Recently, I wrote a short piece for the Etsy Success Newsletter. Unfortunately, due to space restrictions, most of what I wrote was cut. So, I decided to post the full article I wrote here.
You can see the Etsy version here: http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001mChcnPHJmGtyDoAc_Idue8nZB1ncVCZ_dqCgIIyYksLsGRYgZFU4pClcbEWvYEtlEMZf2kfexs3UbqHmFu2jKzTqMXFw7KMloypToG-vBtc%3D
And here's the full article:
Being a stay-at-home parent is a 24/7 task. So how does one fit an online business, full-time or even part-time into the mix? As the mother of two small children, a 2 ½ year old and a 7 month old, I admit it is a challenge. And it was quite an adjustment. The first question I encounter when I tell someone about my home based business is “How do you have the time to do that?” The answer is that my business is important to me, so I find the time.
Here are some quick and dirty tips for the stay-at-home parent:
1) Take some time in the morning to decide what you want to accomplish for the day. Be realistic about what you want to do.
Every morning I make a list of things I want to accomplish for the day. I separate these items in order of urgency and importance. Those items which are both urgent and important are first. Next comes items that are urgent but not important and items and are important but not urgent. Last come the items that are neither important nor urgent. Being realistic about how much time I might have and how much I can get done in that time period is crucial.
An example:
Urgent and Important
The custom order that must ship this week.
Urgent and Not Important
Housework
Important but not Urgent
Email - business
The items I need to make to stock my shop
Marketing
Not Urgent or Important
Email - personal
That’s right…I’ve deemed housework as NOT IMPORTANT. See #4, which is an important part of being able to put housework in the not important category. This is relative, there are some days where housework IS an urgent and important thing.
2) Utilize nap time to the fullest extent.
When nap-time comes, immediately tackle your high-priority items. Don’t have nap time? (I rarely do) Have a special activity time where your children can create along side of you. No matter how old your child is, there is a way to actively engage them, even for short periods of time, in activities that are creative and fun for them. This will allow you to work, even in short bursts.
3) If you have a partner, encourage them to be on board with your business plan.
When your partner/spouse is supportive of your business, you can utilize some time at night and on the weekends without having it interfere with family time. In my house it becomes a special daddy/kid time that they get with me on a daily basis. Also, when my husband comes home from work, we eat dinner and then he takes the kids for at least one hour. This gives me the opportunity to do whatever I want to do. It could be that I just need a break or that I would like to check email, or that I have to package some items. I utilize this time to the fullest.
4) Create a realistic time line for custom orders in your shop.
For many Etsy shop owners the items they have in their shops are already created. In cases like these, it’s about finding the time to make more items to have a well stocked shop and packaging of sold items. There is another type of shop, like mine, that specializes in made-to-order items. I would love to get a custom order, go sew/paint/create the item and ship it the next day. But for me, this is simply not an option. So my turn around times reflect an accurate and generous amount of time for me to create my items. This does NOT hurt business. It sets expectations for clients and they can be confident that I will complete the item in the time (or sooner) that I allowed to make it. Quoting faster shipping times doesn’t help your shop if you can’t meet your deadlines.
5) Utilize the resources available to you.
Carrier pick up the best example of this. I only go to the post office if I have an international package. All other packages are picked up from my front door by USPS. This saves me time and money. Printing postage via Paypal or USPS click-n-ship makes this possible. This is just one of the resources available to me that make my work easier. Try to use all of your resources, it will save you time and money!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Gymboree takes a hit due to CPSIA
I am a HUGE fan of Gymboree. They have excellent quality clothes and although the prices can be steep, I'm always scoping out the best deals and hitting the Gymboree outlet store near me which has made them affordable.
Sadly, Gymboree has been affected by CPSIA. The best post I've seen yet on this is on Rick Woldenberg's blog here:
http://learningresourcesinc.blogspot.com/2009/03/cpsia-body-count-rises.html
By the way, if you haven't read Rick's blog before it is a wealth of good information. I highly suggest reading it regularly.
For my son, I bought things from Gymboree up to 2 years in advance for him when I could get great deals on sale. He won't fit into these clothes for at least another year (he's 6 months old now). All of a sudden these SAME clothes, made of the SAME materials are deemed unsafe by CPSIA. I will most certainly not be throwing all these clothes out. Who can afford to do that? And my kids aren't any less safe for wearing Gymboree.
I am so disgusted with CPSIA.
One other thing that has been weighing on me. For all of you who are still sending letters, PLEASE check your spelling and grammar. It might just be my own personal pet peeve, but so many people offer the letter they've written for others to use. Some of these letters are full of spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. Please correct these errors before you send them out. And do not use abbreviations like SAHM. People who are not as involved in the online world do not know what a SAHM is! Write it out. Also, so many people have complained about receiving a form letter from their representative. Why would you send a form letter if you don't like getting one in return? This makes no sense to me. Keep fighting the good fight. It's amazing how fast a year goes, we don't really have that much time.
Sadly, Gymboree has been affected by CPSIA. The best post I've seen yet on this is on Rick Woldenberg's blog here:
http://learningresourcesinc.blogspot.com/2009/03/cpsia-body-count-rises.html
By the way, if you haven't read Rick's blog before it is a wealth of good information. I highly suggest reading it regularly.
For my son, I bought things from Gymboree up to 2 years in advance for him when I could get great deals on sale. He won't fit into these clothes for at least another year (he's 6 months old now). All of a sudden these SAME clothes, made of the SAME materials are deemed unsafe by CPSIA. I will most certainly not be throwing all these clothes out. Who can afford to do that? And my kids aren't any less safe for wearing Gymboree.
I am so disgusted with CPSIA.
One other thing that has been weighing on me. For all of you who are still sending letters, PLEASE check your spelling and grammar. It might just be my own personal pet peeve, but so many people offer the letter they've written for others to use. Some of these letters are full of spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. Please correct these errors before you send them out. And do not use abbreviations like SAHM. People who are not as involved in the online world do not know what a SAHM is! Write it out. Also, so many people have complained about receiving a form letter from their representative. Why would you send a form letter if you don't like getting one in return? This makes no sense to me. Keep fighting the good fight. It's amazing how fast a year goes, we don't really have that much time.
Monday, March 2, 2009
BuggaLove Recommends....
I am thinking that every once in awhile, I'll have a post about things I recommend. This will be the first in that series. I have a small obsession with baby feet. Ok, it's not so much baby feet as much as what goes on them. A very good friend of mine is always bemused with my matching socks for every little outfit. When my daughter first starting wearing shoes, I bought more pairs tha
n she could ever wear. Of course, at that time, I had no idea the extent of the handmade options available to me. Only one pair of her shoes was handmade, the rest were Robeez. If only I had known then what I know now! This from a woman who before having her own children thought that shoes on babies were unnecessary and ridiculous. Of course, I didn't go as far as these baby high heels, which I still contend are unnecessary and ridiculous.
With my son, now only 6 months old, I was completely entrenched in handmade. And as such, I looked to fill my obsession with new baby shoes. I was so disappointed that there were more boy options. The girl options seemed so endless! But I was determined to find the perfect little shoe. That's when I found these by BabyBugShoeDesigns. They come in several design styles and all the colors in the rainbow. So many wonderful choices!
n she could ever wear. Of course, at that time, I had no idea the extent of the handmade options available to me. Only one pair of her shoes was handmade, the rest were Robeez. If only I had known then what I know now! This from a woman who before having her own children thought that shoes on babies were unnecessary and ridiculous. Of course, I didn't go as far as these baby high heels, which I still contend are unnecessary and ridiculous. With my son, now only 6 months old, I was completely entrenched in handmade. And as such, I looked to fill my obsession with new baby shoes. I was so disappointed that there were more boy options. The girl options seemed so endless! But I was determined to find the perfect little shoe. That's when I found these by BabyBugShoeDesigns. They come in several design styles and all the colors in the rainbow. So many wonderful choices!
I bought him a little brown pair and a pair of argyle shoes. These shoes are FABULOUS. They stay on little feet, they can be machine washed and dried, they are made of the softest material (an Ultrasuede), and the craftsmanship is excellent. I absolutely loved them. This week, the time came that he outgrew these itty bitty shoes. As I sadly packed them away, I just had to go back for more. I bought him the same pair of brown ones again (they're just so perfect for almost every outfit!) but I also got him an "athletic" pair. All those little sweatsuits and hoodie outfits would be totally incomplete without these on his feet!
I was VERY torn about getting a pair of personalized ones with his initial on them. In the end, I decided against it. But I'm sure that when he outgrows these, I'll be back for more! I hope you'll visit BabyBugShoeDesign for your babies shoes!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
CPSC releases guidance for Crafters
Well, it's about time! Never mind the fact that the law goes into affect TODAY. I guess we should be happy that it's better late than never.
Here's a link to the document itself. Read it. Seriously. I know I'm gonna break it down a little for you, but you really should read it yourself. http://cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.html
Questions 1 and 2: Who is a manufacturer? And Am I Affected?
Please read my previous blog post for these answers.
Question 3: What is a children's product?
Again, I addressed this several weeks ago, read my blog on it.
Question 4: Do all children's products require testing? What requirements do I need to meet?
There is an easy to read table on pg. 4 of their document. Review it carefully. At the bottom of pg. 4 there is reference to the Stay of Enforcement in terms of the GCC (general conformity certificate) requirement. You can read more about GCCs here on my blog
Question 5: For testing and certification of children’s products that are required now (for example, lead paint and small parts), what do I need to do?
It states that XRF testing can be used for total lead content and lead paint. Previously I understood that lead paint was required to undergo the mandatory 3rd party testing. The statement isn't all that clear, it can be used but not as a replacement?
Here's the actual statement, "For lead paint and lead content, an X‐Ray Fluorescence (XRF) machine (used by a trained, qualified person) is a possible method to determine if a component has lead, but note that XRF is not a replacement for a third–party test. " (pg.5)
You can note my choice of trained, qualified person is the company Essco Safety Check, you can see my experience with them in this blog post.
Question 6: If I make multiple units of the same thing, do I have to have every single product tested?
Simple answer: No. But if you change your design or materials, then maybe. This is not good news for the OOAK folks. More clarification may be needed on this point from the CPSC for some. But based on my reading, I beleive I have a good grasp of the spirit and intention of this statement and feel that I can appropriately apply it to my items.
Question 7: When testing and certification are not yet required (for example, lead content and phthalates), what do I need to do?
Again, reference is made to the Stay of Enforcement indicating testing and certification are not necessary until 2/10/10. But you are encouraged to "get to know your product". This can include learning about your components through your suppliers (MSDS sheets) and XRF testing.
Question 8: Are there exemptions/exclusions to meeting the lead content limits?
They're working on it. These are the natural materials exemptions that are not yet finalized but have been on the table for some time now.
-Precious gemstones: diamond, ruby, sapphire or emeralds
-Semiprecious stones provided that the mineral or material is not based on lead and is not associated with any mineral based on ead
-Natural or cultured pearls
-Wood
-Other natural materials including coral, amber, feathers, fur, and untreated leather
-Surgical steel
-Gold, of at least 10 karats
-Silver, at least 925/1000 pure
-Platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium, and ruthenium
-Yarn, dyed or undyed
-Dyed or undyed textiles (cotton, wool, hemp, nylon, etc.), including children’s fabric products, such as baby blankets, and non‐metallic thread and trim. This does not include products that have rhinestones or other ornaments that may contain lead or that have fasteners with possble lead content (such as buttons, metal snaps, zippers or grommets).
-Children’s books printed after 1985 that are conventionally printed and intended to be read, as opposed to used for play
-Certain educational materials, such as chemistry sets
Question 9: What do I do if I learn that one of the products I make or sell does not comply with the lead limits, phthalate limits or toy standards?
Tell the CPSC immediately.
Questions 10-12: Phthalates
I have avoided phthalates on my blog for the most part. And this one won't be any different. I'll be doing a blog post on phthalates in the near future, so I'm not going to address it now.
Question 13: Donations
They're just like everything else. If you are using one of the exempted materials, you don't have to test it. If you're not, you do.
Questions 14-17: Resale and Vintage
Resale has gotten a LOT of attention. This document is consistant with the guidance provided previously as well as reiterating the exemption from testing and certification for resale shops.
Questions 18-19: Bikes and Enforcement stuff
I'm skipping these questions too, they're clear enough I think.
One really important thing, I've been seeing a few comments saying, "but they didn't address this or that". There is simply no way they can address every possible product on the planet individually. That is an unreasonable expectation. You will have to use your own common sense and deductive reasoning to apply these guidelines to your business and to your product lines. With some exception, I beleive there is enough information here about the testing for most people to be able to determine what is expected of them at this point.
We should all still be working toward changes to the law. Next year on this date, many people will still be forced otu of business if the testing requirements are not amended.
Here's a link to the document itself. Read it. Seriously. I know I'm gonna break it down a little for you, but you really should read it yourself. http://cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.html
Questions 1 and 2: Who is a manufacturer? And Am I Affected?
Please read my previous blog post for these answers.
Question 3: What is a children's product?
Again, I addressed this several weeks ago, read my blog on it.
Question 4: Do all children's products require testing? What requirements do I need to meet?
There is an easy to read table on pg. 4 of their document. Review it carefully. At the bottom of pg. 4 there is reference to the Stay of Enforcement in terms of the GCC (general conformity certificate) requirement. You can read more about GCCs here on my blog
Question 5: For testing and certification of children’s products that are required now (for example, lead paint and small parts), what do I need to do?
It states that XRF testing can be used for total lead content and lead paint. Previously I understood that lead paint was required to undergo the mandatory 3rd party testing. The statement isn't all that clear, it can be used but not as a replacement?
Here's the actual statement, "For lead paint and lead content, an X‐Ray Fluorescence (XRF) machine (used by a trained, qualified person) is a possible method to determine if a component has lead, but note that XRF is not a replacement for a third–party test. " (pg.5)
You can note my choice of trained, qualified person is the company Essco Safety Check, you can see my experience with them in this blog post.
Question 6: If I make multiple units of the same thing, do I have to have every single product tested?
Simple answer: No. But if you change your design or materials, then maybe. This is not good news for the OOAK folks. More clarification may be needed on this point from the CPSC for some. But based on my reading, I beleive I have a good grasp of the spirit and intention of this statement and feel that I can appropriately apply it to my items.
Question 7: When testing and certification are not yet required (for example, lead content and phthalates), what do I need to do?
Again, reference is made to the Stay of Enforcement indicating testing and certification are not necessary until 2/10/10. But you are encouraged to "get to know your product". This can include learning about your components through your suppliers (MSDS sheets) and XRF testing.
Question 8: Are there exemptions/exclusions to meeting the lead content limits?
They're working on it. These are the natural materials exemptions that are not yet finalized but have been on the table for some time now.
-Precious gemstones: diamond, ruby, sapphire or emeralds
-Semiprecious stones provided that the mineral or material is not based on lead and is not associated with any mineral based on ead
-Natural or cultured pearls
-Wood
-Other natural materials including coral, amber, feathers, fur, and untreated leather
-Surgical steel
-Gold, of at least 10 karats
-Silver, at least 925/1000 pure
-Platinum, palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium, and ruthenium
-Yarn, dyed or undyed
-Dyed or undyed textiles (cotton, wool, hemp, nylon, etc.), including children’s fabric products, such as baby blankets, and non‐metallic thread and trim. This does not include products that have rhinestones or other ornaments that may contain lead or that have fasteners with possble lead content (such as buttons, metal snaps, zippers or grommets).
-Children’s books printed after 1985 that are conventionally printed and intended to be read, as opposed to used for play
-Certain educational materials, such as chemistry sets
Question 9: What do I do if I learn that one of the products I make or sell does not comply with the lead limits, phthalate limits or toy standards?
Tell the CPSC immediately.
Questions 10-12: Phthalates
I have avoided phthalates on my blog for the most part. And this one won't be any different. I'll be doing a blog post on phthalates in the near future, so I'm not going to address it now.
Question 13: Donations
They're just like everything else. If you are using one of the exempted materials, you don't have to test it. If you're not, you do.
Questions 14-17: Resale and Vintage
Resale has gotten a LOT of attention. This document is consistant with the guidance provided previously as well as reiterating the exemption from testing and certification for resale shops.
Questions 18-19: Bikes and Enforcement stuff
I'm skipping these questions too, they're clear enough I think.
One really important thing, I've been seeing a few comments saying, "but they didn't address this or that". There is simply no way they can address every possible product on the planet individually. That is an unreasonable expectation. You will have to use your own common sense and deductive reasoning to apply these guidelines to your business and to your product lines. With some exception, I beleive there is enough information here about the testing for most people to be able to determine what is expected of them at this point.
We should all still be working toward changes to the law. Next year on this date, many people will still be forced otu of business if the testing requirements are not amended.
If you read my blog today, you qualify for a discount on any pre-made mobile in my Etsy Shop. In honor of this February 10, 2009, a significant date in CPSIA history, you can get 20% off the purchase price (not including shipping) on any mobile that is ready to be shipped. Just write "I Read the BuggaBlog" in the "message to seller" and I will refund your 20% promptly through Paypal. Offer only good on February 10th, 2009.
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