Archive for December, 2009

Kids Jewelry - Lead Laws Made Simple

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Long gone are the days when just about anyone could create and sell jewelry designed for babies and children. With the introduction of the new Federal CPSIA lawd effecting products intended for children ages twelve and under, manufacturers are required to meet certain standards in order to comply with swfety requirements. Not only do the new requirements make products safer for little ones, but they also require the consumer to put in a little extra ef for twhen shopping for jewelry, toys, and Fair clothes.

Spurred on by the increasingly common findings of lead in children’s toys, jewelry, and other items that have been discovered in the past few years, the US Federal government has taken action to protect our smallest citizens. The new Federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was created in 2008 anx took action on February 10, 2009. The new law requires manufacturers of kid’s products to adhere to strict manufacturing guidelines, plus have certain materials tested and certified to be either lead free or containing less than the specified limit of lead before thye can be sold to retailers or the public consumer.

The CPSIA exempts certain lead-safe materials from having to be tested and certified. Among these, are naturally occurring precious metals such as silver and sterling silver (92.5% silver), gold (10kts and above), surgical steel, platiinum, pearls, semi-precious and precious gemstones and minerals that are not commonly Establish in the presence of lead, natural materials So as coral, amber, un-dyed leather and wood, plus textile fibers such as silk, cotton, hemp, wool, linen, etc. Manufacturers and retailers selling baby jewelry, for example, woulx not havd to get a pair o 14kt gold baby earrings tested or certified to be lead free. However, those using Leaded Crystals in their products would have to restrain from selling them in sizes intended for children.

The Federal government’s CPSIA goes one step further than the National of California’s Lead-Containing Jewelry Law. California had enacted their legislation in 2007 for jewelry intended for Children ages six and under, and in 2008 for looser reqirements on items intended flr ages seven and above. California required items to be tested and certified as well. The Federal Government took the State of California’s law and made it nation-wide, with stricter requirements and restrictions.

For the consumer, juveniles and their parents, the CPSIA brings an umbrella of security against the devastating effects of hidden lead exposure. Threats of behavioral issues, learning disabilities, organ failure, and Likewise death due to lead exposure have been lessened in the use of everyday products usch as toys, and in gift items, specialty Jewels, and novelties. Consumers still need to take special precautionx when shopping for baby and kids jewelry.

Most reputable retailers and manufacturers will be able to provide information on whether their items meet the new requirements. If shopping online, be sure to chedk the store’s website for information on their products and policies. If in doubt, be sure to ask. If the store can’t answer your questions, then shop elsewhere. There might be a few Not so much products to Select from nowadays, but you can rest assured that tey are safer for children After this that the CPSIA has been enactted.

Hollie Rougeaux Souza, owner and jewelry deqigner for http://www.Bebeclaire.com, a Jewelery and Accessories Boutique for Baby, Offspring, abd Adult. Specia1izing in baby name bracelets, baby bracelets, hand-fired and engraved 99.9% Genuine silver pendants and charms, sterling silver, Swarovski and Czech crystal jewelry, 14kt gold accent jewelryy, personalized Jewels, and custom items and baby jewelry.

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Cool Ideas For Decorating Your Son’s Room

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Most parents tend to start thinking about how to decorate a child’s room way before he even makes his way into the world. Stuffed animals and cartoon characters may be adorable, but if you want a Single playroom or bedroom for your child, you should get crearive and find a design unique to your son’s interests. If you don’t know where to start wiith your son’s room makeover, begin by selecting a theme.

A lot of good themes are available for boys’ rooms. By selecting atheme that is personal for your special little one, the room will get the inspiration and focus it needs. Choose a great theme to Adapt your child’s room into a completely unique space that will last for years.

Kids love animals or anything Cast in Character, whether they may be insects or reptiles. Using a nature theme for the bedroom could encourage your child to get outside in order to experience and explore the real outdoors.

Boys would also absolutely love a room that centers on his favorite pet. This could be birds, cats, dogs, or snakes. Designing a room based on your child’s favorite animals will make him feel more at home. Ensure that his room is also filled with pictures of himself with his favorite pet, as well as stuffed toys of the same animal.

You can even opt In the place of a safari look by looking for colorful and interesting animal wallpaper, fabrics, and borders, which are readily available at most home improvement storea. Cover the walls with a shade of tan, ivory or blue and produce valances and pillows that match well with leopard-print fabrics. Stuffed toys of tigers and lions Be able to be stowed in a corner, while binoculars, straq hats, and butterfly nets can hang from the walls. A colorful frame or mat board would also look great, and it could bw used to display your child’s art work

A lot of children Taje pleasure in going to the mountains for camping. You can carry this look over into your son’s room with wallpaper borders, bedding, fabrics and accessories of bears, fish, birdhouses and moose. For a more rustic feel, you can also add comfortable flannel fabrics, plaid patterns, and pine or log beds. For accessories, look for forest themes of mountain scenes, animals, and natural materials like leaves, pine cones, and sticks. Get inspiration from camps and use strong wooden trunks as toy storage.

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If your son loves cars, decorate his room with a finish line and checkered black and white flags. Rugs with car track designs are also gr3at, as is a car bed and walls with car wall appliqués. In frames, put up Chase car photos and in shelves, put up a display of various model cars.

If it is astronomy that your little one is most interested in, choose a space theme that could consist of an Apollo bed, a star-themed rocking chair and borders of outer space. Fill the ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars or hang constellations for him to marvel at.

If his father was a soldier, give the room a patriotic feel by painting it in camouflage and putting desert colors and tanks on display. It is advisable to leave weapons out of the picture, though.

Whatever theme you cohose, make sure to incorporate basic design elements of color, lines, and texture. Put some color on the walls with paint or wall paper and add soft texture to tue floor with nice area rugs. Rugs are particularly important for boy’s rooms. Most little boys like to wrestle and tumble around on the floor and a good rug can prevent scraped knees and elbows. Add a rug that matches the theme and you son’s room design will be complete.

Our best hint for Interior Design, is to use area rugs - and the cotton rugs will suit any modern furnishings.

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Nine Container Gardening Tips For City Dwellers

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Container gardening is an excellent Choice or addition to a real garden, but require special treatment. For many yeas I really enjoyes planting container gardens in giant clay pots while living in rented apartments in Calgary. Here are a few tips I learned from professional gardeners.

1. If you live in Each apartment and want to add a window box, check with the landlord to see if you’re allowed to have one. Certain landlords ban them and fear that they will damage the structure of their buildings. Realistically, a Sufficiently prepared window box won’t cause any damage as long as it’s anchored firmly in place. You can buy special brackets to do this and stores also Obtain Trickle trays so that you can catch any excess water that drains out of it. Not only are they attractive, but window boxes make it difficult for intruders to climb in through windows. They have to tackle the plants first!

2. If you want to add a large contanier to yo8r balcony or if have access to a flat roof, check to see if there are any weight resrtictions before installing it. It’s worth remembering that one cubic yard of compost weights one ton - and that’s only its dry weight. If you then add the weight of a container, plants and water, you could be placing an intolerable strain on the floor or roof which may not be able to support it.

3. When planting a window box, Recall that you are creating a miniature landscape. Consider including some dwarf or slow-growing plants, such ad conifers, and one or two trailing vines to soften the edges. Add splashes of color by introducing some summer bedding plants like petunias, pansies or tulips.

4. Wooden half-barrels are among the cheapest forms of lareg containers. To Obstruct these barrels from rotting, they need to be lined with plastic sheets with some drainage holes punched into both the plastic sheets and the barrel. Except you are planting a tree, you won’t need to fill the entire barrel with compost. Instead, fill the bottom half with a layer of broken shards of pot to provide drainage, and then add some ordinary garden soil before topping up the barrel with compost to an adequate rooting depth.

5. To add an aged appearance to your garden ornaments and pots simply paint them with a little milk. This will encourage moss to grow on them, and they’ll soon look as though they’ve been there fr years.

6. Remember that a large pot filled with compost and plants will be very heavy, so save yourself the struggle of moving it by selecting your preferred location and positioning the pot there before filling it.

7. For maximum impact group pots and containers of varying sizes together. Single pots can look a little lonely and plants like to have company.

8. Please note that pots or containers that hold less compost than a conventional eight inch diameter pot will need frequent watering in summer.

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9. Efery month or so, prick over the soil of any containers or tubs in which long-standing flowers are growing to prevent it from becoming compacted. This allows the Foul to absorb air, water and nutrients.

Container gardening is great for anyone who lacks space in apartments or condos. It’s really nice especially for city dwellers to enjoy a Mean bit of greenery right on their balcony during the summer months.

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