Wishing for Snow?

Remember those folded paper cut snowflakes that we made as kids in school every winter? I hope so. But if not, maybe trying out this project will bring back those fond childhood memories or at least you could have fun spiffing up an old - or new - piece of clothing or bag you have. Only requirement is that it's cotton. How easy is that? It combines the old school cut snowflake idea with iron-on transfers, so you can actually wear and show off your creation! This is an awesome craft to do with children too. Everyone loves snowflakes! And with the weather we've had in Richmond for the past few days, who knows, the only chance of seeing snowflakes might be the ones you make!

You will find the materials and directions below.

*Bonus: Check out me and Dawn of Lark Studio demonstrating this project in another installment of the Richmond Craft Mafia's crafty lessons on Virginia This Morning.

Materials

iron-on transfer sheets

tee shirt (or item that you will ironing the snowflake on)

iron

hard surface for ironing

parchment paper

scissors

Directions

1. Preheat iron to cotton setting.

2. Iron wrinkles out of the tee shirt.

3. Get your iron-on transfer sheet. Cut it into a square.

*The easiest way to make a square is to fold the sheet diagonally from the top corner and cut the remaining 2 1/2" off the bottom.

*Optional: Save the bottom piece to make 3 smaller snowflakes.

4. Fold your square sheet of paper in half horizontally twice and then once diagonally. You will have a triangular shaped piece.

5. Cut out shapes wherever you please. You can make a more round snowflake by curving the top of your triangle.

6. Open up your triangle and see what a beautiful snowflake you made!

7. Peel it - carefully - away from the backing. It's okay if it tears a little, but just be careful and take it slow with this step.

8. Place transfer shiny side down on your garment. Be sure to smooth out all the edges (and any tears).

9. Place parchment paper on top of transfer. Making sure it covers it completely, you don't want the iron to have any direct contact with the transfer.

10. Iron your transfer using firm pressure, pressing down. Iron every area for about 15-20 seconds. Be sure to get those corners and edges good.

11. Let it cool for a minute or two.

12. Peel away the parchment paper. You can go over any areas you missed if needed - remember to put the parchment paper on top, never iron on the transfer directly.

CPSIA Blog-In Day

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 children from lead-contaminated 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 find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on February 10th, 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. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being primarily used by children under 13.

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!

Article from the American Library Association

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 redundant and uneccessary lead testing. And it no longer will be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making the testing of 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. That's ok, there's always Walmart!

To the Environmentalist:
Due to the retro-active nature of 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, despite the fact that this law did not exist when these items were made. 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. Although they are not required to test items, thrift stores are still liable if an item they sell is not compliant with this new law. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur and Small Businessperson:
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 plus the loss of revenues from suppliers who sell to the effected businesses. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake and will force thousands and thousands of small stores, home-based businesses, and online shops to close.

To the Worldwide Economy:
Due to this new law, many quality European 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 contact your elected officials and the CPSC. Please pass this information along to your friends and family.

Find your elected officials by entering your zipcode on http://www.senate.gov/ and http://www.house.gov/

Contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission at: http://www.cpsc.gov/about/contact.html

Today is the CPSIA Blog-In. If you have a blog and you care about this issue, please re-post this information!

Get Egg-cited!

If you are a local artist looking to help out a good cause, head over to Artworks Thursday, January 29th at 6:30 p.m. for the kickoff of the 2009 EGG PROJECT for Virginia Easter Seals Eggstravaganza. They will have pizza, salad, dessert and beverages and talk about the eggs of lore and the 2009 eggs-to-be.

Please RSVP by calling the office 804-291-1400 by 1/29 - Thursday 1 pm, so they can plan to have egg-actly enough food for the party.

For details please contact Artworks or head over to their website.

From their newsletter:

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

You've heard that saying and it's good advice. But what's that have to do with the price of tea in China?

Well, it's about having your art in more than one venue. To market your art, people have to see your art and if the only place they see your art is at a gallery or show, then that's just "one basket".

The folks at Easter Seals work hard to promote their event to Richmonders including radio, TV, Internet, newspaper ads, word of mouth, direct mailings and the printed programs. You and your art are highlights of this PR, which includes all of the above, plus a special opening and awards at Art Works and a special preview party. These are the other "baskets". Let the affluent art collectors and patrons see your art and bid on your art.

So come to the party, hear more, break bread with us and break out your creative skills to make egg-art. The details are below.

Eggstravaganza Egg Art Details

Looking for a fun project that will help out a local charity? Design an "egg" for Easter Seals Virginia and Dominion's Eggstravaganza !

Over the past seven years, this event, an adult black-tie Easter egg hunt and auction, has raised more than $430,000 for Easter Seals Virginia programs. Here's how you can get involved...Design a piece of 2 or 3D art with an egg theme. The egg art will be judged and the winners will be part of the auction the night of the event. It's a fun event for a good cause, there are prizes for the winners, plus you get that warm and fuzzy feeling for participating and helping out a great cause.

The Competition and Prizes
There are three levels of competition - Professional, Amateur and Student - and there will be a first and second place winner in each level. There will also be an overall winner for Best in Show and Best Expression of the Easter Seals Virginia Mission.

Nominal monetary prizes ($35) will be awarded for each winner but the best in show will win either $100 or two tickets to the Eggstravaganzasm. The eggs submitted are used in the project in many ways - as live or silent auction items, paired with special packages in our live auction or as decorations at the event.

"Egg Art" requirements are:

-The piece of art must reflect the egg theme in some way
-It may be two or three dimensional
-Two dimensional artwork must be no larger than 32 x 40 inches
-Three dimensional artwork must be able to stand to be displayed on a table
-Easter Seals Virginia reserves the right to deny entry of an egg that is offensive in nature
-The entries will become the property of Easter Seals Virginia and will not be returned...

The Time Line of Events:

-Judging of the egg art will take place on Monday February 23, 2009

-Winners and Awards will be announced at the Fourth Friday Reception on Friday February 27, 2009, at 8 PM (this reception is open to the public and offers light refreshments and a cash bar).

-The Preview Party kicks off the Eggstravaganzasm and will feature the eggs donated. This event is held at William Jeffrey's Jewelers (9986 Brook Rd., The Creeks at Virginia Centre) on Thursday, March 12, 2009 from 6 - 9 PM. This is a free event, but please RSVP to 264-2600 by March 5, 2009.

-Easter Seals Virginia's Eggstravaganza will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2009. Contact the Easter Seals Virginia office for ticket information (804-287-1007) or their web site Virginia Easter Seals website

-Entries must be submitted to Art Works, Inc. February 1 - 22, 2009, during regular business hours (Tuesday - Sunday Noon - 6 pm). Art Works is located at 320 Hull Street, Richmond, VA 23224.

Easter Seals Virginia provides exceptional services to ensure that all people with disabilities or special needs and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their communities...

Craft Swap on Sunday!

Something to do THIS Friday!

Visarts:latenight is now...Second Friday Sampler!

It’s new! It’s free! It’s earlier!
It’s not on First Friday!

Come by on the second Friday of January for a FREE sneak preview of what it's like to take a class at Visarts.
7-9pm THIS FRIDAY!
Please arrive a few minutes early, as class spots are limited. Choose from:

Wheel Throwing!

Always wanted to try throwing a pot on the wheel, but don’t know where to start? Attend this class for a two hour intro to the basics of clay.

Bookmaking Basics!

Learn the fundamentals of bookbinding by creating an accordion-style book.

Please contact Jackie if you plan to attend, so they can have an idea of how many to expect.

See you there!

J A C K I E M A N C I N I
PUBLIC PROGRAM COORDINATOR
VISUAL ARTS CENTER OF RICHMOND
1812 WEST MAIN STREET
RICHMOND, VA 23220
804.353.0094 x229

Consumers beware

For weeks I have been trying to figure out just what I wanted to say about the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). I have worked my way through shock, denial, and now I am forced to face the facts, and depression. This is gonna be bad. So, after spending days and days reading and re-reading all the information I can find, I just can't say it better than this concise statement from the "Craft" blog:

Crafters are up in arms over a seemingly disastrous unintended consequence of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which will require lab certification that lead and phthalates are not present in toys or clothes -- sounds good, but crafters warn that this means that "a toymaker... 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." The law takes effect on February 10th and the toymakers and small clothing designers are getting very worried indeed.

Please read:

1. An open letter from the Etsy Administration.
2. If you are in the Children's Apparel Industry this is a must read; Fashion Incubator's Kathleen always tells it like it is! I really dig her and trust her information and advise.

Please watch:
CPSIA-Central has many informative videos on the subject. My favorite is cpsia--Mr. Sun, the little boy is playing house in an apron. That apron maker and I will never be able to sell our aprons under the restraint of the new testing.

Please act:

1. This site offers a quick and easy way to ask our government to be more specific and protect small business.
2. Petition for Children’s Apparel Industry support.
   

First and foremost, I am a Mom. I know that no one wants lead in our children's toys, garments, and supplies, but this law is just too broad, effecting a whole range products made from non-contaminated materials. The testing is outrageously expensive and totally out of reach for many, if not all, small businesses. For some of the companies that only make children's items (close friends included), their business will go under because the testing fees and requirements are just too expensive. I know my own business will take a severe turn for the worse. Some in the crafting community are calling it National Bankruptcy Day. We all want safety, but we don't want to see handmade children's items become a thing of the past.

In the past year, the handmade toy community has grown as consumers have turned to handmade goods in order to avoid lead contaminated, mass produced, toys from China. Yet, this new ban will ultimately limit your toy purchases to the same big-box retailers this law was meant to monitor, as it eliminates the small law abiding US business person. Please, I beg you, take some time to educate yourselves on this issue and do what you can to support our cause, because it is your cause.

To give you an idea of what this means for Modern June... if I want to make baby bibs any longer (I happen to have over 60 cut and ready to sew up) I will have to pay a minimum of $900.00 for testing each color combination (I currently have over 12 combos). I would have to pay this for every batch I make, regardless if they are made of oilcloth, cotton, or polyester. I currently make them in batches of six. So, that is $900.00 x 12 = $10,800 for 72 bibs. Well actually I would only have 66 to sell since I would have to send one from each batch to the lab for testing. Current retail price for seventy two bibs is $900.00, after testing I would need to charge $162.50 per bib. What can I say? That is just insane.

Needless to say, I will be unable to comply with this law. And since I don't want a $100,000 fine or to go to jail (it's a Federal offense to break this law) my children's line will be done after February 1o, 2009.

Mash Up

Check us out...on first we got a sweet shout out and then we had some mash up shopping!