This week we’re participating in a bloggy love-fest of sorts, celebrating some of the small businesses that are members of the Handmade Toy Alliance. The aim is to bring attention to the current efforts of the HTA to amend the the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in a positive way - protecting children’s safety while allowing crafters, manufacturers and importers of small batch children’s products to remain in business. Please see the paragraph at the bottom of this post for more information and helpful links!
“Blabla means nothing and everything,
it’s a swirl of letters flying,
a small word for a big idea…
‘Happiness fits in the palm of the hand.’
Blabla searches for beauty,
authenticity and laughter.”
In 2001, best friends Susan Pritchett and Florence Wetterwald partnered with an incredibly talented group of expert knitters in Peru to create line of toys and clothing for children called Blabla. What has resulted is an incredible marriage of old school craft and modern sensibility.
Florence, who designs the product line, say she thinks about “Blabla products as contemporary objects which reflects the inner life of the children in this modern world… I like to believe that my designs comfort them and make them smile.” Florence, as a big kid, let me just say - I’m grinning like an idiot! Brilliant stuff - see more here.
Blabla is a member of the Handmade Toy Alliance, a non-profit organization made up of crafters, manufacturers and importers of small batch children’s products. In 2008, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) to regulate the children’s product industry - a well meaning but over reaching law with unintended consequence including the requirement that all children’s products to be tested at a third party testing lab. The testing costs are so prohibitively expensive that they will result in many small businesses having to close their doors. The HTA is urging Congress to amend the CPSIA in a way that keeps safe products in the market place and maintains safety standards that protect our children while keeping innovative and industrious ‘mom and pop’ shops in operation. Learn more about the HTA and what you can do to effect positive change by visiting www.handmadetoyalliance.com.
[Oh good grief! I got so excited about HTA Week that I jumped the gun and posted a whole week too early! The official HTA Week begins next Monday, June 21st. So we'll continue the festivities then!]
This week we’re participating in a bloggy love-fest of sorts, celebrating some of the small businesses that are members of the Handmade Toy Alliance. The aim is to bring attention to the current efforts of the HTA to amend the the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in a positive way - protecting children’s safety while allowing crafters, manufacturers and importers of small batch children’s products to remain in business. Please see the paragraph at the bottom of this post for more information and helpful links!
Our first stop is Grand Rapids, Michigan, my hometown and headquarters of Uncle Goose. Since 1983, this company has been producing an amazing array of blocks from sustainable Michigan basswood and child-safe inks. We’re talking about everything from traditionally styled blocks to those with more of a modern aesthetic, old school English language blocks to those featuring alphabets in Braille, Hebrew, Dutch, Russian, Arabic (and many more), nursery rhyme blocks to those featuring US presidents… the variety makes your head spin. (Blocks featuring the Chinese alphabet that are manufactured in the US - imagine that!)
I’m not aware of any other company currently manufacturing embossed alphabet and number blocks that compare to the quality and responsible manufacturing of Uncle Goose. Take some time to explore their site and support this HTA member.
“We are concerned about our environment and wish to point out that wood is a renewable resource. The wood we use is farmed–planted and harvested on industry-managed land around the Great Lakes. Our manufacturing process minimizes waste, both in our production and packaging. We use only child-safe, non-toxic inks. Our toys are continually tested and are always well within the safety guidelines of the ASTM and more stringent European EN-71.”
Uncle Goose is a member of the Handmade Toy Alliance, a non-profit organization made up of crafters, manufacturers and importers of small batch children’s products. In 2008, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) to regulate the children’s product industry - a well meaning but over reaching law with unintended consequence including the requirement that all children’s products to be tested at a third party testing lab. The testing costs are so prohibitively expensive that they will result in many small businesses having to close their doors. The HTA is urging Congress to amend the CPSIA in a way that keeps safe products in the market place and maintains safety standards that protect our children while keeping innovative and industrious ‘mom and pop’ shops in operation. Learn more about the HTA and what you can do to effect positive change by visiting www.handmadetoyalliance.com.
Kindie rock favorite Justin Roberts’ latest cd Jungle Gym just hit the shelves yesterday. The first video released from the album is for the song Obsessed By Trucks. It’s super lo-tech, but these kids crack me up - so I thought I’d share.
Most kids have a fascination with trucks - enormous machines that rumble, and dig and haul - what’s not to love? As a result you’ll find a toy truck in just about every toy box. While closing up their home in Southern California back in 2006, in advance of relocating to Portland, my father-in-law came across a shoebox of his old toys. [Originally blogged here.] He was a kid in the 1930s and the box contained a sampling of his old cap guns and cars. I’m posting pictures here of my four favorites.
The vehicles are all metal and the paint reflects the worn patina of being well played with. Also note the original white rubber tires, which are now dry and cracked with age. The Greyhound Bus above and the armored vehicle and red truck and trailer below are are marked Tootsietoy. After doing a little digging around on-line, I learned that Tootsietoy is apparently the oldest toy manufacturer in the US. And by the end of 1932, “Tootsietoy” had become a household word, used indiscriminately to refer to almost any small cast metal toy (much as “Matchbox” is used generically today). Of course, as with any cool vintage toys, there are a dedicated mass of collectors. Just check out the listings on Ebay alone.
How cool is this US Army tank - it’s a little bit Bat-Mobile and a little bit tin can. I’m not really one for Army toys, but the design of this one is so far removed from modern tanks it feels more like a 1930s toy designer’s vision of the future.
Seated on a log in the middle of a bog, everyone’s favorite frog Kermit sings the “Rainbow Connection” in the opening sequence of the 1979 Muppet Movie.
Oh Brian Chan, what beautiful bug can’t you fold? I happily stumbled upon his website recently and was introduced to “wet folding origami” - a relatively new way of folding paper that, as you may have guessed, involves moistening the paper before you fold it to achieve a a softer, textured look with gentle curving lines. For Brian, this technique adds another level of realism to his already complex work. Not sufficiently impressed? Each of his pieces is an original design and each is folded from a single piece of square paper. Amazing.
He does create more than just creepy-crawlies - they just happen to be my favorites. See more of his work here and check out his Etsy shop.
For the junior origami entomologist, see this page for some basic bug designs.
Our pal and fellow JrSoc member, the illustrious Sbritt has just created your new bff - who said making friends was hard? His little lovable mess of a character Eddy Broth is now available as a 16″ doll featuring a “soft cotton body, a big happy smile and several outstanding warrants.” Imbued with Mr. Britt’s keen sense of oddball humor, we think you may want to open your heart and your home to this mischievous little tramp.
["Each wears a bright felt t-shirt featuring one of three delightful phrases and one sad cry for help. Give him a hug but never turn your back on him. Wouldn't you like a friend like Eddy? Each 16-inch Eddy is hand-signed by the artist and comes with a Best Friend Membership Card and free decal! Handmade in the U.S.A. Sold in "blind packs" with additional shirts available individually or in sets." Available here.]
Now you know I think the world of Stephan and so I want to pass along a recently posted Grain Edit featuring my pal, but be forewarned, this interview will leave no doubt in your mind that he is absolutely certifiable. Tall tales abound in this one of a kind artist profile - I guarantee you’ve never read anything like it.
[Note: It has been a very wet week here in Los Angeles and one that reminded me of the following post I wrote for the Mahar Drygoods Blog back in January of 2007. Given the rising flood waters, it seemed appropriate to share this again.]
One of the few manifestations of winter in Southern California is rain - torrential downpours, flooded intersections and mudslides. Occasionally, it reaches Biblical proportions and you begin to wonder if you shouldn’t get to work on your own ark - although more often than not it dissipates in a few days, like most inclement weather around here. But even when the sky is cloudless and the streets are dry, an ark of one’s own remains appealing.
There was a church in the neighborhood where I grew up that we always referred to as the ‘Noah’s Ark Church’ because of its curved boat-like roof-line. And then I read recently about another church in Frostburg, MD whose pastor had a vision in which God instructed him to build a new church as a literal recreation of Noah’s big boat. The idea of an ark has inspired many things including countless animal shelters, horrendous made for TV movies and America’s largest water park in the Wisconsin Dells.
Constructing the ark, illustration from
the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493
Personally, I’m a fan of the much more modest scale toy arks and model sets. Early toy arks were often referred to as ‘Sunday toys’ - as strict Victorian households forbade playing with toys on the Sabbath, but because of the ark’s religious connection it became an exception. Extremely popular in the 19th Century, many toy arks found their way into American and European homes as result of an ark making tradition rooted in the mountainous southeastern region of Germany. Early German sets that still exist now have a collectible market and can fetch crazy amounts of money.
Knowing my affinity for handmade toys, my mother-in-law recently gave me a ‘happy everything’ present, a contemporary ark set beautifully crafted by German American artist and woodworker Gunther Keil (Thanks Barbsky!). How amazing is this!…
Gunther includes a list with his arks that specify the various woods he uses to craft each animal. There are sycamore giraffes, black walnut buffalo, mahogany kangaroos and zebrawood zebras (of course). The ark itself has a removable roof and sports three divided rooms and an attic.
Noah’s Ark by American folk artist and Quaker, Edward Hicks (1780 - 1849)
Well, this weekend before Christmas marks the second annual World Wide Christmas Toy Drop organized by the Toy Society. (You may recall my posts on the group from January and February of this year: one, two) Their Australian based blog is headquarters for a worldwide, pay-it-forward style street project in which members create handmade toys and disperse them anonymously - leaving them in public places to be found and given homes by complete strangers. I’ve become a regular visitor, reading about the various ‘toy drops’ in places near and far and loving the accounts by those who have discovered and given homes to these toys. It’s such a simple act of kindness and some of the discovery stories are really moving.
In December of 2008, Christmas Drop participants distributed 104 toys around the globe and of course this year they’re hoping to exceed that numbers. As of this moment, it appears that there are 102 toys posted on the Toy Society blog - with, I’m sure, many more to come. I’ve selected a few images showing various drop locations. People are so ingenious and thoughtful, not only in the creation of these handmade toys but in their drop locations - everywhere from the safety seat of a frozen shopping cart to the toy hanging out in the manger of a nativity diorama (both shown below). I can’t tell you how much I love this idea and so have decided to give it a go - scroll down to see my toy.
I’ve been making Sock Elves for my shop this holiday season and decided that one of these fellas should be part of the Toy Society’s Christmas Drop. I left him just a few minutes ago hanging from the fencing that surrounds a child development center playground in my neighborhood. The TS has downloadable labels that read simply, “Take me home, I’m yours!” and a letter that explains the project and encourage the finders to report back and let them know the toy has been claimed - you can see the label mounted on a card in my picture and the letter is affixed inside. Part of me wanted to hang out and see who picks it up, but I also don’t want to be that weird guy loitering around the playground luring children with free toys - so I’ve resolved to just drive by later this afternoon and see if he’s still there or hopefully has gone to a good home.
If you’re interested in participating in the Christmas Drop or the Toy Society’s on-going, year-round toy drops - sign up on their site (scroll down the left hand column fr the sign up form) for complete guideline and instructions. Spread a little handmade love.
Earlier this year Jared Lyon and a couple of his co-workers at the Rochester Institute of Technology created an amazing domino run through their offices, racing along the walls, over shelves and tables, atop cubicle dividers, even employing the use of the copy machine. Apparently not one to rest on his laurels, Jared set up a new challenge for himself and created a holiday themed run (in red and green dominoes, of course) that plays a Christmas carol! I kid you not - watch the video:
If the kids are feeling inspired to created their own domino run (or rally as they’re also known) you might consider these sets created just for them:
People Domino Rally from Play with a Purpose. I don’t know that you technically call these dominoes as they’re people shaped and have no dots on them - but pretty cute nonetheless.
Perhaps a bit more traditional are these rainbow colored Wood Dominoes from Discount School Supply.
And then, I’m loving these old school vintage reproduction Kolor Dot Dominoes from Olliebollen.
While this set won’t work for setting up a rally, it’s awful sweet and looks good enough to eat - Candy Dominoes from Warm Biscuit
And if you’re feeling crafty, you’ll want to check out this make your own dominoes craft tutorial from Odeedoh - created with decoupaged vintage book pages and paint color chips on one side!
I love Etsy’s ‘Handmade Portrait‘ series - beautifully produced videos that offer an inside look at the creative process. Their most recent edition just so happens to be an artist I think very highly of, doll maker extraordinaire Mimi Kirchner.
I’m also sharing a few dolls from Mimi’s recent series called School Girls, which seemed appropriate given the time of year! See more of Mimi’s work in her shop.
“Mimi Kirchner…spent twenty years “being distracted” by ceramics before she discovered her true calling, making dolls. Mimi’s childhood was spent surrounded by crafting materials. Her mother was an avid seamstress interested in high fashion, and she collected an endless array of gorgeous fabrics over the course of her life. After her mother stopped sewing, Mimi decided she wanted to make something out of her mother’s legacy. Thus was the beginning of Mimi’s doll making career.”
