Handmade Holidays Part 2 - Polkadot Patch Boutique (and a coupon)

This week, things didn't turn out quite like I expected. My husband has swine flu, the children are cranky because I've quarantined him in the guest room, and I didn't get all the pictures that I needed for my Handmade Holidays post.

So, it is Saturday, and instead of featuring individual artisans, I'm going to feature a store that celebrates the handmade. Polkadot Patch Boutique supports many small businesses and artisans that are threatened by CPSIA. In fact, many of their smaller toy manufacturers had to close shop or stop making toys because of CPSIA.

But, there are still many awesome handmade in the USA gifts on the site.


Rocket Man Super Hero Cape ($55.00)



Perfect for the little boy (or girl) who enjoys rescuing aliens who are stranded on moon rocks. This cape has some stupendous imaginary super powers... Girly styles are available as well.

Here's a super cape ca be personalized with any initial. It comes in four color combinations.


Super Hero Dress Up Set ($58.00)



Polkadot Patch Boutique has a huge selection of sock monkeys and sock monkey gifts.


Handcrafted Sock Monkey ($24.00)




Sock Monkey Hat ($30.00)





Eco-friendly Inchworm Baby Toy ($16.00)



The inchworm is handmade from all natural organic materials, including: organic Cotton thread,Bamboo Fleece,Organic Cotton/Hemp Corduroy, Bamboo/Silk blend yarn and Natural Kapok fiber. There's a little jingle bell in the stuffing that makes it ring. What a fun, healthy and eco-friendly grasping toy.

Big Eye Monster Organic Shirt ($38.00)



I wish this came in my size. What child wouldn't enjoy a monster on her tummy?

Check out all the beautiful items at Polkadot Patch Boutique. Sara's Toy Box readers get a 10% discount with the code “Toybox".

P.S. Toymakers, Polkadot Patch is always looking for new handmade toys that are in compliance with the CPSIA.

Princess Nimble Thimble

And another teeny, tiny handmade treasure from Etsy.

Princess Nimble Thimble , Dannielle, is another Etsy artisan who makes cute little dolls. These mermaids, fairies, princesses, elves, and children are available both with and without painted faces. I chose faces because they look so sweet and friendly.

Elf or Gnome ($9.50)



Of course, these were a big hit with my girls who like both princesses and teeny tiny things. The dolls are about 2.5 inches tall - just the right size to be a pocket friend while at the dentist or to be rescued from a block tower. They remind me a lot of the "Halfpenny Dolls" that my older children played with. They are too small for most doll house furniture, but worked fine with the doll house stacker.

Arielle says "They are pretty and the dragon won't eat them." So, it must be true. Again, the workmanship is perfect and these dolls are sturdy and meant to play - just not with children who still put toys in their mouths. The girls like to combine them with their Juicy Bugs and needle-felted animals for extra-fun adventures.

Here are some live-action pictures.

Dream A Little

If I were selecting the cutest toy ever, Juicy Bugs from the Dream A Little store on Etsy would be a serious contender. Just look at the packaging...


.... and when you open them up - Juicy Bugs!


Juicy Bugs are just one of many toys available on Etsy that are handmade by individual artisans who work out of their homes or have small companies. I am especially featuring handmade toys this month because the sale of these toys is threatened by the CPSIA. I decided I would spend Arielle and Linnea's Christmas money on handmade toys -- while they are still available.

Purple Grapes on the Vine Juicy Bug ($14.00)


I'd been admiring these itty bitty (just over 1 1/2 inches tall) beauties for some time, and I just knew that the girls would love them. They do. All week, I've been finding little Juicy Bugs carefully tucked into doll house cradles and little pots. They also seem to make excellent babies for our doll house fairies.


The tiny "bugs" are very sturdy, yet bendable, and definitely meant to be played with (by children that don't put toys in their mouths). The big mystery is how does Dana make those tiny stitches? I'm seriously wondering if she's really an elf :o) because every detail is so meticulous.

These are perfect little gifts for any child and even for a teenager -- and they come already all wrapped up. They'd be great in an Easter basket, as a Valentine's love bug, as a special gift from the tooth fairy, or even as a lucky charm before a big event like a spelling bee or college interview.


Oh, and they are even cuter in real life :o)

Handmade Treasures

Usually, I try to let you know about toys we've tried out for ourselves. Today, I'm writing about toys that we have not had a chance to try, but the artisans who make these toys were willing to speak about their businesses and how they will be effected by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). These businesses may not be around after February 10th, so I wanted to let you know about them and to ask for your help.

Crafty Baby Clutch Ball ($16.50)



Jill, the owner of Crafty Baby, has been making an original design clutch ball for over ten years. The 7" ball is for children ages 4 months and up, and is divided into 4 sections for easy gripping. It is made from 100% cotton with polyester fiberfill. Light jingle bells are hidden inside. The ball is soft and durable, and designed to be safe for chewing, grabbing, and throwing at siblings and furniture. The ball is also safe for the washing machine and dryer.

She also makes a Nap Pack - an all-in-one, 100% polyester, fleece blanket. The pillow, which is stuffed with 100% polyester fiberfill, is permanently attached to the top, and the entire blanket rolls into itself for easy stowing and towing and trips to daycare. Her other products include changing pads, blankets and pillows.

Nap Pack ($39.99)



By Nana's Hands is an Etsy store that sells the creations of Melana MacLeod. Melana is a grandmother who had started sewing again after retiring last January. She made everything from diaper bags to clothes to tote bags and just fell in love with toy making. It seemed to her that everything out there was getting recalled, and two of her daughter in laws were refusing to let Melana's grandchildren play with anything that was made in China, so she started making her own toys.

I really like the stuffed tool set which is also available in a girly pink. The tool boxes have a fabric interfacing and the fleece tools are stuffed with hypoallergenic polyester fiberfill.

Tools for Tots ($20.00)



Linnea absolutely adores tools and is always "helping" when I assemble furniture or do home repairs. This would have been just perfect for her a year ago. Now, she's a girl who wants real tools - under lots of supervision! I learned my lesson when my son, 8 years old at the time, used the hammer from his Christmas tool set to conk his sister's head.... no worries with these tools.

By Nana's Hands is donating 15% of all sales in January to The Anderson House. The Anderson House is located on Prince Edward Island in Canada. The Anderson House was established in 1980 to provide a place of safety for women and children who are victims of abuse and to work towards the elimination of family violence. Fifty-percent of all sales of Tilly the Turtle are donated (Because Anderson House will help these women and children "come out of their shell").

Tilly the Snapping Turtle ($10.00)



By Nana's Hands stuffed toys are crafted with safety as the first priority. There are no removable parts, all decoration is machine embroidered and there are no hard parts on any of the toys, no plastics and no paints. That means no lead and no phthalates.

So, why will these toys become "Dangerous Goods" after February 10th? The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), requires THIRD-PARTY lead and phthalate testing of ALL products that are used by children under age 12. Currently, there are very few guidelines about how this law is to be implemented, and it is not known if materials will be excluded if they do not pose any possible risk.

Artisans like Jill and Melana are hoping for component testing rather than third-party testing of finished products. They are hoping that if the materials they use to produce their products are third-party certified as safe for children, that products made out of these materials will meet certification. Testing of the fabrics, thread, and notions very likely means that they will go up in price, but it is still more economical then testing individual handmade toys. This is hard for those like Melana who says she tries to keep prices down so everyone can afford her toys.

Melana is currently working on a race car set for toddlers complete with racing cars, "big wheel" trucks and a roll up cloth race track.... she hopes she can offer it without fear of getting fined!

Unfortunately, component testing won't work for everyone. Beth Hempton, owner of The Snuggle Herd, makes wild beasts out of upcycled (thrift store) jersey-knit shirts and reclaimed wool stuffing. "Reclaimed wool" is wool from old sweaters and blankets that have been cleaned and shredded.

Elsa the Elephant ($24.00)



Ginnie the Giraffe ($24)



According to current CPSIA rules, it is very unclear what would become of those who upcycle. Beth says that clothing and blankets already have their own safety regulations and testing, and are known to not contain lead or phthalates if they are cotton or wool. When she buys shirts at thrift stores, they still have their tags on them claiming their materials. But would she have to keep the tags from the original materials on my toys in order to document that they are safe? It is unlikely that cotton t-shirts could be considered a component that she could have tested once, as she uses different t-shirts for each batch of her toys and they come from different manufacturers. Beth says that it seems impossible for her to comply with these rules. She is especially frustrated because the majority of artisans making children's products from natural materials (like cotton & wool) are doing so specifically to avoid using materials that might have lead & pthalates in them! Currently there are six stores around the country that are carrying her products, but soon it may be illegal for them to do so.


Lyle the Lion ($24)



Connie puts her own designs on clothing and stationery at the MiniMonster Baby Boutique.

Paper Airplane Monster Print ($15.00)



She had planned to introduce coloring books with her fun and lively monster drawings (and even bought individual packs of crayons to include), but has now put that on hold until she knows how her plans will work under the CPSIA. The CPSIA also effects children's books.

Christine, the mom behind For My Kids Happy Fun Dough ($4.99-$29.99) is also worried. The moldable dough is made from water, flour (or gluten-free rice flour), salt, cream of tartar, canola oil,and citric acid -- all perfectly safe and natural.



Christine started her business specifically because she was concerned about exposing her children to toxins. When she was pregnant with her first child, she began to research some of the products that she was using both for personal hygiene and around her home. She was horrified to learn of the long-term damage she could be doing to myself, her child, and the planet with these common chemicals. So, she started making her own products.

About a year ago, some friends convinced her to start selling some of these products so that other people would also have alternatives She started For My Kids. Her newest product is Happy Fun Dough. She started offering it after a store that carries her other products found out that she'd been making it for her own sons and requested that she add it to the For My Kids line.

At first, she used standard food coloring. Then, she realized what exactly was in the standard food coloring. Even though it is FDA-approved, she didn’t want her sons playing in it. So, for a while, they played with uncolored Happy Fun Dough. Fortunately, she was able to find some great alternatives. Instead of the common artificial colorings, she uses plant and vegetable extracts.

Our Happy Fun Dough is COMPLETELY edible. Christine says "I would suggest adding it to your families regular meal plan…after all, too much salt isn’t good for you. ;-) My youngest son has partaken on more than one occasion. " But she wonders, since food products are safe for consumption, wouldn't it just make sense that a product made entirely of food would be safe for play? Yet, as the law is currently written, even this mixture of edible food products must undergo testing for lead and phthalates.

Lawmakers are starting to realize that the rules might need adjusting. An exemption may be made for some natural materials, including cotton, wool, and wood. However, this wooden pig also includes leather ears held on by screws and a tail. Without component certification, the pig would need to be tested by a third-party agency, and this is not an affordable option for a small family business like Made by Ewe.


Pig from Made by Ewe ($8.00)


Stacey says about her family business, "...this is not only a business for my family, but something we love to do. There is nothing more affirming for my father than to see a small child run off with his or her new wooden toy. He knows it's safer than many of the mass market toys and the parents know it will last." That's another special thing about handmade toys, they are made with love.

Mark Nutcher of Wood Toy Shop also makes amazing, heirloom-quality toys from hard woods finished with non-toxic mineral oil. He is a stay home dad and says "Any kind of third party testing would likely lead me to discontinue most of my toys. I am a one person shop with very limited production runs." He hopes that his best-selling toys might be able to absorb the cost of testing, but does not know.


Wooden Train Set ($160)


The train set components are also available individually, so one has the more budget-friendly option of building up a train over time.

Locomotive ($35.00)


Mark also sells vehicles, blocks, puzzles, rubber band race cars, a tool set, a wooden robot and nifty gizmos, like a decoder that every imaginary spy might need.

Amazing Secret Decoder ($8.00)



Finally, Little Sapling Toys, is a family business belonging to Rich, Kimber and Baby Rex. Their wooden baby toys are affordable works of art. I think I'd keep the stacking toy on my coffee table even after it had been outgrown. Besides, I happen to know that teenagers enjoy stacking toys, too.

Maple/Walnut Wood Stacking Toy ($26.00)




Simple Pine Rocking Horse ($49.00)



I wasn't able to resist the column play set. Writing about toys is tough!

Free-play Column Set infant/toddler toy ($26.00)



They also make rattles and teethers. There are action shots on the website.

As I interviewed these artisans, the themes I heard over and over were concerns over safety and that these toys are not just a business, they really are made with love. What can you do to help keep these toys available? Please vote at Change.org for the Handmade Toy Alliance's proposal "Save Small Business From the CPSIA". The top ten proposals will be presented to the new President. Currently, ours is #9, so every vote counts. Also, write to your Senators and Representative and ask that amendments be made to the CPSIA to help small businesses stay in business and keep our children safe. There is more information available at the Handmade Toy Alliance web page.

The Lucky Pebble

I've been wanting to mention the super cuteness at The Lucky Pebble for quite a while and contacting Denise Mollison was on my to-do list for the New Year. But, these adorable dolls may not be available for much longer.



Denise is mom to Alexander (9), Raven (8) and Lenore (4). She started out making therapy dolls for Raven. Raven has been diagnosed with Russell Silver Syndrome, which is a rare failure to thrive condition. Through trial and error and a whole lot of crayon drawings from Raven, Denise designed a toy to help children articulate their feelings through play. Raven's therapists realized the potential of the toy and encouraged Denise to go into business.

Denise began sewing and selling the toy through the Hawaii Play Therapy Conference. She wanted to manufacture the toys, and expanded to include more play dolls to cover expenses. However, since Raven's health care is Denise's chief concern, that has been put on hold. In her eight years, Raven has needed specialists in cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, nephrology (kidneys), gastrointestinal medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. She has a feeding tube and is fed with a feeding device overnight. Denise's earnings from the Lucky Pebble dolls currently supplement the cost of Raven's medical supplies.


Her mom says Raven has strawberry blond hair past her waist, big gray eyes, and she is smaller than her four year old sister. But despite her small size, Raven has a big imagination. The dolls are inspired by Raven's drawings and creativity. At Denise's house, the Little Girl Friend Dolls and the Matroyshka Sock Dolls are the most popular. The children helped create the Matroyshka Sock Dolls.



Linnea just walked by and got very excited about the pictures I had up on the screen. I can totally understand her excitement. The combination of bright colors and friendly expressions is pretty irresistible. And the dolls have their arms out as if to say "Hug me!"

I've been writing a lot obout the CPSIA lately. The CPSIA in it's current form will put Denise's business and many home industries which make toys, clothing, cloth diapers and other children's products out of business.



Denise wanted me to stress that she cares about toy safety and wants to be able to prove her toys are safe. She just need a cost-effective way to do so.

Like thousands of other crafts-persons, Denise purchases her supplies from sewing shops, hobby supply, and large chain stores across the United States. Most of the materials for the dolls come from major suppliers such as Magic Cabin, Joy's Waldorf Dolls, Fox River Mills, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and Discount Fabrics USA, but sometimes she'll buy fabric from an Etsy vendor. None of the fabrics are particularly exotic -- her most used fabrics are minky dot fabrics, Red Heel sock material, chenille, and wool tweed.

When Denise purchase materials and supplies to use in her dolls, she purchases these supplies as a consumer, just the same as if you or I bought a few yards of fabric to sew a dress or make felt food or a teddy bear. Our purchase should already have been certified safe to use in children's products, and it should have been thoroughly tested by the manufacturer. We deserve to know that it is safe for the use that we intend it for.

Just as we'd like safe toys, we want the security of knowing that materials and supplies that are used in children's products have been tested by the manufacturer, and have passed Consumer Product safety standards for each material. We should have that security whether we are making item for our own children, or items to sell.

Denise and other craft persons would like to see the law amended to permit vendor certification for supplies that are used in children's products. Testing of supplies is more cost-effective. This way, any company, large or small,could afford to comply, and individual consumers would also be protected. While Denise would be responsible for making sure she uses only certified-safe materials, the manufacturers of the materials would be responsible for certifying their safety both for Denise and for all the other artists, crafters and moms using those supplies.

However, without these changes, Denise is responsible for testing every doll, as each doll is unique. The cost of testing would run from hundreds to thousands of dollars, and producing and buying handmade children's items will no longer be affordable. For Denise, this will be devastating, as her income supplements the cost of Raven's medical supplies.


To find out how you can help, please click the bear in the sidebar.

Sara's Toy Box Presents...

Our first annual awards. All the toys reviewed were eligible - and we reviewed a lot this year! These are the toys that we think are the very, very best.

Sorry, we have no shiny statues or great big checks. Just a big "YAY!!!!"

FIRST ANNUAL SARA'S TOY BOX TOP TEN TOY AWARDS


1. Best Eco-Friendly Toy: Green Toys Tea Set ($24.99)



The tea set is made from 100% recycled plastics. It is phthalate free and BPA free. It's recyclable. It can go outdoors or in the bath. It can be washed. What else is there to say?
Oh, yeah. It's lots of fun. We play with ours almost every day.

We also really liked the Cookware and Dining Set ($39.99). Click here for the original review.

2. Best American-made toy: Wooden Acorns ($5.99)



Acorns are very useful for feeding visiting squirrels, play cooking, counting, pretend dog food, just carrying around in a tote bag... We also like to put them in bean pots ($3.99).

3. Best Toy Under $10: Anamalz ($5.99-$6.99)



These adorable animals are made of organic maple wood and textile products, non-toxic glues, and paints. They were the almost Arielle's favorite toy this year. Arielle and Linnea love them.

4. Best Outdoor Toy: Baby Footprint Bucket ($6.09)



We play with our buckets in the sand, we play with them in the water, and we play with them in the snow. We fill them with bits of grass and flowers and make a dinosaur salad. We collect fallen leaves and dried plants for art projects. Everybody needs a good bucket, and this one is bright and colorful and just right for tiny hands. The spoon-shaped shovel is Linnea's favorite.

5. Best Game: Djeco Color Animals Domino ($16.99)



Arielle says this is "the one." It's one of several games we played this year that were simple, quick and educational. I love the bright, happy illustrations. But, Linnea and I prefer Djeco Animal Lotto Game ($16.99). I love watching her name and match the animals.

6. Best Learning Toy: Vilac ABC Wooden Blocks with Cart ($46.99)



These win for sheer versatility, and because they provide many years and many levels of play. Check out our review.

7. Best Travel Toy: Kathe Kruse Nicki Baby ($21.95)



We have several of these. They make nice gifts and they fit easily in a pocket or diaper bag. Their cute faces seem to inspire love. Best of all, they are soft and light weight and won't become dangerous flying objects in an accident.

8. Best Toy to Grow With: Holztiger Animals ($5.99 and up)



Start with a few and build a collection. These simple, but beautiful animals are great for all sorts of creative play.

9. Best Building/Stacking Toy: Eeeny, Meeny, Miny, Zoo Wooden Blocks from Haba ($49.99)



Haba blocks are always awesome, and they came out with some really beautiful sets this year. But, the animal blocks are hands-down the cutest. Linnea gets excited every time I take them out. And of course, they are compatible with other Haba block sets.

10. Best Toy for Cuddling: In our house Daddy Dolls get the most hugs, followed closely by the Bamboletta Dolls. They are both absolutely wonderful, I'm going to call it a tie.





SPECIAL AWARDS


Linnea's Toy of the Year: Lady bugs in a pot ($9.95)



These ended up being one of Linnea's favorite toys. Now that she is learning to count, it is very sweet to hear her "one, two, fee, four..."
She also loves to carry these around. Of course, they are tiny, and not really suitable for children under three, so she must be supervised.

Arielle's Toy of the Year: Magic Cabin's In the Dog House Set ($89.98)



Where is the review for this wonderful toy? I'm working on it and it will be up just as soon as I can get a good picture. This is the perfect gift for the child who really, really, really, really wants a pet, but isn't quite old enough. Chocolate Tapdancey Licky-Barky hasn't left Arielle's side since he arrived a week ago. The set comes with everything a doggy needs.

Toy store of the year: Stubby Pencil Studio

I am so happy to announce that Stubby Pencil Studio is our store of the year. I work with many wonderful store owners: Virginie from PetitBaby, Jennic from KangarooBoo, Bridgitte from Natural Pod, Anthia from UrthChild, and Sonya from A Toy Garden are all really sweet women who are great to work with, and I love their stores. Because I might be biased, I came up with my short list and then discussed this decision with other moms, all blog readers. The store that came up the most - for selection, for customer service, for helpfulness, for filling a real need, and for the nice little gifts - was Stubby Pencil Studio. Congratulations, Kate!

A bit of activism

We are very fortunate to get to try out so many great toys. It was tough to narrow our favorites down to only ten. However, natural and handmade toys in the United States are threatened by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). Please visit the Handmade Toy Alliance website for more information about how we can keep toys safe, yet still keep our favorite toy makers and toy stores in business.