2010 has already been a whirlwind for Whimsical Walney and it’s only the end of February. Just as my business is growing, many of my CPSIA friends are also revisiting their businesses and looking to grow again.

I have spoken about Kim Payne before and she has exciting news to share about the items she is now offering in her shop. I am partial to the owls, but her new Pi Guy is also a hoot (yes, I’m punny).

Jill over at Crafty Baby is also working with new fabrics and starting to offer new things. For example, have you seen these great art smocks?

As the trees start to bear leaves and the flowers start to bloom, it’s really wonderful to see CPSIA-affected business are also growing again.

After fighting CPSIA for the past year, it’s a lot of fun to look ahead and start developing a plan what 2010 will mean to my new Words to Sweat By™ product line and how and where I want to build this new business.

My first order of business was to list my site on Mom Made That! where I am listed with a great bunch of ladies and products. I’m excited to see the different opportunities (and sales) that this listing may bring as well as the people I  may meet as a result.

Interested in learning more? Click on the button below.

In a previous post, I talked about the mutual admiration society that exists among the group of CPSIA reform advocates. If there were documentation about those who founded this society, Marianne of Polkadot Patch Boutique, would be high on the list. She always has a kind word for others and in the midst of it all I feel she sometimes forgets to realize all that she’s done to help others trying to make sense of this law.

We hear a lot about the small manufacturers affected by the CPSIA, but don’t hear a lot about the retailers. Marianne lends a voice to a segment of business that is also greatly impacted by this law.

How, you ask, are retailers hard hit by CPSIA? Let’s look at the mission of the Polkadot Patch Boutique to shed some light:

• Provide the best online selection of unique, colorful, whimsical, creative, high quality and fun children’s clothing, accessories, and gifts to discriminating customers like ourselves.
• Support artisans who create unique children’s products by providing an online shopping presence to market their exceptional products, and
• HAVE FUN!

With the passing of CPSIA, every part of this mission has been challenged. In order to ensure that her business isn’t fined, Marianne has to require the very artisans she wants to support to provide the necessary paperwork to prove CPSIA compliance. This means that many of her valued vendors can no longer provide her with the unique products that have made her online boutique so popular.

In the midst of the mess, we certainly haven’t been having all that much fun as we repeatedly appeal to Congress to reform the law, as we explain to people why our businesses have closed or are having a hard time staying open.

Despite all of this, Marianne continues to fulfill her mission. She provides a great selection to her customers while also supporting artisans by informing and educating them on how best to comply with the law so that they can continue to sell their products. (And she also blogs!)

CPSIA didn’t stop Marianne and Polkadot Patch Boutique so please support her business this holiday season by perusing her store. I’m certain you’ll find something for a special child in your life.

After rereading my brief post from yesterday, I realized that some may take this “CPSIA Didn’t Stop Me” holiday series as featuring people who decided to disregard the law – a defiant statement about doing whatever we wanted as small businesses regardless of what the law requires.

That couldn’t be farther from my intention, so I wanted to clear that up first thing.

This series focuses instead on the business owners whose resolve is so strong that they have either done everything they can to maintain their existing business, or whose creativity just couldn’t be stifled and therefore they found a new path.

To kickoff this series, I want to introduce you to Kimberly Payne (aka @sewciopath) whose Etsy shop now features beautiful hats and other sundries. (Just in case you were wondering, my favorite is the iridescent brown hat both for the stunning color and the wonderful leaf detail.)

Before the CPSIA, Kim made beautiful handmade toys for children. After making the tough decision to close her stuffed toy business, she was haunted by all the plans she had for her business, yet she was still able to channel that energy into a new endeavor.

While fighting to reform the CPSIA has been an emotional drain for us all, it is people like Kim (and her steadfast support) that keep me, and so many others trying new things.

Please take a minute to check out her store and let people know about the great products that she’s offering.

It is the perfect season for a stylish hat, after all.

While fighting the CPSIA just to stay in business has been all-consuming for so many people, December crept up on us which can mean only one thing: holiday shopping! I hinted at it for a while, and still intend to do my “CPSIA Didn’t Stop Me Holiday Series” which will kickoff on December 1st. Oh, right, that’s tomorrow.

Until then, heed the Handmade Toy Alliance’s great advice and buy handmade this season.