Craft Safely with Rotary Tools

This, dear reader, is what can happen when you are a curly-headed crafter and you reach down to pick up something you dropped, mid-polish.

Ouch!

Those rotary tools (Dremels, et al) are not innocuous little craft room helpers. They have serious spin!

Craft safely with your rotary tool:
1.Always wear eye protection, even if you are just going to do one quick thing.
2.Always put your hair up and back, even if it is not curly and voluminous.
3.Always know how you can 'kill' your drill. If your tool does not come with a quick-off button or kill switch you may want to make sure you have the ability to yank that plug very quickly if the need arises.

And don't worry, fair reader, the head of hair shown in this photo of actual craft danger is just fine. Cathy was able to untwist her hair from the polishing pad. She worked at it diligently for hours while her spouse repeated 'cut it!' Way to stick it out, Cathy.

I hope you wear a bandana next time-

Cynthia

Safety Pin Bracelet how-to

We actually put this up last week, I am just slow in posting it here...
I like to call the pin elements we have just added Safer Pins as they are solid and so won't come undone and poke your wrist or earlobe when you least expect it.

Of course, they are made in the U.S.A. of lead-free pewter with skin safe plating. If I don't want to poke you with a safety pin I sure don't want to give you lead poisoning.

Click here for the downloadable project sheet.

New findings, coming soon...

This is a bit of a teaser for some new findings we have coming out this month. You can look for pin- and button-themed connectors and ear findings in our made-in-the-U.S.A. pewter. The new items will be jewelry-quality plated (in the U.S.A!) in antique brass or antique silver. This is a curved pin connector, it has a slight curve so it fits nicely against a wrist or neckline. There will be project ideas, too...if you don't want to miss any of the newest projects please subscribe to my Dispatch, a weekly photo newsletter with new projects, new items and sales. Of course, I would never sell or rent your name and info to others, that's tacky.

Subscribe to the Dispatch here.

Buy those lovely antiqued beads here.

Are your charms and findings safe?

We constantly receive samples and catalogs in the mail from importers and overseas findings manufacturers who want me to sell their goods. The first thing I do when evaluating a new vendor is look at the location of their manufacturing facilities. I want to make sure that I don't inadvertently sell you sterling silver that is way-less-than-sterling, or cast findings that are filled with lead. I have passed on lots of really cute findings and chains lately because of questions about the materials used or the location of the manufacturer. I see these findings turn up on lots of our big-box and big-catalog competitors at amazingly low prices and sometimes, for just a second or two, I think 'gee, maybe I should have purchased that!'

Then I read a story like this one in the News & Observer today. Now testers have found that cadmium has replaced lead in children's charms imported from China. Like lead, cadmium is cheap and casts so well, and like lead it even holds a nice plated finish. Unlike lead, cadmium is not currently barred from use in manufacturing accessories in China, and it is not barred from shipping into the country. The report says that the charms were tested to see how much cadmium a child would ingest by biting the charms but they don't say how much would be absorbed through the skin of a child who wore the charms. Either way, these accessories are a bit too dangerous. The story doesn't say that the same factories that make charms (and chain and clasps!) for bracelets sold at Claire's and Dollar Tree also make loose findings and parts that are sold to the big-box and discount craft supply stores.

As a business owner I have to select merchandise for our stores that is appealing to my customers. If I don't, I will go out of business. I think I also have a responsibility to select items that are safe to use and to wear.


I am happy that I can say that all our custom finished chains are all made in the U.S., that all our cast pewter charms are made in the U.S. and that all our plating is done here in the U.S. The high U.S. manufacturing standards and interstate commerce regulations (it is illegal to ship unlabeled lead items into or out of many states) means that I know these items are safe to use and wear. Many of the tests on imported items lag far behind the actual import and distribution of the items to stores, crafters and children.

Go here to read the full article.

(oh, for future reference, I also am quite pleased with E.U. and Japanese manufacturing standards and will use findings manufacturers from those areas as well)

NOTE: we are working hard to label all items on our website with the country of origin or, if the country shifts or the item is made, part-by-part, in a few countries, with the phrase 'imported' to help you make your purchasing decisions. If an item is not yet labeled, please contact me and I will find out the information for you. Cynthia 1/11/11