Sleepy Saturday Morning.....

Yaaawwwnn! Good Morning! So grab yourself a cup of coffee and come on back and join me! Something that I always found kinda funny, was the fact that my hubby and I were cross country truck drivers for 7 years and neither one of us drank coffee and neither one of us smoked...very rare indeed in that industry! We don't even like cappucino...lattes....and whatever other of those sort of drinks that exist! I do however like to settle in with a cup of hot cocoa every once in a while.....hmm, this post is taking a totally different direction than I had planned it would, so I guess I'll run with it! I guess I'll let you know a little about the people behind The Muddy Moose Bath Boutique.

So I guess a good place to start would be at the beginning....my hubby and I met at work. I was his boss to be exact. And I guess you could say that it was a love at first sight type of situation. A year and a half later we were married....Oct 14, 2000. And about 2 weeks after that were started trucking! I think we have a strong relationship....because on the road....you don't have a whole lot of room to get away from each other and it also forces you to work out your problems quickly! I did leave him (ALMOST) at a rest area in California....but that was totally by accident! HONEST! As I was pulling out of my spot, I looked in my side view mirrors....I couldn't figure out why this guy was running behind me, waving his arms frantically.....oops that guy looks familiar! He is able to look back at it now and laugh....but needless to say, he didn't find it too funny at the time!

Soooo we were in the trucking industry for about 7 years until we decided that it was time to change companies......BUT first we were going to take the vacation of a lifetime...so we quit one company....and took 6 weeks camping cross country....hitting all the awesome spots.....Yellowstone, Glacier, Redwood, Ranier, Yosemite. It was amazing. And when we were finished (July of 07)we decided that is was time for us to plant ourselves somewhere, instead of starting for a new company! And Montana always felt like home everytime we passed through.....so Montana it was! We took jobs with our contractor friend until we moved......in January of '08. We wanted to spend the holidays with our families.....so we moved....no jobs.....no place to live....we just moved.......and here we are today....the other end of a long journey, none the worse for wear! The first year was a little rough.....even though we had been married for 7 years at the time we moved.....it was like we were newlyweds, starting all over again! Well I hope I didn't bore ya too much!

P.S. all pictures are of MT.

DONT FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR MY GIVEAWAY.....IT ENDS TODAY! THIS ONE WILL BE MY BIGGEST AND BEST, SO DON'T MISS OUT!

Also....be sure to check out the great shops to the top right....new and undiscovered...give 'em some love!!

I Am In Need Of A Makeover!

After a long, hard week at work, the weekend is finally upon us! Well, unfortunately for me I am on day 3 of a 9 day working stretch! YIKES. Will probably be exhausted by the end of it!

So....as some of you may be aware, I have a product in my shop called a massage candle. While sales have gone ok....they are definately not as well as I had hoped. So in an effort to change this, I have decided to give this item a make over!

The first thing that comes to my mind are the scents that I offer: Red Hot Cinnamon, Vanilla, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Lavender, Pure Relaxation and of course, Unscented. While the top seller is a tie between the vanilla and black raspberry vanilla....the others have performed mediocre at best. With the Cinnamon and Unscented being last. I am asking for your help, what scents would you like to see in a massage candle?

Floral Scents such as Rose and Lilac?
Fruity Scents such as Cucumber Melon, Honeydew, White Ginger Pear?
Exotic Scents such as tea scents or oriental scents?
Manly Scents such as Bay Rum or Cool Water?
Food Scents such as Cinnamon Bun, Chocolate or Cinnamon Sugar?
Or other scents such as Clean Cotton or Linen?

What other scents would you like to see in a massage candle?

Now this brings me to my next phase of the makeover....the name itself. When I say massage candle...the name conjures up images of a sensual full body massage with your significant other. But maybe that isn't the best image for this item.....maybe it should be called a Body Candle. I use it all the time on my rough dry cracked feet....and on my dry elbows....so should I portray an image that it can be used for extra pampering by yourself....to treat yourself and skin to some extra moisturizing?

Any thoughts? I love getting feedback....so come on readers...I am asking for your help!

Don't forget to sign up for my FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY! Hurry, time is running out!

Interview With DKRScrapNCraft: PART 2

Sorry I didn't get this posted sooner, but I guess that is one of the drawbacks of living in the coutry: unreliable internet....it snows, no internet...the wind blows, no internet! Oh well!

Don't for get she has been nice enough to offer my readers a 15% coupon off of anything in her store. So be sure to stop by and take advantage of this great offer! Be sure to use BLOG01 in notes to the seller! So now, on with the interview.

***DO YOU HAVE A BLOG? Yes, I do have a blog. My second blog giveaway is going on right now! Be sure to stop over and enter!

***DO YOU SELL ANYWHERE ELSE? I have sold at craft shows and a consignment shop. I am now considering another consignment shop, but at the moment, no I only sell on Etsy.

***WHAT IS THE BEST PROMOTIONAL ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE TO OTHERS? I think the best promotional advice given to me was when someone told me I should chat on the forums! I started getting involved on the forum threads and bought onto a few BNRs (Buy and Replace) and my sales have started to pick up!

***HOW HAVE YOU GONE ABOUT BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS? My business is still just beginning, but so far I have tried to build up a good stock in my shop and I have tried to organize my finances. SIDENOTE: I need to organize my finances....a receipt here, a receipt there...LOL!

***HOW DO YOU BALANCE EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE? Sometimes I spend a little too much time on the computer! I try not to do that because I don't like feeling that way! I love to spend time in my craft room, so I like to get in there a lot. I work in there when my baby naps sometimes and when he is playing. It's not hard to balance Etsy with my other job! I just usually check my shop and forum threads before and after work on Mondays!

***ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US TO? I love having a hobby that I love so much and that can be turned into a part time home based business!! :)

Thanks so much for allowing me to interview you! I love doing these and getting to know the people behind the shops. If anyone would like to be featured in next week's blog....just convo me in my store! Thanks so much and don't forget to sign up for my giveaway!

PART 1: Interview With DKRScrapNCraft

I Love getting to know my fellow talented Etsians! So today, we are going to get to know the woman behind DKRScrapNCraft! She has the cutest little cards and other paper crafts. She is also offering readers of my blog a coupon!! Isn't that awesome!?

She is giving my readers 15% off any item. You can either convo her with the code before purchase and she will adjust the price or you can type the code in message to seller and she will refund via paypal! BE SURE TO USE COUPON CODE: BLOG01

So now on with the interview:

***TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. I am a stay at home mommy and work part time (one day a week) as a dental hygienist. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 5 years and we now have our 8 1/2 month old baby boy. I love being a mommy! I started selling on Etsy because I love what I do and I love being able to stay at home with my baby as much as I can! Someday I would love to be able to leave my other job!

***IS THIS (ETSY) YOUR FULL TIME JOB? Being a mommy is my full time job! I sell on Etsy in my spare time!! My shop is doing well, but it definitely is not successful enough at this point to be considered full time! SIDENOTE: That's great! If only more people looked upon being a mommy as their full time job!!

***WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION? My inspiration comes from the great feeling I get after a completed project. It is always so nice to look at my finished art and feel a sense of completion and admiration!

***WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM TO CREATE? I would say my favorite item to create is any type of greeting card. They are so fun, because they are like a miniature scrapbook layout. This allows me to do what I love and still get to have variety of change, as it does not involve as much detail as a scrapbook layout!

***WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM? This BABY card is my favorite at the moment! I think it turned out really nice!

***WHAT IS YOUR MOST POPULAR ITEM? I have sold the most of my hot pink and zebra mini thank you card sets.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the second half of the interview with DKRScrapNCraft. She'll give you some of her best tips that have helped her become sucessful.

CORA PAIGE UPDATE and This and That!

I just wanted to thank everyone that has made purchases to this wonderful cause! The responsed has been sooooo OVERWHELMING!!! I cannot belive the response from the "cyberworld". It is truly amazing. Gives one a renewed faith in humanity.....

We (The Muddy Moose Bath Boutique) have raised OVER $100.00 for this wonderful cause. THANK YOU THANK YOU!! So hurry and get in on this great cause. Help build the Cora Paige Memorial Playground! Once the items in my shop are sold, I will not be relisting! SO HURRY SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED!

UPDATE: In an effort to still take part in the fund raising efforts....starting tomorrow all of the Cora Paige donations will be 100% of the NET proceeds. Thanks for your understanding in this matter.

In other news...the giveaway is getting great response...so don't forget to sign up! Tell your friends too!

Tomorrow, check back for a great interview with another talented etsian!

Have a Great Day!!

My FIRST EVER Monday Giveaway!

So...the day has finally arrived! And since this will be my first giveaway I wanted it to be BIG!

So after much brain-wracking and "consulting" with the web community. I am going to make this relatively simple to enter. You will get multiple chances to win. So, I know you're thinking get on with it already!! Ok here are the rules:

1. The contest is open to US and Canadian residents only (sorry shipping costs too high everywhere else)

2. The contest will run until midnight February 28, with the winner being announced Sunday, March 1, 2009. Winners will be picked randomly....um....probably from a hat or whatever I can find (LOL).

3. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RULE: YOU MUST DO A COMMENT FOR EACH DIFFERENT ENTRY TO QUALIFY!

4. You must include in your post a way to contact you....email, etsy shop....come on give me something here! (LOL)

ENTRY CHANCES:

1. You get one for simply following me! (please do post a comment that you are following me)

2. You get one for going to my shop and telling me what your favorite item is and why.

3. This one is a similar entry, but it must be in a separate comment: go to my shop and tell me what you think I need to change....what new product you would like to see....pictures? Sorta like a critique of sorts.

4. You will get 5 entries for blogging about my giveaway, with a link back to here. So simply blog about it (first) then return to my blog and post a comment with the link to your blog. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment....I won't go back again and again to check...I will only check once...if it's not there....no entry.

SO THAT IS LIKE 8 CHANCES TO WIN!!! CRAZINESS I TELL YOU!!

So what will you win? I will be awarding 2 "gift baskets" (without the basket...for shipping reasons)!

LAVENDER LOVERS BASKET #1:

2 BARS OF LAVENDER SOAP (YOUR CHOICE OF OAT OR PLAIN)

1 LAVENDER LOTION BAR

1 LAVENDER BATH BOMB

1 LIP BUTTER (YOUR CHOICE)

1 LAVENDER MASSAGE/BODY CANDLE ( 4OZ)

BASKET OF ROMANCE BASKET #2:

1 MASSAGE/BODY CANDLE ( 4OZ)

1 EDIBLE BODY POWDER W/ DUSTER (4OZ)

1 2OZ WARMING MASSAGE OIL

1 1OZ CHOCOLATE BODY PAINT

Now I told you it was going to be BIG!!

The first winner will get their choice and 2nd will get the remaining basket.

SO GO NOW!.....ENTER....AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!

Gearing Up For My Monday Giveaway!

So this will be my first giveaway EVER!! So I have been thinking for quite some time how exactly I wanted to go about doing this! So I thought and thought and thought.....hmmm...still no inspiration. So then I turned my attentions to other bloggers who have give aways. So I get one entry for following you, one entry for posting a comment about an item in your shop and even more points for making a purchase....hmmm sounds like a lot to keep track of to me. Then there were the giveaways that make you work a litte...like tell me your funniest _______ or help me name _______. So I have decided to ask you all for advice,


WHAT KIND OF GIVEAWAY DO YOU LIKE TO SEE? please post a comment with your thoughts.

Cora Paige Benefit

I wasn't planning on doing another post today, but this is a story that needs to be told. I'm sure all of you may have heard about Cora Paige. The precious little girl from a small Kansas town. Click here for more of her story. This sweet 10 month old was diagnosed with cancer at the end of January, I believe, sadly she lost her battle at the beginning of this month. The community and her parents are building a playground as a memorial. Other fellow etsians, along with myself are listing items where 100% of the proceeds will be donated to that cause. To find an item simply type in cora paige in the search engine on etsy and all the listings should show up. Take a moment of your time and make a purchase....no matter how large or small, and give to this great cause. Help her family heal their hearts and memorialize her life.

Giveaways Currently Going On.

Everyone loves free stuff, right? And what could be better than stuff from other talented Etsians. So last night I spent the evening entering all sorts of wonderful giveaways. Some easy...and some not so much! They involved everything from just becoming a follower to help name my newest creation! Some were even in celebration of reaching sales goals. The last being in celebration of 1000 sales! I can only dream of reaching that some day. That is quite an accomplishment! Lauren Alexander has beautiful art work in her etsy shop. Little birds, owls, whimsical trees. CUTE CUTE CUTE artwork. While I was snooping around, I came across these cuties and couldn't resist! Be sure to visit her blog and catch all the detail about getting in on her giveaway!

My friend, Audrey, over at Audrey's Country Crafts is having a feature giveaway, stop over at her blog for all the details!

Nature Manipulated is having a giveaway from Crooked Little Studio, who by the way has AWESOME dragonfly artwork. I'm a sucker for dragonflies! Visit Nature Manipulated's blog for all the details!

Spell It Out Designs is having a giveaway at their blog..cutest chalkboards I have ever seen!

Mountain Home Quilts is having a giveaway also.....visit their blog for all the details! Gorgeous quilts.....I wish I had the talent she has. I LOVE quilts.

HollyzHobby's is having one also at her blog. More beautiful quilts.....hmmm, I see a theme developing her.

And ya know, I named a pair of earrings last night, but for the life of me I can't seem to find where......oh, yes...here it is. Dragonflies again. LOVE EM! HeatherBerry has beautiful jewelry in her shop!

Oh, and who couldn't use an awesome bag? Visit ThreadBeaur's blog to get on this one!

Hmm...maybe I shouldn't have share with you all......makes my chances better for winning! LOL

Interview with DivineCanine PART 2

Ok, so I couldn't refuse to start off this post with a pic of one of our pups....Stella loves her sticks!! Ok, so maybe sometimes they are small trees! LOL

BE SURE TO STOP BY DIVINE CANINE....she is offering readers of my blog 20% off their orders...GREAT DEAL!! Use CODE:DIVCAN in notes to seller to take advantage of this great offer! Offer good for all regular priced items....not to be used on shipping or sale items.

***WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ITEM IN YOUR SHOP? My favorite items are my wheat free and grain free treats. I like them because they give dogs with food allergies a chance to enjoy treats just as other doggies get to do!

***WHAT IS YOUR BEST SELLER? My bacon is my number 1 best seller, but before the whole peanut butter paste thing it was my peanut butter bliss treats and my carob peanut biscotti. BTW, I use jarred peanut butter, not peanut butter paste.

***DO YOU HAVE A BLOG? My blog is http://www.divinecaninedogpantry.blogspot.com/ but I’m horrible at updating it…shame on me!

***DO YOU SELL ANYWHERE ELSE? I sell locally at some vets, groomers, a newly opened craft mall, and a newly opened feedstore. I did a lot of craft shows and so have some local customers as well. This summer I will be doing the farmer’s market.

***WHAT IS THE BEST PROMOTIONAL ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE TO OTHERS?

1. Join a team!

2. spend time in the forums so people can get to know you and get to know about your product.

3. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there locally. I thought when I started this that Etsy would be my main source of income, but it takes all my avenues to bring in money.

***HOW HAVE YOU GONE ABOUT BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS? I spend a lot of time promoting, I do a lot of free sample offers, and established customers are finally starting to bring me new customers, so I’m slowly starting to build a customer base. Plus, I’m relentless in asking shops and vets to display my treats…I figure the more exposure, the better!

***ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE US TO KNOW? I’m working on new low-calorie recipes and trying to make a “snack-shack” type deal for chinchillas, guinea pigs, gerbils, etc. I’m also looking for new ideas of what to make for kitty cats…they are much pickier than dogs!

That is some really great advice! Thanks so much for allowing me to interview you! My pups thank you for what you do!!

Interview with DivineCanine PART 1

Well we are HUGE pet lovers and we love our animal to death. So what could be a better way to show your babies you love with some healthy pet treats! We here at the Muddy Moose give two paws way up for the treats from DivineCanine (http://www.divinecanine.etsy.com/)!

Our pooches can't get enough of 'em!

Both of our cuties are pound rescues. The smaller one is Daisy and she is about 11 years old. The BIG one is Stella and she is about 2 1/2 years old. We just adopted her about a month ago. They are posing waiting for their treats!

So we decided what a better way to get to know the person behind the shop than with and interview!


***TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. My name is Jessica and I am 38. I have a husband and one son, Christian who is 7 and has (ASD) Asperger’s syndrome. I love cooking, baking, gardening, and pets. I went totally blind about 8 years ago, and I’m still trying to figure out how to do the stuff that sighted people like to do!

***HOW DID YOU GET INTO MAKING DOG AND KITTY TREATS? I have a graduate degree in blind rehabilitation teaching, and I taught up until the time my son turned three.I was a home mom for the last 5 years and decided that when my son went to school full time I needed something to do that was productive. I love cooking, but can’t afford the commercial kitchen required for catering and baking. I love pets and cook for them (as well as my human family members) and looked into the ins and outs of owning a pet bakery, then decided it sounded like too much fun to pass up!

***IS THIS YOUR FULL TIME JOB? Yes, I guess you could say that…and taking care of my home and family.

***HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT WITH DEVELOPING YOUR RECIPES? I read a lot about pet nutrition and what human food is ok or beneficial for them to eat in moderation. I also talk with my vet quite frequently about views on pet treats, foods, and nutrition. Then, I make batch after batch of treats until I feel I’ve got the right one…my dog Scarlet is starting to get quite the belly because she loves to eat my “oopses” and experiments that I don’t end up selling to the public.

***HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR LIFE/JOB/ETSY/FAMILY? Hehehe. I’m trying to figure this one out. I’ve noticed that I was spending too much time blogging, chatting, forums, anything out there to promote myself…and realized that the house and rest of my family were starting to fade into the distance…not good. So, I’m working on a business plan to help me decide how much time a day to spend on work, how much time on the computer, etc. I do most of my baking at night after hubby and child go to bed…I do my best baking at night for some reason.

Be sure to read the second part of the interview for her tips for sucess and building up you business and some of her up and coming new products! And stop by and pick up some treats for you pooches or kitty...they will thank you!!

Need an inexpensive Spa Treatment?

Our skin is the largest organ of our body. It is highly absorbent....so it just goes to reason that everything you put on your skin is absorbed by it. With that in mind...you should consider following this simple rule of thumb when choosing your cosmetics and beauty products: if you wouldn't eat it, don't put it on your skin! Choose only products that use only fresh, high quality ingredients, not the cheapest.

With current state of affairs, we are all hard pressed for cash so I though I would share with you some inexpensive spa treatments you can create from products right out of you own kitchen. Here are two of my favorites:

Chocolate Facial Mask
This decadent mask is actually an excellent moisturizer -- it leaves your skin baby soft. Recommended for normal skin.
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tsp. cottage cheese
¼ cup honey
3 tsp. oatmeal
Mix all ingredients together (a bullet blender is ideal) and smooth onto face. Relax for ten 10 minutes, then wash off with warm water.

This is also another cool one:

Strip it Off! Pore Cleaning Strips
This recipe makes a pore cleaning "strip" which works just like those sold in popular drugstores.
1 T Knox unflavored gelatin
1-1/2 T milk
Mix two ingredients and microwave for 10 seconds to slightly warm. Using a clean cosmetic brush, apply to nose and chin area. Avoid delicate eye area. Rinse brush immediately. Allow mixture on nose and chin to dry for 10-15 minutes. Mixture will dry quite stiff and form a "stiff film." Peel off the film and stare at all the little porcupine quills that used to be in your nose pores (one of the chief entertainment factors with B'Strips!).

For more great recipes visit http://www.spaindex.com/

Share with us, do you have a great home beauty tip...post it here!

Vegan-Friendly......you betcha!

Finally after quite some time and stressing over formula after formula.....our vegan line has finally launched! For right now we only have two products available for sale. You can find them under the current lip butter and lotion bar listings, but they will soon have their own category. And our vegan lemongrass soap is currently on the curing rack. It will be released in the next week or so. It is 100% all natural, using essential oil and natural colorants.

For right now we have vegan lip butter. We have taken our regular lip butter recipe and replaced the beeswax with a blend of carnuaba wax and candellila wax. Both are plant derivatives. We have taken an all natural approach with this line of lip butters. Right down to the flavoring we chose. No colorants. 100% all natural goodness! Sweet Berries is currently for sale, but be on the lookout for Lemonade and Vanilla Mint.

For our lotion bar, we did the same thing, replaced the beeswax with an all natural plant derived wax blend of canuaba and candellila. Our current scent selection is called Milton's Beehive....it is a knockoff of that famous Burt fellow's scent. I cannot attest to its authenticity, as I have never smelled the real deal. More scents coming soon!

Congratulations to the WINNERS!!

Congrats to Angie and Christian, the winners of CYAteam Valentine Giveaway.

Christian can be found at www.nightmareanthology.etsy.com he does awesome artwork....
and He also has a blog at http://nightmareanthology.blogspot.com/

Angie can be found at http://angiesraggedypatch.blogspot.com/
Angie also makes some the cutest little dolls!
You can find them on her website at http://www.angiesraggedypatch.com/raggedies.html

VALENTINE'S DAY GIVEAWAY!!

Hello! As I'm sure many of you know.....Valentine's Day is just around the corner! And in honor of that fine day, my fellow soapers and I are having a giveaway. Just visit our team site for all the details and to sign up! No need to be a member of etsy of sign up...so go...now! And tell all your friends about it too! There are two baskets to be given away chock full of awesome soaps, lotions and who knows what else!

http://cyateam.blogspot.com/

This is a Blog-In....copy, paste and pass it along!

It is a Blog-in. Help pass it a long.

As parents and concerned citizens I’m sure most of us at one time or another have been confronted with the question of lead poisoning. But have you asked yourself what your government is doing to protect your children from lead contained in toys? The answer? They're banning toys, taking books from schools and libraries, hurting low income families, killing entrepreneurial spirit and risking putting the economy in an even greater depression than we've seen in decades. I'd like to introduce you to their solution: the CPSIA.

Do you know about the CPSIA? No? Then I ask you to take a few minutes to find out about it.

The CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, a new set of laws that will come into effect on 10 February, 2009 and will impact many, many people in a negative way. Make no mistake, this is very real. View it for yourself. If Forbes, the American Library Association and numerous other media are paying attention, perhaps you should too.How will these new laws affect you? Well, here are a few examples:

To the Parents of Young Students:Due to the new law, expect to see the cost of school supplies sky rocket. While those paper clips weren't originally intended for your student to use, they will need to be tested now that your 11-year-old needs them for his school project. This law applies to any and all school supplies (textbooks, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.) being used by children under 12.

To the Avid Reader:Due to the new law, all children's books will be pulled from library and school shelves, as there is no exemption for them. That’s okay though, there's always television. Our children don’t need to learn the love of reading after all.Article from the American Library Association http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=1322

To the Lover of All Things Handmade:Due to the new law, you will now be given a cotton ball and an instruction manual so you can make it yourself since that blanket you originally had your eye on for $50 will now cost you around $1,000 after it's passed testing. It won't even be the one-of-a-kind blanket you were hoping for. Items are destroyed in the testing process making one-of-a-kind items virtually impossible. So that gorgeous hand-knit hat you bought your child this past winter won’t be available next winter.

To the Environmentalist:Due to the new law, all items in non-compliance will now be dumped into our already overflowing landfills. Imagine not just products from the small business owners, but the Big Box Stores as well. You can't sell it so you must toss it. Or be potentially sued for selling it. You can't even give them away. If you are caught, it is still a violation.

To the Second-Hand Shopper:Due to the new law, you will now need to spend $20 for that brand new pair of jeans for your 2-year old, rather than shop at the Goodwill for second hand. Many resale shops are eliminating children's items all together to avoid future lawsuits.

To the Entrepreneur:Due to this new law, you will be forced to adhere to strict testing of your unique products or discontinue to make and/or sell them. Small businesses will be likely to be unable to afford the cost of testing and be forced to close up shop. Due to the current economic state, you'll have to hope for the best when it comes to finding a new job in Corporate America.

To the Antique Toy Collector:Due to the new law, you'd better start buying now because it's all going to private collection and will no longer be available to purchase. “Because the new rules apply retroactively, toys and clothes already on the shelf will have to be thrown out if they aren't certified as safe.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123189645948879745.html

To the American Economy:Already struggling under an economy that hasn’t been this weak in decades, the American economy will be hit harder with the inevitable loss of jobs and revenues from suppliers, small businesses and consumers. The required testing is far too costly and restrictive for small businesses or individuals to undertake.

To the Worldwide Economy:Due to this new law, many foreign manufacturers have already pulled out of the US market. You can imagine the impact of this on their businesses.

f you think this is exaggerating, here is a recent article from Forbeshttp://www.forbes.com/2009/01/16/cpsia-safety-toys-oped-cx_wo_0116olson.html

And for those of you prepared to be stupefied and boggled, The New Lawhttp://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Did you know? If this upsets or alarms you, please react.