We've all been hearing a lot about the CPSIA recently. For those not in the know, that's the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, passed in the US in August and ready to go into effect February 10, 2009.

More about it here...

For six days you shall labour and do all your work.

But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you.

Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

---

I started writing this contemplation yesterday morning, one of the first acts of what was going to be a busy, busy day. Like nearly all of my days -- when you own your own business and are its only employee, you don't get a lot of time off.

I'm aware of the irony of this, mind you, given the quotation with which I started. I'm also aware that not all of my readers are Christians -- in fact a majority may not be. And that's fine! But I am, and so I go by that particular set of rules.

...except for where I completely don't. I rarely manage a full day off from the business of mine. It's certainly less often than once a week, and when I do manage a sabbath-day it's rare that it falls on an actual Sunday.

I'd planned to write a piece about self-care, about the importance of taking some time off every once in a while. I wrote, realized that I wasn't entirely sure where I was going, and saved the post, then walked away to work on something else.

At which point I strained my back so badly I spent most of the rest of yesterday doing, well, nothing.

I was in a whole lot of pain (eased by prompt application of rum and a bath, but still) but it felt nice to simply spend several hours chatting with friends, snuggling with the cat, watching someone make soup, and being generally waited on. The laundry sat waiting, I did no production, I didn't write so much as a word.

...perhaps next time I'll take that break without needing the pulled back muscles to remind me. Thanks, God, and I do appreciate it, but maybe a little less pointed reminder next time?

Time to make room for the new! And with so many new products planned for 2009, I needed to make space. So it's time for the bath teas and milk baths to go!

Yep, all of them. Reduced to only $6 a jar. You'll save one-third off of the original price! Help me make them go away -- I want my shelf space back!

You can find them all in the section marked CLEARANCE. Buy some today!

Since I'm not around a lot on Saturdays, I figure I'll save those for catblogging. It's not like writing a post about the cats is difficult!

This first Saturday Catblogging post features a neat little toy/bed my mother got for the cats. I saw a picture of it in some blog or other and thought they'd probably like it.



Clicky for the kitty pics!

Like all my fellow jewelry makers, I'm always on the lookout for that one-of-a-kind piece, that pendant or set of beads, just the right thing to finish of the necklace I have in mind. Heritage Haven has just what you're looking for.

Of course I had to mention this piece...that's a Tibetan variant on the OM, there; I've seen it written so many different ways!



More gorgeous pictures here...