Prairie Roses

The sun came out for two gloriously warm days this week, and in hopes that today wouldn’t be bitterly cold, I talked Miss M into wearing something Spring-y, and grabbed this pretty little skirt made by my good friend Esther. I wanted to share it with you for two reasons: 1-because it’s darling, of course! and 2-because I want to mention CPSIA.  

Most of the hubub about this law has died down with the stay of execution of testing enforcement granted by the CPSC in February, but the law itself is in full force. It has had devastating consequences for small entrepreneurs like Esther, who chose to shut down her Prairie Roses online boutique and walk away from her dream of designing her own line of girls’ dresses rather than face the astronomical costs associated with proving her products to be safe. (An aside here: I’ve never met a designer more conscientious and precise in compliance with safety and ethical standards than Esther.) 

In the eight months since the CPSIA passed, nothing has been solved or clarified in the midst of the buck-passing going on between Congress and the CPSC. An amendment sponsored by Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina (which offered common sense solutions to the problems while ensuring safety standards) failed to pass the Senate last week by 19 votes. Do you know how your senators voted? Do they know you know? Do they know how you wish to be represented when the next amendment bill (cross your fingers for a good one) comes to the floor?