Thanks everyone!

As the year comes to an end I want to say a few words about how much I appreciate everyone who has had the confidence to make an order from me after I took over control of Llama Hardware. Even those that have not made purchases have shown support in so many ways that this year has flown by in a blur!

If it had not been for Barb spending months staying at our place the transition would have been much harder, Thanks Barb! 

While we knew that taking over Llama Hardware would be a lot of work, it has also been a great adventure. Learning the methods that Sid used when he started making the Flaming Star packs and how Barb made improvements on those has been fun, and adding my own little touches has now made them mine. 

Our return to the “llama world” has been great as well. Many old friends have came back into our lives and even more new ones have been added to the list. Thanks to our modern world we now have friends around the world that would have been nearly impossible to make even a few years ago. I have sold pack systems, and more, to countries over half a world away, in both directions.

Our move back to Oregon recently felt like coming home as well. While all the other places we have lived while I was earning my Master’s Degree in Anthropology were beautiful and I enjoyed aspects of all those places, they were never “home” to us.

I am still working on products to add to the Flaming Star line and will be adding a new line as time allows, Flaming Star Expedition Gear. This line will start out with small items like straps to hold fishing poles holders and rifle cases to the Flaming Star Pack system, and eventually move on to larger items.

To keep this from getting any longer, Thank You to everyone that has supported us in the transition to make Llama Hardware ours!

Richard

It’s a Process

Because we have purchased several houses before, we knew going it this would be a “process,” not a simple thing. Or least it never has been for us.

We thought we were pre-approved with one company, seems that no, that was not quite the case. The broker had gathered all the info and he ‘thought’ it would be fine, but had yet to actually turn over all the information to a finance company. Great, he told us this after we had made an offer on a house!

So, start the process all over again with a new company… yes, we could have stayed with that company, it was already in the process, but when someone is not telling me the truth about what they are doing, I tend to not trust them with my money, especially the amounts of money we are talking about when buying a house!

Meeting with the new person went smooth, she says it shouldn't be a problem, etc, but oh, she is leaving town early on Friday and won’t be able to get to things until at least Monday. And can we get her up-to-date bank statements, etc… I guess the others were over two whole weeks old and just wouldn't do to tell her how much money we had made over the last year???? Really?

Still working on the old farmhouse just on the edge of town here in Pendleton, but not so sure it will happen by early January like we were hoping. Oh well, so long as it still happens we will be okay. In the grand scheme of things a few more weeks is not going to make that much difference but in the short term it can sure be frustrating.  

A house with history.

The double car garage/ shop space.

Memories

Moving back to NE Oregon felt like coming home, but it was not until we made a trip to the ranch we grew up on that the memories started coming back to the forefront of my thinking.

The creek where I played and remembered being ‘Neck deep’ looks to be closer to “knee deep” to me as an adult. The “Turkey ranch” part of the place where we fed cows in the winter is still there, but the buildings that were standing then, are long gone for the most part now. The “new” horse barn that was put up while we were living there is now looking weathered and has been repaired in one corner. The corral that was so big, with fences so tall I could get above any cow is now falling down in disrepair.

On the other hand, the house we grew up in has been resided, has a new roof, and where the garden was is now an in ground swimming pool! The main house where the ranch owner lived is freshly painted and looking great.

Some of the places we rode for cattle still look familiar after all these years and I remembered many of the things that happened there. The bull that dove in the pond to avoid being loaded in the truck and then swam out and loaded himself into the truck! The fields I learned to drive tractor and the old pickup in are now in CRP and look overgrown and abandoned.

These memories were good ones, even with the changes and differences. What really hit home was that those memories I had as a kid were ones that I could only share with Lynn and James. Joe and my parents were never able to meet each other and I could never show Joe those places.

I know it’s all part of life, and that those events and memories of events are what makes us, ‘us’ but it would still be nice to share it with everyone we love.  Perhaps by sharing some of my thoughts on the subject I am able to do just that.

If any of my family or friends have stories/ memories/ etc. of things that happened on the ranch or at other times, please send them to me and I’ll include them in my list of stories I’m working on adding to my growing list that will end up being a book given some time to put them in order. 

New “temporary” quarters.

Well, we are now settled in our new, but temporary quarters. My brother-in-law has kindly let me take over his shop until we find our new house and shop. The plan is to be set up and sewing by the end of the day tomorrow, Monday.

Thanks to everyone for their patience while we have been moving and know that I will be back to work filling orders on Tuesday morning.

Moving required four trips with a friend’s 24’ enclosed car hauler, one for the 5^th wheel trailer we are living in and the last one with a very overloaded pickup and a U-haul trailer. At just over 5700 miles and all of our belongings I had a friend tell me I was nearly qualified at a Teamster! Ha! Oh, and add in towing a newly purchased 5^th wheel for my nephew and I’m probably pushing the 6,000 mile range in the last 6 weeks! No wonder I’m tired of driving! Good thing I Love my pickup and have a good supply of podcasts on the I pod to listen to! Great company and good conversations with my son helped pass the time as well, so it was not all bad.

The weather held off until we were about 100 miles from Pendleton and greeted us with varying amounts of snow and ice for the last little bit into town. Cars in the ditch to the right of us and cars in the ditch to the left of us, but we kept trundling along until we made it in!

Lynn had her first day of work on Saturday, and thinks her new route will be an Okay route. For those that know Pendleton, her route is on the north hill, above the high school. Not the steepest hill in town perhaps, but not flat by any means. The next week will see things smooth out and soon she will have the routine down.

I’ll try to get back to my normal routine of updating my blog once a week now and keep everyone up to date on how things are progressing on the house hunt. 

On the Move!

            Well, it is finally a fact, we are moving once again! A transfer to Pendleton means we are headed to our home area of NE Oregon. We have just under 30 days to have our stuff out of here and moved into storage there. It would be nice if we could move it from one house to another but we want to buy and know that it is going to take some time.

            Home for a few weeks will be our 5^th wheel trailer and I’m taking over my Brother-in-laws shop until we find our perfect shop and living space.

            If any of you have a desire to help, just let me know and we will let you know when we will be where and how you can help!

            The Llama Hardware business will be the last thing packed and the first thing unpacked so I will not lose more than a few days of production during the move. Don’t let the move deter you from making an order I will continue to make all the items as long as I can before we move.

            Once we have a new address I’ll make updates to the web pages and let everyone know via all the different ways we can now with social media. All the phone numbers and email will work for now and any of the addresses that end in @rockrabbitenterprises.com or @llamahardware.com will work no matter where we move, those will not change. 

What does “home” mean to you?

We went back to NE Oregon for a couple days on personal business and slipped in a little real business at the same time. While we were there, visiting with some family and wishing we could visit with all our family and friends I got to thinking about what made NE Oregon “home” to us.

Is it the fact that most of our family lives there? Well, maybe, but it’s not just that. Is it because we grew up in the area and, like a salmon going back to its home waters, we are drawn to the area by some unseen and unknown element? Again, I don’t think that’s it either. Perhaps a combination of those things?

It might be one of the things we will never explain. Still, there is something about our moods, our sense of well being, our overall feeling when we are in that part of Oregon.(examples below)

West Eagle Meadows

Main Eagle Creek

The Elkhorn Mountains

The Eagle Cap Wilderness

The Grande Round Valley

I know that where we are living is beautiful, there are mountain all around us, lots of lakes, rivers, and other things that have, and continue to capture our attention, but it just does not feel like home in the same way that NE Oregon does.

Perhaps one of these days we will find a way to get back there, only time will tell, and then we will once again be “home.”

What does “home” mean to you? Is it a location, the place where you live, or is it where your family and friends are located? How would you express what “home” is to you? 

Opposite of Boredom

            Lately I have had several people tell me they are bored. It was always different circumstances, and they were a range of ages. When I asked them what they did for hobbies, or for fun, they were all able to give me several things that they did.

            Several days have passed now and it just dawned on me that they were not really bored, they were just unhappy with the time it was taking them to accomplish certain things in their lives.

            Most of us think of “bored” as having a lack of things to do. Or at least I will say that has always been the definition I have heard. Here is just one example I pulled off a Google search. “Feeling weary because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity.”

            I guess that might explain my sometimes overwhelming number of things I like to do. If I find that I don’t feel like working on one thing, I can move on to something else for a bit. Or change directions completely. Going from wood working to blacksmithing, or writing to carving a golf ball. Sometimes I even fall off the deep end and spend time reading a book.

Slabs in the process of becoming wall sculptures or clocks. 

            Because I’m a “list” person I have white boards in my shop with sectioned off lists of various projects that I “want” to do along with a few I “need” to get done. When I find that I’m unhappy with what I’m doing I look at something on the list that required a change in direction from what I’m doing, and start down that path.

My "Bassinet" bowl made from a Walnut limb.

            The down side to that is I have many projects that are in various stages of completion. My project this weekend was to clean up my shop, make the “flat surfaces” flat again and take inventory of the projects that are near completion so I can work them into the schedule soon and get them off the list they are on… Some it will only take a few minutes of dedicated work; others will take several weeks of working on them after my “day job” at Llama Hardware.

            Oh, and Christmas is coming up, that adds a whole new list of projects that will need finished up in time to ship to family and friends… Yep, I can feel boredom coming up Real fast! 

Six Months!

            They say that if you are busy doing things that time seems to go by faster. After realizing that I have now owned Llama Hardware for nearly six months I guess I have to agree with that statement.

            While I have been busy learning how to make the products offered with the same quality as my predecessors, the time has been ticking along. While it seems like I just started, and in the long term, I have only just started, it has been nearly a full six months of rushing to get caught up on back orders, learn the book keeping system, and add some time for research and development (R&D) to develop some new products.

            While you are reading this there are a few new products out with fellow llama owners for testing and more on the books to get made up. As those are perfected I’ll start offering them on the web site. Some will have a big appeal, and others might have fewer people interested, but that’s what R&D is all about.

            Next on the list for R&D is a system to attach various items to the Flaming Star pack system. On the schedule for this week are adjustable strap for fishing pole, rifle, and bow cases. Since nearly everyone that uses those items has different equipment there must be a wide range of adjustment to allow for that personal choice. Overnight I believe I have came up with a system that will work but now I need to get a couple built and find some volunteers to test them out on their own items. First on the list will be straps for fishing poles (fall fishing is Fantastic) and I’ll follow that with the rifle / bow case system. With luck and a bit of time I’ll have these ready to sell by next spring so everyone can start conditioning their llamas while using those products.

            As part of this process I have been developing a new web site. Look for that to appear in the next month or so. Who knew that it would take so many hours of my time to develop. I don’t work on it unless I’m caught up on orders and thanks to everyone making orders I have not had that much time.

            More orders have came in over the weekend and I’ll be completing the orders from last week and getting started on those orders right away. Orders always take precedence over R&D.

            And now time has flown by while I’m writing this and it’s time to get to work filling those orders! 

R & D Time

There are many things to worry about when running a small business. Keeping up with orders, getting orders, keeping enough supplies on hand to fill orders, paying all the vendors for those supplies, the list is long.

So, when you are caught up on orders do you panic or do you use that time to do some Research and Development of new projects? I have decided to do that. R&D is best done when there is no orders that would be delayed if the time for R&D was done with them on the books.

Then there is a new add to develop, a web page that needs updating, bookwork that is ever demanding of my time. But those are always there so can’t be factored into the mix.

One of the first things on the list for R&D is a set of straps to hold golf bags on the Flaming Star saddle. After that I have an axe/ hatchet holder in mind, and with the recent proof near home that winter Is on the way, I have a dog coat to work on.

The list of things to build on the wood working side is even longer… A friend just got me hooked on chess sets again, and the idea of a ‘yard’ set is percolating. Just need to dig out the logs and see if I have enough of two kinds of wood for 16 pieces each to make them the size I want. I’m thinking pawns of 6” in diameter and 10-12” tall and the king 8 or 10” in diameter and close to 36” tall. That’s all the length I can do on my lathe and I’m thinking anything over that would be too heavy to move anyway.

Of course that means I need to design a chess board that is proportional in size as well. I’m guessing something in the range of 24” squares or a board 16 feet on a side… Hum, wonder if I can get sidewalk pavers that big?

Keep checking back for updates on all of the above or to suggest items for R&D that you would like to see. 

Connections

          It doesn't seem to make any difference where you turn on the internet, there something there telling you that the way to sell more product is to make more connections, get more people looking at your web site, reading your twitter posts, your blog, looking at all your stuff on Etsy, or at photos on Flickr.

            While I agree, if more people were looking at my stuff I would be selling more, what those places have in common most of the time is that they want money to help you get those connections. Only 35 cents per day or $11.99 a month, etc. etc… So what if you are a new, starting business or have a Very specific market that is not touched by the connections they offer? Not their problem, they are just selling you Names.

            What I know can happen is that my many friends can help me make the connections I need if they will just pass my posts along, like and follow my blog, take the two seconds needed to click on the Share button on Face book or to ‘re-tweet” my notices about my blog being updated.

            So my friends, are you willing to help a new business get the word out? Are you willing to click the share button, the re-tweet button, or go above and beyond and call another of your friends and tell them I’m out there and that I make some fantastic products?

            For all of you that do, I thank you in advance! For the rest of you, Shame on you, it costs you nothing but a few seconds of your time and could help me out a bunch!

Pinterest

            How many of those of you reading this are doing Pinterest? I find that I do things in bursts. There are days when I get sucked into the search feature on Pinterest and all of a sudden several hours have passed with me looking at all the great things others have posted to their Pinterest boards that they like.

            Most of those things are simply things I like myself or are things I think could be future projects. The list is long and I already have many note books full of ideas.

            What I’m wondering is this: are there others that use Pinterest in this way? Would you ever consider using Pinterest as a way to find someone to make a project for your or to purchase an item you find on Pinterest?

            There are places I know that are marketing their work via Pinterest, but it takes either time or money to market no matter the way it’s done. Since like most of you, I have more time than money, it’s one of the ways I’m looking at marketing my work, or potential work.

            To that end I have put up a board on Pinterest that is labeled, “My Stuff” http://www.pinterest.com/llamanter/my-stuff/ and one for “Lynn’s Artwork” http://www.pinterest.com/llamanter/lynns-artwork-wife/ as well. While there are many other ideas on the other boards on my Pinterest page, I can only make something that is similar to those items, I can’t make it exactly the same or I’ll be infringing on someone else’s design and I won’t do that.

            The fun thing with wood, is that it is nearly impossible to make something exactly like what someone else did. And since I can seldom leave things as they are, it’s not too much of an issue. There are always things I think need to be done differently or I can’t do the same way because I don’t have the same type of wood or the same piece of equipment needed to make it like someone else.

            So, for now, go to my Pinterest page; http://www.pinterest.com/llamanter/ Take a look at what’s there and let me know what you might be interested in having made or purchasing. While you are there, don’t forget to Share the link with all your friends and family!

            

Division is Work

            And No, I don’t mean math. I’m talking about dividing my time between Llama Hardware, Rock Rabbit Enterprises and Life! I know I KNOW, sometimes you have to burn the candle at both ends to make a new business profitable, I have no issues with that.

            However, I Do want a bit of time that is not related to work and don’t want to make the wood working, which I Love, a drudgery type of work. There are too many projects floating around in my head that I Have to get either onto paper or better, out of a block of wood!

            The slabs that I purchased a couple months ago from the Glacier Woodturners Association are starting to come to life, and I have to get those done soon. The desire to see them in a finished format is good motivation to spend my evening hours working on them. Here they are in Rough form, but sanding to 120. Already set up with a friend who is a professional painter to get them shot with multiple coats of lacquer so I need to get them sanded to at least 320 and the bases built for those that are not going to be hanging on a wall.

Sorry the photos are so bad, the sunlight was bright and I was too lazy to set up the photo booth for Rough work.

           

I have a couple more small orders to get out for Llama Hardware and then I’m going to get started with a redesign of the web site. It will take me a few weeks to get it up (at least) but I want to get started. No, I Have started on it, I spend a couple hours today scanning photos into my computer so that I’ll be able to put photos of my trips on there, making it my web site.

Look for changes to happen a bit at a time, but they will happen. Unless I get swamped with orders, then this has to take a back burner. So, the time is being divided between the businesses pretty well, but my “free” time is suffering. This week I also have to spend All day Thursday at the Western Montana State Fair in Kalispell. I’ll be one of many members of the Glacier Woodturners Association showing the public how easy it is to turn a block of wood into something useful or at least pretty. We will also be making tops for the kids that are attending the fair as well. The only issue is that the other guys in the club have a fit if I bring in my “flat” work to display! It has to be turned at least Partly on the lathe to be shown! However, I CAN carve on them after they are turned!

Swamped versus Time

            I think it’s an old discussion for almost any one that owns a business. Would you rather be swamped and never have time to do research and development?

            Being swamped is good for me in that I’m new to this business and it allows me to perfect the process of making the many products already in my catalog. I can make the details a part of my memory and not have to rely on the written instructions as much. And it allows me to pay for the business and purchase more supplies for more orders down the road. I have also been making an extra item or two when I figured it wouldn’t take much more time. Having an item here and an item there to add to “stock” will help me fill orders quicker down the road and it takes less time to do an extra item when I already have the supplies out. The drawback is that I have limited space and I don’t want to get too many unfinished project scattered about either.

            However, part of what I want to do is to expand the line of items offered to include more gear that can be added on to the Flaming Star pack system. Bow and Rifle cases, fishing pole tubes, float tubes, axe or hatchet attachment systems… you get the idea, things you might take on your llama trek but are not offered from any of the makers of llama gear. To do that, I need time when I don’t have orders to fill. Keep checking back to my main page at: http://www.llamahardware.com for updates.

            The age old catch 22 of any business I’m sure. Add in the fact that I’m still trying to make items to post on my Etsy page for wood working https://www.etsy.com/shop/RockRabbitEnterprise and the list of items there is long as well… wonder if I could get myself cloned? No? Well it was a thought.

            Also, since I have been working long hours and generally 6 days a week, we decided to take a day off and Not stay home where we tend to go back to the shop and work ‘for just a little while.’ Take a look at the photos here to see some of the beautiful country Montana is known for and that we have not visited nearly enough recently. https://www.flickr.com/photos/rockrabbit/ The power of an avalanche is very impressive and is enough to make you think about where you go in the winter.

           

Rendezvous and business update

            Well it’s been a fun few weeks! We did a week of “vacation” time in NE Oregon and did the first Annual Galloway Top Shot event near the Eagle Cap Wilderness and the location of Joe’s ashes.

            While the turnout was not as large as we had hoped, it was still very good and fun was had by one and all. We did a less formal shooting event this time to allow everyone to have input in to what they wanted for next year. The plinking was a great hit as were the cans of shaving cream. Next year we will have more targets and a more regimented competition to go along with our informal plinking time. The plinking will give everyone a chance to shoot several guns that will then be designated as the ones used by all the shooters in the formal shooting event. (formal might be too strong a word, but it will have to do.)

            If you are interested in attending, mark your calendars for the third (3^rd) Saturday in June, 2015 and meet us there!

            After coming back down from the mountain (we spent a much needed couple of extra days camping once everyone else left). We spent another day in Pendleton and returned to Elgin and moved our “77” Chevy pickup and the flatbed trailer with the 32 AA Ford to Lynn’s dad’s place in Imbler. We wanted to take it to Pendleton but there was simply too much wrong and too little time to get things fixed before I felt safe taking them up, and more importantly, Down, Tollgate.

            On Thursday Lynn and I drove to Estacada to attend the Llama Rendezvous there. It was nice to visit with old friends and make some new ones as well. The park where they had the Pack Llama Trials Association (PLTA) event was nice, and the weather was nearly perfect for hiking.

            We talked packing gear each night and the improvements that people would like to see made to the Flaming Star system. (very few actually). On the list of things I need to pursue is a system to attach a hatchet/ axe to the outside of the system along with the fishing/ hunting gear I am already working on developing. Everyone there seemed pleased that I was taking over for Barb and Sid and were pleased with the quality of the product I’m turning out.

            The return trip on Sunday was delayed for nearly two hours outside Pasco when we had a flat tire and realized the ‘four square’ tire iron was still with the old pickup and trailer in Imbler! Robert to the rescue from Pendleton and we were soon back on the road for home. Still made it in just under 14 hours and averaged 14.77 miles per gallon while towing our trailer. Not great, but I’ll take it! I think it would have been better had it not been for the head wind on Thursday in the Columbia River Gorge.

            The last couple days have been spent unloading, cleaning, and getting back to normal routine. Three pack saddles left yesterday for Switzerland and the three used systems have been sold as well. One leaves for Germany tomorrow and the last two will head for Switzerland as soon as I can get a couple of Britchen done to accompany them.

            I “hope” to be caught up on All orders in the next couple of weeks and start on new orders/ stock for the shelves.

            This time away has re-enforced one thing… the only thing better than going on vacation, it getting Home from vacation! J

End of phase one, start of phase 2!

            Well, today was the last day that Barb will be here to help me learn all the tricks to making the Flaming Star products. With her expertise and time we both feel like I have a pretty good handle on how to make everything in the product line now. How fast I make them will only increase with the number of them I make.

            She leaves for home early tomorrow and I get to finish up three halters before starting the process of loading up our trailer for 2 weeks away from the shop. I have potential orders from France as well as here nearer to home. Just waiting on them to figure out exactly what they want.

            The next two weeks will be used to recoup some much need time with my wonderful wife, and other family members. We will end the time at the Rendezvous before heading home to start on all the new orders. I will have stuff with me to work on while away, but won’t be spending 10-12 hours a day on them like I have the last couple months.

            Now starts the process of research and development for the new products I want to add to the Flaming Start Expedition gear line. Rifle, bow , and fishing rod carriers that will quick attach/ detach from the Flaming Star pack saddle system. Have always wanted a system to attach my float tube to my pack system as well. Bungee cords do the job, but they are not all that user friendly and it only worked on the one tube design. I want something more universal in design.

            If you have ever wanted something specific for your packing system now is the time to send me the idea. I’m not going to guarantee that I’m make them a production item, but I might. Big or small, complicated or simple, let me know what you are thinking and I’ll give it a go!