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Everyone sing together, "It's too late to turn back now"... Ready or not, Sign It is moving at the end of this month.
We've added a timberframe structure to an existing shop on our home property. The original building was a one room school house that we renovated back in '94 with the hope that one day we would 'retire' here with a small shop. This year marks our 25th anniversary in business, and although we're not ready to retire, (and can't imagine ever really retiring), it is time for a change. When we updated our business strategy in 2002, we asked the question "where do we want to be in five years", and the answer was "working from our home studio". It's amazing how everything in the universe aligns when you set a specific goal. We are setting ourselves up for the next 25 years...in whatever form that means.
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The new shop is 30 x 50, and with the second floor we'll have approx 2500 square feet. The school house is approx 1500, also on two floors. My office will go in the the back part of the school house which was rebuilt in 2002 as a recording studio. I'm pretty excited about having my design and music studios combined!
The schoolhouse is about 170 years old, and is also timberframe construction. The new shop is all new materials...(even though a couple of beams have been weathered a bit).
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I got to sit with Noella and talk a little at CONSAC a couple of weeks ago and got the lowdown on the construction. I'm excited for you guys!
The shop looks great! I wish I was there to give you a hand with the moving!
'Unfortunately' Janis & I will be in Florida! dWe'll be doing research of course at Mickey's place. Tough work but somebody's gotta do it!
Congratulations on the new shop!
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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That looks wonderful! That's one of my goals, to work from my home yard. We had a farm property that would have been ideal all picked out, but when just as we were about to make an offer the owner changed his mind about selling. Now we are toying with tearing off the garage and building on. I'm glad to see your dreams realized, you've worked hard and earned that. Good on you...congratulations!
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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I'm envious,, thats exactly what I want someday. Now the question is, WHERE?
-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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Timber framed building have a vastly superior feeling to them! Whey to go! (cheesemaker's term!)
-------------------- Catharine C. Kennedy CCK Graphics 1511 Route 28 Chatham Center, NY 12184 cck1620@taconic.net "Look at me, Look at me, Look at me now! I't's fun to have fun, But you have to know how!" Posts: 2173 | From: downtown Chatham Center, NY | Registered: Feb 2004
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gee, it's too bad you didn't offer to come up and help us move to our new shop across the driveway, if you had i'd return the favour, haha! looks great, i'll be waiting for an invite once all the heavy lifting is done
-------------------- Pete Payne Willowlake Design/Canadian Signcrafters Bayfield, ON
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WOW! Congratulations! This so timely, I have been thinking of going home based for so long now. Like you, I love Timber Frame.. Judy and I already live in a hand crafted Log Home that I built myself over 20 years ago and we would love to be able to build right next to it, in timber frame or post and beam log.
What inspiration!
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6712 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Congratulations on a beautiful shop. It's going to be so comfortable and homey.
I happy for you all.
-------------------- Joe Crumley Norman Sign Company 2200 Research Park Blvd. Norman, OK 73069 Posts: 1428 | From: 2200 Research Park Blvd. | Registered: Sep 2001
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Are you willing to take the bashing from the people that say a home based business isn't really a business at all?
No, that looks great Nancy. And I'm sure that you will find its the best move you ever made. The only problem is you will have to forget about snow days. There's no excuse there!
So, in your home based business are you having employees still? Or are you down sizing?
-------------------- Deri Russell Wildwood Signs Hanover, Ontario
You're just jealous 'cause the little voices only talk to me. Posts: 1904 | From: Hanover, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Dec 1998
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What a great look and feel to this place you have going Nancy! It will be another great place to make great signs! Good for you guys!! Please show us more pics as you get closer to the finished product!!
-------------------- Mike Meyer Sign Painter 189 1st Ave n P.O. Box 3 Mazeppa, Mn 55956
We are not selling, we are staying here in Mazeppa....we cannot re-create what we have here....not in another lifetime! SO Here we are!!!!!!!
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CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! You guys are going to love all of the new space. Be careful not to fill it up with "stuff" that you think you need to keep. That is what has happened here, and now i'm having to go through everything and purge my shop of junk.
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Thanks for all the great feedback. We're really excited about the building and the move, but it's scary at the same time. Many factors led to the decision to make this move, and some of you know we've been heading in this direction for years. Is there a difference between downsizing and restructuring? I think our goal is transformation. We are making a change that we hope will yeild positive returns for years to come...for the business, and for us personally.
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Wow!!! What a great place! When's the meet/housewarming? hehehe I'll bring the champagne!
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Wow, a great endeavor; I'm not surprised since I've seen the quality of your work and the signs that always want to make me drool. congrats on your awesome timber design! I love the outdoorsy theme; What type of music do you play? If I had a nice place like that it would make me think I wasn't at work when I was. Did Jane say champagne? I bet it's one of those yummy ones from Algoma.
-------------------- Deb Fowler
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966) Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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Nancy, I caught a glimpse of a sign in one of those photos that looked liked one I saw in a book. Hmmm! I didn't realize that it was you in the book. You do very nice work.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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I sent an extra BIG hug home for you via Noella. Sure hope you got it.I designed & squeezed it all by my self.I know this is a small segment of a big dream,but as Grandpa Dan might say,"one dream at a time". You have both done your homework to put this all together.A wonderful future lies ahead for SignIt. All the luck possible shall be yours.
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What a journey you have had...very nice. You will soooooo enjoy being home based....I just wonder how we will ever get you to leave your cozy home and office/shop and come to other meets.... Sign-It, Dreamed-It...Doin'-It. Enjoy!
-------------------- Susan Banasky Source Signs Nanaimo, British Columbia sourcesigns@shaw.ca
When in need....go directly to the "Source"!
Proud Supporter of this "Knowledge Network"! Posts: 1323 | From: Nanaimo, B.C. Canada | Registered: Oct 1999
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dWe'll be doing research of course at Mickey's place. Tough work but somebody's gotta do it!
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