My Homespun Happenings

Tools of the Trade

2012-02-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

I LOVE THIS TOOL! Every craftsman or laborer has specific tools of the trade, and for a seamstress like me, the rotary cutter is invaluable.

The Fiskars Rotary Cutter is a rolling razor blade cutter used to cut fabrics into shapes, strips, and pieces for sewing, quilting, and craft projects (I guess it could cut pizza as well?). Rotary cutters are designed for left and right handed use and can cut through multiple layers of fabric, paper, felt, vinyl, cardboard, mar board, cloth, leather, and fiberglass material. Great for someone who works with fabrics, or even roofers, or postal jobs. (Fiskars)

Now mind you, a rotary cutter can go for a pretty good while and still do the job. (Just look at the description above lest you doubt its usage). But eventually, it gets dull and needs replaced. Sometimes that happens prematurely. Much to my chagrin, my rotary cutter crashed on me this week. Not because it went FAR past its life expectancy. Rather, because it went somewhere it should not have gone.

Uhm, . . . razor sharp blades can cut through just about anything . . . . except STRAIGHT PINS. Not once, but twice, and maybe thrice . . . because I am a goal-oriented person, and I had a mission to accomplish! (maybe I should also insert stubborn). The damage was known immediately. For several days, the tool that earlier had made life so simple became laborious and a time robber. I literally had to saw through only two thin layers of fabric . . . with rough, jagged edges left in the wake.

Okay, enough is enough. There has to be another blade in this shop somewhere!

Sure enough, I found a brand new replacement blade tucked safely in my storage cubby. With new blade in hand, my first cut through EIGHT layers of fabric was like a hot knife cutting through butter! I was amazed at the difference!

Immediately, the cut of the fabric cut my heart in a different way. Seeing the difference between the two tools was an AHA! moment. The fact that "It went somewhere it should not have gone." resulted in . . .

INEFFECTIVENESS

First of all, I was reminded that the Scriptures tell us that there are vessels of honor and vessels of dishonour. Like a physical tool of a trade, we who are Christ-followers are also tools and vessels. "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. ~ II Timothy 2:19, 20 KJV. (Lest I apprear preachy, what I am going to share are good fundamental truths no matter what religious views you hold, or none at all).

What determines the difference? In the case of my rotary cutter, it quickly went from being a tool of honor to a tool of dishonor. Why? Because it crossed a boundary. It went somewhere it should not have gone.

How many times do we cross boundaries that bring a change in our usefulness? How many times have we passed on a juicy piece of gossip . . . . taken up a cause under half-truths, assumptions, and speculations . . . stirred the proverbial pot of discord to justify our own opinions, statements, or deeds. . . or simply ran to the safety of our foxhole rather than stand up to the enemy and defend what was precious to us? How many times have we gone somewhere we should not have gone?

"You don't need to attend every argument you're invited to." ~ borrowed from a Facebook friend

"He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears." ~ Proverbs 26:17 KJV

"These . . .things doth the LORD hate: yea, . . . an abomination unto him: . . . feet that be swift in running to mischief, false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." ~ Proverbs 6:16, 18-19 KJV

The Result?

INEFFECTIVENESS

The rotary cutter needed a new blade to work the way it was intended to work. Without the new blade, it was worthless.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." ~ Psalm 51:10 KJV

"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. " ~ II Timothy 2:21 KJV

* Lest I become ineffective or leave a wake of destruction in my path, I hope the little lesson I learned from a dull rotary cutter blade will stop me the next time I am tempted to cross a boundary and go somewhere I shouldn't go.

What I Learned From Ollie

2012-01-31T10:08:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 99th year since my father, James Oliver Hughes, was born. I'm not sure where his surname originated since I've only heard my grandfather referred to as Mac. I do know that the middle name Oliver was given to him in honor of the country doctor who travelled through bad weather across the mountains and up a hollow around Skyles, West Virginia to deliver a baby boy to my Grandma Viola. Dad might have taken on his proper name Jim to his co-workers, but to his family and friends, he always was and still is remembered as Ollie.

My dad was 41 years old when I was born. Dad had his eye on the yongest Davis girl but he was 10 years older than her and had to wait for her to grow up. By the time I was born, he had fought in and survived the greatest war of our nation's history, married Nell Davis and fathered a son, worked in the West Virginia coal mines, moved his family out of the mountains after experiencing a mine cave-in, and was building blimps for Goodyear Aerospace in Akron, Ohio.

My dad holding my cousin, Glenn, and me.

When I think of my life, . . the things I love, the way I am, . . I see pieces of both my parents in me. As everyone does, we are molded by the example of others . . some by good example and some by bad. More things are caught than taught, they say. I think that was also the case with my dad since those who knew his father portrayed him as a very harsh man. (It's interesting to look at the old family photos. There is nary a photo of my grandma smiling until later in her life after my grandfather was gone). Dad could be that at times, but I don't think he wanted to be that way. So, here I am, a product of my parents . . . my dad (whom I will get to in a minute, and my mom, who is like Sherri Easter's song, Handful of Weeds, . . "She's the one who told me about Jesus. She's the one who taught me to sing." (and SEW!). I hope my children will do the same as I have, emulate the good and learn from the bad.

Being the baby of the family, I was not privy to all the family issues and goings on like my older brother was. I knew our life was hard. Dad had been laid off from Goodyear and worked out his remaining work years as a school custodian. I didn't know it then, but we were dirt poor. My grandma stayed with us off and on for years in our tiny little house. When she wasn't with us, we were travelling to Pennsylvania sometimes every week-end or every other one when she was very ill. When I was eleven years old, my world changed. My big brother graduated and enlisted in the US Army.

I'm not sure why, but I know my dad went into a dark place when Bob left for the Army. Maybe it was fear of losing his only son during the Vietnam War, maybe it was a trigger of memories of the horrendous things he had experienced in war, maybe it was the huge weight and responsibilities that were on his shoulders during that time. . . probably a combination of all. The next 7-8 years are not ones that I remember fondly, nor do I wish to write about. What I can say is that my dad later came to a place where he accepted by faith the true gift of salvation and experienced forgiveness through his Savior. He was a changed man. Not perfect, but changed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Things I Learned From Ollie:

1. He taught me to be a hard worker. My dad could be found on top of a roof or in the top of a tree doing the Ollie trim job until he was 80 years old. He always put out a garden. He always did anything for anyone. My parents had to work to survive. I'm glad I developed a good work ethic from both my mom and dad.

(I think Dad was starting me out young. Looks like I was mowing the yard in this old photo).

2. He taught me to love the woods and the mountains. I said to my mom this morning, "Dad would have loved to have a day like this for his birthday, wouldn't he? Mom: "Yes, he'da been out diggin' something." It didn't matter . . . hunting squirrels, fishing for bluegill, digging Ginseng, Dad loved the woods. They were solace to him, and they are to me.

3. He taught me to love the simple things. Brown beans and cornbread or a bowl of corn mush and milk were as much appreciated as a steak dinner . . . which by the way, we never had. We lived off the garden for the most part, with some chicken or Spam. I swore I'd never live that like. How stupid my young self was. Now I pay good money to antique stores and auctions to re-capture the things of my simple, poor childhood.

4. He taught me to love auctions and pickin'. I was just telling my husband last night, "How would I have known all those years ago that I would still love to go through someone else's junk to find a treasure?" I think it is because Dad would go to the Auction House on S. Arlington Street on Friday nights. I was too little to stay up that late, but Saturday mornings always came with a treat, some treasure that Dad had bought for me at the auction. Today, going to an auction or a tag sale or better yet, if possible, going through an abandoned building looking for treasures, equals FUN.

5. He taught me to love animals. We always had a dog. And cats. He brought me home a baby squirrel that became my pet for awhile. He even let me bring home a banty rooster all the way from West Virginia one time. He always swore he'd never have another one after the death of a favorite dog . . . but eventually we did.

Our beloved TIPPY. The mayor of Molly Drive. He was getting older here as you can see by the white snout. I think this picture was taken shortly before he was hit by a car and killed.

6. He taught me to fix things. My dad could fix anything. He wasn't a carpenter, but he built the house my mother still lives in 56 years later. He taught my boys to pound nails into a piece of wood. It the nails bent, Dad taught them how to straighten them. One day he told my middle son, Steve. "Stevie, you just might make a pretty good carpenter someday." I think he would be proud of my barn-building son today. . . on many levels.

Dad had a solution for everything. My first-born son, Brian, was having a terrible time teething, One night, Dad sneaked and gave me a little bottle of whiskey to take home. He said, "And if things get really bad, you can rub some on his gums."

7. He taught me to laugh. My dad was . . . putting it mildly . . . ORNERY (as seen in #6). How many of the grandkids were fooled time and time again by his request, "Here, pull my finger." Hopefully not as crude, but I have inherited a bit of my dad in that respect. I have known to be ornery a few times. ;-p

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So, . . . this is how I choose to remember my dad on what would have been his 99th birthday.

#1 Young, strong, healthy and handsome.

#2 Oops, Dad, your eyes are closed! Accident, probably. . . but that grin . . oh, that grin says a 1,000 words and makes me laugh out loud just seeing it.

#3 Older, on the brink of the battle with cancer that would take him. A man who proved his love for his family, not in words but in deeds.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD. SEE YA LATER!

Happy BIRTHday!

2012-01-18T11:18:00.000-08:00

January 18, 1977 was the typical "what Ohio winters used to be" kind of day. It was bitter cold, blustery, with close to a foot of blowing, drifting snow. It was also four days past the due date of my first child. It had taken us almost three years to conceive. . . month after month of disappointment and tears, doctors' visits, well-meaning advice from friends and family. . . and finally our baby would soon be here! I was more than ready, but baby Yoak was content to stay put. Only a fingertip were the words from my OB/GYN. Dr. Yoder was firm (absolutely NO more than 20# gained during pregnancy), adamant (this baby will come when he is good and ready), matter of fact (It's a BOY. The heart rate is 120), but caring and compassionate underneath that stoic demeanor (we were soon to see that side of him).

Rod and I had rented a tiny, two-bedroom house within walking distance of my parents when we married. He worked an ungodly night shift in Stow (25 minutes away) and was gone from 3:15 in the afternoon to nearly 3 am in the morning.  We were both so excited about finally having a child! Towards the end of my pregnancy, I was awakened many nights by the sounds of squeaks and rattles as my sweet husband and soon-to-be daddy inspected every item in the tiny room that we'd prepared as a nursery. I think he spent a lot of time in that room as he unwound from his long shift. I know he prayed over this child, for me, for him. The birth of one's first child is a crazy scary time, and we were just kids ourselves.

Now we were in the grip of winter, and my due date had come and gone.  My dad was very careful to put a light under the hood of his car every night. With only an open carport as shelter, the warmth helped the engine start in the bitter cold temps.  My sister-in-law Janie was eight months pregnant, and both of us night-shift widows spent many evenings at my parents' house. We must have played hundreds of games of Yahtzee and maybe ate that many tomato and cheese sandwiches.  My parents didn't mind. They enjoyed the antics of their first grandchild, Heather, as she toddled around.  But this night, January 17th, I had stayed home. A storm had dropped more snow that week. Rod had shovelled just enough to pull his car off the road, but the drifting in our long driveway made getting my car out impossible. I was anxious but content to stay home and watch a new mini-series on TV called Roots.

Memories can blur after 35 years, but I will always remember that nagging cramping that started . . . and continued . . . in my lower back. By the time Rod got home, I knew I was in labor. We both tried to rest for awhile, but there was little sleep. We made the call to Dr. Yoder who instructed us to head to the hospital. It was time! With all the bags packed and ready, Rod trudged out to the end of the driveway to warm up the car. G-r-i-n-d . . . c-l-i-c-k, c-l-i-c-k. After only sitting a few hours, the car's battery was sapped from the cold and refused to start. DOESN'T THAT CAR KNOW WE HAVE A BABY COMING?!!! Okay, time for the back-up plan.

Soon we were in the back seat of my parents' car as my dad nervously drove us to the hospital. I don't know who was more anxious. . Dad, Mom, Rod or me. The road was so hooved up from the freezing temps that winter that Rt. 619 was like a washboard! Dad drove so-o-o slow that it seemed like an eternity before we arrived at Barberton Citizens Hospital! I KNOW my poor dad was afraid I'd deliver in the car!   If only we knew.

Lest I bore you with details, let me just say that after two IV's of labor-inducing Pitossin and twelve more L-O-N-G hours of back labor, our beautiful blue-eyed baby boy finally arrived.   (Yes, Dr. Yoder was right . . . all three times. Oh, and I found out later that my doctor was at the hospital for many hours that day. While I was slowly laboring, he waited there - even playing cards with the nurses). Our first son, Brian James Yoak was born on January 18th at exactly 8:18 pm. Less than three years later, he would be joined by two more brothers, Stephen Wayne (Stevie) and Keith Michael (Keithie). And yes, some people still call them by those names. Precious babies who grew to be strong men . . our three sons whom we love so much.

It's hard to believe 35 years have passed so quickly since we held the first of our three sons. The pages of these boys' lives are etched in my heart and mind, but the roles are so different now. Now they are the young husbands and fathers, and we are the grandparents. They have brought us so much joy yet a few more gray hairs. I no longer can kiss away the sting of a boo-boo, and band-aids can't cover up the hurt of a broken heart. Stresses of life, wrong choices made, lessons learned the hard way are just as much a part of their lives as it was in ours. They have a lot of us in them, the good and the bad. But they are good men, these sons of ours.

Their dad and I rejoice because of eternal choices they have made.  "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3 Jn. 1:4

We take comfort in the truth that those choices carry with them an effectual working in their lives.  "The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." Psalm 138:8

We desire that all of life's experiences will expose that the greatest thing they can do is love. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

And like their parents . . who are continually learning that our mistakes and hard times are not the END but part of the process. " . . to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:3

~ ~ ~ ~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRIAN! We love you!

Brian with the youngest of his three sons

Today I was the Englisher.

2012-01-10T17:52:00.000-08:00

A girl has to take a road trip every now and then, and today was mine. It's early January, and that means it's time to consult with my MODA rep at The Holmes Country Fabric Show in Berlin, Ohio. Last year a snow storm closed the schools, but not this woman on a mission. Today was perfect! Blue skies, dry pavement, mild temps in this strange Ohio winter we're enjoying. It was a much-needed time to relax and enjoy the peaceful sights in the heart of Ohio's Amish country.

Looking over fabric samples with Mark Pytel of MODA/UNITED NOTIONS

Business was even going on in the parking lot.

By 5pm, my goals were accomplished and business was done. The sidewalks in Berlin were rolled up, the sun was setting, smoke from wood stoves was billowing out of chimneys and lying like a blanket across the valley, Amish men and women were scurrying out of town towards their homes. Some walked, some rode bicyles, and most travelled in buggies. Dusk was falling as I drove out of the rolling hills of Holmes County. Topping each knoll, I was careful to look for the reflective triangle that would signal an Amish buggy ahead. It was a treacherous time of day when many Englishers have brought tragedy to this community with their carelessness.

Our cabin . . . at least we claim it as ours .. Simple Blessings Cabin in Berlin, Ohio is a favorite place to stay.

Winesburg, OH

Taking the back road home is worth the extra time it takes just to drive through Winesburg. It has to be the perfect small town in America. It was a good day. My heart is full and my mind is rested.

Tomorrow is a new day. Much to do, and sew on. . .

Until next time.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

2012-01-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

Art Linkletter is known for his hit TV show in the 50's and 60's, "Kids Say the Darndest Things". I remember watching the show as a kid. Now I'm a grandma of (soon to be) seven, and I never run short of amusement at what comes out of those kids' mouths.

For instance, . . last night the three youngest (Natalie - 6, Kaylee - 4 1/2, Max - 2) spent the evening with Grandpa (affectionately known as Crappaw) and me. The routine is the same before we watch a movie together - the children find the box of pre-packaged popcorn, pull a chair over to the counter, fight over who pops theirs first, someone finally pushes the popcorn picture on the microwave, then we all wait with great anticipation as the first pops are heard, the bag expands, and we can count down the ticking clock . . . 10 . . 9 . . 8. . 7. . 6 . . 5 . .4 . .3. . 2 . . 1 . . BLAST OFF!!!!! Even little Max got into the routine last night as he pulled out a 3rd bag, pushed another chair across the kitchen floor, and prematurely started his count, "eh, ooh, oh, . . " (sounds a whole lot like when he recites the alphabet).

Me: "Max, we're not going to pop three bags. That's too much. You would each have to eat a whole bag!"
Natalie: "But Grandma, if you and Crappaw eat some, it won't be too much."
Me: "No, Crappaw can't eat popcorn. It hurts his teeth." (my quick explanation of something far more complicated).

Natalie: (looking sad) . . . "He's got a really hard life."

Me: "Yes, he does, Nattie. Yes, he does."

Crappaw teaching Natalie to play checkers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This collection of "Kids Say The Darndest Things Quotes" shows how children think about serious matters, such as heaven and hell, God, religion, church, and so on.

Please, do not get offended, but enjoy these innocent thoughts, for kids are kids, and they can say the funniest things.

On Heaven and Hell

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'.
The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?'
The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.

How to get in heaven

An exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into mischief, finally asked him 'How do you expect to get into Heaven?'

The boy thought it over and said, 'Well, I'll run in and out and in and out and keep slamming the door until St. Peter says, 'For Heaven's sake, Dylan, come in or stay out!

~~~~~

The Commandments

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."

~~~~~

A Sunday school class studying the Ten Commandments were ready to discuss the last one. The teacher asked if anyone could tell her what it was. A little girl raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall not take the covers off the neighbor's wife."

~~~~~

Kids Say the Darndest Things Quotes: thoughts about God

Have you seen God?

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.'
The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.'
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute.'

Kids Praying

A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if you can't make a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am."

~~~~~

I had been teaching my three-year old daughter the Lord's Prayer at bedtime. She would repeat after me the lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully pronounced each word right up to the end of the prayer: "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some e-mail."

~~~~~

Three year old boy: "Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen."

~~~~~

One four-year old prayed: "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

~~~~~

After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys."

~~~~~
A Sunday school teacher asked her children, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?"
One bright fellow replied, "Because people are sleeping."

~~~~~

Six-year-old sister Angie, and four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sand, and talked out loud. Finally his big sister had enough.
"You're not supposed to talk out loud in church."
"Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said,
"See those two men standing by the door? They're hushers."

~~~~~

Moral Lessons

A Mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5-year-old, and Ryan 3-year-old. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw an opportunity for a moral lesson.

She said, "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.'
Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

~~~~~

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?"
Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"

2012-01-03T05:39:00.000-08:00

COZY UP!

Introducing an expansion to our bedding line at Home Sweet Homespuns. . .the homespun coverlets! They range from Throw size to King size. Nice and fluffy, tufted, and a great way to complete your bedding ensemble (shams, bed skirts, pillow cases, accessory pillows). Coordinate your entire bedroom with made-in-the-USA window treatments and bedding, all made just the way you need them. Click on Bedding and Throws on our website for more information.

If you want something a little more personalized or need an extra-special gift for a birthday, bridal shower, anniversary, holiday, graduation, or whatever. . . be sure to check out the custom throws by Warm Intentions! Each one is a one-of-a-kind work of art. Cindy, the owner of Warm Intentions makes each one unique with her own personal touches. I LOVE my throw! Fleece on the back, floral on the front, it looks as beautiful as it is functional. Contact Cindy at Warm Intentions for information and pricing.

A few of her creations (below)

Twin Size

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this one!

Personalized with photos of the young boy's favorite things!

MAN-size!

Another very personal and customized gift ~ a blanket and dress to match.

This one is mine!

2012-01-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

It is very obvious that one of my New Year's resolutions should be

KEEP UP WITH THE BLOG!

Pretty embarrassing to say the least. I would like to spare you of one of those annual 3-page Christmas letters. However, I may be guilty of that in order to put 2011 in retrospect -- just the highlights
(with my middle-aged short-term memory issues, I'm sure I'll forget some). Let's see,
1) Husband sold his business

2) Husband started a new job
3) I moved my business to a new location
4) We moved to a different home
5) I opened a retail shop/showroom.
6) I closed the retail shop/showroom (details to follow)
7) I'm still looking for things that are buried in packed boxes
. . Let me insert here that 1-4 happened within one month. CRAZY.

Yes, this past summer marked a new venture for Home Sweet Homespuns! We moved! Yep, we are now located in a brand new space, a completely-renovated century building from the late 1800's. We are in 100% full production for our web business and daily production.

(Before move)

Moving a business was not an easy task. We weren't sure if my 4x8 work station would even fit in the door.

Will it fit?

Muscle power from four men, . . .

Sitting in place, minus the counter top

Yeah, they did it!!

Mom getting the first look at the new shop. I think she's pleased.

We are told that our building was built in the late 1800's and was originally a parsonage. I would love to dig deeper into the history of the building! It holds much charm with the original pine floors in the two rooms that we planned to use as our showroom. Our workshop held some challenges with our huge cutting table strategically placed between what we have been told are two old hitching posts. The room faces the east, so the morning sun pours in through the windows and brightens the entire space.

Here's an excerpt of my journal on the first day: Today was the first full day of production. I was quite pleased with the arrangment of the sewing machines, cutting table, ironing board and fabric cupboard all in close proximity to one another. Track lighting above the machines added extra brightness for cloudy days. Ready, set, go! Ready, set, . . . oops, there goes the foot pedal sliding away on the new laminate floor! Re-position, . . . ready, set, . . . move back to adjust the foot pedal again, and there goes my chair slowly but surely rolling sideways towards the back wall! The old floors have a tad bit of a slant to them. . . needless to say, at the end of the day the machines were re-positioned so I would roll towards them instead of drifting slowly away every time I moved. The foot pedals are finding new spots securely wedged against a table leg or sitting on non-grip rubber. At the end of the day, we accomplished a decent amount of jobs and worked out a few kinks. All in a days' work.

Yes, downsizing one's home, which for years has housed a business in its lower ranks, was quite a challenge to our business operation. Thankfully, the summer months are a little slower for our web-based business, so we were able to make the move, get set up, and start operations in a new location within a matter of days. Although it was a wonderful space, and one where we could actually have a curtain showroom and primitive mercantile, we soon discovered it was not practical to stretch our focus in two directions.

With the busy holiday season fast approaching, we decided to concentrate on what we do best, and that is focusing on our curtain business via the web. A little disappointing, but it was the right thing to do. Although a store had always been a dream, our main operations center and office is functioning quite well. Customers can still drop in or schedule an appointment to discuss their custom job.

I would say 2011 was a CHALLENGING year. I'm not particularly fond of it, although it stretched me in ways that hopefully made me a better person. On a personal level, 2012 brings the anticipation of our 7th grandchild due on St. Patrick's Day. On the business side, we're always looking for ways to improve. We have already made some changes in our product line, adding some new items that we hope you will like such as: Homespun throws and coverlets in our Bedding line, and more selections in our Kitchen line. More additions will be coming as we progress throughout the year.As always, look for our ads in Country Sampler Magazine. Each issue features one or more featured products. Our new Winter Product Brochure is now printed and available for mailing. You can also LIKE US on Facebook to keep up to date with the latest announcements. Here's to a great 2012! Bring it on.

Where the Pills Go

2011-01-29T14:23:00.000-08:00

Mom got a kick out of this!

Where the Pills Go

A row of bottles on my shelf

Caused me to analyze myself.

One yellow pill I have to pop

Goes to my heart so it won't stop.

A little white one that I take

Goes to my hands so they won't shake

The blue one that I use a lot

Tells me I'm happy when I'm not.

The purple pill goes to my brain

And tells me that I have no pain.

The capsule tells me not to wheeze

or cough or sneeze.

The red one, smallest of them all,

Goes to my head so I won't fall.

Such an array of brilliant pills,

Helping cure all kinds of ills.

But what I'd really like to know

Is what tells each pill where to go!

~ Etta Cisco

The Girls from Home Sweet Homespuns

2011-01-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

I thought you might want to see the girls from Home Sweet Homespuns! Here we are after enjoying a year-end dinner and celebration of another great year of on-line entrepreneurship. Every one of these ladies is a talented artist in her own realm, besides being a great seamstress and valuable member of our team.

Front Row: Debbie, Lisa

Middle Row: Carol, Jan, Donna (me), Pam

Back Row: Cindy, Pat

Here's looking to another great year in 2011!

Teaching Tuck and Ty

2011-01-22T10:15:00.000-08:00

I have some amazing friends in Denver, Colorado. They have an amazing daughter, Tricia Lott Williford. On December 23, 2010, their lives forever changed. Please follow her story as she begins a journey of her new normal.

Teaching Tuck and Ty

Out of Steam

2011-01-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

I am a seamstress. The most important piece of equipment in my workshop is my sewing machine . . . or rather all four of them. The second most important piece is my Rowenta Pressure Iron and Steamer. I cannot stress how important my Rowenta is to my daily production. It is in "ready mode" from early morning until the shop lights go out in the evening.

NOTHING aggravates me more than being nearly finished with a project when I start hearing that dreaded sound. . . that waning sound . . . the steady burst of hot steam fizzling into a weak phfffftt.

Today I found myself yelling at my iron. "I JUST FILLED YOU UP YESTERDAY!!!" (Understand that a tank of water should last two full days, if not longer. Yesterday was a short work day, and it wasn't even noon when I started hearing the phffftt.)

"I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR YOU!! WHY CAN'T YOU WORK LIKE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WORK?!

So why all the fuss? First of all, it changes my plan. My work stops. It takes time for the iron to cool so I can unscrew the cap, release the pressure, then refill the reservoir. Then there is more waiting until the water heats up enough to produce that glorious steam.

For a period of time, the vessel is unusable.

The need to refill the tank on a daily basis is a definite indication of a problem, but there are other signs that should not be ignored. I have two Rowenta's, and I know the warnings when something is amiss. Inside the cap is a small green gasket. It is such a tiny but important member of this iron. When the gasket is new and working properly, the steam is stored until ready for use. It can be directly exactly as the operator intends, providing the right burst when, where, and how it is needed to perfect the job at hand. Over time, the gasket becomes worn. The steam starts to escape, starting out slowly and hardly noticeable until that unmistakable HISS. . . . SPIT. . . . SWOOSH! . . . . and the steam explodes from the vessel with an uncontrollable burst! Wasted. Unusable equipment in need of repair.

This morning, in the midst of my ranting, I thought how much I am like my Rowenta iron. I was created for a purpose. I can hear my Heavenly Father say, "I paid a high price for you."

In my body there is little member, this tongue of mine. When it is controlled, my words are safely stored and ready for the Master's use. . . ready to be directed where, when, and how they are needed. Like silver boxes storing words of encouragement, kindness, and love.

When this tongue is controlled, the Scriptures say it is powerful enough to steer an ocean liner. When uncontrolled, it can burn down an entire forest with one spark! (James 3). Such a small member. Such power it holds.

How I dread those times when my spirit is worn and the phffftt begins!

It is almost unnoticeable at first. Hissing out discontentment, spitting out criticism, spewing out ugliness. As soon as I am filled, I prematurely become empty and unusable. Without intervention . . .without the proverbial trip to the Master's Fix-It Shop for restoration, I may very well blow a gasket!

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer

What Do You Do During an Ohio Snowstorm?

2011-01-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

Go to Amish country, of course!

Six-eight inches of snow can't stop a girl on a mission when there's fabric involved! This was the day I was scheduled to meet my MODA fabric rep at the Fabric Show Reunion in Holmes County - the heart of Ohio's Amish country and an hour's drive away. We had some important business to conduct, mainly locking in future orders before a planned price increase. The morning brought one heavy snow squall after another. It was a dice game between my common sense and my dare devil side. I doubted that the lake effect snow we were getting would be reaching that far south, and a quick phone call confirmed just that. That's all I needed to know.

A phone call to my best friend to get her boots on and we quickly headed south. Well, that is after three attempts to get out of my driveway and at least ten attempts to drive up hers. The highways were in good shape, so I felt confident in venturing off on the "back roads" into Berlin. Everything was sparkly clean and white under a freshly-fallen layer of snow. The countryside was calm and peaceful except for an occasional group of sledders dotting a hillside. My friend, Cindy, is in love with old barns and she was furiously snapping photos with her Droid phone. She swears I was speeding around the curves and up and down the hills (Not!) while I accused her of yelling "STOP!" at least every 500 feet so she could take a photo. We are still laughing at the number of barns that mysteriously appear crooked in her photos!

With only a few miles of drifting snow across the county roads, the drive was uneventful and pleasant. Our trip was both therapeutic and profitable. The needed business was accomplished with a few extra bones thrown in, especially the chance meeting of Mr. Zinck. (We will be using Zinck's as a supplier in the coming days).

Business done. Supper at Boyd's-Wurtham Diner. Carry out dinners to take home to our husbands. A day with my best friend. It doesn't get much better than that.

(Note the sign: Cindy's Diner)

Pondering The Way Things Used To Be

2010-06-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Several things have happened recently that have set my mind to pondering. Pondering isn't something that I typically have time to do. After all, my days are spent juggling many balls which usually creates some serious mental overload. It started at dinner with friends a few days ago. One of the dads was being teased over his bumbling of text messaging acronyms and abbreviations. Not able to dicifer messages from him, his teenage daughter had told him, "Dad, just do it the old-fashioned way." We had a good laugh at his expense and compared the means of instant communication between kids today versus how we actually had to wait until the next school day to share the latest and greatest news. I continued my pondering as I attended the funeral today of an older cousin. Ed died at the ripe old age of 92. In my mind, he will forever be a quiet, middle-aged man with a round belly, semi-balding head, and a ready smile. As often happens during a funeral service and wake, we reminisced, shared stories, and viewed a collage of old photos. A flood of memories flowed of childhood days and a lump grew in my throat. I wished I could talk to my dad or have an "eating contest' with my Grandma Hughes. I used to trick her like that to get her to eat. Thinking back, I'm not sure who was tricking whom. (After all, my nickname then was Skinny Minnie). Adding to my pondering is the ever-present awareness of the battle that a close friend is fighting with cancer. I will share more about that later.

I recently had some miscommunication with some of my adult children. Mind you, our family has every means of communication available - cell phones, Blackberries, I-Phones, laptop computers, pc's, telephones. . . Communication should be easy, right? Not always. Let me just say that I love having an information highway at my fingertips. I love having an online store that is open 24/7 to the world. I am a self-confessed Facebook junkie. Nevertheless, having the objects of communication can't guarantee that we properly convey our thoughts, our intentions, our heart. Our miscommunication caused some hurt feelings. I found myself thinking about the way life used to be.

Remember the rotary dial telephone? Sometimes dialing the number took longer than the conversation itself! Phone numbers were only seven digits, and you remembered the number by Tyler 6 (896) or Midlake 4 (644), etc. The digit *1* was added to long distance numbers. There were extra charges for long distance calls, so those were limited. We got busy signals instead of voicemail. Today we have the convenience of cordless land line phones with numbers programmed into speed dial. We have unlimited long distance calling. The cumbersome *car phone* that plugged into the cigarette lighter and was used only for emergencies is long gone. Cell phones are portable computers and fit in our pockets.

Back in the olde days, we used to write letters that were sent via snail mail. I had pen pals, and Mom wrote letters to my aunts who lived out of state. We usually got several letters each week, and we all took turns reading them to hear the latest news. Sometimes there was no news but just a short note that said nothing but everything. Today we rely on email. Email has made letter writing obsolete. We can send a message across the world and receive a reply in a matter of seconds. We use email for everything from personal to business to merchandising to advertising to whatever. It is instant communication, although one-sided until our Inbox says otherwise. With Blackberry phones and I-Phones, our inbox goes everywhere we go. Instead of waiting for the mailman to deliver mail six times per week, we receive mail 24/7 with a ding, a chirp, or a buzz.

Then there is texting. Texting could pretty much replace emailing as it usually demands an instant response. Cell phones with texting capabilities are more common than a #2 pencil, and kids have their own special texting language. I still laugh whenI see a post on Facebook that says something to the effect of "Going to bed. Text it." I still haven't figured out who it is and how texts are sent while sleeping. In the olde days, we wrote notes and prayed that they didn't fall into the wrong hands. Of course we had our share of codes: BOLA, RMA, AFA, etc. (Just take a look in any of my high school yearbooks).

Socializing used to be done on the playground, in the lunchroom, on the ball field, in after school clubs, dances, church activities, neighborhoods, Scouts, etc. We could have a fight one day, sleep on it, and be best friends again the next day. Our friends were just that, and nothing made a kid happier than having a good, true friend. Today's friends are part of an army of names and thumbnail photos on a Facebook or MySpace page. We can categorize them, hide them, eavesdrop on them, private message them, chat with them, block them, defriend them, and sadly we can forget we are even friends with them. We can know what they do on a daily basis without ever talking to them just by reading their *wall*. And we call it communication.

So, why do I wish life could be as it used to be? I miss the simplicity. I miss hearing Mom say, "We have company!" and seeing a familiar car in the driveway. I miss hopping in the car and going to visit relatives. Depending on the geographical location, we might have gone down (to West Virginia), up (to Pennsylvania), in (to Akron) out (to Atwater), or over (to anyplace in between). N0 one made an appointment, no one scheduled a visit. It was just the way life was. I miss the respect for one another that is lacking in so many families. I hate how we are so stressed and pressed and distracted by life and obligations. I hate how our time with family is constantly interrupted by our incessant desire to check our emails, voicemails, or Facebook updates. I hate how we use text messages and emails to say things that we would never say face to face. I hate that I feel frustrated when my scheduled life gets interrupted. I hate how we guard our lives with high thick walls. I hate the fact that I am guilty of all those things.

Funerals, along with serious illness, tend to put things into perspective. Our close friend, Jake, (who is our son's father-in-law) recently received bad news from his doctor. Jake spent four weeks in the hospital and just recently came home under the care of his family and visiting nurses. Fathers' Day was very special for him that he was able to sit outside his home with his beloved family. We rejoiced that Jake was with us, that he is fighting, that his spirit isn't broken. It was different than other outings. There were no rambunctious corn hole games. Conversations were more quiet, almost reverant. It was hard to mask the incredible sadness that we all felt. Later as Jake had settled in for the night, we said our goodbyes for the evening. It has become very easy to say "I love you." I gave Jake a hug, and he started telling me how proud he was of my son and how much he loved and appreciated him. He wept, and I felt like my heart would burst. I wanted so badly for life to be the way it used to be, before so many changes of the past year and now cancer. Jake will continue to fight, and those who love him will support him in the fight. He communicates the love of his Savior and his love for his family. Just like waiting for the old rotary dial phone to connect to a loved one or handwriting a letter, he intentionally communicates with those he loves. Time together is precious and everyone seems to have a little more focus on one another and less focus on themselves.

Life will never be exactly as it used to be for any of us. We trust our lives to the One who holds our tomorrows. I pray that when my children and grandchildren look back at how life used to be, their memories will bring a smile. I pray that regrets will be few and that our family clearly and intentionally loved and bore one another's burdens, who patiently endured each others' shortcomings, who nurtured and encouraged, who rejoiced together, who had fun just being together maybe saying nothing but sharing everything.

Exciting News!

2009-08-05T06:11:00.000-07:00

I don't know where the summer has gone since we've barely had a summer here in Ohio ~ It's been more like late Spring or early Fall most of the time, although I haven't missed the hot, humid miserable days at all. The green beans and the tomatoes seem to be a bit behind, but we should still have a good crop to harvest.

We received a very exciting phone call yesterday from our Sales Rep at Country Sampler Magazine! I had a sneaking suspicion this might happen because I was getting multiple emails from staffers at the magazine to be a part of their special Home Tours Issue 2010. Still, it was wonderful news and quite an honor to be selected as 1 of 24 businesses to have a product display in that issue. They extend the offer, then choose the products they want to display in the featured homes. It might be a quilt, a chandelier, a pair of curtains. . , or whatever. They already know what product is going in what home. The stylist has requested a specific fabric choice, so I will customize a curtain for a specific window in a specific house. Pretty cool!

So which curtain is it? The Virginia House Swag Curtain of course!! (shown on the right)

The September issue of Country Sampler Magazine is out, and we are SO-O pleased with our featured product ad! I've had customers tell me that the photo jumped out at them!

The Rod Pocket Panels are featured in H590 Black/tea dye Buffalo Check homespun. They are 84" wide x 72" long with an option of H390 Red/tea dye Buffalo Check. Of course, all fabric selections or other sizes are available in this style on our website.

These Quilted and Stitched Pillows are also featured. The first is the 16" Mountain Homespun pillow (top) available in Black/tan or Red/tan. The other is the Amazing Grace prim stitchery pillow (bottom) on a black or red background. Just like the curtains, the pillows are available on our website in other color and size options.

We are gearing up for a very, very busy Fall and Winter season here at Home Sweet Homespuns and in the Yoak family. It is hard to believe how fast the year is going! We are all anxious to meet our newest grandchild, which is due December 23rd. I suspect it will be a little crazy during the holidays for us this year, but we love every minute of it.

New car, new store, new website look

2009-07-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity resulting in 1) a website update 2) the purchase of a car and 3) the addition of another retail store. First I want to give a big SHOUT OUT to Rachel from Reflections Website Services. She gave our website a makeover two years ago, and she just made some requested updates for us. Check out Home Sweet Homespuns and see what you think.

Secondly, my car has been broken down more than it's been running the past month. Friday we picked up my "new ride" and I am definitely enjoying it! A business friend Renee from Walls Made For Talking has my new Home Sweet Homespuns business decal ready to mail tomorrow. Check out her site for a great way to advertise your business or add flavor to your walls.

Lastly, the newest retail location to carry samples of our curtains and provide custom ordering services is Pine Cone Gift Shoppe right here in Uniontown, Ohio. Gary Chapman provides an awesome design service, and our custom curtain line will be an added benefit to his customers. His new website is under construction and will be available soon. In the meantime, check out a past article in our local paper about his store.

We're gearing up for the next Country Sampler Magazine ad that is due on store shelves any day now. It is the Fall issue, which means we're soon approaching the busiest time of the year. Is it possible that the holidays are right around the corner?!! We've barely turned the a/c on with the cooler temps this year, but time is flying by and soon we'll be decorating and whistling Christmas tunes.

I hope you are all enjoying the summer. Until later. . .

Clearance Category Expanded

2009-05-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out six new products that were added to our Clearance Category! We're clearing out leftovers from former Country Sampler Magazine ads and some overstock store stock. Certain colors and sizes are available for great savings.

We have five pairs of Tapered Swags and five pairs of Cafe curtains left in the H900 Solid Tan/Tea Dye. Inserts are also available.

Only one size is left - 84W x 45L Virginia House Swag Curtains in the H36 Red/tea dye Ticking. Quantity of 8

Limited supplies of the One-Point Valances in hunter green, navy, and barn red.

MEMORIAL DAY SALE!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-21T10:30:00.001-07:00

Starting TODAY, May 21st through midnight Monday, May 25th receive 10% off any order at Home Sweet Homespuns! This is a rare sale for us, but we want to kick off the summer season with a bang. To receive the discount, simply enter SUMMER KICKOFF in the voucher code box while checking out. This offer is not to be combined with any other discount, voucher or sale.

Wishing you a safe and restful holiday week-end with family and friends!

Rhode Island Home Gets Windows' MakeOver

2009-05-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting some photos posted from a great customer in Rhode Island! Debbie and I have spoken on the phone so many times that we know each others' voices immediately. The same style was carried throughout her home - dining room, living room, bedrooms, and kitchen- with privacy panels for a kitchen door. We also dressed the bathroom with a new shower curtain and ruffled tank/commode set, but the photos were too blurry to do them justice. Here are a few pics of Debbie's home:

The Living Room window goes bold with the H590 Black/tea dye Buffalo check.

Kitchen curtains carry the black color scheme with H53 Black/Tea Dye Minicheck

A bit blurry, but this photo shows the reversible round doilies we made to match the curtains. They fit just right in Debbie's shelf displaying old tins.

The dining room curtains were made in H70S - Black/Mustard Reverse Window pane.

Thanks, Debbie, for the tour of your lovely prim home!

New Topsite Page

2009-05-16T06:27:00.001-07:00

We've created a new Topsite Page on our website to make it easier for folks to vote for us. A vote ONCE PER DAY on each Topsite helps our website to rank higher, which makes it easier for folks to find us. Simply click each banner, then click to enter each topsite.

Another advantage of browsing the topsites is having tons of the best country primitive websites and on-line stores at your fingertips for all your decorating needs, not just curtains. Happy shopping!

Home Sweet Homespuns is now on FACEBOOK!

2009-04-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

We're now on Facebook! Join us on our brand new page at Home Sweet Homespuns! Become a fan, add your comments, interact with other HSH fans, and share decorating tips for primitive country decorating lovers.

A Future Seamstress?

2009-04-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

The other day my 3-year old granddaughter, Natalie, visited my workshop. She was fascinated by my sewing machines and the silver "wheels" (bobbins). This is her first sewing lesson - telling the machine to "GO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O!!!!!!" while Grandma secretly pushed the foot pedal. I hope Nattie is still this interested when she's thirteen.

What happened to Spring?

2009-04-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

What fun it is to live in northeast Ohio! The Crocuses are blooming, my Hostas are poking up through the ground, the trees are budding, the grass needs its first cut. . . . and we have a Spring snowstorm! I'll get the heavy coat out again (hopefully for the last time) and scrape the snow off the car, so I can shop for my grandkiddos' Easter baskets.

I wanted to share some pictures we received from a couple of our customers. Take a look.

This customer used the "Ginny" version of the Virginia House Swag Curtains to top her shuttered windows. She knows how to dress up a window!

I love how Lori used different styles and coordinating fabrics. She asked for some customizations such as the long sash on the Hourglass panels and longer straps for the extra-wide Button-up panel.

The white shutters and register cover really complement the dark woodwork, which so nicely frames the Virginia House Swag curtain.

Last but not least, here are the new Rod Pocket Panels and valance inserts I made for my living room.

The Brown Homespuns have arrived!

2009-03-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

Two of my most favorite people are my FedEx and UPS deliverymen!! Today, the knock on the front door meant the NEW Brown/Tea Dye homespun fabrics FINALLY arrived! They are a soft, warm brown on a tea-dyed background, and they are wonderful!
The five new fabrics are:

H901 Solid Brown

H92 Brown/Tea Dye Small Check

H93 Brown/Tea Dye Mini Check

H94 Brown/Tea Dye House Check

H96 Brown/Tea Dye Ticking

These fabrics are now part of our Fabric Selections. Complimentary swatches are available upon request.

Grandma's Apron

2009-02-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

Guaranteed to bring back memories

The History of APRONS

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.

Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron,

but I don't think I ever caught anything from it.

Funny Follow-Up to An Anniversary Remembrance

2009-02-12T19:39:00.000-08:00

(Somehow I feel my dad had something to do with this. He was a teaser and a joker, and I'm sure he was chuckling in Heaven if he happened to be peeking in on Mom this morning. If you haven't read the previous post, take a second to do that before reading on).

Mom had a doctor's appointment this morning. The doctor feels her gall bladder might be the cause of Mom's stomach pains lately, so he decided an ultra-sound is the next step. Mom was a little taken back at the thought of a possible surgery and asked Dr. J if "they would cut on her at her age." Dr. J quickly told her yes, if her gall bladder was bad. Afterward Mom needed a prescription refilled, so off to Rite Aid she went. It was a long wait at the Pharmacy, and Mom and the clerk made small talk to pass the time.

"Today would be my 63rd Anniversary if my husband were still alive," Mom proudly proclaimed.

"Are you going to see him today?" asked the young clerk nonchalantly.

Thinking the clerk may have misunderstood, Mom firmly stated, "NO, he passed away twelve years ago!"

To Mom's amazement, the clerk questioned once more, "Are you going to see him today?"

Whether she realized why there was such a shocked look on my 85-year old mother's face we'll never know, but her question soon made sense when the clerk continued,
"My mom always goes to visit my dad's grave on their anniversary."

Mom and I had a good laugh over that one. ;-D

My dad and mom a few short months before Dad went to Heaven.

Sixty-three years ago. . .

2009-02-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

February 12, 1946 was my mother and father's wedding day.

Dad has been gone for 12 1/2 years, but I know this day is still a special one for Mom. I remember their last anniversary together - Feb. 12, 1996. It was Mom and Dad's 50th anniversary. Dad had just been diagnosed the month before with adrenal gland cancer, a metastasis from colon cancer five years before. We had planned a surprise party at my house with 40-50 friends and family members coming to celebrate with them. Many cards and notes had been sent from out-of-town relatives. Sadly, Dad was just too sick that day, and we had to cancel the party at the last minute. I had made an album of the cards, and I'm sure Mom and Dad both enjoyed reading the sentiments of their loved ones during the next difficult months. Dad passed away that October,
50 1/2 years after marrying his sweetheart.

Happy Anniversary, Mom!

The Girls from the Class of '72

2009-02-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

(L to R) Ginni, Me, Kathy, Pat, and Chris

How fast do 37 years fly by? Pretty fast, but five classmates from Green High School Class of '72 did their best to catch up in two hours at Panera Bread this morning.
I'm LOVING finding old friends on Facebook!!
It didn't take long for us to arrange to meet for coffee once we started finding each other. What a nice surprise to find Chris at the last minute and have her join us! She's still as beautiful as she was as the homecoming queen our Senior year. She is a retired teacher and proud to be nearing the 5-yr. mark as a breast cancer survivor. Three of us our grandmas. Ginni is a school bus driver and amateur photographer. Kathy is a photographer for Babies 'R Us. Pat is the Communications/Outreach Coordinator at a Christian elementary school, and I am a self-employed business owner. Our lives have all gone different directions, but we were amazed how much we have in common and how much we didn't know about each other in school. We laughed SO-O much as we shared our experience in marriages, parenting, grandparenting, hot flashes, ex's, as well as some heartfelt childhood experiences. We vowed that today will be the first of many get-togethers for the girls from Green. And we're all on the search for other friends with whom to reconnect. Today was a happy day. :-)

p.s. Pat is such a talented, creative lady. She amazes me that she could create something so beautiful in just a matter of minutes. Here is the poem she just sent to us girls:
New Old Friends

I met some new old friends today –
Found treasures from the past;
Our lives had traveled o’er the years
Down many diff’rent paths.
The dreams of youth – some realized,
Some worn and cracked with age,
Were shared with hearts of tenderness,
As one by one each page
Was turned to tell the story
Once hidden by the days
When children, seen but never heard,
Lived life in shades of grey;
While others, so oblivious,
Secure in warmth and love
Could never really comprehend
How push would come to shove.
Each life became a rainbow –
The hues intense and bold,
For every up and every down
Would turn, somehow, to gold.
The Lord can mend the brokenness
In ways we can’t predict –
He orchestrates the perfect times
When something simply “clicks”.
The minutes turned to hours –
This meeting soon would end;
But as it did, we understood
We’d rediscovered friends.
- P. Burk

Prayers for Delaney

2009-01-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

We got word about our little great-niece, Delaney Skye Matasich, and wanted to post the blog about her journey with Progressive Infantile Scoliosis.

You can read more here: http://delaneyskyesjourney.blogspot.com

Remembering "The Building"

2009-01-14T06:36:00.000-08:00

For some reason, perhaps because I've been reconnecting with some high school acquaintances through Facebook and my mind has been in "rewind" mode, I thought of "the building". I don't know what triggers such an insignificant thought, but I had to smile as I stepped back nearly 50 years ago to remember "the building."

I was two years old when we moved to Molly Drive in 1956. Dad built our little house on the quiet dead-end street, which soon became home to 13 families. The "circle" at the end of the street was our baseball and kickball diamond, and the hill behind it launched our sleds clear to Rt. 619! Life was simple and quiet. I was a a true tomboy in every sense of the word and a tag-along to my older brother, Bob. Most of our days were spent playing with the neighborhood kids, climbing trees, playing in the woods, riding our bicycles, or riding a cardboard box down our steep bank. There was never a shortage of friends or activities since it was unheard of for kids to stay inside and watch TV or play video games.

I think Molly Drive was once a part of a large farm, and we had mature maple trees, apple trees and a grape arbor on our property. The fruit trees eventually all came down to make room for the garden. I loved to take a salt shaker to the garden and eat juicy ripe tomatoes off the vine! Every year Mom would can hundreds of jars of vegetables to get us through the winter. Beans and cornbread were a staple, and many Sunday evenings we had a treat of fried mush and milk.

Dad laid brick and made a walkway from the house to the backside of our property. The walk led to a small two-room tool shed. One side had a dirt floor and was used for necessary things, but the other side had a wood floor, a separate door, and a window. Dad kept his tools and supplies there since the house was barely big enough for our family of four. Probably not more than 8' x 12', it was known simply but properly as "the building." Whatever Dad needed, it was no doubt out in the building. There was nothing special about the weathered wood frame, but it was a special place for a little towheaded girl with a big imagination. Dad never threw anything away, and the bags and boxes of "stuff" fed my curious mind. If I organized everything just right, I had a pretty nice little playhouse. A couple nails and some twine held a makeshift curtain on the window. My transistor radio gave me access to the world, and I could browse through the stacks of National Geographic Magazines for hours. I was never alone though. My dog Tippy was always nearby. One year the building became a birthing suite for a neighborhood stray cat. I stayed with that mama cat the whole day and still remember how funny it was for a cat to have her litter on Labor Day.

I don't know why I thought of that building. It's been long gone for probably 30 years or more. What I do know is that I'd rather have a wooden plank floor anytime than fancy ceramic tile. I'd rather have an old cutter quilt than ornate silk. I'd rather have a scented candle or oil lamp than a fancy chandelier. I'd rather sit on the back porch and look at God's creation than go to a shopping mall. I'd rather be just the way I am, and know it probably started as a little girl enjoying simplicity in "the building."

Below are some pictures of other favorite buildings and places. Enjoy!

Long Run Baptist Church, Herald Route, West Virginia was my mother's church as a little girl. It is still an active church home for many of my relatives.

My cousins live on the old homestead that belonged to my mother's sister and her husband.

The original Davis Homestead near Sutton, West Virginia, where my mother was born. This picture was taken at the highest point of the farm looking down upon the house and the driveway. The property was purchased by the State of West Virginia and land-locked when I-79 was built.

The original country store on Herald Route.

One of the out buildings on my cousins' farm

I love the look of weathered wood!

Driving down Herald Route ~ Make sure you have room to get off the side of the road if a car is coming the other way.

29 years ago. . . .

2009-01-07T18:39:00.001-08:00

January 7th is a memorable day for me. Twenty-nine years ago, my youngest son, Keith, was born around 5:30 pm, the 3rd of our three sons. My pregnancy was definitely a surprise, especially with a 2-year old and a 7-month old already in tow. What seemed to take forever to happen (getting pregnant) was now happening quite easily to say the least. When Keith was born, Stevie was 16 months and Brian was 11 days away from turning three. Stairsteps, wouldn't you say? I've always said the first five years were just a blur. . . .

Now my baby is a grown man, married with a home of his own. I'm very proud of the man God has made him to be. Love ya, son!

Little Keithie - There are still people who call him that. One of my favorite studio photos - always with a smile and the chubby cheeks that got pinched for years and years!

Christmas, 2008 ~ Keith is acting "surprised" over his Christmas present. I'm pretty sure he picked it out.
Happy Birthday, Keith! Enjoy the last year of your 20's!

Back to Work!

2009-01-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

It feels good to get back on a schedule, although I hoped for an earlier start than what I had. We've had SO many requests for catalogs and fabric swatches that I spent all morning getting all the mail ready to go out, ordering fabric, and getting jobs pulled for the girls. Here it is lunchtime already, and I haven't sewed a stitch! Still, there are other aspects to running a business that need my attention. I hope my energy level returns quickly as the strep throat has left me dragging a bit.

Here's a quick look at my workshop, formerly our large family room.

My office is through the French doors where I can always glance at the computer monitor to check for new orders/emails from customers. To the right of the office is my laundry room, and I'm multi-tasking as I write (definitely one of the advantages of working from home).

Just thought I'd give you a glimpse of my shop. I'm looking forward to another great year for Home Sweet Homespuns!

The Olde Picket Fence

2009-01-03T18:21:00.000-08:00

I made the January updates for The Olde Picket Fence's website today. Hop on over and check out the specials for the month. Wanda is offering 10% off on all Crossroads' candles this month. They are WONDERFUL candles! My favorite is the Buttered Maple Syrup, but Wanda says the Country Breakfast is fast becoming a favorite. Stock up during the sale on Crossroad's jar candles, reed diffusers, votives and tarts.

The fifth book in the series by Judy Condon is now available and flying off the shelf! As Time Goes By has 300 color photographs on 144 pages. Some of the chapters are The Keeping Room, The Guest Room, Boxes, Baskets, and Bowls, Hallways and Small Ways, The Privy!

It's hard to keep these books on the shelf, so order yours now for $24.95 at The Olde Picket Fence..

January 2009 News and Views

2009-01-02T20:37:00.000-08:00

Can you believe 2009 is really here?! The past two weeks have been a much-needed break for me physically and emotionally. It's a time to concentrate on family and priorities without the constant distractions of working the business. I actually have taken more of a break than planned since the sore throat I woke up with on Christmas Day ended up being Strep Throat. Haven't had that since I was sixteen years old! Don't want to have it again either. Needless to say, starting to sew on a limited basis this week did not happen. My body just needed to heal and rest, so I've spent the time wrapping up the year end bookkeeping, tax records, analyzing the year, and setting goals for 2009. I'm feeling good as new now, and I will start working on orders again on Monday.

Some exciting news for January ~ Our fabric manufacturer is expanding some of the Black/Tea Dye homespun fabrics, and they are expected to be available around mid-January. I am especially excited about the Black/Tea Dye Ticking!!! I've been wanting this fabric for quite some time, and I predict it will be a very popular fabric choice. I've pre-ordered the Ticking and the Buffalo Check print, so those will ship to me as soon as they are in the warehouse.

H590 Black/Tea Dye Buffalo Check

H500 Black Solid

H56 Black/Tea Dye Ticking

H52 Black/Tea Dye Small Check

There is a BRAND NEW COLOR FAMILY coming in February also! The Brown/Tea Dye Homespun line will start out with five patterns, plus I have another very nice print from IndoUs that I will add at the same time. I'll post more about those prints later.

I have laid out the 2009 monthly schedule for special discounts, promotions, and contests at Home Sweet Homespuns. Every month will be some type of money-saving special, either free shipping, a sale items, a percentage off coupon, a chance to win a SPECIAL gift, etc. During January, any customer who orders $100.00 or more will receive FREE SHIPPING when they enter the voucher code JAN09 at check-out. It does not come off automatically; you have to enter the code. Our customers are the absolute best, and we value your business. Be sure to take advantage of the specials.

In closing, I would personally like to wish you a blessed new year. We can look at a lot of things that would cause us fear, anxiety, or distress. Let us not lose sight of hope and our faith that all things are controlled by someone bigger than ourselves. Using my husband's favorite closing line. . .

In His Grip,
Donna Yoak

Rod and Donna Yoak

HSH Product Catalog is available

2008-12-29T20:29:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-12-27T14:08:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-24T16:37:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

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?

2008-11-13T20:44:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-11-12T14:27:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-10T17:57:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-07T04:24:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-01T05:32:00.000-07:00

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. . .

2008-09-01T05:28:00.000-07:00

. . . 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"

2008-08-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-14T10:44:00.001-07:00

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.

First canning of the year

2008-08-13T06:47:00.001-07:00

Dad called these beauties "West Virginia Beans" and IMO they are the absolute best green beans on the planet! They are grown from an heirloom seed that Dad got from a lady in Tallmadge, OH back in the early or mid-70's. I got 10 quarts on the first pickin' yesterday.

Dad's been gone for 12 years this October, but we're keeping the crop going each year. We didn't have a lot of seed left from last year, so it will be crucial this year to set aside enough. It's hard to leave those big juicy full beans on the vine and let them dry out for seed! I'd rather see them in the jars!

More Spotlight Photos from one of our Canadian customers!

2008-08-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Paul and Cheryl from Nova Scotia for sending in photos of their project!

They first ordered fishtail swags in the Navy/tea dye ticking for a bedroom. Don't they look nice hanging on their wrought iron swag holders?

Next on their list was a custom duvet cover and pillow sham to match. We used the same H27 ticking fabric and accented it with a solid navy and wooden buttons. This was my first attempt at making a duvet cover. Hmmmn. . . maybe a new bedding category? We have some great brushed homespuns that would make wonderful bedding pieces!

Thanks again, Paul and Cheryl! Your entries have been added to the jar!

A Few New Fabrics Now Available

2008-08-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

She who has the most fabric wins!

So they say. . .

Some of the new fabrics I ordered at the Holmes County Fabric Show have already arrived! These are prints from Indo-US Sales, Inc. You can see three new prints under

New Colors Fall 2008

Summer Clearance Items

2008-08-08T10:39:00.000-07:00

I added some products to our CLEARANCE category at Home Sweet Homespuns. Check it out for some brand new custom items at SUPER SUMMER SAVINGS prices!

(Above)
(3) Pairs Lined Rod Pocket Panels w/tiebacks, 84W x 63L, H48, Green/tdye tri-color
This was the first and only custom order I have EVER accepted as a return. The customer prematurely ordered furniture and had her room painted based on a sample fabric swatch showing the pattern. (Hence the disclaimer that dye lots can vary slightly). These curtains are packaged and ready for a nice home.
Regular Price $67.95 per pair
Sale Price $47.95 per pair

(Above)
Overstock: One point Valances with rusty stars
(10) Navy Blue
(8) Hunter Green
(4) Barn Red
Regular Price $19.95 each
Sale Price $12.00 each

(Above)
(1) Pair Lined Tiers, H46 Hunter green/tea dye ticking, 84W x 30L
This was an OOPS job made in the wrong length.
Regular Price $44.95 Pr.
Sale Price $24.95 Pr.

(1) Pair Lined Rod Pocket Panels, 84W x 63L, H3310 Olive/Red Plaid
Regular Price $67.95 Pr.
Sale Price $47.95 Pr.
(3) Valance inserts, 43W x 12L, H3310 Olive/Red Plaid

Regular Price $20.00 each
Sale Price $12.00 each

This was a special order that was never picked up after a fire.

FREE SHIPPING IN AUGUST & SUMMER PROMOTION UPDATE!

2008-08-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

An addition to the summer promotion will be FREE SHIPPING on any order over $75.00 through the rest of August! To have shipping charges removed, enter FREESHIP in the voucher code box when you check out, and the shopping cart will update itself.

Only a little over three weeks before we draw the winner of the Rag Ball & Berry Basket! My old 1/2 Gallon Mason jar is about half full of entries, so let's close out the contest with a bang! If you've put off ordering, take advantage of the free shipping and earn a chance(s) to win the basket. If you have our curtains in your home, email photos to info (at) homesweethomespuns.com. It will help if you put "Promotion Pictures" or something to that effect in the subject line.

A Quick Trip to Amish Country

2008-08-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

It was a quick trip -- Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon -- but Rod and I took the chance to combine business with pleasure in Amish Country. The business side was attending the Holmes Co. Fabric Show, which was held at The Carlisle Inn in Walnut Creek, Ohio. I had a scheduled meeting with my sales rep, Mark Pytel, with Moda Fabrics. I also got to meet Iris Cohen, my area rep with Indo US Sales, Inc. I found some great brown and black prints and some new fall solid colors that I hope to incorporate into our curtain line. I'm pretty excited about the Natural Solid, which gives another softer choice in addition to our present Lin 'n Spun fabric. Below are a few samples of the new colors:

Now, for the best-kept secret in Berlin, Ohio! We were fortunate to find this gorgeous log cabin called Simple Blessings Cabin, owned by Mark and Brenda Zimmerman.

Simple Blessings Cabin

There are two private rooms on the lower level, and the "big cabin" on top. We stayed in the Faith Room, aka the "big cabin." Waiting on the kitchen table were the most scrumptious Peanut Butter cookies I've ever eaten! (courtesy of Fannie Troyer, who shares the caretaking duties with husband, Nelson). All the comforts of home were at our fingertips with nothing left undone. There were even fresh eggs in the frig! The view inside and out was breathtaking, and we enjoying sitting on the porch swing and looking down onto a small lake and sheep grazing in the pasture.

The view from the front porch

The cabin was equipped with Dish TV, but it was also stocked with CD's, DVD's, and board games. The only thing we didn't have was internet connection, so both Rod and I were grounded from checking anything "business".

The kitchen.

Looking up to the Loft

The loft bedroom/sitting room is decorated in a Retro Theme.

I love this old wagon that was sitting at the top of the stairs.

Looking from the Loft to the Living Room. The fireplace will be nice if we go back in the Fall.

The lower level has two smaller rooms with private entrances. Stairways lead to the upper level, so our entire family could stay here and still have privacy.

Our visit was much too short, and we plan to visit Simple Blessings Cabin again. After staying there, I can't imagine staying anywhere else when we go to Amish country.

. . . until next time.

Check out these "curtain rods!"

2008-07-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

I got some pictures this evening from Tammy in Toronto, Ohio. When she ordered her tab curtains, she told me this VERY unique and FUN way she planned to hang them. I think she had a great idea!

For sending in pictures of her completed project, Tammy's name has been added to the Jar! One more month before I draw the winner of the lighted Berry Basket donated by Cindy's Workshop.

Thanks a bunch, Tammy! What a great prim look!

Spotlight Pictures from a Customer

2008-07-12T05:35:00.000-07:00

Karen Payne from South Carolina sent these photos of her magnificent kitchen with her new curtains! She chose the Fishtail Swags in the Red/Tea Dye Catawba Print (H31), and mounted them with our Tin Swag Hooks. Thanks again, Karen. Your entries have been added to the jar for the Summer Promotion. (Check out all the collectibles and antiques in this room. Awesome!)

Don't you love this corner sink? From what I remember about the "before" pictures Karen sent, this windows looks out onto a beautiful wooded area. I wouldn't mind doing dishes at all.

The Hourglass Door Panel matches the Fishtail Swags.

Karen's kitchen and adjoining room is like a "Shabby Primitive" look, don't you think?

Finally got to work in my flower bed

2008-07-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

I finally got to spruce up my flower beds yesterday. The clover was overtaking everything! This is my favorite spot: The rosebush represents my two granddaughters, the stepping stones were Mother's Day gifts from my three grandsons (they each made their own with their handprints names, and lots of marbles as decorations), and my dad's old plow.

New Products Added Today!

2008-07-04T06:13:00.000-07:00

"Summer's Bounty" Pillow

Here are a few new items added to our on-line store. They are the handiwork of two great seamstresses who have been a tremendous help as part of the Home Sweet Homespun team - Jan Hart & Dee Hart. They also display their wares at The Olde Picket Fence and offer a variety of items including the popular rag purse. You can find these items in the Pillows & Stitcheries Category and Seasonal Category.

Made from a modified version of the Mountain Homespun Quilt Block

The homespun Beeskep

The nine-patch quilt pillow

Featured Crafter July 2008

2008-07-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

The gal who is responsible for making the beautiful appliqued towels for Home Sweet Homespuns is my good friend, Pam DeWind. Pam and I go way back and have a lot of history together. She has mentored me when I first starting "crafting". She's taught me a lot about this business, and I'm happy to have her part of our team.

You can read more about her at The Olde Picket Fence Featured Crafter page.

Pam in her display booth at The Olde Picket Fence

Summer Promotion at Home Sweet Homespuns

2008-06-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

What's the Prize?

Rag Ball & Berry Basket

donated by Cindy's Workshop

Decorated with burgundy pip berries, 20 seed lights, and seven assorted homespun rag balls.
Retail value is $39.95.

This exclusive basket is the handiwork of Cindy Work. Her items are regularly featured in Country Sampler Magazine. Her Americana Star Wreath was chosen as part of the Grand Prize package in the 2008 Americana issue.

(Close up View)

How Can You Win It?

I have a jar all ready and waiting for your ballots. For each $50.00 ordered from July 1 - August 31, you receive one chance (i.e. A $150.00 order = 3 chances).

For each referral who places an order from July 1 - August 31 = one chance.

When you send photos of your completed custom order project = one chance.

When will the winner be announced?

I will post the winner's name here on Our Blog and at our on-line store on September 1, 2008. The winner will also be notified by email, and a ship confirmation will be given when their basket is sent.
Will you be the lucky winner?

"A Tisket, A Tasket, Look at This Ragball & Berry Basket!"

2008-06-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

How could this awesome Rag ball & Berry basket find its way to your home? DETAILS WILL BE POSTED HERE AND ON THE WEBSITE ON JULY 1ST. Stay tuned. . .

Thanks to Cindy Work of Cindy's Workshop for donating this OOAK basket!

Let me brag just a little bit

2008-06-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to bring to your attention a new favorite link. It doesn't have anything to do with curtains or sewing, but it does have a lot to do with life and how to improve the one God gave you.
Crossfit Legacy is published by my firstborn son, Brian. Needless to say, I'm pretty proud of him, as I am of all three of my sons.

If you want proof that he knows what he's talking about on his blog, check out these pictures:

(Above Left) What we call Brian's "FAT PICTURE" -- Just a few short years after being an all-collegiate athlete

(Above Right) Brian, Randa, and the boys pose for a picture at his little brother's wedding last summer. "Ooooh, Doggie, you're lookin' fine!!"

What caused the change? Check out his blog at Crossfit Legacy!

Stitched With Love

2008-06-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

I have to share this project!

We recently lost a neighbor and close friend of my mother. Thirty-some years as a neighbor holds a lot of memories. "Shud" and Dad used to do a lot together - hunt, fish, dig ginseng, . . . Dad's been gone since 1996, and it was a comfort to know that Shud was nearby to help Mom and keep an eye on things when my brother and I weren't around.

Well, due to unforeseen complications after a recent surgery, Shud passed away. Now with both their parents gone, his children are busy cleaning out his house and sadly doing all the necessary tasks associated with settling the estate. His daughter, Susan, mentioned to Mom that she'd love to make a quilt out of her dad's old shirts -- she just didn't know how.

It didn't take long for Mom to volunteer for the job! No doubt Mom remembers Shud wearing some of those shirts, and I know this was a labor of love for her in memory of her dear friend. Knowing it would be hard for her to part with it, I asked Mom, "Did you save enough pieces to make one for yourself?" She never hesitated with her answer, "YEP!"

Here's Mom, almost 85 years old and still stitchin', showing off the lap quilt and pillow made from her friend's shirts.

One Man's Junk is Another Man's Treasure

2008-06-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

"Just a bunch of junk" . . . . NO WAY! For us prim lovers, finding a special "treasure" can make our day. That's just what happened to me yesterday. Hubby and I were driving to a graduation party, and there . . . propped up against a telephone pole at the end of a driveway . . . was a stack of old white painted windows. I immediately exclaimed, "Stop! I want those windows." Hubby kept on driving and I vaguely heard, "Not in the daylight." I reasoned with him that that trash was fair game, but he just kept on driving.

Later in the evening we were driving home in a thunderstorm. I gently reminded hubby that we needed to get those windows. After 35 years of marriage and knowing I wasn't going to give in, he headed in that direction while mumbling something about the police chasing us home. The trade off for his help was my asking the home owners if we could have their trash. No problem! I was praying the rain would ease up, which it did, or else I would be pulling off this caper by myself, getting drenched in the process. The young homeowners were more than glad to let me take their trash, and even told me to check back later for more. (Had it not been raining, I would have whipped out a business card. After all, they are replacing those old painted windows with brand new ones and undoubtedly need curtains. I'll watch for another opportunity.)

What a great find! The old windows have a lot of character. For a lady whose business is making custom curtains, this was a gold mine! They will make great display pieces for my booth at The Olde Picket Fence.

Here are some examples of using old windows:

My 1960's outdated picture window with a little prim decorating

Our backyard barn

Stay tuned. I'll post the before and after pictures of my "trash to treasure" find.