Although the catalog design shown here [dream plus hummingbird] is under the category of teen bedrooms, I really think this would also be ideal for master bedrooms. The color pictured in the photo here is a UL exclusive color - Tea Green.
Blog STAR Jessica Knows decorates and reviews Uppercase Living decor! - http://jessicaknows.com/2009/03/uppercase-living-helped-me-fake-upscale-decorating/
It's Not just Toys!
The CPSIA does not just affect toys--it regulates all products for children under 12. Clothing, school supplies, cloth diapers, car seats, boy scout patches, bicycles, sippy cups--everything. Congress in its wisdom decided that a problem caused by irresponsible mass-market toymakers should be solved with a one-size-fits-all solution for dozens of industries totally unrelated to toys.
The Handmade Toy Alliance supports the parallel efforts of other industries to gain relief from the onerous enforcement mechanisms imposed by the CPSIA. Although we have proposed our own ideas that would help small toymakers, we believe that the following reforms of the CPSIA would be fair, just, and appropriate to all affected industries:
- The law should be scaled back to focus on products that were an issue in the first place (namely: toys and children's jewelry).
- Enforcement should allow component versus unit testing. Manufacturers and/or industry groups, in cooperation with the CPSC, should decide the most rational method for their situation.
- Testing frequency rules should be adjusted to allow smaller companies that deal with smaller runs the ability to stay in business.
- Random testing could be part of the legislation in place of some of the more burdensome requirements, especially for "low volume" companies.
- Companies should be allowed to keep testing certificates on file instead of re-sending them with each order.
- The law should be simplified to be understandable, while maintaining (or improving) its effectiveness.
- Batch Labeling should be required only for companies producing more than a certain quantity.
I'm not an extremist about anything really, but I do try to be as environmentally responsible as I possibly can. One of my major "hang-ups" is wasting paper or having everything printed out on paper. And this is a major reason for this blog - an attempt to minimize waste.
In a Direct Sales business, especially the one I'm in, I have catalogs, lots of flyers, FAQs, Tips, Font Lists, etc. An absolute TON of documents to be printed out. To waste such a high volume of paper and printer ink to disseminate information and sales flyers drives me absolutely bananas. The sales are temporary, new catalogs come out and then you have new updated Order Forms, Invitations, etc., etc. These are all necessary I know, but why not try to reduce the volume of paper going into the landfill and save money at the same time?
About a year ago, I gave one of our beautiful catalogs to my Dentist's office. And gave him an adorable expression for his office - "You don't have to brush all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep!". Since all the girls in the office were interested in looking at the catalog, I left it there. About a month later at another appointment, I asked if they had finished looking through the catalog & if they had any questions. Then the lady at the front desk told me that she had thrown out the catalog!! I was so shocked! For one, Uppercase Living catalogs are so beautiful - how could you even think of throwing it away, and it was a current catalog! To me this was like a slap in the face and was such a senseless waste! After that, I ended up finding another Dentist!
In an effort to cut down on senseless waste, I have documents and flyers posted here that would normally be printed out. This is why I love Scribd so much. You can "show" documents without wasting paper. And if someone wants to print the documents, they can do that too. It's at least an attempt to reduce waste.
I wish Direct Sales
companies and retail businesses would be more conscious about this and
make more of an effort to reduce waste. The catalog needs to be seen on
the web in such a way that a person can "flip through" the pages like
you can do with scribd documents. This is just a common sense way to
deal with the paper volume and save money at the same time.
For those who haven't already voted or have someone in mind for this title, PLEASE vote for Jessica Smith - #3 on the list. She has been a great help to Stay at home moms, work at home moms, and many women in general across the country. Please vote TODAY as the voting ends at midnight.
Go to http://katrinawampler.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/vote-for-the-1-most-influential-woman-of-09/ and vote for Jessica - 3rd on the list. Visit Jessica's blog at http://www.jessicaknows.com and while you're there, check out the far right tab (Uppercase Living)! Thank you!
