We lost someone special this week. She will be sorely missed. We are grateful to have known and worked with this truly lovely, funny, talented, young mother of four. We’ll be out of the office on Friday, November 21st, as we gather with her friends and loved ones to say goodbye.
Well, hi there! Haven’t posted much in a while…I’ve been doing a lot of what you see here! The past few months have brought significant challenges for some dear members of our sewing crew, and our thoughts, prayers and hearts are with them and their families.
As a result, I’ve been priveleged to be able to step in and help on our sewing line, something I haven’t had the opportunity to do for a very long time. It’s truly been a pleasure to sit and sew, to enjoy the company of our talented staff, to watch as tiny pieces of fabric transform into beautiful clothes, to see the names and dates that come through our fulfillment process and to imagine sweet babies and proud parents and smiling families enjoying precious moments together. For all this I want to say, “thank you,” to you, our valued customers, who make it possible for us to do what we love every day.
Gather around dear friends, I have a story to tell.
Once upon a time, and every once in a while, despite our best efforts, shipments arrive late. For a special occasion, that can have devastating consequences…a day late for a christening, baptism, first communion, or wedding might mean that a valued (as well as busy and likely stressed under the circumstances) customer may have to run all over town at the last minute trying to find a replacement outfit, or worse, not be able to find what is needed at all.
Though the significance of these special days is truly in the people involved rather than pieces of clothing and accessories, we all want things to be as perfect as envisioned for a lifetime. It literally breaks our hearts when we receive news that a deadline was not met. In an effort to lessen the possiblity of this happening to you, I’d like to explain a few things that may be helpful to know when planning your online special occasion purchase.
1-About us: We have an amazingly talented and caring staff working full time to meet your needs. Every (and I do mean every) effort is made to fulfill all orders in a timely manner.
Our shipping policy lets you know the time frame within which you can expect your order to leave our facility. We offer a handy delivery chart to demonstrate the number of days it takes for your order to be delivered to you based on the day we receive your order. (Be sure to notice if you’re ordering a non-stock item: construction of your garment will add one week to the time listed on the chart.)
On very rare occasions, we experience human moments that can affect the delivery time of your order. In these circumstances, our policy is to do anything and everything within our control to get it to you on time.
2-About our shippers: We offer the shipping services of two companies. It is important to note a few things about each, as they both have pros and cons. Regarding both companies–once your package leaves our facility, it is beyond our immediate control.
United States Postal Service: Our free shipping offer utilizes USPS Priority Mail. The biggest benefit of this service is the speed with which most packages are delivered–usually within 2-3 business days. That said, there are a couple drawbacks that can make a big difference in a time crunch:
-This service is not guaranteed to be delivered in a specific time frame and can take up to a week…more, if your package happens to get lost, which leads me to the next point.
-The postal service does not offer tracking of a package while it’s in their system. All packages leave our facility with a delivery confirmation number, which means that the only information we (or you) can obtain once the package is in the USPS system is the date and time of actual delivery. In the event a package is lost, the best/fastest way to track it down is for you to contact your local Post Master and mail carrier.
FedEx: Our express shipping services are provided by FedEx. FedEx offers in-transit package tracking and guaranteed delivery dates. The important thing to know when selecting the level of service you need is this: the ‘day count’ begins the day after your shipment leaves our facility. (Example: Next Day is delivered the next business day after shipment…2 Day is delivered two business days after shipment with the day after shipment being the first day. If that doesn’t make sense, refer to our delivery chart.)
Keep in mind that Saturday is not considered a business day, so if you’re ordering on Friday and need your order Saturday, you have to specify Next Day Saturday. If you’re ordering on Friday and need it Saturday, be sure to CALL us so we can let you know if it is possible to ship your order same day or not.
3-About you: Yep, you! It’s important for you first, to be informed and to understand the specifics when time is short. And second, to let us know if there’s a problem so we can help you resolve any delivery issues. If your package hasn’t arrived as expected–let us know! We can often ship an emergency replacement in time if you give us enough notice. If you call Friday afternoon after our shipments for the day have left about a gown you need on Saturday…our hands are tied. There’s nothing we can do but cry with you. And we will. But we’d rather not. 
Have you have heard of the CPSIA legislation passed in August of 2008? We’ve been watching things develop for a couple months now, and frankly, it has taken a massive amount of time and brain power to educate ourselves on this issue and come up with a plan of action.
As this ultra-complex and vaguely written law currently applies to our company, in mid-February, we are required to provide proof of reasonable testing for lead levels in all products. In mid-August, allowable lead levels drop and mandatory third-party lab testing is required, the astronomical costs of which mean that for all intents and purposes, we are out of business, as is any company or individual not mass-producing products. Failure to comply is a felony, with possible six-digit fines.
My intention with this post is to let you know three things:
1-We do have a plan. We will be able to issue XRF certification on our products (by request) after the February deadline. After August, well, we just don’t know for sure. So much depends on what happens in the next few weeks and months.
2-The CPSIA will most definitely affect everyone in our country. Do you like to shop? This law will drastically affect the pricing and selection of your shopping in every retail venue carrying children’s products–that is, every retail venue that is still open for business. (Anyone notice the toy aisle at Walmart is looking nice and spacious, and there are a lot of toys on sale? That’s how it looks at my local store…it’s not an accident.) Do you or does the company you work for receive income from individuals? Thousands of work-at-home moms and unemployed retail, office, design, fulfillment, and production people will no longer have incomes to spend with you. It all trickles down.
3-You can do something about this. Call, snail-mail and e-mail your Congressmen and Senators’ D.C. offices to let them know: implementation of the CPSIA must be put on hold until the legislation can be amended or completely re-worked. That’s a tall order when most Congress members believe they’ve scored big points for keeping kids safe with the original law, but the real point is this: our industries can change and improve product safety standards without destroying an already faltering economy with this oppressive law, it’s been done before–think flammability standards and the CPSC recall system. (BTW, the CPSC’s hands are tied on this one…they must interpret and enforce the law as written, flaws and all, to the highest standard possible, or they’re held legally accountable.)
Feel free to leave a comment for me if you have any questions, I’ll answer as best I can, or point you to someone who can better elaborate. Please know that your child’s safety is a priority to us. And for the record, we’d like to be able to continue to make it that way.
I hope the long Labor Day holiday weekend finds you all well. I’m just a bit sad to wave goodbye to summer, but I LOVE autumn…truthfully, I enjoy every season (except maybe that dreary spell between Valentine’s Day and Easter).
I’ll be spending the weekend keeping up with my family and working on some new christening styles as well as a few upcoming changes and new features for this blog. Any suggestions or comments? Let me know!
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a daily basis with many beautiful, smart, talented, hard-working women (and a lone man–my brother Kendall). One Small Child is a team effort–it takes a lot of hands to create, package and ship our products.
We had a little ‘get together’ the other day, and I brought my trusty camera along so I could give you a peek at most of the movers-and-shakers around here. This is the second year of a new company tradition: our summer chicken-in-the-barrel party (we cook our chicken a little bit differently than the recipe on the link…but the main concept is the same, and it is to-die-for yummy). So, without further ado, meet the crew:
We really had a nice time, the evening was calm and warm, the food was great, the company was fun, and we finished with this:
Have you heard? New things are happening over at One Small Child!
We are happy to announce that we’ve just added Paypal as a payment option for our site, and more changes are coming…stay tuned for some exciting new products and services.
It was a pleasant surprise to receive this little bit of love from my friend Esther, the talented genius whose expertise has contributed to the dressing of thousands of sweet little babies. Thanks!
I’ll spread the love a little with a few bloggers I can’t get through my day without: Sandi, Heather, and Ree.
We sincerely hope you are having a beautiful holiday season. We are truly grateful for the opportunity we have to work with our wonderful customers. We wish you all health, happiness, and joyful celebrations!
