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Passion is Over-rated!

Passion is quite frankly over-rated. I am really down on passion these days. Passion is a flash in the pan, a moment in time never to be attained again in precisely the same way.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/153674550/taylor-hanson-passion-chalkboard

Now that I have your attention I will say that following your passion in business is over-rated. So  are the statements “create what you love and you will do great in your artistic life”, “be true to yourself”,”be who you are”. All of those statements are truthful to a point but the real truth is that  unless you put old fashioned HARD WORK you aren’t going to make it. Hard work is what keeps you making that one item the hundredth time. Hard work will keep you creating when you are tired and worn out. Hard work and not passion is what keeps musicians practicing in tiny rooms for hours at a time. Passion might put them in the room but hard work is what keeps them improving and practicing for long hours with no audience.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/109005760/kevin-durant-basketball-inspirational

“Create what you love and you will do great in your artistic life”. Hmmm, where do you think the term starving artist came from?  If you are doing your art or craft to pay bills, you might have to compromise your vision with what the people will buy. It is a terribly tiny line that you walk between earning money and following your dream. Somewhere between your dream and reality lies the middle line. Your job as an artist is to find a middle point that fulfills you as an artist and provides a living. At least until you have made a name for yourself. I know that there are people that will disagree with this, but if you are going to spend time and money creating, then you need people to buy your items to finance more creating. What do you think?

 

Talk to you later,

Karen

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Icy and Cold

It has been an icy weekend here in Tulsa, OK. While we certainly weren’t hit the hardest with the ice it was certainly icy and cold.

2013-12-21 12.33.46

 

2013-12-21 12.30.08My clothes line covered in tiny three inch icicles.

2013-12-21 12.31.14Our deck and a volunteer tree.

The oak tree in back was hit pretty hard.

2013-12-21 12.30.19 2013-12-21 12.39.54

2013-12-21 12.30.42

 

It is a Shumard oak and drops it’s leaves in the spring. We will have to trim some branches back. It has been pretty cold and the dogs are hanging out inside most of the time. We are staying pretty cozy with home made soup and family games.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

 

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Google Analytics…help!

Help! I have had Google Analytics for years and have never really understood what I was doing. Here are some websites that should help you understand what it is and what an incredible FREE tool it is!

This list covers a bunch of tutorials, explanations, videos and blog posts about using Google Analytics.

http://blog.kissmetrics.com/50-resources-for-getting-the-most-out-of-google-analytics/

http://www.designsponge.com/2013/03/biz-ladies-how-to-use-google-analytics-data-to-grow-your-business.html

http://www.movements.org/how-to/entry/analytics-tools/

 

I hope that it helps you understand a bit more about Google Analytics. Evidently, I haven’t even scratched the surface  of the information available in Google Analytics much less used any of the tools. I know so little about it. I have just been using it to find out where people are coming from to find my Etsy shop or this blog.

I am going to have to change all of that. This looks like another item to put on my To Do list.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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The Speed of Life

Do you ever get frustrated at the speed of life? I know I do, sometimes life seems to crawl along and other times it is moving at light speed. I wish that I knew the secret of keeping life at a steady pace. When life is zooming by me, I tend to feel like I am missing something important. When life is at a snails pace then I feel that life is passing me by.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/165353781/great-things-take-time-fine-art

Well, I think this all boils down to one thing contentment. Learning to  be content with our lives and not reaching for the one thing that is out of reach will help us to live in the here and now. When times are slow I need to prepare myself for the days when spare minutes are non-existent. When times are fast I need to learn to slow down enough to enjoy the ride. I feel that God wants us to learn to lean on him throughout all of the times of our lives. Thankfully life’s speed tends to ebb and flow like a river during the seasons.  It is ok for life’s speed to change we just need to be ready to work or rest depending on what our life speed is.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/154501027/how-we-spend-our-lives-inspirational

https://www.etsy.com/listing/154501027/how-we-spend-our-lives-inspirational

What is the speed setting on your life?

Talk to you later,

Karen

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Sweater Frogging…

Sweater frogging not to be confused with hunting frogs or knitting tiny sweaters for frogs, can be a great stress reliever.

When I started frogging sweaters for the yarn. I found Dawn’s blog to be the best description of how to do it. http://dawnprickett.blogspot.com/2008/01/recycling-sweaters-for-yarn.html  She has very clear pictures and great descriptions of what to do. The only things that I changed when frogging my sweaters.

  1.  I do not have a swift to unravel the yarn onto. I use the back of a chair as my swift. It works great and holds my yarn for me as I unravel.
  2. I also did not tie the yarn with a figure eight tie. I wish I had, my yarn was rather tangled after washing.
  3. I used Dawn dish soap to wash the yarn and I frogged 100% cotton sweaters.I wanted the yarn as clean as possible before I start using it.

This is the red and white yarn being rinsed.

The yarn drying out on the clothes line.

 

Here is the yarn in new scarves!

IMG_2928-001

A great way to recycle old sweaters.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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Things to do with kids: Build a city!

Kids often need toy extenders as I call them. Things that extend their play in an imaginative way, props would be another word for it. There are a wide variety of ways that you can make a city for your kids.

1. Use cardboard

http://keriene.wordpress.com/category/homemade-toys/page/2/

As my kids are now all in high school or graduated. I am showing you Emelia’s beautiful cardboard city. There are more photos on her blog. http://keriene.wordpress.com/category/homemade-toys/page/2/

2. Wood houses. I really like these as you can write on them with chalk. I think these would make excellent Christmas gifts.

http://mommo-design.blogspot.it/2013/03/diy-for-kids.html?m=1

3. I love these little felt houses by Sarah Nichols.

http://www.sarah-nicol.com/shop.html

The kids and I usually made our toy extenders out of cardboard covered with paper that they cut out and glued on. It took more time that way and they were practicing their fine motor skills. We would use the houses until they looked like trash and then recycle or put them in the trash. What things do you make to help your children’s imagination to grow?

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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Monday Goals

When I list out my goals it tends to look a lot like a To-Do list of a type A incredibly organized person. I have needed to scale back on my To-Do lists and just write the most important items down.

Family

1. Make cookies with the kids

2. Pick up the college girl for Christmas break

3. Take youngest DS driving so he can get his license

4. Bake Banana bread

Home

1. Do a basic clean sweep of the house.

2  Organize the Laundry room

3. Touch up the paint in my bathroom

Studio

1. Get shipping ready every day

2. Pick up the clutter in the studio

3. Work on custom orders every night

Personal

1. Water Aerobics once this week

2. Read pinned information about blogging

3. Complete devotional times

4. Plan 2 Christmas dinners….and see what needs to be done!

5. Complete Christmas shopping

6. wrap gifts

Ok, I just need to stop. This list is huge already and I keep tacking things on.

 

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Christmas GIfts #2 Toys

I love giving and receiving homemade Christmas gifts. It just seems to add a little more heart to the season. It also means that I don’t have to spend time driving around trying to find the perfect gift.

Here are some wonderful handmade toys!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/newborn-guinea-pig

https://www.etsy.com/listing/167137792/crochet-pattern-bowling-crochet-toy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100400839/crochet-toy-pattern-ice-cream-amigurumi

https://www.etsy.com/listing/128879584/amigurumi-pattern-for-crochet-toy-of

These are so cute that no words are needed!

I hope that it inspires you to create something wonderful for the children in your life!

Karen

 

 

 

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Christmas Gifts….

It seems that Christmas comes earlier every year. I know by the calender that it doesn’t but sometimes it feels like it creeps up on me. I am going to try to post some Christmas gift ideas as I am hunting some down for my Christmas gift list. So, I will start with gifts for the chef, cook, or kitchen.

These are crocheting gifts…

The ever present potholders!

1. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flower-potholders This pattern is free from Ravelery.

2. http://www.helloyarn.com/potholder-swap-potholders/

I love these,

Talk to you later,

Karen

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DIY Granny Stripe Scarf Pattern!

Here is my newest pattern for the super easy and fun Granny Stripe Scarf! I am having so much fun writing patterns.

Granny Stripe Scarf, Easy crochet pattern for beginners

It is available here at craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/accessory/granny-stripe-scarf/78677

and here on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/172057966/winter-scarf-pattern-crochet-granny

Make your own in your own favorite color combinations. This pattern is perfect at using up small half skeins of yarn. Here are a few I have made over the years!

Granny Stripe Scarf, Easy beginner crochet pattern

Granny Stripe Scarf, Easy beginner crochet pattern

I had great fun writing this pattern and I hope you have fun crocheting lovely scarves for your family.

The Yarn

People have been asking me what yarn brand I used in these photos. These scarves were all crocheted using Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice. The exceptional bright colors and easy care yarns are perfect for this pattern.

I have included affiliate links in this post and will receive a small percentage of any purchase you might make.

See you later,

Karen