Giveaway at Progressive Pioneer

       

It’s been a while since I visited these pages. I’ve been involved with a passionate, committed group of families working to start an environmental charter school in our area. After a 2-year journey, the school was finally approved in mid May, and now we’re on a whirlwind path to opening the doors in Fall 2009. Even though I haven’t been checking in at the shop blog of late, and likely will have little free time over the summer, rest assured that we are still working behind the scenes to keep Quiet Hours humming along and continuing our search for new handcrafted items for your family.

Just as the blog has seemed a little neglected of late, so too has our run of Giveaways. As serendipity would have it, I was contacted by Amy Thompson of Progressive Pioneer  shortly after I learned about her blog over at Design Mom. I had just visited her site - an ode to urban homesteading, bee keeping, whole food cooking and natural family living in Salt Lake City, Utah -  thoroughly enjoyed her posts and decided maybe it was time to get some backyard chickens after all…when she got in touch.

I’m so glad she did, because now we’re hosting an “almost summer” giveaway over at her place. On offer are: your choice of a set of nesting birds from Apple & Eve or a Sock-a-phant, a set of Cheryl Smith’s springtime finger puppets (gnome included) and a bag of Camden Rose’s fantastic, more-bang-for-your-buck Building Sticks (images above).  You have until the end of the week to post a comment at Amy’s site and enter. Treat yourself to some free goodies before school lets out, and indulge in a little vicarious living through the pages of her blog!

David Palhegyi

If you’ve browsed the shop lately, I imagine you’ve noticed a miniature woodland’s worth of new carved animals and tiny wooden houses. These come to us from David Palhegyi, a most talented and inventive woodworker, musician and father of 5 based in Hungary. David’s pieces are unlike anything out there at the moment - one-of-a-kind rustic toy sculptures that incorporate the grains and markings of native woods into fantastical, imaginative structures and folk-like figures.

His work is increasingly appearing on our shores but remains in limited supply because he produces each piece himself. Take a look below at some of his sets and figures (photos are David’s). Many are actually toys within toys, composed of multiple interlocking pieces and accessories that combine into playful vignettes.  As you might expect, the larger more intricate sets come with matching price tags, but these are the kinds of splurge-worthy pieces that will become part of your family’s play time for years to come.

 If you are interested in information on pricing or availability please feel free to send us an e-mail, especially if you are considering a set for a special gift or holiday.

Zoo Set

Farm Set – approximately 20″ x 14″ x 18″

Trojan Horse Set

Castle Set (includes pieces not pictured)

Small House (approximately 20″ x 12″ x 9.5″)

Treehouse Set (approximately 11″ x 11″ x 8″)

Large House (approximately 21″ x 11″ x 16″)

Chess Set

Knights on Horseback

Woodland Cottage (2 levels) and Fence (approximately 19″ x 11″ x 16″) 

The CPSC stay – Where are we now?

from our friends at the Handmade Toy Alliance:

Myth vs. Fact

We’ve seen a lot of misinformation about the CPSIA and its impact on small businesses. So, we’ve put together a few clarifications to set the record straight.

Myth: The Handmade Toy Alliance is Astroturf. Fact: Well, no. The HTA was formed in November 2008 by several small businesses who were trying to find ways to comply with the CPSIA. We’ve taken no money from anyone and have built our alliance through a dynamic discussion group. We remain an ad-hoc group with no formal leadership although we may seek more formal status in the future. So who’s in charge here? Our members are. All of us make or sell children’s products because we share a passion for better quality toys and clothes. We were all shocked by the product safety problems from large manufacturers that came to light in the past year and many of us have argued for improved safety standards. We just never thought those improved standards might lead to the death of our businesses.

Myth: The CPSC’s One-Year Stay of Enforcement Makes it All Better. Fact: The stay will give the CPSC time to fully clarify the law and to finalize many proposed regulations such as exemptions for natural materials and allowing component-based testing. Mandatory testing for painted products, small parts, cribs, pacifiers, and certain other products has not been stayed, however. Nor had the standards themselves. Basically, manufacturers and retailers must now fully comply with the new standards but will have no ability to affirm compliance. As of February 10, we are now in a Twilight Zone of partial enforcement and the CPSC continues to issue new guidance almost daily. Since retailers are still required to meet the standards, they will continue to request certification. Most suppliers will still need to do testing in order to back-up this certification.

Myth: Violations of the CPSIA this year will not result in penalties. Fact: While the CPSC has issued a statement that it will not  impose penalties on anyone selling certain products (unfinished wood, books printed after 1985, textiles, etc), it has given little assurance for those selling products containing leather, vinyl, pvc, painted products, etc. Additionally, State Attorneys General have the right to enforce the law within their state, irrespective of any declaration or stay by the CPSC.

Myth: This Law is About Toys. Fact: This is the one single aspect of the CPSIA that the media continues to misrepresent. The law applies to every product intended for a child under 12, from clothing to bicycles. Toys, clothes, furniture, books, jewelry, blankets, games, CDs/DVDs, strollers, and footwear, may all be considered children’s products. Even thrift shops are required to comply with the law, although they have no means of doing so without purchasing a $40,000 x-ray testing gun.

Myth: We are Part of an “Aggressive Misinformation Campaign”. Fact: That’s a quote from CPSC Commissioner Thomas Moore. Several Congressmen have also sited misinformation as the key problem at hand and a CPSC spokeswoman said the problem was mostly caused by “Mommy Bloggers spreading misinformation”. Let’s be clear: the only information we’ve been spreading is the impact of this law on our businesses. Our statements about the costs of compliance are based on actual quotes from accredited labs and are not an exaggeration. The only misinformation we’ve seen so far is that Congress and the CPSC have been misinformed about the impact of the CPSIA on small businesses. As for the word “aggressive”–well, we think a better word would be “progressive”. We are fighting to save small family busineses and preserve local economies–not a very pernicious idea.

Myth: The HTA is Battling Consumer Groups who Helped Create the CPSIA. Fact: Here we have one of the central paradoxes of the CPSIA universe. Members and leaders of groups like US-PIRG, the National Resources Defense Fund, The Consumer Federation, and Consumer’s Union often admit that they did not intend to destroy our little businesses. Many have stated that when they buy products for their children, they buy from folks like us. Some have even argued incorrectly that we have nothing to fear and that the CPSIA contains exemptions for handmade products. We agree with these groups that lead and phthalates should be banned, but would like it done in a way that doesn’t destroy small manufacturers.

Myth: Further clarification is all that is needed. Fact: A poorly written, needlessly broad, complex, and hard-to-understand law cannot be turned into a well written, targeted, effective, and easy-to-understand law through the regulatory process. Core problems with the economics of third-party testing, administrative burdens of managing lot numbers and certificates, economics of permanent labeling on small production runs–to name just a few issues–are not solved merely by having them explained clearly.

Myth: The CPSIA makes children’s products “safer.” Fact: While the CPSIA does increase the standards on some items and introduce new standards on other products, it is unclear that the consumer will be safer than they were a year ago. To use a blanket approach to practically all children’s products without assessing the associated risks for those individual products is highly ineffective. We know there are high risks associated with lead in paint and jewelry, and with small parts for children under 3. Appropriately strict standards and testing requirements should be in place, but to have the same testing requirements for lead in a cotton t-shirt, which scientifically poses no risk of lead contamination is not a rational approach that improves product safety. In fact, because the CPSC will be forced to enforce standards across many industries where safety has not been a concern, they will have fewer resources to devote to high-risk products.

Myth: Products Tested to European Union Standards will Satisfy New US Standards: Fact: Here we have another huge problem with the CPSIA. The EU and the US now have two very different sets of standards. The EU regulates soluble lead, which is lead that is bioavailable to a child. This same approach is used in the US for dishes and tableware. The US under the CPSIA regulates total lead in children’s products, which cannot exceed 600ppm (and later 300ppm), whether or not it is possible for a child to actually injest that lead through normal use and abuse. Materials like brass and leaded crystals may pass EU standards but will fail US standards. Because of these separate standards, companies that distribute both in the US and in Europe must pay for two separate sets of tests. Many European manufacturers, including Selecta Spielzeug and Hess, have already withdrawn from the US market for this reason.

Viola Studio

 

Like an inspired fairy godmother who takes bits of this, combines them with bits of that and then whips everything together into one enchanting package, Viola Hale is the kind of endlessly inventive crafter who turns our heads. She may not be fashioning ballgowns or changing pumpkins into coaches, but she is making just the kind of exquisitely-crafted cloth dolls we have been searching for. Working with quality reclaimed materials like cotton, wool, leather and fleece, she crafts sweet sidekicks that show just how creative and fun upcycling can be.

Dolls are not the only thing she has up her proverbial sleeve. She also makes soft, spare plush animals that would make charming baby gifts and embellished totes.  As her stash of reclaimed natural materials grows, she is crafting more new items to unveil this spring. Lucky for us, another batch of dolls will be headed our way as the weather warms up. In the meantime, here’s a little more about Viola in her own words:

I can remember watching my mother and older sisters sew and work on many types of crafts when I was young. I live in New York City, but my husband and I have recently started to spend time in upstate New York where I have made my home studio in a small cottage. We were both wishing for a simple lifestyle and were determined to spend more time in the country. After years of making handmade gifts for friends and family, I was urged to start making some things for the public. I just opened my  business recently, and am thrilled with the response. It’s good to know there are so many great people out there that appreciate handmade crafts.

I love working with reclaimed, recycled materials. It’s amazing what one can turn up - anything from leather to paper – and how much fun it is finding it.

You can see the latest batch of Viola’s creations in our Dolls section. Custom options are also available if you would like to design a doll just for your child. 

 

20% off Sale for Mailing List Members – December 29 – 31

This has been quite a year at Quiet Hours. Along the way, we introduced you to new artisans working in the tradition of small-scale handcraftmanship or in a spirit of fair trade that promotes a better quality of life for families living in difficult conditions. Your children may see our toys simply as delightful playthings but, as parents, we can take a measure of satisfaction in supporting small businesses and families who have made it their life’s work to create pieces that are unique. More than just another disposable toy to be tossed onto the pile of objects that clutter our lives, each item is crafted with thought, integrity and an eye for lasting value that will charm the children of tomorrow as well as today. 

Now that the future of such cottage industries is uncertain, we are thankful to those of you who responded to the call for action regarding needed modifications to the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). Without changes and clarifications, the future of the handmade/natural toy and children’s products industry in the U.S. will change drastically in February 2009. With your help spreading the word, writing letters to congressional representatives, signing petitions or notifying local media much has been accomplished in a very short time. The message is out and gaining momentum.

 

Hopefully, our requests will be noted and acted upon. Until then, we will post updates here on the shop blog. If able, we are looking forward to some new collaborations in 2009 and to refining our product selections to include more customer favorites as well as handmade, eco-friendly items produced in the U.S.

 

In the meantime, take a look at our Sale pages for discounted items. FOR MAILING LIST SUBSCRIBERS: Take advantage of 20% off your total order of in-stock inventory from December 29 through December 31st. Check our latest e-mail message for the discount code.

 *All orders will be shipped on January 5, 2009 when we return from our holiday break.

Princess & the Pea Giveaway – Ohdeedoh

 

Greetings, everyone. Our friends over at Ohdeedoh (the junior-centric arm of the popular Apartment Therapy blog) are busy spreading some serious holiday cheer to their readers. They are giving away a whole range of beautiful, useful gifts all month long, including unique and hard-to-find children’s items. Quiet Hours participated in last year’s giveaway, so we’re quite flattered to have been asked back a second time. This year we are offering a Maileg Princess & the Pea set ($95 value) that is in need of a good home. Even better, we saved up a set that includes the lovely blue princess doll that is proving so elusive to Maileg fans these days. Head on over, check out the pieces on offer, and enter for a chance to receive this treat of a toy on your doorstep before the holidays.

Help Save Handmade Toys in the U.S.

Friends,

Quiet Hours is not a political forum, but I am forwarding you the texts of two very important e-mails I recently received regarding the future of handmade toys and children’s wares in the U.S. The first comes from our friends at the Handmade Toy Alliance; the second is from an importer working in the natural and handmade toys industry.

There is much here to read but I urge you to do so. Quiet Hours and other “niche” retailers were established in order to provide distinctive handmade goods to families seeking an alternative to mass-produced plastic items. We take great pride in not only providing safe toys but supporting individual craftspeople, international fair trade co-operatives, and small companies keeping the tradition of hand-workmanship and craft alive. We have also been thrilled to witness a resurgence in small-scale natural toy manufacturing and crafting in the U.S.

Our ability to support such makers, as well as families’ access to their products, will be severely hampered (or eliminated altogether) unless modifications to the current Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) are made.

Read on for more details and ways you can act to keep a rich diversity of handcrafted children’s items available in the U.S.

#1 – from the Handmade Toy Alliance:

Help Save Handmade Toys

in the USA from the CPSIA 

The issue:
In 2007, large toy manufacturers who outsource their production to China and other developing countries violated the public’s trust. They were selling toys with dangerously high lead content, toys with unsafe small part, toys with improperly secured and easily swallowed small magnets, and toys made from chemicals that made kids sick. 

The United States Congress rightly recognized that the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lacked the authority and staffing to prevent dangerous toys from being imported into the US. So, they passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August, 2008.  Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in toys, mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys and requires toy makers to permanently label each toy with a date and batch number. 

All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational toy manufacturers to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each toy have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and update their molds to include batch labels. 

For small American, Canadian, and European toymakers, however, the costs of mandatroy testing will likely drive them out of business.

• A toymaker, for example, who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the $4,000 fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.
• A work-at-home mom in Minnesota who makes dolls to sell at craft fairs must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.
• A small toy retailer in Vermont who imports wooden toys from Europe, which has long had stringent toy safety standards, must now pay for testing on every toy they import.
• And even the handful of larger toy makers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007.

 The CPSIA simply forgot to exclude the class of toys that have earned and kept the public’s trust: Toys made in the US, Canada, and Europe.  The result, unless the law is modified, is that handmade toys will no longer be legal in the US. Hand-crafters won’t be the only ones impacted by the CPSIA. Anyone who produces or sells any of the following new or used items will be required to comply with the law: toys, books, clothing, art, music, educational supplies, materials for the learning disabled, bicycles, and more. Any uncertified item intended for children under the age of 12, will be considered contraband after February 10, 2009. It will be illegal to sell or give these items away to charities, and the government will require their destruction, or permanent disposal.

If this law had been applied to the food industry, every farmers market in the country would be forced to close while Kraft and Dole prospered.

You can read our Proposal to Improve the CPSIA here.

How You can Help:
Please write to your United States Congress Person and Senator to request changes in the CPSIA to save handmade toys.  Use our sample letter or write your own.  You can find your State Representative here and Senator here.

 #2 -  NEWSFLASH FROM A NATURAL & EUROPEAN TOY IMPORTER

As many of you may have heard, the company Selecta has decided to pull out of the USA market effective Dec. 31st 2008.  We need your help to make sure other quality companies are not forced to make similar decisions.

While we all applauded efforts by the federal government to tighten the safety standards for toys, we all got much more than we bargained for.  The law that was passed extends to all products directed to children 12 years of age and younger, and includes such things as clothing & toys and much more, with very few exceptions or exemptions.  That wouldn’t be so bad, but there are a few requirements that, if left as is, will force most small businesses (and many medium & large sized businesses) out of business….including retailers, work-at-home moms and independent crafters making products for children. The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection will hold a hearing on Wednesday, December 10, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building.  The hearing is entitled “Implementation of the CPSIA:  Urgent Questions about Application Dates, Testing and Certification, and Protecting Children.”  This is an oversight hearing examining implementation of Public Law 110-314 (H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)).  Witnesses will be by invitation only.
The staff briefing for this hearing will be held on Monday, December 8, 2008, at 4:00 p.m. in room 2322 Rayburn House Office Building. 3.

 

 

1. Existing Inventory:  The law states that any affected product that does not meet the new standard (with the exception of phthalates) cannot be sold from the shelves after February 10th.  The problem is that the law includes many new items that have not been under a previous regulation, and have not been tested.  To test these items now, on the retail or wholesale level is prohibitively expensive, and/or simply not possible.  So it is very difficult to confirm compliance (although most items in most companies would be compliant), and at the same time, penalties for selling anything that doesn’t meet the standard are very stiff.  

2. 3rd Party Testing by SKU: The law will require 3rd party testing in the future for each sku (or style).  The large pair of jeans have to be tested separately from the medium size of jeans…even though all materials are the same.  This makes testing prohibitively (impossibly) expensive.  There are other ways to form a testing regimen and be just as satisfied with the results.

3. Markings: All products manufactured after August 12th, 2009 must have markings on the package and permanent markings on the product indicating where, by whom, and when the product was made. Large corporations can afford purchasing multiple dies to do this.  Small companies cannot.  European companies with limited sales to the USA likewise cannot.

 4. Complexity: The law is extremely complex.  Needlessly so.  It is requiring companies to hire lawyers just to get a grasp of what is required of them.  Also, the requirement of including certificates of compliance of each product shipped, with each product is overly burdensome.  Electronic certificates has been approved, and will help, but even then there is a substantial cost to the additional administration—which does very little, if anything, to improve the safety of our toys.

 

5. Frequency of Testing:  Experts are still trying to get a clear grasp of this.  However, it is very possible that each batch must be tested/certified.  This is fine for large companies running 10,000 or 100,000 pieces per batch.  For small manufacturers, with small runs, it multiplies the enormous cost from point #2, even higher.

What this means is small, innovative companies that typically make niche products, will be forced out of business, or forced to narrow their product range and sell to the mass market.  Product availability and selection will diminish.  We will be primarily left with imported plastic toys from China.  Yes, quite ironic isn’t it.

URGENT Action:

The Subcommitte that put this law together is meeting to review its implementation on Wednesday.  We need to send a message to them to revise the law or its implementation in ways that will maintain the integrity of the safety standards, but will not decimate the children’s natural products market. Here is a link to the list of Committee Members.  Please contact your Representative of Congress. If any one of these Representatives on the Subcommittee is YOUR representative, PLEASE be sure to call & email them to voice your concerns about the provisions in the law as they affect you and the children’s products industry in general.  Please do this as soon as you are able. 

Here is a link to some suggestions for talking to our representatives from WAHM Solutions.

What else can you do?  Pass this on in your e-newsletters, in your stores, among your friends.  There is much disinformation in the market, and it is up to us to warn consumers and colleagues of the pending disappearance of the natural & specialty toys we have come to rely on in the recent years.

This is a critical time to raise our voices and be heard.  Important issues that affect us will be discussed in a public way next week…NOT after Christmas.

What else can you do?  Join the Handmade Toy Alliance, join the online community cpsia-central and become informed & involved.  Contact the media, discuss this in forums and in your own online communities.  It isn’t just small businesses that are at risk, it is the very nature of the toys & products our children & grandchildren will have access to in the future.

 

Gift Guide 2008 – Around the Shop

While we love all the toys and surprises in the shop, there are certain pieces that are especially popular for the holidays. If you are stumped for a gift and looking for a little inspiration, please take a look at the picks below. They are a combination of new items and customer favorites, in a range of prices to suit any budget.

Stocking Stuffers - Gifts under $25

 

Row 1: Soft Dough ($8.50), Necklace Kit ($12), Little Cars ($18)

Row 2: Felt Clip 1 & 2 ($8), Bunny Paper Dolls ($16.95), Crayon Rocks ($6.95)

Row 3: Moondrop ($12.95), Bath Fizzies ($5 for 2), Rainbow Veil ($18)

Row 4: Silks ($9.25), Shrinky Dinks ($20), Cotton Bunny ($25)

 

Baby

Row 1: Minky Blanket ($38), Peppa Baby Doll ($22.95), Maddox’s Rolling Horse ($23)

Row 2: Grabbing Gnome ($18.95), Print ($12), Bear Bookend ($45)

Row 3: Ice Cream Rattles ($26.99), Lamb Hat ($18), Mary Jane Booties ($30)

 

Boys

Row 1: Pockets Knights 1,2,3 ($9-$17), Shield ($29.95), T-Rex Marionette ($42)

Row 2: Knight’s Helmet ($25), Indian on Horse ($55.45) other pieces available, Little Helicopter ($18.95)

Row 3: Pirates ($24-$36), Cowboy ($18.95), Felt Horse ($24.95)

 

Girls

Row 1: Knit Crown ($26), Paper Dolls ($26), Little Wood Stove ($25)

Row 2: Blossom Rain Doll ($74.99), Cupcakes ($32) or Cookies (not pictured – $28.99), Rabbit Hutch ($54.25)

Row 3: Scented Soft Dough ($3.95), Princess & Pea Set ($95), Little Birds & Peter Rabbit ($10-$30)

 

Everybody Loves…Customer Favorites

Play Food and Accessories

 

Row 1: Apple ($3.60) Knit Watermelon ($9), Market Bag ($14.99)

Row 2: Pancake Breakfast ($34), Enamel Ware  ($11.50-$29) (new colors coming soon), Milk ($4.25)

Wood

Row 1: Natural Animals ($11-$63), Bremen Town Musicians (Ostheimer) ($55.40), Deer Family (Georgian Wood Toys) ($52)

Row 2: African Tree ($41.75), Little House ($86), Dollhouse Baby Carriage ($22.95) and other furniture

Dolls & Plush

Row 1: Dress-up Dollhouse Dolls ($24 each) (African American dollhouse dolls are also available), Argyle Pip ($25), Forest Moondrops ($48)

Row 2: Nod the Gnome ($145), Peppa Waldorf Dolls ($22.95-$64.90), Sockaphant ($32)

Holzkram Update – 2008

 

For all of you who have waited so patiently for an update from Holzkram:

There have been several setbacks at this small firm this year, but they have been working hard to catch up on production and fulfill backorders. Unfortunately, the workload is so high that we will not be receiving enough pieces to meet our wait list requirements for this holiday. We will not be stocking any of the larger pieces, such as the Cottage, Farmhouse, Farmhouse with Stable or Castle, but will be getting a large shipment of the popular Little Houses in time for gift-giving.  Currently, we expect enough Little Houses for everyone on the wait list plus additional pieces that will be available in the shop. If you are on the waiting list, you will receive an e-mail as soon as they arrive.

In the meantime, those of you who have your heart set on one of the larger pieces can visit our friends at The Wooden Wagon. They recently received a long-awaited shipment of items, and have a limited supply of all the large houses (and castle pieces) in stock. Or consider Ostheimer’s beautiful farmhouse, which is currently in stock, or one of the new dollhouse styles we have on offer this year.

We hope to be back to regular shipment schedules with Holzkram in 2009. Thank you to all who have been hanging in there with us along the way! If you would like more information feel free to e-mail us at info@quiethourstoys.com.

Cool Mom’s Safer Toy Guide 2008

    

 

I’m delighted to announce that not one, not two, but three of Quiet Hour’s pieces have been featured in this year’s edition of the Cool Mom Picks Safer Toy Guide. Editors Liz and Kristen see just about everything that is out there, and scour the web each year looking for holiday recommendations that are thoughtful, safe, well-crafted and never just the “same old thing”.

This year, you’ll find our hand-carved wooden play food, big wooden train and eco-friendly alder dollhouse from Poland on the list. Be sure to check out their baby section, which is particularly strong this year, as well as favorites from some of our friends around the web: the Riding Giraffe at Mahar Drygoods; Camden Rose’s beautiful play kitchens at Palumba; Clementine Art’s kits from Colorado, Craftsbury Kids, and a whole group of new businesses and shops.

It’s blogs like Cool Moms that help many smaller boutique shops like Quiet Hours get our start. By spreading the word about our products and artists they introduce us to a whole new group of families that might not have known about us otherwise. For small businesses without big advertising budgets this is a real boon, and something for which we are all grateful. So, thank you, Liz and Kristen! And a big welcome to all of you who are discovering us for the first time through the Safer Toy Guide.