I am going to reprint a letter I received in my email from SMALL Magazine (an online magazine; if you haven’t checked it out, go here).

Dear Small Readers,

We are writing to inform you of action taken by Congress this past August to pass the HR4040–the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). We are pleased that Congress passed a bill to protect our children from toys containing lead and phthalates and addressing other safety issues. However, parts of this bill will directly effect all small handmade toy makers, designers and store owners in a way that will put many of them out of business. The CPSIA rules now requires all children’s products, including natural handmade toys and clothing to be tested by a Third Party Lab, often at a cost of up to $4,000 per item. That could cost a small company more than $20,000 a season.

The CPSIA simply forgot to exclude the class of children’s goods that have earned and kept the public’s trust: Toys, clothes, and accessories made in the US, Canada, and Europe. The result, unless the law is modified, is that handmade children’s products will no longer be legal in the US.

If this law had been applied to the food industry, every farmers market in the country would be forced to close while major food manufacturers such as Kraft and Dole prospered.

For small American, Canadian, Australian and European toy-makers and manufacturers of all children’s products the costs of mandatory testing will probably force them out of business.

A toymaker who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the $4,000 fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.
A small-scale designer selling screen printed kids t-shirts from Australia will have to undergo expensive testing and provide permanent tracking labels for each item in order to sell within the US.

A work at home mom in Texas who makes handmade clothing must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.

A small toy retailer in Vermont who imports wooden toys from Europe, which has long had stringent toy safety standards, must now pay for testing on every toy they import.
And even the handful of larger toy makers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007.

Please check out the Handmade Toy Alliance to read more about this issue.

Also please consider signing the following petitions:


www.ipetitions.com/petition/handmadetoys

www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

Child safety and the environment is a top priority here at Small Magazine and we are concerned by the dangerous and poisonous toys that large toy manufacturers have been selling to our nations families. That is why we support the independent designers and companies making safe, handmade products for our children.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and we appreciate your help.

Sincerely,
Small Magazine
Christine Visneau & Olivia Pintos-Lopez
Small Magazine
editor@smallmagazine.net

One of my friends who went with me to the quilt study museum in Lincoln at UNL where we saw the Korean Pojagi exhibit made me this and wrapped up a yummy loaf of bread. What a great treat, huh! I do have great friends…any of you would be jealous of Billie Kay. She can make, bake or create just about anything. I attract those kinds of friends because the universe knows that I am sorely lacking in those areas, but I keep trying! I forgot to take a picture before I unwrapped it and I could NOT get it wrapped back up the way she had done it. Follow this link for some interesting fabric wrapping ideas. Thanks for the link, Billie Kay!

Here’s a few of our favorite shots. We are going to miss so many wonderful people when we finally move! You can see ALL of our church Christmas party pics here.

Check this out from Seventh Generation. Do you have any idea that might change the world? They are working with JustMeans, a social media platform for people interested in sustainability, to engage folks in an online social happening to promote change. The 2007 Spheres of Influence contest will award $5,000 for one winner to implement a social business idea. The contest ends on December 31, 2008 at midnight. I haven’t come up with a winning idea, yet, but maybe my brilliant readers and friends can! This is one of those things where something like a simple change to current protocol would be the answer…if only I could think of what that would be! Definitely worth some thought… Did I mention that I love Seventh Generation?

I hated that in our old house we had to have Orkin come and spray the basement. I knew it was toxic and I couldn’t find any better alternatives. Thankfully, in our new home, we haven’t had ANY problems but who knows what we’ll find in Texas (the bugs are as big and legendary as the state). I’m going to refer to this comprehensive eco-friendly pest control list from 7th Generation. What a great article! In it, you’ll find a link to eco-friendly and less toxic summer pests as well for bites and stings. Be sure to save the link - what a great resource!

It’s been two days without a post (who knew pre-Thanksgiving would be so busy?) and I have some fun posts lined up for next week but I wanted to take a few minutes and write a post about what I am grateful for (in no particular order, really!).

1. My husband, who is willing to do many things most husband’s aren’t. Plus, he’s a “real” man and comfortable in his own skin. Except he gets nervous at any drive-thru which still cracks me up after 17 years of marriage. He likes to weigh his options!

2. My children, of course. Although today I said something like, “Really. I do not want any more children.” Even though yesterday I was SURE I wanted another baby. Or two. Meanwhile, Bennie is crying for me from his bed. Better go check it out… [Next morning] I love boys who have crawled in bed with you Thanksgiving morning - their cold toes don’t bother me a bit.

3. Food. Yes, I’m really thankful for food. I could get specific: avocados, bacon, artichokes…but the list would be too long. I once taught a gospel doctrine lesson for the New Testament in which the biggest thing I was grateful for was that after he was resurrected, Christ ate with his disciples! I was so relieved that in the next life we’ll get to continue eating if we want to!!! I’m not really sure on that but the passage gives me hope that we can if we want to! Plus, I’m thinkin’ the preparations will be a whole lot easier.

4. Extended family and Thanksgiving at my house. Yes, sometimes I would rather go somewhere else and have them prepare everything (we thought about dropping in on the Halls this year…where are you today, Annette?) but I love the ease of having it here for my kids. When we move to Texas, I’m guessing I’ll get to do the whole thing myself but I love having family come and bring items to share. This year for me: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, rolls, homemade bread, cream puffs. My mom is bringing: salads, pumpkin pies, green bean casserole and a relish tray. My cousin and Aunt are bringing chips and drinks. Another set of cousins are bringing themselves. Love, love, love feasts with family. My only concern is how to protect the new carpet. We are still trying to sell our house, after all!

5. Missionary work and temple work. Wow - I’d have never thought missionary work would make a personal gratitude list in my lifetime, but I do love it. I get so much joy from sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with anybody and everybody. I’m sad that I never served a mission but I thoroughly enjoy going with the sister missionaries in our branch now. They have taught me so much and I look forward to the time when Don and I can serve a mission (or two) later in our life. Temple work is great - it’s like missionary work without the slamming doors. I have had a wonderful time getting to know relatives young and old, alive and no longer living, near and far away (thank you, email!) while doing family history. I’ve come to know that my ancestors were very hard working, loving and interesting people and I look forward to meeting them someday!

I’ve got many more things to list but it’s pretty sappy and it’s time for me to go rearrange furniture now for our feast. Happy Thanksgiving! xoxo, Lizabeth

My friend, Alison, sent this to me today…what a great idea! Just one extra card this year for you but if everybody participated, our soldiers would feel a little more appreciated. Send a heartfelt note for Christmas today (it’s never too early for love and gratitude). Cards can be sent to:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
POB 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 27091

Please pass it on!

[Before you start thinking that I'm demeaning our soldiers with the above pic indicating it is "play" (uh, duh, we all know it is anything but)...the army man pic was taken by my boys while camping and I couldn't help but appreciate the symbolism.]

Since it’s only showing a partial buttock, I have to post this picture of Jack…simply because of the look on his face. We expressly told him NOT to go to the bathroom there but he went and did it - right by the park bench. Thank goodness we were the only ones there. Boys will be boys! Don wanted me to put a black bar across his eyes or blur his face but I figure with that kind of a grin, it should go down in history for his posterity.

“The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself - the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us - that’s where it’s at.” — JESSE OWENS

I really enjoy quotes from runners because they always seem to be like the jester in a Shakespeare play: The truths they’re talking about have so many levels and layers of meaning. Running is such an accurate metaphor for the journey of life. I know I have learned much from running - just in the course of 2 years - that I don’t think I could have learned any other way and have it so deeply written on my heart. Patience. Trial. Perseverence. Gratitude. The depths and different applications of those emotions are astounding.

The best movies and books, in my opinion, come from the stories of man vs. himself. I know many teenagers enjoy man vs. man (or alien vs. alien) and things along those lines but for me the best stories include subtle action within the heart and mind. There is another literary category of man vs. nature — and this, too, is valid, enlightening and entertaining — but I truly believe that even with man vs. man or man vs. nature, the true enlightenment comes from within those experiences. Those situations all eventually point back to, and reflect, the struggle within yourself. It may begin as a struggle with another person, situation, or nature but it comes back to what is within you. I think those situations help shape who we are mentally and spiritually but I don’t think you can truly discover who you are if you forget the physical element. All of them work together to create who we are.

Some philosophers believe that the body is to be cast off to achieve enlightenment. Don’t tell that to a runner. Runners KNOW that BODY + SPIRIT = SOUL. I’m convinced that the greatest wars are waged within a single human being and it is reflected in the world around us. It’s not a control issue - it’s more of a self-control issue. Balance is the key - nurture, demand, selfless, selfish, experience, knowledge, truth, joy, humor - there is so much to experience. I think that there’s no adventure so profound as the one wherever you are sitting right now.

Last week I woke up mad. Mad at my own lungs. They aren’t working right and it is very frustrating to dream that you can’t breathe and wake up gasping for air. I never had to use inhalers until my last pregnancy. Since then, I use them intermittently, for exercise, or when my lungs are tight. Well, it seems like every September and October (for 2 years running, anyway - literally) I become heavily dependent on two different inhalers. The step back in my running is not a pretty one. I hate taking medications. I get even more frustrated because it becomes highly difficult for me to run even a half an hour at a very easy pace where I’m used to running an hour and pushing my time or doing intervals to increase my speed. I have this terrible paranoioa that it might never get better. It is so tiring to even walk across the room when you can’t breathe. My stupid lungs. I was feeling this way and even cried a bit until I realized…hey, wait! Wasn’t it just a couple of years ago I said I would be grateful if I could even run a mile? And another thing — 37 years ago, way back in 1971, I was born premature, at 26 weeks (very early for 1971!), weighing 1 lb 15 oz, with hyaline membrane disease and my lungs were good to me then. They pulled me through against all the odds and I know they can do it again. I have good lungs. They have been good to me when so much could have gone wrong. I shouldn’t feel sorry for myself as I know there are millions of people with lung cancer or lung issues much worse than mine. These ARE good lungs and I am thankful for them. Maybe another set - or even a normal set - wouldn’t have pulled me through. These lungs have allowed me to do many great things. I’ll go and be thankful now - one breath at a time.

Update yesterday: I went for a good hour long run this morning and had to use my inhaler beforehand but was happy with the results. I’m not feeling so anxious about it. I read up on some interesting asthma theories, including the Buteyko method for controlling asthma. There are so many valid medical studies on this - it’s incredible! If you haven’t checked it out, go here for free information. The rate at which this can reduce medication is incredible - I have tried it and it helps almost instantly (it worked especially well during the night) but I still need my inhaler to run. What I find most fascinating is the theory behind why it works. Interesting!

There are times that I am - without any shadow of doubt - sure that my husband loves me. Today is one of those times. The realization occurred to me as I was talking to him on my cell phone and he was on the other end, standing in the feminine protection aisle of the grocery store on his lunch hour, calling me to ask about brands and sizes, saying certain words OUT LOUD! Then he proceeded to Jimmy John’s for a diet coke and came home with all my goodies. I wasn’t feeling well and this was a monumental sacrifice on his part, or, now that I think about it - maybe not. I think he’s buttering me up for the annual Rolfson Family Pheasant Hunt next weekend. He got the sandwich at Jimmy John’s after all. This man would do anything for lunch — I mean, love — and 17 years of it, too.

I had originally scheduled the last two posts to round out the week but I couldn’t resist publishing them. I think I’ve posted enough today to take tomorrow and Friday off (or actually spend it working). Do I hear a collective sigh of relief??

It’s been awhile since I’ve read Parents Magazine. I do still love their website, though, and occasionally stop by - especially when they’re giving things away. Just comment here before October 20th and you’re entered - easy peasy.

More. Camping. Soon. It is so fun to be outdoors. There’s something magical about camping that transforms the all-too-common question of “So, what do you do for a living?” into a much more interesting and valid one: “So, how far have you come?” Always nice people and dogs to meet. We camped at Grove Lake and took a couple of side trips to the Ashfall Fossil Beds (extremely great place) and also to the Niobrara State Park for a quick hike (another great place - who knew we were so close to Yankton, South Dakota - with even more interesting things about Standing Bear and the Ponca Indians) and found a very small, old cemetery to document for genealogy as well as an historical monument built for Newell Knight, an old friend of Joseph Smith’s. It put many of his family’s stories (including the famous Provo resident Jesse Knight) in a new light! I’ll post pictures of the monument soon. Our newest 4G SDHC card isn’t being read by my old computer so this post will only have pics from the small 1G card.

A few of you asked how to create family silhouettes in Photoshop. I’m sure there’s a zillion ways but here’s how I did it.

Step 1: Take the digital photo.
Stand each family member, sideways, against a blank wall. It would make it so much easier if you had a really white, plain wall with no shadows (i.e. no flash if you can manage it).

Step 2: Get it on your computer.
Transfer the photo to your hard drive (remember where). If you don’t know how to get a file onto your computer, please, just stop now. Just teasing - just email me and I’ll try to help! Open the file using Photoshop or another photo editing tool. This how-to will be using Photoshop CS2. Be sure to save your work as you’re going along!

Step 3: Make your selection.
Using the magnetic lasso tool, make a single click at the bottom left edge of the person. This is your starting point. Continue to make single clicks to help guide the magnetic lasso where you’d like it (if it places a node where you don’t want it, just hit the delete key and it removes the last node). Continue single clicking and following the outline as close as you can around the top and back down the right hand side. Once you get to the bottom on the right hand side of the silhouette, double click and the loop will automatically close. Alternatively, you can manually hover over the original click on the LH side and you’ll see a small circle appear indicating you are closing the loop. If you accidentally clicked elsewhere or “lost” the marching ants, no fear - just hit CTRL+D to deselect everything and start over with the magnetic lasso.

Step 4: Edit your selection.
There are a few options for editing your selection. While the marching ants (dotted lines) are activated, you can choose modify and smooth on your drop down menus. Or, you can use the circle or marquee square tool (while holding down shift) to enclose additional portions that you wanted to select. If you want to SUBTRACT portions, hold down the ALT key while you make the marquee and it will subtract those portions. My favorite way is to use the polygonal lasso tool while pressing CTRL and click to curve out a pony tail or any other feature I want - just click away in the approximate shape you want and be sure to double click to close the shape.

Step 5: Once you have the outline or silhouette selected how you’d like, fill in that area with black from the drop down menus (Edit / Fill / Black), or Shift F5 brings up the same menu.

Before clicking anywhere else and while the marching ants are still there, choose Select / Inverse from the drop down menus. Now click Edit / Fill / White (you can also just Edit / Clear if you are on a white background but Edit / Fill / White works every time).

Step 6: Touch up with the air brush or eraser or however you’d like. This is where I remove double chins and stray hairs (and stray hairs on double chins, just kidding)! It’s easy to add hair flips and pony tails, also, with the shape/pen tool (the one that looks like a fountain pen tip).

Print on a laser printer or alter proportionately to fit the final size dimensions you are looking to create by using the Image Size and Canvas Size options. Be sure to do this proportionally. Save your file as a grayscale tif or, if you prefer, convert to a bitmap (very small file size).

Email me at liz@sparkbark.com if you have any questions or need any help with this - it’s really fun to do on an annual basis to see how everyone changes over the years. Be sure to email me your best silhouettes - I’d love to see it if someone took the time to do their pet!

Yesterday, I drove to the Branched Oak Farm to get grass fed beef, eggs and raw milk and the farm is next to Branched Oak Lake so I drove out there with the new Nikon D90 camera, dog and Ben to see what it was like…beautiful! We were the only people there on a Tuesday morning at noon so everybody ran free and Ben liked playing in the gravel. There were some empty Budweiser glass bottles on the ground and Ben kept saying, “There’s a juice drink.” when he saw them (yes, he speaks in very advanced complete sentences). I took pictures of many things, lots of textures for Photoshop of bark, trees and gravel, but my favorite picture is this one of Ben after I told him to stand VERY STILL and NOT to jump. Man, he can get some air for a 2 year old! The flying hair is just a bonus.