Karen’s Opinion

Pressure! Pressure! How many of you think of gifts you want to make? Gifts that take time to create? Now, I am not talking about research and all the work it takes to be an accountant but making crafts does require time. In the manner that forensic accountants take time to build information needed to build a case, I travel to different stores for supplies, cut out patterns and get down to the project at hand. Laundry and dishes go untouched! My house becomes a display of disarray from one end of it from the other. Is this how you work? Why can I not think of these things in June? I could be prepared and set out to embroider snowmen as I sit outside getting sun on my face.

That is not how I work. I decided on Sunday that it would be a good idea to give snowmen pillows as gifts. Two are finished. Three more to go.

Small pillow with blue piping around the edges.
I put three large buttons on the back.

I am so excited! If any of you sell on the Internet, you know how important computer support is. It is not easy learning the ropes of how to put up a good picture and how to write a quality description of your product. IT support is wonderful as well as having friends who are passionate about making and selling handmade products.

I just received an email informing me that one of my bags was included in an Etsy Treasury. You Etsy sellers know how hard it is to get noticed amongst the thousands of sellers on Etsy. To have someone find one of your products let alone include it in a treasury is like, um, a miracle! Visit the treasury to see all the blue and green bags in this collection.

I belong to an Etsy group called Cabteam. That stands for Carried Away Bag Team. We are a group who love to make handbags, totes, wallets, etc. This group encourages each of us as we strive to make quality products and also raises money to help needy causes.

When the weather begins to chill and holiday tides begin to fill the hearts and homes of many, love truly abounds. The autumn season is often breathtaking in its beauty and crispness, and it makes for the perfect backdrop for a marriage proposal. It is human nature to crave warmth and affection when the weather turns cold, and thus engagement rings make their yearly debut. The fall season is the peak of engagement proposals and many happy marriages begin with a proposal during the pre-holiday season.
One reason for the onset of autumn marriage proposals is because of the holiday season and the cheer that it brings to families and loved ones. With family traditions and tokens of love and affection in exchange, the diamond ring is the ultimate marker of everlasting love. Jewelry stores display a wide array of engagement ring settings and loose diamonds so that men seeking rings can easily find something perfect for their significant other.
Before couples wear a wedding ring on their finger, the romance and the wooing usually comes into play. What better time than the holidays to cultivate a little magic? Between the fall leaves, the ripe orchards, ice skating, and holiday cheer, you can be sure that the natural American settings provide the perfect opportunity for love.
If you are in the market for engagement rings this holiday season, there are a few things I recommend you do to get your ducks all in a row to pop the question. First, be sure that you and your significant other are ready for a lifetime commitment. Of course, if you know- you just know! When you begin thinking of the type of ring to buy, take notice of her personal style and activities. Is she very active and hands-on? Or, is she a classic and refined lady who doesn’t dirty her hands on a regular basis. Taking note of her eccentricities will help you figure out the band style and setting for the engagement ring.
Once you have a firm idea of the type of ring she would like, you can get down to the details and choose the perfect style. If you want to keep the ring a surprise but you’d like a little more help, it’s a good idea to ask her best friend or sister to come along with you and help decide what type of ring she will like. Chances are, anything with a little sparkle will wow her and she will love the ring simply because it’s you giving it to her. But if you truly want to step it up a notch, you can get her a stunning pave engagement ring, or a princess cut prong engagement ring to dazzle her for eternity. These popular styles are truly becoming an engagement favorite this year and women are going gaga over the modern yet sophisticated designs.
Whichever diamond ring you choose this holiday season, remember that the holiday cheer will carry you to a point of warmth and happiness- and the ring will simply be the icing on the cake of your winter season. Giving the gift of an eternal connection will never go out of season- or out of style!

I hope that everyone was able to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday by spending time with family and friends. I know that not everyone is so fortunate. Thankful, is what I am.

I spent the week before thanksgiving getting a purse order ready. A friend asked me, in her engineering recruitment sort of way, to make a snowman purse for her and since I already sold one; I thought I might as well make a couple of the bags. I always laugh at the way my friend comes across. She means well but, if you know anyone involved in engineering Jobs, you know that they think with an analytical mind. I started work on her bag pronto!

Now that I have made her bag, it seems that my friend has left the face of the earth. She didn’t show up for our scheduled meeting. She hasn’t called. Does anyone want to buy a snowman handbag?