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The Tip is 'Teach Grandchildren' One day, while I was on the Made In America Secrets site my granddaughter noticed and asked me what I was doing. I told her about the Big Secret and as I explained, she began to ask me more questions. After several minutes she left my office to play with her little sister. Months had gone by and until recently, I had forgotten about that moment. She was visiting again and I was talking to her about buying a custom printed T-Shirt. She immediately told me about a website that I could use to buy one. Wow I thought, she is only eight years old and already teaching me. The most amazing thing then happened, she said "Pops they sell Made In America T-Shirts". Thanks to her I purchased six custom Made In USA T-Shirts. Her name is Britton, she understands the Big Secret and I love it when she tells me her Little Secrets! Now she is ten and writing a screenplay called Mertastic. It is a story about a mermaid. Recently, she was visiting our house again and using my computer. She called me to come into my office and of course I came to her because that is what grandparents love to do. One of the reasons I love to be with her is because it is always interesting to see what she is up to. This time, she needed a mermaid tail for her movie, so we began to look around using Google. Her mother is a talented seamstress and will make the tail so we were looking for fabric that would be satisfy my granddaughter's vision of her mermaid tail. Once again we began to talk about Made in America and therefore started to investigate the country of origin of the fabrics she was considering. Because of that experience Made in USA fabric is now one of Made in America Secrets products. Thank you, Britton. Buying Tip Continued - Read more on Made in America Products by Homestead Weaving In 2008, Chris was juried into the Indiana Artisan program, a state-wide program to establish a brand that gives meaning and recognition to high quality, Indiana-made goods. Her handwoven rugs are wholesaled to shops around the US. Chris' business is located in a 1,500 sq. foot weaving studio near the house. It is constructed mainly of native Indiana poplar. Yarns and fibers are constantly being organized, but Homestead Weaving Studio also houses looms, spinning wheels, tons of yarn and spinning fibers along with books and weaving equipment. With the addition of the loom room in 2007, there is a wonderful classroom space and day lessons and weaving and spinning instruction are being offered. Family History Bob and Chris were married one unseasonably warm and sunny day Dec. 1, 1973, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Chris (Diener) grew up in Lansing, Mich., attended Everett High School and graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in journalism. After trying life in New York City and East Berlin, Penna., she traveled to Boulder, Colo., to teach weaving at a small shop there. Bob grew up in Colorado Springs and met Chris while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he also obtained a journalism degree. Both worked at the Colorado Springs Sun, he as a copy desk editor, she as chief photographer until moving in 1974 to Scottsbluff, Neb., where he was a reporter and later news editor at the Star-Herald. Chris worked as a copy editor at the newspaper before resigning to begin Homestead Gallery, an arts and crafts supply store in downtown Scottsbluff. Erin was born April 4, 1979, at Scottsbluff, and spent her early days as a shop rat. The Gustins moved to Evansville, Ind., in 1982. Bob took a job at The Evansville Courier before moving to The Evansville Press in 1986, where he was managing editor until the newspaper closed on Dec. 31, 1998, the victim of an expired Joint Operating Agreement. He retired in 2011 as editor of The Republic in Columbus, Ind. Chris spent some time raising a family and getting her weaving business restarted before rejoining the journalism world with a copy desk job at The Press in the late '80s. She retired from the Press as lifestyles editor when the paper closed. Andrew was born Aug. 18, 1984, in Evansville, and spent his early days honing his baseball skills with a Wiffle ball in the front yard. Both Erin and Andrew were excellent students at Marrs Elementary School, where Erin won the sixth grade spelling bee, and Andrew placed fourth in the same contest. Both inherited their mother's singing ability, and have participated in choir and drama activities. Andrew also excelled in baseball and soccer. Other members of the family include cats named Abhi, Andy, Smitty, Pike and Blackkitty. We'd like to hear from old or new friends, or make some cyber-acquaintances. Give us an e-mail. Email: Bob bgustin@gmail.com Email: Chris chris@homesteadweaver.com Email: Andrew derelict17@gmail.com |
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