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Hiya
With regard to sending parcels to the US, I thought the following might be useful. I'd been sending my bears to the US with FedEx. Everything had gone fine, then on the most recent one I had a call from the courier office to say that my parcel had been delayed this end because the pouch didn't have the Textile Declaration required by US customs 
. Well I'd never used one before - never even heard of it 
, but he man insisted that I needed one. I think it might help your parcel clear customs if they pick up anything on the Xray. I've cut and pasted the information from the form they emailed me, I don't think it's an official form, but if you were to include a piece of paper with roughly the same information it might divert the customs officials from mutilating the teddies 
. I just put the filling information on the detailed description part. Hope this helps 
USA (IMPORT) TEXTILE CHECKLIST
(use one checklist per commodity on invoice)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION ____________________________________________
(what is it?)
GENDER(if wearing apparel) ____________________________________________
KNIT or WOVEN (for wearing apparel) ___________________________________
KNOT DETAILS (stitches per cm) __________________________________
KNOTTED /TUFTED/WOVEN (for carpets/rugs) ____________________________
MEASUREMENTS in CM or M2 (for fabrics/carpets/rugs) _____________________
QUANTITY _____________________
Manufacturer Information
Name _____________________________________________
Street Address _____________________________________________
City/County _____________________________________________
Country _____________________________________________
Purpose of shipment (check one)
_________ Commercial Goods
_________ Sample not for resale
_________ Marked Sample not for resale
_________ Mutilated Sample not for resale
_________ Unsolicited Gift, not for resale
_________ Personal use, not for resale
_________ Personal Effects
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)None of my fellow miniaturists must be on this forum; for years I've heard the Aussies say they weighted their minis with garnet/granite chips (both given tho they may be the same item). Anyone familiar with this or use them?"
I've always thought that one of your considerations in choosing a weighting material is how firmly the creation will be stuffed. Some of these materials don't have rounded smooth edges; if they're at all 'sharp', it seems like the abrasive quality is likely to cut as they smoosh around in anything not stuffed very firmly.
Any thoughts?
Past Time BearsThanks much, Vicky, for the info on the textile form. I've never heard of it either, but then I've never sent anything to the US from outside the US. 
Bobbie . . . the gravel chips I have seem to have been tumbled so that there aren't any sharp edges. The aquarium gravel is a little rougher, but if tied up in a pouch before putting inside the bear, I think it might be okay. In any case, any stuffing material I use has little room to shift around, because I stuff pretty tightly. But you do have a point.
Just Us BearsBobbie,
I know of people who use garnet in their bears. What is garnet is actually made of? Does anyone know? Perhaps I'll google it. I have seen it before as our panel beater uses it for sandblasting...it appears to have a residue and I wonder if it stains?
Garnet is sand like only finer and I would imagine it's more likely to be eyed suspiciously by customs because of this.
Bobbie
Like Hayley said, the garnet is very finely milled so perfect for minis. It's a funny pinkish red in colour - I guess it's waste from garnet mining that they purify and pulverise. . I used to use it but I actually like the steel better, and I've always been worried about customs (even though it had to be imported here in the first place). I guess the issue is - when you're using an organic material, the customs guys have no way of verifying our claims of clean, processed garnet without opening up the bear - and we don't want that happening!
Yep Sue Ann....apparantly the whole house had to be encased in plastic stuff and fumigated - so those were some mighty ants in his pants. :crackup:
Jare Hares & BearsWell this is good information to know.
One time mom sent a bear to OZ and included a bag of chocolates and didn't even think about it.
The bear was stopped in customs and fumagated. The dog had smelled the chocolate and that was what lead to the fumagation.
So when we send bears overseas no more goodies for the new bear owner. We have to limit that to buyers within the US.
