Three cheers for the Handmade Toy Alliance!

We've been fans of the Handmade Toy Alliance since this organization formed in 2008 in response to Congress's [expletive deleted] Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act. This ill-conceived (and ironically named) law is the impetus for launching our Save Handmade campaign, which we still try to keep updated as often as we can.

This week, we're honored to be joining other bloggers and editors to let you know about some of our favorite HTA members. When we support them, it doesn't just help a small business owner, it helps to insure that our kids--and their kids--grow up with have access to more choices than the mass-produced garbage from China.

 

One of our favorite shops on their roster and off, is the marvelous Craftsbury Kids. This exquisite shop is beautifully curated by mom Cecilia Liebowitz, (search it on Cool Mom Picks and you'll see how much we love it!). There's always something new and fabulous on her virtual shelves, and it's always guaranteed to be safely made, often in the US, by artists who really care about their craft.

It's one of my favorite go-to shopping sites for everything from heirloom handmade toys to diaper bags, nursery decor, personalized keepsakes, and a whole lot of baby gifts. In fact, I just gave the Sophie Giraffe teether at a shower in Massachusetts this weekend, and the women all squealed, that's the hottest toy right now!

Of course, Cecilia has carried it for years. She's gooooood.

But Craftsbury Kids is just one of so many HTA members we love. We encourage you to check the Handmade Toy Alliance site and find artists like Little Sapling Toys, Skipping Hippos, KLT: Works and so many more.

I always step back and think how lucky we are to live at a time when technology gives us access to the kind of selection we might have only found at small craft fairs or local boutiques on our travels. I just want to be sure we don't take these little gems for granted. -Liz

Find a list of Handmade Toy Alliance Members like Craftsbury Kids and learn more about all the great things the alliance is doing for our children at the HTA website.

[photos: little saplings wooden stacker, warm sugar custom gnome doll]

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