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Chatting with Jen from Dress Me Up Organic

Amber on August 20, 2011 Leave a Comment

I first encountered Dress Me Up Organic many years ago, when Christina from Bamboletta mentioned it on her blog. I came to know Tressa, its creator and owner, online. We chatted on Twitter, and I bought some of her amazing teething bonbons, first for my son, Jacob, and then as gifts for my friends’ babies. Over the years we also acquired a rabbit rattle and some jumbo cloth blocks.

There are a few things that attracted me to Dress Me Up. I loved that it was local(ish) to me. I really loved that the toys were handmade with care using natural and organic materials. I appreciated the understated, simple esthetic. And I was rooting for Tressa, because I love to see moms going out and doing their own thing.

Earlier this year there was a big change for Dress Me Up. Tressa decided to sell her business to Jen and Brad Williams. Jen attended elementary school with Tressa’s husband, and became a huge fan of all things Dress Me Up. When Tressa decided that she could no longer run the business, the couple was thrilled to come on board and help it to grow. Jen believes strongly in Tressa’s vision of making safe, sustainable toys, by hand, in Victoria. She’s very committed to the principles that Tressa started Dress Me Up with.

I had the chance to speak with Jen recently, and I really got the feeling that Dress Me Up is in excellent hands. In fact, I would go so far as to say (if you will allow me to indulge in a little woowoo) that Jen is the person who is meant to carry the business forward. She’s been hard at work over the past six months or so, expanding her wholesale line, sourcing materials, working with her team and going through safety testing – including the controversial CPSIA testing. We talked about what’s going on at Dress Me Up, what the CPSIA testing process was like, how to be sure that the toys you buy are safe, and a whole lot more.

Jen was also excited to share her new project – Boutique by Dress Me Up. It’s an Etsy store selling products made in small batches, and it’s given Jen a chance to let her inner designer loose. It’s also something of a testing ground for new products for Dress Me Up Organic. It’s definitely worth a visit, especially if you’re an Etsy addict like I am. You can hear more about Boutique by Dress Me Up, and everything else that Jen is working on, in our podcast:

Interview with Jen from Dress Me Up Organic [ 31:36 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’m working on another interview for next week, but I’m not quite ready to share all the details with you. If you’ve ever considered unplugging from your online life for a while, though, I think you’ll be eager to hear what my guest has to say. Subscribe to my podcast and you won’t miss a thing!

Tagged With: Enviro-Mama, Interview, Podcast, Toys

Wooden Sewing Machine

Amber on March 6, 2009 5 Comments

There’s something about handmade toys that is really very magical. Knowing that another person, perhaps even someone you’ve met, has poured their love and energy into this plaything for your child. It’s something that simply can’t be duplicated by a mass-produced toy from an overseas factory. And it’s even better when these toys are locally produced using sustainable methods. You’re supporting your own community and helping the planet and getting a far superior product for your toy dollar.

So, naturally, I was really excited to hear about WoodClinic. WoodClinic is a dad on Vancouver Island who makes fabulous toys using reclaimed wood from local mills. We especially love his toy sewing machines, since I sew and Hannah likes to play along with me. So, of course, we got Hannah one of the machines for her birthday.

It’s so lovely. The rainbow yarn was included, and the little wooden spool comes off. The needle moves up and down when you turn the handle. It’s very sturdy and lightweight, and Hannah uses it to ‘make’ things for me. And I feel good about having bought it, too.

There’s a contest going on right now to win one of these great machines. So what are you waiting for? Head on over, read up, and enter!

Tagged With: Enviro-Mama, Sewing, Toys

Chemicals, Toys and Bureaucracy, Oh My!

Amber on December 12, 2008 Leave a Comment

Did you know that new regulations are coming into effect soon in the US, to ensure that children aren’t exposed to harmful chemicals? Following recalls last year involving more than 18 million toys, lawmakers realized that the public wasn’t being well-served by existing regulations. Lead was still appearing where it’s most concerning – in children’s products. To address the concerns the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was passed.

In addition to lead, the CPSIA bans phthalates in toys and other children’s items. Phthalates make plastic soft and flexible, but they have been linked to a number of nasty health effects. After Canada took the lead on bisphenol A, I was a little bit disappointed that we seemed to be missing the boat on phthalates. My hope was that once the ban came into effect in the US in February, that we would see phthalate-free toys sold widely here. In any case, I am a big fan of handmade natural toys, which don’t contain the same alarming chemicals.

So, I was very disappointed when Christina over at Bamboletta clued me in to problems with the CPSIA. It seems that as well-intentioned as the legislation may be, it poses a very expensive obstacle to people who make handmade toys. The act requires testing and labelling that may cost thousands of dollars per item, which is out of reach of smaller home-based businesses. The Handmade Toy Alliance is working to change the act, but the deadline is fast approaching. Some European toymakers, whose toys have long been manufactured to much more stringent standards than North American toys, are even pulling out of the US altogether.

Hannah with her beautiful and safe Bamboletta baby doll

Hannah with her Bamboletta doll

No one’s suggesting that children’s toys shouldn’t be as safe as they can possibly be. Many of the small businesses that will be affected have long been committed to safety and quality well beyond what the CPSIA addresses. However, they simply cannot afford the certification process. And this doesn’t affect only US businesses, either. Canadian manufacturers often sell a lot of goods in the US, and they will have to undergo the process or stop selling their products across the border.

If you’re American you can contact your elected representatives to share any concerns you have about the CPSIA. the people over at the Handmade Toy Alliance have a form letter, as well as proposed amendments to the act. Hopefully a solution can be found that will both protect children and ensure that small businesses can continue to operate and sell their children’s items in the US.

Tagged With: Baby Gear, Parenting, Toys

Santa Doesn’t do Plastic

Amber on December 7, 2008 2 Comments

Hannah has been extremely interested in Barbie dolls lately. She talks about them, dreams about them, and sings songs about them. Barbie is just the coolest. How I feel about that is another story for another day. What’s relevant to my story today is that she wants a Barbie doll for her birthday, which isn’t until February. Christmas, on the other hand, is fast approaching.

Play kitchen, made by real elves

Why is Hannah willing to wait months for a toy that she wants so badly? Because Barbie is plastic, and of course Santa doesn’t make plastic toys. I didn’t tell her this and Jon didn’t tell her this. She seems to have deduced this on her own. Last year Santa brought her a wooden play kitchen. And of course she’s seen Santa’s workshop in a few movies and TV shows, filled with elves hammering, sawing, and painting traditional toys. Putting two and two together she’s decided that Santa makes wooden toys, and maybe even cloth or metal, but not plastic.

My inner hippie is delighted. For once there’s no conflict between my expectations and my child’s expectations. Grandparents may provide licensed characters, but Santa only brings natural toys! Luckily he’s done most of his shopping at Natural Pod this year.

Tagged With: Christmas, Toys

Crafty Mamas

Amber on November 27, 2008 3 Comments

Here in BC we are blessed with some truly fabulous, crafty mamas. Somehow they manage to create beautiful, local, hand-made products and while they’re raising their little ones. I’ve shared my love of Bamboletta and Poot & Boogie natural dolls. And of course there’s my very dear friend and crafting mentor Kirsten at Yummy Yarn. But I’ve come across a few more recently, and I wanted to share them with you. You can click on my photos for a larger view.

Big Ocean, Little Fish – I recently met Lou, a multi-talented mama (she teaches yoga for the whole family, too). I had my eye on her wishing owls for Hannah, each with their own secret star pocket. One girl only needs so many Christmas presents, though, so I’m doing a custom order for the kiddo’s birthday. In the meantime I chose two fabulous prints for my downstairs bathroom. Until she gets her Etsy shop stocked, you can check out her Facebook group to see photos of the owls for yourself.

Sweet Earth Soaps – Did you know that most commercially produced soaps aren’t actually soap? They’re detergents, which are cheaper but not nearly so nice on your skin. Plus, they contain artificial colours and fragrances. I prefer the real thing, so I was delighted to find Ashley and her truly divine soaps (I can’t stop sniffing mine). Their scents come from herbs, spices and essential oils. My favourite is ‘Brewsky’ – made with actual beer! If you love soap as much as I do you have to check her out.

Milk Lush – This summer I came across another mama named Ashley who makes the most fabulous baby gear. Her myQuilt quilts are truly gorgeous, it’s almost a shame to imagine a baby drooling on them. We have one of her myPad playmats, and we love it. They’re made of phthalate-free vinyl, so they’re easy to care for but they don’t contain the same harmful chemicals found in traditional products. After all, who wants their babies rolling around on something that could hurt them?

Tagged With: Baby Gear, Toys

Loving Poot & Boogie

Amber on October 17, 2008 1 Comment

As I’ve mentioned before, I am a big fan of Natural Pod, a BC-based natural toy store. I particularly love the natural dolls they carry – I’ve already documented my Bamboletta love. And now they’ve added Poot & Boogie to their collection.

There’s a custom order option, which is awesome, so I sent away my request hoping I could get it in time for Christmas. Leanna was lightning fast though, and I was able to pick up the doll at the event today.

You can choose pretty much everything about your custom doll – hair colour, eye colour, clothing, hairstyle. In fact, they now have a really great custom order form up at Natural Pod.

Because I knew what sort of doll I’d requested, I recognized her immediately when I got there to pick her up. I’m so happy with how she turned out!

Leanna even added a special touch to the back, just for Hannah.

And of course, we also got the little bag to carry our Poot & Boogie in.

I’m really happy with this experience, and I hope that Hannah loves this doll as much as I do! We’ll just have to wait until Christmas to find out.

Tagged With: Toys

Bamboletta Love

Amber on May 31, 2008 2 Comments

Even before I had kids I had a thing for Waldorf dolls. In fact, I had a thing for all Waldorf toys. A bit ironic considering I left Waldorf school, at age 6, because I wanted a more academic focus. I did still spend a couple of formative years immersed in this world, though, and so I hold a place in my heart for these beautiful and thoughtful playthings. I can also appreciate a system of education that values creativity and freedom of thought over plastic and TV and Disney princesses and sticker charts.

So it’s not a huge shocker that I found myself at an event put on by Natural Pod, a fabulous local shop, in December 2006. And while I was there I met Christina, the woman behind the fabulous Bamboletta dolls. I wanted one for myself, I will admit it. I found them compelling and beautiful and I was simply delighted to find someone making and selling them locally. I didn’t buy one that day, because Hannah was too young and I don’t think I could justify that sort of purchase for myself. But I did custom-order a baby doll for Hannah’s second birthday. You can see the doll, along with the toy diaper bag I sewed, here:

A little over a month ago tragedy struck when Hannah ripped the arms off her baby doll. I had no idea how to fix it, and I was afraid of ruining it. I got in touch with Christina, she graciously agreed to repair the damage, and I sent the doll off to Vancouver Island for some TLC. Today, we were able to meet back up at the Vancouver Farmer’s Market. I picked out a blanket doll for the baby, and Hannah eyed the mermaids wishfully. Christina remembered Hannah and me on sight, and it was lovely to see her. It feels great buying such great playthings from a mom following her passion and putting so much time and effort into the items she produces. What can I say? I love Bamboletta dolls!

Tagged With: Toys

Toy Bags

Amber on March 10, 2007 Leave a Comment

Those of you who look at the online photos of my crafts may have noticed some photos of toy diaper bags. These are my latest creation, and I’m pretty excited about them. What they are is smaller, stripped down versions of diaper bags, complete with little change pads to match. I’ve made one for Hannah, and she loves it. I’ve made a few for friends’ kids, and they’re also hits in those houses. So, having more fabric than I know what to do with, I decided to make a few extra for my on-line store.

This is the fun part of having a little design enterprise. You get to conceive of something cool, see it to fruition, and share it with the world. Or, the 4 people who visit your website. Either way, it’s fun. Because they’re something I made, that someone else uses and enjoys. It’s even better when that person is a very exuberant toddler, who insists on carrying her own snack in her own bag when we go out now.