HSH Product Catalog is available

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

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

(Photo shown in the Akron Beacon Journal)

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

Days Gone By

I Blinked. . . and Christmas was OVER!

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

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

The Yoak Family Picture, Christmas 2008

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

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

Keith & Sarah Yoak

Christmas Open House at The Hen House

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

I love these little guys!!!

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

More info about the Country Sampler Ad

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

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

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

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

What's important to you?

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

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

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

Randa Yoak, my daughter-in-law

The Country Sampler Magazine Ad is Out!

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

Page 148

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

Primp Your Pad

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

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