HSH Product Catalog is available

As we print additional copies of our new product catalog, I realized that I hadn't posted about it here. We released our first printed catalog in mid-November (see above). It is 16 pages and contains all of our main curtains styles as well as all the fabric selections. It has been flying out of the office like crazy! We hope it will be a big help to those who don't have internet access or want to sit and ponder a bit with the catalog in front of them. You can order a free copy on our website. Follow this link: HSH Product Catalog

What's up with the weather in OHIO?!!?

(Photo shown in the Akron Beacon Journal)

Today is December 29th. Two days ago, a 100+ year record fell for the high temperature as we reached 65 degrees. When normally we're plowing snow and shivering in near-zero temps, folks around here are cleaning up leaves, taking walks and grilling on their decks! I remember a few years back when we had a warm stretch in early December and the trees were starting to bud. It's very strange, and I figure we'll be paying for it sooner or later.

Days Gone By

I Blinked. . . and Christmas was OVER!

The older I get, the faster the calendar pages turn! Here I go again. . . saying that I can't believe how much time has gone by since I last posted! I had great plans to post lots of pictures of Christmas decorations and the like, but the truth is that the past month was a whirlwind of filling orders before the USPS deadline on Dec. 20th. Throw in all the church and family activities, plus only 3 days to do ALL my Christmas shopping, it was bound to happen. Christmas Eve I started feeling a little strange - you know, the chills, ver-r-r-y tired, scratchy throat. Christmas Day was not quite as bad, but I knew I was going down for the count by the morning after. I spent the day in my jammies and went back to bed for a good 3-hr. nap, then napped again in my recliner. Today brought a little more energy but still a very sore throat and swollen glands. My sweet daughter-in-law made me a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup - just what the doctor ordered! I hate being sick, so I hope I'll be back in the groove by Monday.

Here are a few pictures of the Yoak clan. We were very blessed to have our immediate family all together on Christmas Day, with the exclusion of Mom who was home fighting a bad cough and cold. We think of the friends and family whom we've lost in the past year and miss their presence - Mom (Virgie) Yoak, brother-in-law Dick Summers, cousins Shirley Barnette, John Flood, and Jack Boone, friends Bob Hall, Phil Lowe, and Chris Cole. You all touched our lives in your own special way. Mostly I am thankful for the hope of salvation through knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. He truly is the reason for the season.

The Yoak Family Picture, Christmas 2008

Brian & Randa Yoak
Sammy (7) ~ Ryan (9) ~ Randy (5)

Steve & Melissa Yoak
Kaylee (19 mos.) and Natalie (3)

Keith & Sarah Yoak

Christmas Open House at The Hen House

I got some pictures today from a customer in PA - Mary Lynch and her sister Cheryl who own The Hen House in Macungie. From what I recall, The Hen House actually IS the original hen house on Mary's farm. One day I hope to visit it for myself. Take a look at the fun things they had in the shop for their Christmas Open House.

I love these little guys!!!

Hope you enjoyed the little tour as much as I did! Be sure to drop in and see Mary and Cheryl. The store is open Thursday - Saturday.
The Hen House
3125 Seisholtzville Road
Macungie, PA 18062
610-845-3505

More info about the Country Sampler Ad

Here ya go! Click the photo above for the direct link to my Virginia House Swag Curtains on www.countrysampler.com. I'm pretty excited and happy how my first product ad in the magazine turned out. Of course you can order directly through www.homesweethomespuns.com too.

Also check out the chenille snowman basket from my good friend Cindy Work of Cindy's Workshop.

Click on the photo above or go to www.picturetrail.com/cindysworkshop for more details. Cindy has several items still on-line. Just plug in Cindy's Workshop in the search box at www.countrysampler.com to see all her items.

This week will prove to be one of the busiest so far before the holidays. Several customers are needing/wanting their orders in time for Thanksgiving, so we'll be sewing, sewing, sewing! Sure wish I had time to make my own living room curtains! I think I'm like the shoemaker's daughter.

What's important to you?

For someone who is rarely at a loss for words, sometimes it's just plain hard to keep up with bloggin'. I tend to think, "Why would anyone want to read my blog?" Especially this time of year, I'm very much in ROBOT MODE so life is pretty predictable and boring. My typical day: Look at the orders on hand, answer e-mails, send out fabric swatches, order fabrics for new jobs, delegate orders to my contract seamstresses, SEW, SEW, SEW, package orders, start all over! Oh, and every now and then, I need to make a trip to the grocery store. It's a crazy busy time of the year, and it will be even more so this Christmas season with our ad in Country Sampler Magazine. Thank goodness for Carol, who is handling the bulk of the sewing for the Virginia House Swag Curtains. I am SO-O blessed to have found her! Also Jan and Dee who have been a tremendous asset this year. I think we're turning into a very good team.

Anyway, today was one of those days that I planned to bury myself in my workshop. I'd already lost a day yesterday with attending a funeral and helping with the dinner at my church. I KNEW I had to grocery shop sometime, but hey, what's more important- getting orders completed or having food in the house? I got an early start and was making progress. . . until my DIL phoned. She was coming across town to shop at our favorite Food Outlet and thought we might hook up while she and Randy Gunner-man were in town. Sew? Meet Randa? Sew? Meet Randa ~ so I headed to the Outlet Store thinking I'd get there around the same time. 'Cept she wasn't there; she'd stopped at an antique/estate liquidation store down the road and was quite happy with what she was seeing. Off I went to the antique store, and was I glad I went! The owner was a sweetheart, and she even set up a video of Beauty and the Beast for Randy while Mom and Grandma browsed. Randa found a beautiful couch that will go perfectly in their living room! It was a great deal with a nice mark-down by the store owner. I also got a vintage set of children's dishes, cups, and pitchers - 31 pieces for $10.00. Randa said she had a set just like it as a little girl, and now Grandma can have tea parties with Natalie and Kaylee. After stops at the Outlet, Marc's, Giant Eagle, the post office, and The Olde Picket Fence, I headed back to JoAnn Fabrics for a few supplies. Finally got home, unloaded the groceries, made supper, and got a couple of hours sewing in this evening. I didn't get all my intended list done today, but I got to spend some quality girl time with my DIL, got the pantry stocked again, and still got two orders done and shipped. I feel really, really good about that couch too as it was much needed.

The moral of this story is: Remind myself to not let "things" or my "list" become more important than the people I love. After seeing the grief of a family who lost their 21-year old son in an auto accident, it puts time spent in perspective. I'm glad I made the right choice today.

Randa Yoak, my daughter-in-law

The Country Sampler Magazine Ad is Out!

Finally! The Primitives issue of The Country Sampler Magazine came today, and you can see our Virginia House Swags on Pgs. 148-149. Here is a scanned photo of the room display. I'm pretty pleased for my first actual product ad in the Country Sampler Magazine!

Page 148

You can see this style of Virginia House Swags on our website - www.homesweethomespuns.com

Primp Your Pad

I snagged these photos off Linda's blog of the Va. House Swags we made her this past summer. If you haven't checked out her blog, Primp Your Pad, please do so. She has a wealth of decorating ideas and she features tons of prim homes and gardens as well as her store. Linda's home will be featured in the upcoming 2009 Country Sampler Home Tour Edition.

Linda chose H70 Mustard/black Windowpane fabric for her curtains. You will be able to see this style in the Red/tea dye ticking in the soon-to-arrive Dec-Jan Country Sampler Magazine. Can't wait!

Holiday Open House

Saturday, November 8th, is the big week-end around our area for Holiday Open Houses. That includes The Olde Picket Fence in Hartville, which is the home base for my curtain display since 2000. This is the 20th year for Wanda, and the store looks awesome! Check out the pics I snapped yesterday as the crafters are transforming their booths from Fall/Harvest to Christmas holiday mode. The theme this year is "Sleigh Bells Ring."

Ellie is the owner of this antique sleigh.

Oh my, those snowballs will melt in the 70 degree weather we enjoyed yesterday! Not to fear, the weather forecast says cooler days are coming this week-end.

Welcome to The Olde Picket Fence!

The front entrance to the store showcases a mix of items.

My curtain display with a few seasonal items.

Suzie D's appliqued tees and hoodies (Vendor 46)

Tammy's painted tees and sweatshirts (Vendor 49)

Patti & Blair White offer lots of homemade goodies. Blair is a tinsmith who makes barn stars and tin swag hooks to name a couple. (Vendor 91)

I love what Brenda did with this old ladder. The honeysuckle vines and lights are true prim decorating. Lots of reproduction furniture and home accents in this booth. (Vendor 35)

Our Woodshop (Vendor 34) takes up the back room of the store. Thomas and Kathy Jones will knock your socks off with the reproduction furniture they make.

The prim room is one of the new additions to the store. Lynn Ann and Cindy really know how to capture the early primitive decorating. I could stay in that room all day. (Vendors 52 & 55)

Mary and her daughter adjoin the prim room and have lots of prim goodies and altered art items. (Vendor 51)

Diane really shines at the holidays with her woodcrafts. She's responsible for all the snowmen in the window boxes outside the store. (Vendor 59)

I always look forward to Open House week-end. This year I will meet some friends for an early breakfast at Helen's Kitchen. After that, we plan to hit some of the other stores and craft shows before I work the afternoon shift at The Olde Picket Fence. This is the kick-off to the Christmas and Holiday shopping, a little earlier than most years. It's hard to think snow and Christmas after a string of 60-70 degree days this week. Definitely not typical NE Ohio weather for this time of the year, but I'm not complaining!

Signing off for now. . . .

Some photos from our customers

Wow, I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted! That should tell you how crazy busy the month of September was!! After a slow July and August, September orders came rolling in. October starts the holiday rush, so let it be known we are burning at both ends getting orders completed and shipped. A new wholesale customer in PA is keeping us hopping as well. If you're in the Allentown, PA area, stop in MACUNGIE and visit Mary at The Hen House.

I have a lot of catching up to do, but the clock is ticking and orders need to be made. For now, I wanted to post a few pictures I received from customers recently.

This is a charming bedroom! Our customer, Donna G., from Indiana, needed pillow shams to match her beautiful coverlet. I think she made a very good choice with the Red/Tea dye ticking fabric.



Customizing your prim home is what we love to do. Pam K. chose the Navy/tea dye reverse window pane fabric for her prim shower curtain.

See a close up view of the rag ties - a perfect prim alternative for shower hooks.


Until later. . .

Getting Back to Business

Home Sweet Homespuns September Special

We always try to offer some $ savings each month. During the month of September, we are offering FREE SHIPPING on any order over $100. You must enter the voucher code FREESHIP when checking out for the shipping charge to be valid.

Happy Labor Day!

Wow! Where did the summer go?! Actually, I'm happy to see September come as Autumn is my absolute favorite season of the year! I'll catch up on some happenings since it's been awhile since I last posted. First of all, remember the old windows we selvaged? Rod and I finally had a chance to add them to our display at The Olde Picket Fence. What do you think?

This week-end has been a busy one. Saturday was the wedding of my youngest nephew Michael and his lovely bride Candace. They are enjoying a week of honeymooning at Marco Island, Florida, so I hope Gustav and Hannah don't rob all the Florida sunshine from them.

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Michael Hughes!

Having some fun at the Reception!

This was one of the most touching and emotional tributes I have ever experienced. Sitting just to the left of the bridal table was this small table with two empty chairs representing two soldiers from Mike's unit who gave their lives for our country. Eric was Mike's roommate at Ft. Drum and was killed in Iraq with less than 45 days before his return hom. Eric's parents and brother drove from Minnesota and honored us all with their presence at the wedding.

Saturday was also the 5th anniversary for our son Steve and daughter-in-law Melissa. They were surprised with having their special day acknowledged by the DJ and enjoyed a dance with the longest-married couple (62 years).

Happy Anniversary, Steve & Melissa!

And the winner is. . .

. . . Michelle Ciciotti of Brockport, New York! Michelle had two entries and was chosen from 70+ possible winners during our Summer Promotion. She will be receiving the Rag Ball & Berry Basket donated by Cindy Workshop. Congratulations, Michelle!

My son Keith doing his "bee thing"

In the summertime, my youngest son Keith works part time for a medical laboratory that develops anti-venom serum against allergic reactions to bee stings. We've had two pretty large nests in our bushes, which unfortunately were discovered by the fellas who were trimming them. Sorry, Adam and Danny.

This is SO COOL to watch my son in action! He is completely sealed with his "bee suit" with a jacket, baseball hat, gloves, rubber bands, duct tape and safety glasses as extra safeguards. The bald-face hornets spray venom as they attack, and it's impossible not to breath it in through the netting of the head gear. Keith says it's disgusting and tastes like insect repellent. Without the safety glasses, the venom burns his eyes. When the hornets spray, it marks the "target" for the rest of the hive to attack.

This is our second summer to watch this process at our house. First thing that happens before Keith begins is Rod and I take our respective guard posts. We live on a corner lot and have many walkers and bicyclists out and about. Rod takes the upper side, and I take the lower side. I'm zooming the camera in to get the photo shots since I can't get too close.

Keith begins to cut around Nest #1. The goal is to get the entire nest undamaged into a heavy cardboard bag, which will then be placed into a cooler of dry ice. For now, he cuts it away and leaves it lying safely on the bushes so he can come back after dark and bag it. By then, the hornets will all be back into the hive.

The hornets are pretty stirred up. Rod said after Keith went to the second nest, he could actually see the bushes moving from all the swarming.

Nest #2 turns out to be much bigger than we thought. You can't see in the pictures, but the hornets are totally swarming Keith. We don't let anyone walk or bicycle past during this time, even making sure vehicles have their windows closed.

The hard part is over. Now all he has to do is come back after dark and bag them. They go into dry ice and the males are separated and sent to the lab. (Don't ask me how he figures that out!) He knows his bees.

The volleyball sized Nest #1 is detached and ready to bag. I took this picture through my screen door because they were still pretty angry and Keith was looking after his mama. DON'T GET CLOSE TO THEM, MOM! Nest #2 was bigger, but I couldn't get close enough to take a picture. Another successful bee removal. Thanks, Keefers! Now Adam and Danny can finish trimming the bushes.

The morning after update: Keith came at 5:30am this morning, stuffed cotton balls in the entrance to the nests and bagged them. He doesn't think he lost a single bee. Yeah!

Primitive Eye Candy

One of my customers, Linda from Primp Your Pad, has some great photos on her blog from one of her favorite eBayers. It was just enough "tease" to check out circa1892*homesteadprimitives' listings on eBay. These photos are all taken from previous auction listings, and I've saved them as favorite "Primitive Eye Candy." What a gift of decorating and displaying and her photography is amazing! Hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do.