Friday, February 13, 2009

Tidbits for Friday the 13th

Here's the latest on the Consumer Protection Safety Improvement Act:

CPSIA: It's February 10th, So Now What?

Even though small businesses don't have to undergo testing of their items for children another year (but are liable if their products end up having a certain amount of lead or Phthalates), I'm still creating my nature table figures for people who are over twelve years of age. If you don't think that grownups still play with dolls, just take a look at the Star Wars action figures and LEGO industries.

I don't have much else to report. I have a number of projects in the works, including a promotional storytelling video that VersantMedia is going to be filming on February 28. Take a look at VersantMedia's current projects. I'm there. I've got my regular bookstore gigs, plus a school visit coming up, but no birthday parties scheduled for the near future. The winter months are usually slow in terms of birthday parties, but I suspect our current economy is a factor too. Therefore, I'm glad that most of my gigs will be free to the public over the next few months.

I've also decided to open an Etsy storefront. Currently, it's just a placeholder, but by late spring, I hope to have nature table figures to offer in the shop. I plan to offer both the larger nature table figures with the elaborate embroidery and smaller root children/bulb babies. Like Bookshelves of Doom finds ways to support her habit, perhaps I'll find a way to justify my textiles expenses.

I will leave you with one of my favorite fairy tales. The link has full text, hypertext annotations, and a graphic list of the variants that star the most fascinating, complex character in Russian folklore, the great and terrible Baba Yaga. The story is Vassilisa the Beautiful, by Post Wheeler, and it comes to you courtesy of Sur La Lune Fairytales.com

7 comments:

Myth said...

I would love to have an etsy store - but Yeti has always stubbornly insisted that you can't possibly charge enough for the things I make to justify the amount of time spent making them - therefore I may only craft for love, and must use my brain and other talents to find ways of earning money :) At times I have resisted, but overall, I think he's probably right. Good luck with your new venture though - I hope it is a roaring success - and I know your pretty figurines will be a major temptation for me lol

Saints and Spinners said...

Schelle: I agree, which is why I've resisted the Etsy store. I think that if I do make any sales, they will certain cover the cost of materials and then some. Since I am making the dollies anyway as a creative endeavor, sending them out into the world to people who actively want them may be worth it as a hobby business (actually, an extension of my storytelling business, as they are storytelling dollies).

Do you have an online gallery of your work? I'd like to see it.

BlueMamma said...

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it ridiculous that they would bother to exempt rubies, diamonds and other precious gemstones from testing on children's products? I mean, are we going to use big enough ones on our kids' toys that they aren't a choking hazard anyway?

Saints and Spinners said...

BlueMamma: The rubies and diamonds I use on my nature table dollies are as big as ostrich eggs, so I think I'm in the clear. No choking hazards!

(How could I resist?)

Beth Kephart said...

I know how out of context this comment will seem, but I wanted to stop by and wish you a very very happy Valentine's Day.

Lone Star Ma said...

Also out of context, we need a Saint Valentine story from our Saint Storyteller!

Saints and Spinners said...

Beth: I don't care if it's out of context! It's good to hear from you. Happy Valentine's Day to you, too.

LSM: I don't know how I can top the one I did last year: http://saintsandspinners.blogspot.com/2008/02/song-of-week-rainbow-song.html

I had meant to record "Green is the Color of My Merman's Hair" (edited and updated), but it's not yet ready. My voice teacher says it's her favorite of all the songs I've brought to our sessions.