty big amendment to the original CPSIA regulation that was enacted that originally wanted all individual toys or run of toys to be 3rd party tested.  This most recent amendement actually helps small batch toymakers.  I strongly recommend you check out this page if you are thinking about making toys to sell.  It is very informative, please also watch the webcasts that are listed there as well- I thought they helped me with trying to understand the regulations.  

What many folks may not realize is that these regulations went into effect on Jan 1 of this year- essentially the "stay" was lifted.  I will try my best to let you know how this relates to me as a wood toy maker below:

1- I used natural materials that are by nature lead free- these are exempt from further testing.  This was exempted the first year.  There is a list here that includes wood, yarn, wool etc . . . please refer here: Table B on the exemption list.  If you apply no paint or surface coating of any type- you are still need to label and track, but not test your paints.  But if you add surface coatings you need to keep reading.

*If you use paint of any type, even AP Certified Non-toxic, and plant based washes or paints you are required to have the paints 3rd party tested in a CPSIA approved lab

2- I registered with the CPSC as a Small Manufacturer.  The toys I make are not intended for children under three and I label all of the packages with the required standard warning.  I am not required to do small parts testing because my toys are intended for children under 3 and I am a registered Small Manufacturer.  

3- Toymakers are required to track and label their toys, due to the size of my toys I label the packaging with both the small parts warning and with my tracking label.  See my original post here on my tracking and labeling.

Now, that may seem complicated and it has felt so, but I actually thought the registration process with CPSC was pretty efficient, and in January of this year I had my paints tested and there was an expense to that but the lab I worked with was great- VHG Labs, they had results to me within a day.  If you are a member of the Handmade Toy Alliance you get a reduced testing rate.

What have I learned in the process?  I really like working with some woods with natural coloration like walnut.  This is such a lovely wood that requires no additional brown coloring- and feels gorgeous! When I took a little break after the holidays I realized I was working too much. I like Red Bull and all, but I needed to cut back.  I like knowing that I am a small toymaker, not a mass producer and that alot of effort and times goes into each of my toys, clear down to the packaging.  

Will I continue- oh yes, but not at the same level.  I will probably continue to hold off on custom orders and make what the inspiration fairies whisper in my ear- this week I am so happy to be able to use rainbow colors where I want again!  So here are some links again if you are thinking about getting into the biz:

Handmade Toy Alliance

Keeping Up with CPSIA Team on ETSY

CPSIA

CPSIA- Small Business

 So how do I reward you for reading this very lengthy post on my process?  By encouraging you to go ahead and jump in and make some toys if you are inspired.  The process may seem odd and complicated and I am so thankful to the dedicated folks at the Handmade Toy Alliance that worked so hard on our behalf.  It was time where I knew I could not be at the legislative sessions that they attended but I could certainly contribute money to the Alliance to help pay for the expenses.  If testing seems expensive and daunting to you- just keep the wood unfinished.

Wood toymaking has been around for generation upon generation.  I really enjoy seeing new toymakers pop up and see their toys, because heck I am really still pretty new myself.  I have been making toys going on about 11 years now with about 4 years in a primarily wood medium.  This year I am learning to knit to add that to the mix!

But I am still rambling, I really hope this post has helped.  Please don't take me for an expert on the CPSIA and research and ask questions.  But also please don't dive into the business without understanding the government regulations either.  

Remember that reward part- well I wanted to give away a copy of this book that is a sweet, very well done book on making wood toys done by a fellow Etsian Erin from Imagination Kids.  It is a great start to the world of wood toymaking.  

So leave a comment here between now and Tuesday at midnight and let me know your favorite color to be entered into a drawing for the book.  Want extra entries?  

follow me at Facebook and Twitter

share on your blog or other social media love

Good luck and again I hope this helps!  Viva la toymaking!

plan b

Like many other folks out there in DIY crafty netuniverse, I saw the Mason Jar snow globes around Christmas time.  Smitten- oh yes, and deteremined to make.  I read, gatherered my 3-g's:

glycerine, glitter, and glue

I even sent hubby to the store for a gallon of distilled water!  I tracked down some complete kitsch little elf figurines!  I had a repoduction hoosier jar that I thought would be perfect.  We glued, let the glue set up, added the other g's and sat back with our ahhs!  That last about half a day because the second round of said shaking that is required to make snow swirl set the elves and subsiquent wee deer free from their glue.  

Shew- glad we splurged for the glycerine as they just gracefully landed with no damage.  I got some good recommendations on new glue to use and went looking for it among the Beta fish to no avail and decided to go waterless.  More of a terrarium type feel!

Tracked down a vintage jar that did not have to be quite a waterproof, added a tree, and I am even more smitten!  Now even though the Christmas decor is packed away we can have a simple little winter treasure out for a bit.  I am convinced this will finally bring us snow!

Could you not just see this with a little leprechaun or rabbit for spring with green glitter!  Good grief!

So, my tips- go for the cool jars at the fleas/antique shop.  This older Ball jar was $4- not too shabby.  Also look for the kitsch little ceramic figurines, I migrate towards the 1960's era Japanese made for some reason.  I did a simple "ceramic elf" search in the vintage part of Etsy.  The little tree came from Hobby Lobby- go the the doll house section for oodles of neat options.

Now I am wondering how these would look with little wood toys inside hmmmm . . . 

tomten winner

Lucky #2- Sue is the winner for the Tomten- Sue if you could e-mail me with your snail mail address I will send Mr. Tomten out to you- thank you so much everyone for your fun comments! 

A reminder that I will be putting the shop on vacation on Jan 1 to start the testing process, but will have some lovely groundhogs coming in natural black walnut wood,  au naturel (with the french accent)!  These will be coming the second week of January.

 

sugar mice and everything nice

good grief how I love the winter holidays, alright I love most holiday really!  But . . . last night was King Laurin (aka St Nicholas in these parts) Eve.  We cleared off the cobbler's bench, talked about our own shoemaker ancestors (hence my boys last name, family shoemaking lineage), added the wood shoes, enjoyed some pomegranate jewels to eat, read our book, and lit the lantern for the King and the boys were off to bed.

Of course by off the bed, I mean that eldest son was awake till 10:30 with excitement which put a damper on mama's plans for an early night to bed.  But try as he might, he finally went to sleep and I filled their shoes with the usual goodies:

 

nuts, chocolate coins, hard candy, actual gold coin, orange, and oh yes this year the sugar mice.  I have been so excited to make these and they were soooo easy and fun!  I used the recipe and instructions from this much loved book.  I secretly have one more for hubby that is going on his pillow tonight!  

The boys were so thrilled that they want to make more- I think we just found our gift for classmates!  I have been so enamored with the sugar mice (which I can't believe I had not heard of before) that I made some special mini surprise yarn balls inspired by them, catch in the shop!

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

dear Sunday

Never doubt the options of scrabble tiles- always a fun learning tool!  Today they helped the boys with some very important letter writing while mama worked on some new surprise yarn balls.  

Wee little mini yarn balls going up in the shop within the next couple days- sugar mice inspired!  It seems as though my cat new something was up!  Actual sugar mice a drying as I type- more to come on that also tomorrow, a fun treat that will be going into the shoes for King Lauren (St. Nicholas Day)!  How about you- what treats to you have planned for those shoes?