Stuff Sale News

We're still looking for a place to hold an April Stuff Sale. We feel that we cannot look earlier than the first Friday of April or later than the first Friday of May. If you have a suggestion for a venue, please contact Three Sisters at see3sis@yahoo.com.

Prospecting begins

Vendor prospecting has started. We have a lot of space to fill in the new HLR location.

We hope to become more effective in using our time and resources with the addition of Carrie to Three Sisters. If there is a company you would like to see in Iowa, send us a note and one of us will try hard to get that company here.

Spring Stuff Sale

A shopper from our Stuff Sale asked if we would hold another one in 2009. After looking at the calendar, we are shooting for the afternoon of Friday, April 24, 2009. Cathy is in the process of locating a kid-friendly place in central Iowa.

We are also attempting to use our own mailing list more effectively, have a sales rep working to get vendors here for our April Conference, and sincerely move from research to solid marketing.

Another one

We've confirmed another topic and speaker -- Debi Zahn will speak on Charlotte Mason Education. Debi is teacher and mother to twelve children ages newborn through high school. She is active in a central Iowa Charlotte Mason support group, and has years of experience.

Our goal is to have nine speakers over three session, as well as one session dedicated to vendor presentations. In our effort to give the home school community what it wants, we're open to ideas from YOU -- who should speak, what topics you want to hear, and which vendors you like to browse.

We're also deliberating over a Spring 2009 Stuff Sale. Proposed dates will be in a poll in the sidebar -- vote today!

Speaker news

New topics and speaker info confirmed:

"Science on a Shoestring" and "Crafting Through History," by Mary Lynn Carvour. You may have run into Mary Lynn at a Renaissance Faire over the years. She is a fantastic and natural teacher. She draws on her experience as a teacher to focus on two subjects that parents often wonder about incorporating without wanting to bore their children. Mary Lynn can give a great presentation and we are happy to have her.

"Waldorf Education," by Kristie Karima Burns, ND. Kristie is very knowledgeable in using Waldorf methods. To find out how to use Waldorf methods, Kristie gives quotations from Rudolf Steiner, the originator of Waldorf schools, and uses her life experience as a Waldorf school teacher and writer to encourage parents in using Waldorf methods.

"Doing what is right," by Maureen Stone. Maureen has a lot of experience in standing up for what is right. When her family decided to challenge the State of Iowa to allow her daughter the right to use the Post-Secondary Education Option, she had to be very strong in her conviction to home school. If she could stay the course, so could anyone. Parents will find Maureen very motivational.

"Looking to our future, remembering our past," by Ed Dickerson. Ed was a major figure in forming the current Iowa home school law. He can tell good stories about the old days, and encourage parents to keep on the path as the future unfolds.

In the works

Topics that we're prospecting include:

Classical education

Science on a shoestring

Lapbooking/notebooking

Homeschooling options -- supervising teacher, annual assessment -- standardized testing and portfolio, HSAP, correspondence school

If you have topics that you want to hear or can speak about, let us know!

Speaking

Topics confirmed thus far:

Waldorf education

History and Future of Homeschooling in Iowa

Post-Secondary Enrollment Option -- PSEO parents will relate their experiences

Speakers

We are currently confirming our loose oral agreements with the prospective speakers that we talked with since May 2008.

One of the great things about Three Sisters being a small operation is that we can accommodate change quickly and easily. Julia and Cathy are in charge of decisions, and are committed to adapting to the needs of the current home school community. If you have a topic or speaker that you wish to see, send a message to us at see3sis@yahoo.com

Wanted: Sales Rep

Three Sisters is looking for a sales rep. This person will need to be driven and independent in selling floor space to vendors for our Home Learning Resources Sales Event. Commission only. Interested persons should send email to see3sis@yahoo.com.

Fall Stuff Sale Cancelled

Three Sisters will not hold a Fall Stuff Sale due to lack of vendors. Evidently there are more people who want to shop than there are people who want to sell their educational items. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Please continue to watch the blog as development unfolds for the Home Learning Resources conference, scheduled for April 2008. Suggestions for potential vendors, printing donors, as well as questions and concerns, can be sent to see3sis@yahoo.com

HLR Stuff Sale -- the Details

Cathy has details!

Three Sisters presents its Home Learning Resources Stuff Sale.

HLR Stuff Sale
Sept. 5, 2008
12:30 - 4 p.m.
Grimes United Methodist Church
13525 NW 70th Ave
Grimes, IA 50111
on Hwy 44 in Grimes, 1/2 mile west from the water towers

At this point, we plan to have vendors set up at noon and open doors to the sale at 12:30. Please send a message to see3sis@yahoo.com for information on selling your Home School Stuff. (Admit it, you know your house is full of stuff that didn't work out and your kids have outgrown.) You'll want to get your reservation in as early as you can. The sale was well attended in April.

Fall Stuff Sale

Still trying to find a location and time. The Fall Home School Stuff Sale will NOT be held at the Johnston Lions Club in Johnston. It will NOT be held at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in West Des Moines.

Fall Stuff Sale

The poll is closed and results show that demand is great enough to hold a Fall Stuff Sale. Work is in progress to book a time and place -- the date will be determined by the booking venue, since the poll pretty much shows a tie between Sept. 5 and 12.

Get the word out to everyone to make this event successful.

Tips for sellers:

1. Start organizing your home school "stuff" now. Educational items only. If in doubt, please send a message and ask us at see3sis@yahoo.com

2. Price your stuff. And maybe supply shopping bags.

3. Three Sisters rents a hall and tables for parents to sell their things. Table rental is open to anyone, but we reserve the right to turn people away for any reason. (It would have to be a pretty major reason.) Three Sisters offers no other service. See #4.

4. Find a cash box. Buyers deal directly with the sellers. Three Sisters does not offer a coordinated sales point for all sellers. Negotiating can be done at your discretion.

4. Kids needs to be supervised.

5. To rent a table, send a message to see3sis@yahoo.com. When the form is ready, we'll attach it in a message to you. We expect rentals to be $10 per table. You cannot bring your own table. Table size depends on venue. Half tables were available at our April sale and we try to have halves available for Sept.'s sale.

6. We expect you to set up and clean up your own assigned space.

Tips for buyers:

1. Kids need to be supervised.

2. Make a shopping list.

3. Realize that you will deal with individual sellers. All merchandise on one table will need to be paid to the renter of that table. So no grocery carting unpaid goods from multiple tables around the hall.

4. Bring boxes and bags for your finds.

Stayed tuned. An info release should be coming soon. If your support group contact changes and Three Sisters should update its list, please let us know at see3sis@yahoo.com

Working

We received the floor plan for the site of the conference and measured for outlets and are overhauling the website and collecting results from the current poll. We are currently leaning toward holding a fall Stuff Sale. Thank you for your vote! Details will be set in early August.

Conference in the Works

Work on the conference has begun in earnest. Speaker scheduling, vendor floor layout, and a website makeover are on the agenda for July. Stay tuned for details.

Home Learning Resources Sale and Conference
"Who We Are"
Sat., April 18, 2009
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
3900 Ashworth Rd.
West Des Moines, IA

Three Sisters remains committed to being responsive to the needs of the homeschool community and to having an admission-free vendor floor. Send speaker and vendor suggestions to see3sis@yahoo.com

HLR Stuff Sale in the works for fall

The school year just finished, but Three Sisters is already looking forward to August as they plan to hold a Home Learning Resources Stuff Sale (HLR Stuff Sale) in central Iowa.

The HLR Stuff Sale began as an idea presented to Three Sisters by a local mom. It was designed to have families sell their used material at “used” prices -- a win-win situation in which a benefit would be seen in the pocketbook and in the homeschooling of the shoppers. Successfully held in April 2008, another mom requested a fall Stuff Sale. Many families focus on school plans in fall before a new year begins rather than in spring at the end of the school year.

A poll is open at the Three Sisters blog for shoppers to vote for their preferred event date of Sept. 5, 12, 19, or 26. The poll will stay open until Aug. 1, 2008. Low voter turn-out will result in the cancellation of a fall Stuff Sale. Comments and ideas for the sale can be sent to Cathy and Julia at see3sis@yahoo.com

The HLR Stuff Sale will remain admission free. Three Sisters is dedicated to promoting the Stuff Sale to local home school support groups; participation as a vendor or a shopper is open for everyone in the home school community.

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Going down

The sidebar with links for HLR - DM will go down by June 20. You can always search the archives for the post that lists all the vendors.

The Secret

It's out. It's official. Three Sisters will hold a conference next year.

Home Learning Resources Sale and Conference

Sat., April 18, 2009
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
3900 Ashworth Rd.
West Des Moines, Ia 50265

Admission to the Sale is free; admission to the conference has yet to be determined. We're doing some math and taking a few assumptions.

You will also want to participate in our poll concerning our next Stuff Sale. Someone stated interest, but that was just one person. You will have until the end of July to vote. We'll decide at that time if we're holding a fall Stuff Sale.

A Secret

I have a secret and I can't tell it until Saturday at our Home Learning Resources event in Des Moines.

Usborne (HLR Des Moines)

Our Usborne vendor has published a list of her used titles. You can visit here. She is listing 80 titles and they cover a wide age range. You can click on her hyperlink in the sidebar to the right if you would like to inquire about a particular title -- hardcover or soft, price, condition, etc.

Reminders

A list of things to remember for shoppers and vendors


Home Learning Resources

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Northwest Community Center

5110 Franklin Ave., Des Moines, IA

10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Shoppers:

The sale runs from 10 am. - 3:30 p.m.

Put your name in the fish bowl. It gets your name in to the door prize pool.

Take a gift bag. Among other things, it's got a coupon for the Learning Post.

You might want to make and take a shopping list for products offered and question list for services offered by our vendors.

You are welcome to have a seat and visit with people at the round tables in the center of the floor.

Supervised kids, strollers, and wheelchairs are welcome.

You may want to bring your own bags to haul your goodies.

Each vendor needs to be paid separately, just like a craft or antique show.

Vendors:

Make sure Cathy or Julia has your door prize by 9:30 a.m.

Set up begins at 8 a.m. The doors open at 10 a.m.

Tear down begins by 3:30. This is also when the doors close.

We must all leave the building at 5 p.m.

Your own food may be stored in the refrigerator on site. Please don't touch other people's food.

West Music Update

West Music, a music supply store based in Iowa, has changed its status from a vendor with tables to supplying catalogs in the giveaway bags. Three Sisters encourages shoppers to patronize Iowa businesses. You might be able to see some neat stuff that West Music had in eastern Iowa tucked in the background of the photo here.

Books are being pulled from Well Read Books this week. You'll want to send your title requests in the next day or two. Well Read Books will be the only vendor carrying used trade books.

Bag stuffers and door prizes are also being collected this week. Even if you have no shopping to do, you will want to come just for the bags and door prizes!

HAIL in Des Moines

In the past, Three Sisters has focused on vendors providing retail product and and teaching services. This year, we will have a first -- an organization seeking memberships. HAIL, short for Homeschool Alliance for Iowa Learners, will have a table at Home Learning Resources. Three Sisters likes to have vendors succeed at our events. We feel that groups that serve only certain portions of the home school community would not successfully meet their goals at our events. HAIL, however, is targeting ALL of the community, not a certain portion of it. Three Sisters produces its event to help the whole home school community and not leave people out. We do not charge admission for shoppers. HAIL seems to have the same goal -- to help the whole community and not leave people out. Click on their link to learn more about the group here.

Stirring the Gift

We're very glad to have the support of small Iowa businesses.

We just got a message from Melody of Stirring the Gift, asking for space at our Des Moines event. Her main product is aimed at preschool and elementary children.

We look forward shopping at all our vendors' booths and cannot wait to meet you all.

Well Read Books request

Because Three Sisters has a special arrangement with Well Read Books, shoppers can request books to browse and purchase at Home Learning Resources. Requests can be sent with the subject "Well Read Books" to private address "jcammcguire at yahoo.com."

Some of the titles that could be requested and brought to Home Learning Resources include: Tom Swift, Box Car Children, Ginny Gordon, Cherry Adams, Bobbsey Twins, Hardy Boys and others.

Children's encyclopedias, an All About series, poetry, non-fiction subjects, and many other subjects are available.

Some classic authors that could be requested include Chaucer, Cather, James, Alcott, Montgomery, Shakespeare, and Austen.

Some vintage textbooks are also available.

Pictures from Eastern Iowa

Click here to see some great snapshots from our last event. Over 100 people passed through the doors. Our hosts gave us a great open and sunny space.

You may notice that our "prospect" list has grown in the sidebar to the right ("We may also see...."). We've gotten a lot of oral commitments in this last month. Once paperwork is received, these businesses will move to the hyperlinked, firmly committed vendor area in the sidebar ("Coming to Home Learning Resources -- Des Moines").

Shoppers, do not worry! Three Sisters will bring a kickin' sales floor. Our vendors typically commit in this fashion -- half of them are early birds, half of them are not. And some businesses do not get connected to Three Sisters with much advance notice.

Everyone will have a great time shopping. You'll probably even have fun demos to do with Mad Science of Central Iowa or silly games to play with Simply Fun. Click on the hyperlinks and do some window shopping.

More hyperlinks

Three Sisters lists all of its vendors in the sidebar to the right. The list is growing. Simply Fun will be at Home Learning Resources in Des Moines, and has a corrected hyperlink. Apologies to anyone trying to connect with the incorrect link.

Some vendors have chosen to use an email address instead of a website, thus allowing direct contact between shoppers and vendors. Vendors love to hear from shoppers, some even hold material for you to pick up at the event!

Updating on 4/13/08: Discovery Toys has opted to use an email address instead of the corporate home website. Click and tell her that you look forward to seeing her on June 7!

Hyperlinks for Eastern Iowa

All hyperlinks for the vendors at Home Learning Resources in Eastern Iowa are going down as of now. Cathy has Eastern Iowa links down on the website; they're going down here, too. Barefoot Books, Simply Fun, Usborne Books, and West Music displayed at Eastern Iowa and will appear in Des Moines, too. If you are interested in one of these businesses that showed in Eastern Iowa, you can always find the same inventory in Des Moines. The independent representative may not be the same, but the product should be.

Home Learning Resources -- DM

Work is being finalized on the floor plan for HLR -- Des Moines. We've traditionally sent everyone through the door with a bag of give-away items -- this year's bag looks great! Many home school sales events have bags full of catalogs. Our bags have offers and coupons that you can use right away! And our door prizes rock. Here is a list:

1 dozen large gift wrap sheets from Barefoot Books
a book or gift certificate from Julia's Attic
make and takes from Mad Science of Central Iowa
2 titles from Usborne Books
greeting cards from Handstamped by Love
$20 in product from Discovery Toys
five $10 gift cards from The Learning Post (Ankeny and Urbandale lcoations)
books from Borders Books

You just have to walk through the door and enter your name in our fishbowl to be eligible for a door prize. This will also get you on our email list so you can have news about Three Sisters events delivered right to your email inbox. No purchase is necessary for door prizes. Admission to Home Learning Resources is free.

Well Read Books will have a booth this year. Located in Des Moines' Sherman Hill area, Well Read Books carries used books for pleasure (or academic) reading. You name it, they probably have it -- classics, children's, college texts, biographies, history, antique and rare, religious titles, and a lot more. We'll see what they bring on June 7.

Hyperlinks in the sidebar from the eastern Iowa show will stay up for one more week.

HLR -- Eastern Iowa, summarized

Julia and Cathy had a pleasant time meeting people in Coralville at Home Learning Resources -- Eastern Iowa. We were wowed by the great door prizes our vendors donated. You can sort of see the prizes in the photo to the left. They exceeded our expectations. We gave out seven bundles of door prizes. The average retail value of a door prizes bundle was $30. Just for walking in the door. We love feedback, so if you have a comment or constructive criticism, let us know. The topic can be anything -- door prizes, road signs, traffic flow around the tables, physical space, vendor selection, etc.

Our vendor links at our website will be active for a couple weeks yet. The sidebar here on the blog will be rearranged right now, and de-hyperlinked in a couple weeks.

We are still accepting vendors for Home Learning Resources -- Des Moines, on June 7, 2008. We still have some room. We love to have vendor ideas sent our way: see3sis@yahoo.com

Home Learning Resources hits the road

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Julia McGuire

Three Sisters
515/988-1828

FAX 515/267-0655

http://www.geocities.com/see3sis/

Home Learning Resources hit the road

West Des Moines, IA April 21, 2008 Three Sisters will present a sales event outside of the Des Moines area for the first time this week. All the elements of a Three Sisters event will be there – free admission, friendly vendors, and fun door prizes. Join us:

Home Learning Resources, a home school sales event

Saturday, April 26

First Christian Church

900 Lincolnshire Place, Coralville, Iowa

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Committed Vendors, hometowns, and descriptions (hyperlinks in the sidebar):

The Curriculum Coop, Monticello, used and new curricula and books;

Simply Fun, Fredericksburg, educational games and puzzles;

Open Door Book Store, Algona, used books and curricula;

Precept Marketing, Wapello, products from BJUPress, Rosetta Stone, Passport Learning;

Usborne Books, New Sharon, Learning Wrap-Ups, books, kits and activity packs;

West Music, Iowa City, early childhood and general music supply;

Handstamped by Love, Lacona, greeting card kits and lap book kits.

Door prize agreements:

three handstamped cards and envelopes from Handstamped by Love,

one book from The Curriculum Coop,

one card game from Simply Fun,

one $15 gift certificate from Open Door Book Store,

three $10 gift cards from The Learning Ladder located in Marion,

one instrument from West Music,

one copy of Grounds for Belief from Ed Dickerson.

Displays: HAIL, state-wide; and Otter Side of Nature, McGregor.

In Des Moines, Home Learning Resources will be a stand-alone shopping event, held on Saturday, June 7, 2008, at the Northwest Community Center, 5110 Franklin Ave.

For information: http://www.geocities.com/see3sis/

Contact: see3sis@yahoo.com

Phone: 515/988-1828

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Evidence

Yes, the Home School Stuff Sale (HSSS) was in the paper. No, no one can find it on the Register's website. Yes, we now have a scanned copy of it. Check it out here.

Almost Famous

Yes, the Des Moines Register had a photo from our sale in the Johnston/Urbandale/Grimes neighborhood section. You are supposed to be able to find the "article" and photos at www.desmoinesregister.com/photos, but Julia hasn't been able to find it.

Here is our own photo, courtesy of a vendor's camera. Part of the room was for socializing and resting, part of the room was for shopping -- there was a LOT of stuff to sell and a LOT of people out to shop. The sale was a little like a home school party -- lots of talking. Thank you for your business.

Update on Home Learning Resources -- Eastern Iowa: Barefoot Books will be present, as will Vowel-etics, a new phonetics product.

HSSS Thank You

Thank you to everyone who braved the weather to sell and shop at our Stuff Sale!

Most people found great deals to take home. Some people had to come back twice. A few people asked about a next time. We will assess the event in the days to come and post our discoveries here.

Keep your eye on the Des Moines Register. A photographer was snapping pictures about an hour after the sales started. You could be famous for shopping at a Three Sisters event!

We wish we could have greeted each one of you who passed through the doors. The place was so crazy for a while. Please leave a comment here to say "hi" if you came today.

Stuff Sale Reminders

Get ready for our Stuff Sale:

Bring cash.

Bring bags and boxes to take your things home.

Have fun.

Look for our signs. They have three colorful squares. It's our logo.

Attended children are welcome.

Strollers and wheelchairs are welcome.

The restrooms are nice.

There are no stairs.

Leave all food at home.

Come at noon to set up if you are vendor.

Come at 12:30 if you are a shopper.

Be aware that vendors may tear down their tables and start packing before 4 p.m. You can finish dealings out in the parking lot.

Everyone must leave the building by 4 p.m.

Smile.

Stuff Sale Update

Home School Stuff Sale
Friday, April 11, 2008
12:30 - 4 p.m.
Johnston Lions Club
6401 Merle Hay Road
Johnston, IA (Des Moines area)

What to expect:

Mott Media’s hardback McGuffey Readers with the Parent/Teacher Guide for $65.00. (Brand new retail price $109.99)
Cuisenaire Rods
The Kingfisher History Encyclopedia (brand new retail $43.50), recommended by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer in _The Well-Trained Mind_
preschool-k phonics items, puzzles, lots of workbooks (barely used and unused)
Storybooks for fun!

Look for our colorful "HLR" signs by the road!

Stuff to expect -- updated on April 7

To the loyal readers of this blog, here is a small preview of what kind of stuff will be for sale. Thank you for supporting Three Sisters.

Saxon Math 1 and Math 2 Teachers Guides; MCP Map Skills workbooks levels A and B; Learning Language Arts Through Literature Teachers Guides for levels Green, Tan, Purple; a Talk to Me ABC butterfly; materials related to Calvert curricula; Sing, Spell, Read, and Write K/Level 1 combo kit; McGuffey Readers complete with teachers guide; Critical Thinking Press workbooks; the Phonics Game and other videos, jigsaw puzzles, and games for all ages. Please note that Sing, Spell, Read, and Write and Critical Thinking Press products are harder to acquire than they used to be until recently (as in the beginning of 2008 for Bright Minds, the home sales division of Critical Thinking Press).

A more complete list will go out next week.

Fill 'er up!

We have 8 tables rented for the Home School Stuff Sale (HSSS). We had MANY requests for a deadline extension on Monday. Yes, we are still entertaining applications this week, until April 4, 2008.

The tardiness of forms seems to come from lack of communication flow. Julia will change the wording in all future info releases to clarify that passing our info around is permissible and encouraged. Hopefully, this will increase early and timely communication flow.

Julia's "stuff pile" is growing by the minute. How did she ever think the kids would use all that stuff?!?

Look for the HLR signs with the colored squares that you see above (and the concrete lion) next Friday to find us.

Stuff Sale deadline coming soon

Hey, you hoarders out there (yes, that is me, too)! The Stuff Sale deadline is March 31, 2008. To get a table (or two, if you have hoarded stuff for years), mail the application, signed contract, and check to Three Sisters. Send an email if you lost your forms and we'll send you new ones. And I understand hoarding. "You ought to buy that book -- you never know what will click with your kid...."

If we still have room after March 31, we'll continue to accept your applications because we have a bonus room off the main hall. But that is not a reason to procrastinate! LOL

We're excited about using the Lions Hall. It's just as accessible as the Northwest Community Center (the site of our Home Learning Resources in June) -- strollers, carts, and wheelchairs are welcome! And remember to bring boxes or bags for all the goodies you buy --

Stuff Sale is in Des Moines, NOT Coralville

There seems to be confusion about HLR's Home School Stuff Sale (HSSS). The HSSS will be held in the Lions Club Hall at 6401 Merle Hay Road, Johnston, Iowa, north of Des Moines, from noon until 4 p.m.

Three Sisters has no plans to produce a HSSS in eastern Iowa at this time. We have considered it, but being a first-time event for us, we would like to run the sale in a familiar market before taking it on the road. We can see that demand is present for Des Moines and eastern Iowa, and we thank you for your interest. We love hearing from all of you shoppers. We still have space for some more people to have tables at the HSSS in Des Moines in April. You can get 4' of table for $5, just let us know if you need an application.

If you are interested in participating in a HSSS in eastern Iowa, visit our welcome table on Saturday, April 26, 2008, at the First Christian Church in Coralville, Iowa. You can leave your name and email address in our fish bowl . We will get in touch with you when we are ready to rent tables in your area. Putting your name in the fish bowl will also get you entered into our hourly door prize drawings.

HSSS -- Home School Stuff Sale

Interest all over the state seems to be high for our stuff sale. We may put up a poll to gauge interest for an eastern Iowa HSSS. For people in the Des Moines area, please send us a request to see3sis@yahoo.com for a Home School Stuff Sale application -- our tables will be sold in 4' lengths, on a first received, first served manner. You can read more details when you receive the paperwork. See you there!

Eastern Iowa Door Prize

Ed Dickerson, keynote speakers at the Eastern Iowa Home School Conference, has donated a signed copy of his book, Grounds for Belief, as a door prize for our shoppers.

How do our door prizes work? First, come to our Home Learning Resources event. Second, put your name in the fish bowl. Third, wait for us to draw your name. We do this every hour -- that would be seven or eight prizes April 26. (Coralville has hourly prizes. Des Moines usually has half hour drawings.). If we call your name, you win! Just for walking through the door, no purchases required. Fourth, you need to be present to win.

See you all there!

HLR's Homeschool "Stuff" Sale

The 'garage sale' has been renamed HLR's Homeschool "Stuff" Sale. Thank you to Cathy for choosing a better name. We just thought garage sale gave the wrong impression -- no one will be selling clothes, knick-knacks, and housewares. Our website will have updates any minute now on this event. Application forms and other information should be available by Thursday night. Hope to meet you all there!

Garage Sale!

Our friend asked if we would produce a "garage sale," in which home school moms could 1) rent a table and sell their excess books and/or mainly 2) shop and buy home school materials at low prices before shopping the full, high prices of businesses at the conferences. We definitely wanted to consider the possibility. Daila has great ideas, and we're all for helping moms -- that's how Three Sisters got started! After looking at a few places, our answer is YES, we will!

Home Learning Resources Garage Sale (until we get a better name)

Friday, April 11, 2008

12 noon - 4 p.m.

Johnston Lions Club Hall

6401 Merle Hay Rd.

Johnston, IA

We are drawing up paperwork right now. Send a message to see3sis@yahoo.com if you would like to rent a table, or have an event name to consider. More details will be posted at this blogspot as we figure things out. We're unsure if our official website will have this information because of time constraints. Julia is sure that Cathy will be excited to see a floor plan on the Lions Club website!

Start sorting out your stock and make your shopping lists!

They keep coming in

We just received paperwork for Julia's Attic. Julia has been with us, selling her consigned books, since 2005. We are pleased to have small Iowa businesses stick with us (another small Iowa business).

Who's In?

Applications received in the last two weeks: Simply Fun and Open Door Bookstore. When their paperwork is completed, their links will become live and you will be able to browse their inventory. We are very happy to have Iowa businesses at our events.

Open Door Bookstore carries consigned and used books.

Simply Fun carries games for all ages and all subject areas. We understand the business concept to be similar to that of Usborne Books.

Speaking of Usborne Books, if you know Cathy or Julia, you know that we have been challenged in the past with our Usborne Book sellers. Julia has interviewed quite a few reps, and after today thinks that she found "the one." Now if only her paperwork would come in....

We've Got Mail

An application has been received for Simply Fun to appear in Coralville. Julia has a Simply Fun game from a former Des Moines event and has seen her share of Simply Fun games in action at Des Moines' Homeschool Game Days. Our website will have a hyperlink soon so everyone can preview their merchandise.

The Buzz

We had many interested parties making phone calls and sending email messages over the last week and a half, but no hardcopy commitments have shown up in our mailbox. We had one vendor apply, but the form was sent without a check, so we have no new vendors as of today.

Vendors, you are welcome to bring your own table(s), but the booth space has a fee. Please read the application form closely. Do not hesitate to call Cathy if you have a question. Her phone number is on the application form.

Two months to go

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Julia McGuire

Three Sisters
515/988-1828

http://threesis.blogspot.com/

Three Sisters prepares Home Learning Resources for 2008

West Des Moines, IA Feb. 6, 2008 Three Sisters is preparing to show its Home Learning Resources, a home school sales event, to eastern Iowa on Saturday, April 26, and to Des Moines on Saturday, June 7, 2008.

In eastern Iowa , Home Learning Resources will be held in conjunction with the Eastern Iowa Home School Conference (EIHSC). A complete speaker list, schedule, registration form, and more can be found at www.eihsconference.com.

“We see our event as a nice complement to the Eastern Iowa Home School Conference,” says managing partner Cathy Frueh. “It’s a natural fit.”

Founding partner Julia McGuire continues, “We have had only favorable responses from our announcement of an eastern Iowa sales event.”

In Des Moines , Home Learning Resources will be a stand-alone shopping event. Customers will be able to take a bag home with them, which will include a discount coupon from The Learning Post and an educator discount card application form from Borders Books. These two local stores will also contribute door prizes -- The Learning Post will have five $10 gift certificates and Borders will have books for door prizes.

For information: http://threesis.blogspot.com

Contact: see3sis@yahoo.com

Phone: 515/988-1828

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Who's In?

We get questions about who is coming to Home Learning Resources as we go out about the day in our home school lives. People have two choices if they can't ask Cathy and Julia in person -- the most up to date information on vendors is on the sidebar, on the right. This blog is maintained as often as needed to be current. As information releases are issued monthly (weekly once April arrives), you will also find out in your inbox, if you have asked to be on the mailing list.

A poll has been added to the lower sidebar on the right. We didn't take a head count at our last event, but we did count at our first one -- about 100 people left their name for the door prizes. So hop over and get counted. Can't wait to see you all in person later this year!

Looking good

Cathy put our fancy logo (HLR stands for Home Learning Resources) in the blog's page topper. It's looking good, isn't it? Graphic artist BIL Dave created it. Get familiar with it, so you can recognize the signs that we place on the day of Home Learning Resources events. These signs will direct you to our location and make it easy for you to recognize us. We'd love to have you introduce yourself to us!

We have confirmation from The Curriculum Coop for Home Learning Resources -- Eastern Iowa. The Curriculum Coop always has a great selection of new and used material for us to shop from.

Our last event

This photo was dug up from the archives of 2006. This year, we expect to have more energy in the room because our sales events will be in rooms with WINDOWS this year. We also look forward to seeing everyone, vendor and shopper, again.

Des Moines is a go

Our lovely county offices have saved space for us, meaning that you can have fun and free shopping in June. The details:

Home Learning Resources
Saturday, June 7
10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Northwest Community Center
5110 Franklin Ave.
Des Moines, IA

Parking is plentiful and the building is modern. Keep checking here for updates, or join our mailing list (just send a message asking to get on the list) to get updates in your email inbox.

Eastern Iowa, here we come

Information releases have been sent to all known support group contacts. Please contact us if you would like to join the email list to receive monthly updates -- you'll be in the know sooner than blog readers.

Our vendor application forms have also been sent to businesses showing interest. The application form is available by request for those we missed. Space is quite limited at the First Christian Church, so be sure to reply soon.

In case you missed the information release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Julia McGuire

Three Sisters
515/988-1828

FAX 515/267-0655

http://threesis.blogspot.com/

Eastern Iowa Sales Event Scheduled

West Des Moines, IA Jan. 5, 2008 Three Sisters is please to announce its first eastern Iowa sales event. Held in conjunction with the Eastern Iowa Home School Conference (EIHSC) in Coralville, Iowa, the company is looking forward to serving the home school community.

Three Sisters eastern Iowa sales event will be held on Sat., April Sat., April 26, 2008 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Coralville, IA. Three Sisters will present a vendor hall in a space adjoining that of EIHSC. People may shop the vendor hall for free and not attend the conference.

Managing partner Cathy Frueh says, “We’ve concentrated on the central Iowa market for the past three years. We’re excited to visit a different part of the state.” Using experience from past sales events, Three Sisters intends to have door prizes and a floor full of vendors. Iowa-based companies currently showing commitment include: Mary Lynn's Learning Center, The Curriculum Coop, Usborne Books, Open Door Books, and Bright Minds.

Founding partner Julia McGuire says, “We started the company for a few reasons. One was the lack of a ‘home school store’ down the street. Another reason was that, unlike many conference organizers, we believe that shopping for your home school should be free.” With these points in mind, Three Sisters is committed to inviting people to shop in person for educational products they can’t find in stores.

For information: http://threesis.blogspot.com

Contact: see3sis@yahoo.com

Phone: 515/988-1828

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