DandL CREATIONS Shows Jan-Feb 2009

National Bankruptcy Day - February 10, 2009

CPSC & CPSIA new laws bad for myriad of items, not just childrens items

This will affect many of we sellers...not those that just sell children related items.The new CPSIA will affect many of us that sell ANY products that can be consider for children.

CBS Consumer Product Safety Commission news article.

Not just toys and jewelry, but clothing, room decor, school supplies, educational aids, art work, art supplies, pillows, books, bedding, items for babies and children under 12 (shampoo, body lotion, tooth paste with a popular teen star, a huge amount of products) etc. There are many collectibles that could be considered also.

I read on one forum that there are many collectors under the age of 12 for baseball cards, postage stamps, postcards, coins etc...these will need to be tested just as books for under 12 (used or new or those considered that a 12 year old might read) will need to be tested if they don't have the CPSC stamp of approval. I do not know the validity of the claim above for collectibles, but there were many up in arms about the cost of having every item tested so they would have the certificate required by the CPSC and the cost would put them out of business.

If an item is made for someone 12 & under to use it will be subject to the certified testing. If an item could be used by someone 12 & under..not necessarially made for a 12 year old and under, you might want to stop and look for the CPSC statement. (Example: Scooby Doo bedding)Even used clothing purchased for resales or vintage items will be subject to the testing. click here to read more

HR4040

CRAFTERS OF CHILDREN'S CLOTHING GETS SCREWED by HR4040. That's how it affects vendors....even those that sell commercial clothing, Please read the entry in this blog prior to this.

Here is more info on HR4040.

For more information on this please check http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-4040 This is about the HR4040 bill that was passed in December.Here is what somebody wrote on their blog.

The following are from a couple fellow 'crafters' and is quite interesting to read.

http://pinaforesandknickerbockers.blogspot.com/2008/12/disturbing-law.html http://babyswagspr.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/supporting-small-businesses-cpsia-law-issues/

Help Save Handmade Toys in the USA from the CPSIA - Hand-made Toy Alliance. http://sites.google.com/site/handmadetoyalliance/ You can vote here or get info on contacting Congress about this matter.

Save Handmade Toys From the CPSIA http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

I can see a lot of people will be taking an interest in the toy issue as it involves the crafters. There are a number of people out there who make children's clothing for a living and sell at various events. Also affected could be the makers of children's toys or the vendors that import toys from China or anyplace else. Sounds like big problems for some vendors and if I were in their shoes, I would be mighty worried right now. As if the vendors don't have expenses already, they could possibly have to pay around $85 per test. I'll bet that the company that produces testing products is going to make a lot of money out of this and it would not surprise me if they put money in our Congressman's/woman's pockets.

I know this is for the safety of our children, but I wonder if this is really as big a problem as it is being made out to be. Is there an 'underlying theme' to this

Makers of Small Toys - Arts and Crafts

I was just reading about these recent laws that are forcing companies to have their toys tested for lead. Don't know if this is really necessary and I think that this lead problem might have been blown out of proportion. I agree that children should be protected from lead, but there might be groups or individuals out there who stand to make some big bucks because of this. I am always skeptical about some of these new laws where you have to do this, buy that, wear this, don't wear that, etc. because I think that the producers/manufacturers of these items, etc., are the ones initiating the bills that create these new laws.

Anyhow, went off track here. There are quite a few people in the Arts and Crafts world out there who are making their toys OR are importing them from China, etc. Here is a link to an article about having to get your toys inspected for lead. Life is tough out there for the vendors and arts and crafts people and things might get tougher.

Toy makers may win lead-testing exemption
Rules on lead threatened to hurt those who create handcrafted items

Dec. 24, 2008, 8:14PM SAN FRANCISCO — The makers of handcrafted toys received some holiday hope Wednesday with support from a federal agency for proposed exemptions from strict lead-testing regulations they feared could put them out of business.

Last year's discovery of lead paint in mass-market toys prompted the government to pass new safety rules requiring testing and labeling that mom-and-pop workshops and retailers said they could not afford.

As a February deadline for complying with the law loomed, toy makers who use materials such as unfinished wood, organic cotton and beeswax sought exemptions from the rules.
In a memo released Wednesday, Consumer Product Safety Commission staffers recommended that the agency exempt some natural materials from the lead testing requirements

continue story

Events and Festivals

We have just added listings in Events and Festivals. Check for details on: San Francisco Crystal Fair Feb 28-Mar 1, Holtville Carrot Festival Feb 7-8, the Original Creative Festival in San Mateo on Jan 23-25, the 11th Annual San Diego Multicultural Festival January 17, International Family Film Festival in Los Angeles Feb 26-March 1 and the Southern California Cherry Blossom Festival in Los Angeles Apr 4-5.

I have listed these festivals in Upcoming Events at the Starving Vendors website and there are many other shows listed there also. Check it out. We also have many reviews of events we did this past year and they are very entertaining and I think that you will like reading them. (Guide to Shows>Events>dates)

Go down and get yourself a delicious Philly Cheesesteak, grab a nice cold 2-liter bottle of Briar's Birch Beer or a real bear and enjoy yourself. Later on, take a trip over to DandL CREATIONS, our website where you can buy puka shell necklaces in any size you want or a cowrie shell choker to give to your sweetheart.

Does anybody out there need this sign?

WalMart, Lowe's, Home Depot - What really happens?

Here's an interesting article I found in pdf format about how the big-box stores affect YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY. What really happens when one of these GIANTS moves into your locality. Very interesting. I wish that enough people would realize this and not allow these businesses in your community.

Five Myths about Big Box Retail I have included the first of these myths down below to get your attention. You can read about the other four by clicking on the link.

MYTH: Big-Box Stores Create Jobs
FACT: Studies by independent economists show that big-box stores eliminate more re-
tail jobs than they create.

A recent study examined 3,094 counties across the U.S., tracking the arrival of new Wal-Mart stores between 1977 and 2002. The study, conducted by Univ. of California economist David
Neumark, found that opening a Wal-Mart store led to a net loss of 150 retail jobs on average, suggesting that a new Wal Mart job replaces approximately 1.4 workers at other stores
(The Effects of Wal-Mart on Local Labor Markets, January 2007).

The reason for the overall decline is that a new Wal-Mart store does not increase the amount of money that residents have to spend. Sales gains at these stores are invariably mirrored by a
drop in revenue at existing businesses, which then must downsize or close. The job losses are larger than the gains because Wal-Mart accomplishes the same volume of sales with fewer
employees.

Although similar studies have not been done of other big-box retailers, it's likely that they also have either a negative or no impact on employment because the underlying dynamics (i.e.,no increases in consumer spending) are the same

Festivals of Texas

I just found a nicely designed website that lists events in Texas. It's called Festivals of Texas and breaks down into five areas of the state....North, East, Central, South and West. Describes event and provides contact numbers. Good site if you are either a vendor or are looking for festivals in your area.

Some of the shows included are: 12th ANNUAL SPRINGFEST WINE, ART & FOOD FESTIVAL, ROCKPORT’S CLAY EXPO, 63rd ANNUAL ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION (in Shamrock), LUBBOCK ARTS FESTIVAL, OILMAN’S CHILI COOK-OFF, 37th ANNUAL REDBUD FESTIVAL and a lot more.

The have a page entitled 'searching for vendors' which comes in handy. There are parts of the website under construction. Very nicely done.

Time Capsule - My First Job

I guess that each and everyone of us recalls the experiences of the first job we ever had. Here is a recounting of mine..... picking tobacco leaves in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

I was born in Holyoke, MA in 1951 and moved to New Jersey in 1962. Long ago, my mom worked for National Blank Book, a paper manufacturer there in Holyoke, which was an Industrial city. My dad worked for A.G. Spalding in Chicopee and made golf balls.

I would return to Holyoke several times during the 60's and stay with my dad. The year of 1966 was one of those years that I went there, so I was 15 years old at that time. I enjoyed seeing several of my friends during those years and this time, my friend Joe and I wanted to get a job. We knew several 'kids' who were working in the tobacco fields in Southern Mass and Connecticut. At that age, all we could ever get as far as jobs went would be working on farms.

Joe and I went to someplace that was similar to an Unemployment Office and signed up. We would have to catch a bus at a location a few blocks away from where I was staying. The bus would go around and pick up maybe 8-10 other workers (kids) and take all of us south to the tobacco fields, where we would work for the day and then ride the bus home. Perhaps we went about 25-30 miles and each day we went to a different field. Our job was to pick the tobacco leaves which were used as wrappers for Roi Tan Cigars back then. This was referred to 'shade tobacco' and was used as wrappers on cigar filler tobacco from Honduras and the Dominican Republic

Since it was early in the season, we began picking the lowest leaves on these plants which stood about three feet tall. (that is NOT me in the picture) In order to pick these leaves, you had to lay on your back and scoot yourself along the row, taking 3 leaves from the right plant and then 3 from the left and then another three and you made those into a 'pad' and laid then down in the middle aisle as you worked your way up the row repeating the process. Later, a 'hauler' picked them up and placed them on the wagon and when there was a substantial amount, hauled them away.

During the early part of the 'season' you went from field to field picking the leaves. Then a week or so later, you would be taken back to the same fields and pick the next layer. These tobacco fields were covered with some kind of cheesecloth and it was rather cool in the morning and then around noontime, it heated up. It got pretty hot inside there.At the end of each day, the bus would take us back. I would take a bath every day and the water would be almost totally black from the juices which got on your body. Of course, the clothes got a little roughed up also. I worked there for six weeks and will never ever forget the experiences of my very first job. I only received $1.05 per hour, but that was good enough for me. I was just a kid. The very first thing I bought was a radio...I forgot how much I paid for it.

Lake Havasu CIty Winterfest

February 7-9, 2009. vendor application Lake Havasu Chamber of Comm

24th Annual Winterfest held downtown along McCulloch Blvd. Reasonable fees for booths; check vendor application-fees vary. Bus License is require along with insurance.

We did this event for a number of years but didn't make much of a net profit because we drove out from the Bay Area and stayed in a motel 6. (This particular Motel 6 was located about 2 blocks from our space)

This really draws a large, slow-walking crowd but they looked like zombies strolling down the street, looking neither to the left or to the right. Most of them could care less...just enjoying the nice weather this area usually has to offer during the month of February. Some snow birds; mostly locals.... virtually all of which did not spend and we didn't see a lot of them carrying bags.

We have two micro climates existing on the street. If you are faced toward the sun, it can be a pleasant, warm day with occasional breezes and you can wear your shorts and t-shirts. While on the other side, you get very little sun and often you'll need winter clothing and the wind is much colder as it whips its way around the booths.

We will not be doing this event, since we will be at Tyson Wells at the Arts & Crafts Fair (Space PQ-2) until around Feb 15. I've enjoyed Havasu over the years and we had several good shows there, but we are getting older and we would rather set up once for 17 days instead of for a 2-day show. Lots of food there. You'll enjoy.

For more information about events and info, please visit Starving Vendors. I have many reviews of shows we did this past year. Menu: Guide to Shows>reviews> then choose the dates and the shows for that time period will apear. Get insight into a lot of events and read what vendors have to go through. Read our review of the Lake Havasu City Winterfest

Forwarding email

Any time you see an E-Mail that says forward this on to '10' of your friends, sign this petition, or you'll get bad luck, good luck, or whatever, it almost always has an E-Mail tracker program attached that tracks the cookies and E-Mails of those folks you forward to. The host sender is getting a copy each time it gets forwarded and then is able to get lists of 'active' E-Mails addresses to use in SPAM E-Mails, or sell to other spammers

Almost all E-Mails that ask you to add your name and forward on to others are similar to that mass letter years ago that asked people to send business cards to the little kid in Florida who wanted to break the Guinness Book of Records for the most cards. All it was, and all any of this type of E-Mail is, is a way to get names and 'cookie' tracking information for telemarketers and spammers - - to validate active E-Mail accounts for their own profitable purposes.

You can do your friends and family members a GREAT favor by sending this information to them; you will be providing a service to your friends, and will be rewarded by not getting thousands of spam E-Mails in the future!

If you have been sending out (FORWARDING) the above kinds of E-Mail, now you know why you get so much SPAM!

Do yourself a favor and STOP adding your name(s) to those types of listings regardless how inviting they might sound!You may think you are supporting a GREAT cause, but you are NOT in the long run. Instead, you will be getting tons of junk mail later! Plus, we are helping the spammers get rich! Let's don't make it easy for them!

Also: E-Mail petitions are NOT acceptable to Congress or any other organization.To be acceptable, petitions must have a signed signature and full address of the person signing the petition. Read the full story here: http://

Awards

It's the end of another year and it is time to hand out our Starving Vendors Awards for 2008. I would like to announce the winner's of the Rodney Dangefield 'Can't get no Respect' award for treatment of vendors far and above the call of duty.

We had a tie for this award, or should I say that we had two organizations that were highly qualified for this award and we would like to present plaques to the Ripon Chamber of Commerce (Ripon Almond Blossom Festival) and Lee Barron and the Quartz Hill Almond Blossom Festival. Thank you... and now the award.