Interesting article on CE marking associated with keepsakes. As a keepsake creator I work with pre-loved fabrics the result of which prevents me from testing the material and finished items from a CE safety perspective. For an item to be awarded the CE mark it must be made from new material and the material and finished item must be put through a range of fire and weight bearing tests. To do this a creator will make two of the same item .... one for selling and one for testing. It has been recognised that in the area of keepsake making it is often impossible to create a second item due to the restraints in the quantity of material you have to work with. Although I'm not bound by the CE mark I have a responsibility to ensure I mark my items with the relevant warning which is clearly seen on my tags, I also use safety eyes and stuffing material which complies with fire safety standards. One of the most important responsibilities I have is to tag the Bear with a price that reflects "a keepsake/memorabilia", the idea here is that the price of item reflects the purpose of the Bear and hours of work connected with it so that there is no confusion over the items purpose..... A keepsake NOT a toy. I feel I've costed my items fairly taking into account revenue deductions etc and the need for price to reflect time and effort that goes into making the item whilst matching as many budgets as I can. So be careful when "shopping" for memory items - don't be blinded by CE markings which really shouldn't be there and if your buying an item at pocket money price question it's safety statement and please do not give them to children without supervision at all times !

Couldn't sleep last night ...... my mind was buzzing with ideas for 2018 ! They say anxiety is actually the key to creativity ..... all I know is my mind only quietens when I stitch. Looking forward to getting back into my sewing room tomorrow 🤗

Have a good one 😉❤

Found this plaque in my local MrPrices today 😍

Reviews are vital for small businesses please help me increase my visibility. 😁

Just a little "up cycling" I done before christmas using some of the "stone effect" spray paint available from Lidl. Gave my terracotta Angel and white lanterns a bit of a new look 😍 delighted with how they turned out ❤

Just a little reminder that we are still aiming to reach the 1000 likes milestone and find this guy his forever home. Don't forget to enter comment on the original post 😉

This collection of memory items was created in honor of a young lady whose 30th Birthday would have fallen at Christmas. ❤ From cherished items of blankets, dresses, shirts and dressing gowns I created a total of 10 x 18 inch Memory Cushions 1 x 18 inch Hugs the Bear 6 x puppies 7 x ducks 2 x bunnies 4 x elephants 4 x horse 23 hanging ornaments Now each of her family and friends will have a keepsake of her memory ❤

A 22 inch Hugs the Bear created from cherished tshirts of a beloved Father and Grandad. Embroidered memory qoute and personalisation added 😍

2 x 22inch Hugs the Bears created from cherished jumpers and made for two little boys who recently lost their Dad ❤❤❤

22 inch Hugs the Bear created from the cherished trousers of a beloved Father 😍 I had made a cushion earlier in the year for this lady and we kept some of the material from the tshirt in order to use in this bear. Love how he turned out 😍

An 18 inch Memory Cushion created from the cherished cardigan of a beloved Grandad 😍