Not enough hours in the day.....

As we all well know. Because the four of us work full time jobs, it is really hard to find the time for our own projects, let alone the ones we should be working on together. Another problem - distance!! Linda and I live the closest, about 50 miles apart.
Orders for items we already have in stock are easy. Custom orders are a little harder but never a problem because we each have our specialty and the materials usually on hand to take care of them. So what's the problem you ask? NEW items! When we are in a creative mode. Our best things tend to come from the interchange of ideas and developing the prototypes. Does the distance issue stop us? Not at all. We have learned to work around the challenges and thank goodness for the internet! Not only is most of our business done online, taking the place of brick and mortar stores we don't have the hours to be in anyway, but most of our meetings are online as well.
What does this mean to you? Probably not a thing!! It may however reinforce the thought that where there is a will, there is a way. If you want to do something badly enough, go for it. Good Luck!

Sharing....

Whenever we stumble across an interesting site or blog, we're going to share. Garden Girl is a blog with great info, check it out!

That's it for today, I've got a list a mile long of things to do. Hip replacement on a memory bear is high on the list. This is one I made a while ago, and it has obviously been well loved. The gma brought it to me with a plea for help!

Then there are the blue baby blanket bears that are visiting as well. Made them a couple years ago, but their owner had an idea for an article for a craft magazine so they are here for a photo shoot. Hmm, maybe this weekend if I can get the right spot of good weather!

later.........

it's TUESDAY!

Yesterday afternoon was beautiful, and things ARE starting to grow. I can see my snowdrops in the front yard, altho they were not quite open yet. Anemones should be along soon, and the mountain jasmine that grows crazily around my yard fence. If they are as laiden with blooms as usual, I'll get a snap of them.
Today it is off to Medford for jury duty.

Top o' the mornin' to you!

Yesterday was beautiful, you could walk around outside in the sun without a jacket and not be freezing! Is spring on the way? Don't count on it!
Linda came over mid day and we spent the afternoon designing. Oh, sidebar: we assembled the wonderful new Ott-lite my son and daughter in law got me for Christmas. It is a floor lamp style, has an attached magnifier. AWESOME!! This was perfect for matching fabrics and embellishments yesterday. We are working on a new design for Oh My Gaudy and now each have our assignments. I need to develop the rest of the pattern [yes, we make our own] and then mark where Linda needs to add embroidery before the garments are sewn. It will take a combination of both our skills and equipment. Pattern making, sewing machines, embroidery machine, serger, beads and crystals from Fire Mountain Gems, four eyes for detail and balance....and a good bit of finger crossing and prayers!
Today it is off to town for a bit to work on my mother in law's computer, then hopefully not too late home, so I have time for a bit more sewing before the week begins all over.
This week has a bit of a hitch, as I have jury duty - for sure Tuesday and then who knows.
More later if I get time! Oh, we have a monthly newsletter, free, you can sign up for that by dropping us an email Newsletter@homesteadline.com.

Denise at Homestead Store and Bellybutton Bears

Cabin Fever setting in

A friend sent me this picture because she knows I adore hummingbirds! Doesn't it make you want to be outside in your yard/garden? It sure does me and I want to hang my hummingbird feeders....yeah, yeah, yeah I know its WAY too early but I can dream can't I?

The weather is supposed to be warming some here with the precip turning towards rain.

It has been such a winter around here that there is a herd of Elk ( about 1000 or so) along the freeway between here and Boise! Would almost, note I said almost, be worth a trip to Boise just to see them.

Love and hugs to all, Nancy

Old man Winter is hanging around SW Idaho

Hi everyone! Apparently Winter has decided to stay with us for a while. Yesterday afternoon about 5pm it began to snow and boy did it snow. We got a good 2 to 3 inches in about 1 hour and then it just kept falling. Probably have at least 8 inches on the ground now, the most we have had in years. Can only imagine how much has fallen up in the mountains where we really need it.

This picture is from our front door looking across the top of our two vehicles in the drive way...yup those two bumps of snow...at our unique and funky tree on the corner of our property. It is such an interesting tree that we keep it and the birds love it too. When spring comes, and boy am I ready for that, we will plant flowers around the base of the tree in a neat garden my husband and I made a few years ago and fill the corner with colors!! Hugs to all, Nancy

Ground Hog Day in SW Oregon

We started the morning with only an inch at 7 AM. Luckily hubby chose to drive the truck to town today, as it set in to snow a little more. By 1 PM it was up to 5 inches, and finally quit!

It was 'clean house' day, even though I would sooner have been curled up with a blanket and book.

I did sneak in a couple design moments [clothing for oh-my-gaudy.com], tromped through the snow to the fabric warehouse to retrieve an armload of future projects, played FreeCell a couple times, cleaned up some old emails, talked with Mom and Mom-in-law, emailed a potential bear customer [bellybuttonbears.com], discussed a potential spot on a TV show for the WWII book, Teenager to Technician [BrainstormsPublishing.com]. Hmm, when one looks at it that way, it DOES look more productive!