Karen L. Syed's Blog, page 3

Ozzy: Fried, or Fed Up?

(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Okay, I am going to speak out about something that I am certain is weighing on the minds of most of the human race. What the hell is going on with Ozzy Osbourne?

Rumors are flying! Have he and Sharon split? Why would he leave? Why would HE leave? Was there an affair? Who had it? Would anyone be that surprised? I would!

I believe in Ozzy. I believe in his sobriety. I believe in his love for his wife and children. I believe in his loyalty to the fans that have stuck by him through all of his “living.”

Is Ozzy missing? Oh my gosh, where could he be? Fans are chomping at the bit, salivating for a new thread of gossip during this obviously slow news week. Speculation has toppled greater men…and women.

Here is what I think. I think Ozzy is sober. I think there is a perfectly good reason he left his home. Perhaps a trip, a business trip, a spa week. Could be any of these dreadful thing or so many more. And maybe the media has not been informed because it is none of their damn business where he is.

Or the poor confused man might be hiding from the frothing at the mouth “journalists” and photographers who track his every movement! He could have gone underground…with his wife’s blessing…to find some much needed and deserved peace and freaking quiet, away from prying eyes and whining, fainting, screaming, lunatic fans. Now this is not really a slam against his fans, but imagine if you had to live your life like that? I know he made a choice. But what choice did he make? I am CERTAIN he did not choose to be the butt of industry jokes, hounded by the media about things that are none of their damn business, or even to be the subject of criticism about the most mundane aspects of his life.

I think he perhaps he chose to be a family man (he has always stood by his family) a musician, and an entertainer. We put entertainers on these high ivory towers and then we hound them to death, sometimes I think literally. Yet we are shocked when they come tumbling down in a psychotic haze of self-destruction and extremely bad choices. No one can survive under the pressure we place on entertainers. This is how we show our respect and admiration?

Let it go people. Need someone to judge and gossip about? Take it into your family, your home. Everyone in your life above reproach? Nobody in your family to talk about? Don’t make speculating and gossip your super power…that would make you a villain, and not everybody likes a villain.

Filed under: Blatherings, Heart of an Artist Tagged: black sabbath, celebrities, depression, entertainer, gossip, industry gossip, invasion of privacy, media frenzy, musician, Ozzy Osbourne, privacy issues, Sharon Osbourne, the Osbourne family

Shellbent for Teal

I am getting ready for my first jewelry selling event so I have been making all kinds of neat stuff. I am uploading a ton of things I made today, all with a teal theme. It is all for sale, so if you see something you want to purchase, just jot down the item number listed in the caption and pop me a note at karenlsyed@gmail.com . As always, shipping is free.

Since there are so many, I will post them in sections over the next couple days. Today is Bracelet Day. All one of a kind and they are 7-8″ stretch with no clasp.

Silver Frosted Stretch Bracelet $6.00 (B-104)

Silver Flash Stretch Bracelet $6.00 (B-103)

Teal Pearl Stretch Bracelet $6.00 (B-105)

Shell Teal Frost Stretch Bracelet $6.00 (B-102)

Silver Sparkle Stretch Bracelet $6.00 (B-107)

Topaz shell Stretch Bracelet $6.00 (B-106)

Chunky Shell Topaz Stretch Bracelet $6.00 (B-100)

Shell Sparkle Stretch Bracelet $6.00 (B-101)

 

Filed under: Blatherings

Pearls for Pleasure

Today’s new item is a carryover from yesterday, but even better. I have taken the Pearl Delight pattern and added a matching necklace. I really do love this set, and pearls in general because you can easily dress them up or keep them casual. Too awesome! And don’t forget, if you want to order any of these items or anything else, you can use paypal.me/KarenSyed. Simply let me know what items and sizes you want.

I hope you will take a few moments and share my links and shop info with friends. So many people are waiting for transplants and a portion of the proceeds from my sales go to Donate Life as they struggle valiantly to educate people on the need for organ donors. Your purchase will help save a life.

Pearl Delight Necklace 20″ size cusomizable $15.00 usd

Pearl Delight Bracelet 7″ size customizable $10.00 usd

Pearl Delight Earrings 2″ $6.00 usd

Pearl Delight Set size cusomizable-necklace/bracelet $21.00 usd save $5.00 on full set

Filed under: Blatherings, Handmade jewelry, Heart of an Artist Tagged: beaded jewelry, crafts for a cause, handmade art, handmade jewelry, heart of a hero, heart transplant, jewelry, jewelry sets, pearl jewelry, reasonably priced jewelry

Don’t you love Shopping?

I have made it even easier to purchase items from Crafts for a Cause. I now have a Paypal Pay.me link for purchases outside of Etsy or Facebook. It seems not everyone wants to purchase from Etsy stores, but still want to buy things. So, many of you asked, and I have listened. Whenever you see a post on here, or Facebook, or even Instagram, you can use this link paypal.me/KarenSyed to purchase that item or anything else. If you are purchasing more than one item, please send a note indicating what items and sizes you want. From now on, I will post if something is limited availability or can be customized. I hope this makes your purchases from Heart of a Hero easier and less stressful.

I am also including some new items that are available for purchase. To purchase any or all of these items you can click on paypal.me/KarenSyed. If there is a different color pearl you would like, you can fill out a customer request on the Etsy store or send a request to me at karenlsyed@gmail.com. I live to please.

Pearl Delight Mint Bracelet 7″ size customizable $10.00 usd

Pearl Delight Mint Earrings 2″ $6.00 usd

 

Pearl Delight Vintage Rose Bracelet 7″ size customizable $10 usd

 

Pearl Delight Vintage Rose Earrings 2″ $6.00 usd

Filed under: Blatherings, Handmade jewelry, Heart of an Artist Tagged: beaded jewelry, crafts for a cause, embrace art, handmade art, handmade jewelry, heart of a hero, heart transplant, jewelry, jewelry made with love, pearl jewelry, resonably priced jewelry, support indy artists

Best Intentions and a Contest

So, I am off my blog schedule. Anyone surprised? Yeah, didn’t think so. But I’m here today and I have a plan. I am going to run my first contest on Heart of a Hero. I am full of inspiration, but it’s all the things I like, and I’m not sure anyone else would like it. So, I want to know what you want.

In the comment section, tell me what kind of piece, or pieces, you’d like to see me make. Keep in mind I’m on drugs and have limited skills to date (but improving daily). I want to step outside my comfort zone and push the envelope, and all those other catchy phrases.

You tell me what you want: color, type of beads, jewelry, suncatchers, etc. Keep it small, please. I will begin making them as you suggest them. Each item will be dedicated to the inspiration (that would be you). On February 23 I will have someone pick a winner (at random) and that person will get their choice of the items I made.

Back in stock! Click image to order now!

This has the potential to be really cool. All I ask, and this is optional, but I have to ask, is that you like my Facebook page and my Etsy shop and maybe even tell your friends about all this. I would really love to build up my sales and be able to give more money to Donate Life.

Thank you!

Filed under: Blatherings

Have a Heart

Yeah, I know, it’s corny. But once you’ve had two open heart surgeries and one of them included a new heart, you kinda have a right to make all the corny jokes you want.

That’s right, on May 15, 2015 I received a heart from an organ donor. I don’t know who she is, but I know she was in her thirties, and pretty sure she was from Georgia. Point is, she gave me her heart. She may not have known it would be me who got it, but she made it available. My heart breaks (no pun intended there) when I think about what her friends and family have gone, and are going through, with her loss. At the same time, I am so glad I’m alive to spend time with my friends and family. While I lay in the hospital bed, I kept thinking about how I would ever repay that kindness.

Click Image to Purchase

Then the transplant meds made the decision for me. I had, and sometimes still have, the most horrible tremors. I knew I would have to do something to help me regain some of my steadiness, so I started beading. At first it was just Angels, then people asked if I made jewelry, so I tried it and discovered I could. I was a bitch, but I did it. In August 2015 I opened my Etsy store, Heart of a Hero. I did so in honor of my heart donor. Without knowing her name, there was little else I could do. So, as I sell my pieces, I donate a portion of the proceeds to Donate Life.* (They do not endorse me in any way, probably don’t even know who I am, but given the situation, I knew exactly where I wanted to donations to go.)

Having said all that, I will remind each of you reading this, that you can be a hero. Be an organ donor. Some people say they don’t have any good organs, but there are so many others ways to be an organ donor, eyes, skin, etc. To read a really good story about how many people can be helped by one person, visit Joey Gase, NASCAR Xfinity driver. It is a heart warming story.

Anywho…forgive the upcoming corny remarks, but when I make a necklace, a bracelet, a wire sculpture, or anything, I put my whole heart into it. I am the first to admit that my work is not perfect, but the effort and the reason are the most important parts to me. I’m alive because I was given a gift, a precious gift. I hope you’ll consider hanging out and watching my skills improve and even purchase some items to help spread the word about the need for organ donors. It truly is a matter of life and death.

My first wire tree sculpture. Click image to purchase.

Filed under: Blatherings, Handmade jewelry, Heart of an Artist Tagged: beaded home decor, crafts for a cause, etsy, handmade art, heart disease, heart of a hero, heart transplant, Joey Gase, organ donation, wire tree sculpture

This is Our America

Don’t get me wrong, I love America. I do, but there are so many things that I don’t understand. Take this image for example.

Martyrs of Uganda church in Detroit

I find this one of the most distrubing things. A church of all thing, abandoned, ruined, all but forgotten by everyone except the urban explorers. This is a house of worship in a city that needs more than its fair share of prayer. This may sound like a religious rant, but oon the contrary. It is a rant about people. This church, a church for the PEOPLE, was closed by the Archdiocese in 2006. Why?

In a city filled with devastation, desperation, and heartbreak, you would think people would have supported the church and found a way to keep it alive. Imagine all the weddings, christenings, and funerals that took place in this extraordinary place. Now it is a ghost in itself. Left for dead, only no one bothered to lay it to rest. Vandals and goodness knows who else, have taken the once pristine church and turned it into a pile of abused rubble.

I’d like to think that in this day and age, there would be people who still believe in God and in America and would be willing to step up and find a way to bring this poor misfit back to its glory days. A place to gather with friends, a place to help those less fortunate, a place to worship and give thanks for the life you have.

Here’s an idea. How about one of you millionaires out there start a fund that will finance the rebirth of this majestic wonder and hire homeless vets and others to do the repairs and renovations. How about you give something back to America, the America with all the people who LITERALLY gave you the millions you hoarde and use as weapons against us.

Are there no true philanthropists left in our society?

This image was found at Voices from the Desert.

Filed under: Abandonment Issues, Blatherings Tagged: abandoned buildings, abandoned churches, America, churches, Detroit, Forgotten America, God, haunted, Motor City, philanthropy, society

Back in the Saddle

Gosh, it has been a long time since I posted on my blog. Good news for those of you who cannot get enough of my sparkling wit and clever personality…both of you, I am back. I even downloaded a Blog Planner so I can get organized and keep you up to date on all the sordid little details of my journey that is life. Oooh, how excited are you?

As you may or may not know, I have been working on something new since the heart transplant in May 2015. I am designing and selling jewelry. Beading and wiring so far, and I am dipping my cute little toes into bead/wire home decor items as well. More on that later.

I am also taking advantage of the whole color therapy thing. I have discovered that on evenings that I color before bed, I sleep better. Who knew!

I am going to try and post something every day and I am going to go by themes. So if you have an interest, then you know which days not to miss. I will also be running monthly contests to win cool and wonderful things, not sure what yet, but they will be awesome.

Here is the intended schedule:

Sunday: You Make What? (pics and explanations of things I make or want to make)

Monday: Bless Your Heart (tips, tales, and teniques for living a heart healthy life)

Tuesday: Comfort Crystals (learning about crystal healing and other holistic techniques)

Wednesday: Dutch Cousins (anything to do with genealogy)

Thursday: Knock Knock (special guests from all different places, designers, writers, genealogists, etc.)

Friday: Color Me Happy (coloring therapy, pics, and links)

Saturday: Abandonment Issues (links and discussions on abandoned sites)

So there you have it. And if you have something to share in any of these categories, I hope you will take a minute or two and get in touch with me (karenlsyed@gmail.com). I love to share new stuff, no matter whose stuff it is.

Filed under: Blatherings

A favor if you will…

I would like to ask a huge favor. As you probably know, I recently had a heart transplant. Because of the limitations, I am unable to work and I do not get to collect disability. What does this have to do with you, you ask?

With so much time on my hands, I decided I needed to do something. So I started making jewelry and will be selling it on Etsy. A portion of the proceeds will go to Donate Life America (http://donatelife.net/about-us/). I am unable to offer my organs, but I need to do something in honor of my donor and her family, so this is my task.

Many of you cannot be donors, but you can still help. I never ask for something for nothing, so that is why the jewelry. You donate to the cause and as a special thank you, I send you the piece of jewelry of your choice.

So far I have made about 50 pieces, and am still working. Many are one of a kind and I don’t have the materials to make any more. I would consider it a personal favor if you would help me support organ donor registration. There are too many people whose lives depend on it.

I am in no way affiliated with Donate Life, not do they endorse my support or activity. I have chosen to donate to them because I believe in what they do.

Filed under: Blatherings

Wearing Sunshine

Click on image to BUY NOW!

Everyone’s life can use a little bit of sunshine. This braided bead bracelet is bright and cheery. With a variety of fresh colors, this will make an excellent accent for nearly any color outfit. Dressed up, or casual, you wil be walking on sunshine before you know it.

Who is Sharon?

There’s a little place in Jacksonville Florida where people can go to rest/stay while they are being treated at Mayo Clinic. At the Gabriel House of Care, the guests and staff rely on a group of truly motivated and committed volunteers for all manner of things.

Sharon is one of those volunteers. She is one of the friendliest people I’ve met and she shines as bright as the sun. Always quick to share her joy for life, she is a breath of fresh air.

A portion of this items proceeds will be donated to “Donate Life.” This does not suggest any endorsement from the organization, only my desire to support the awareness of Organ Donation after receiving my heart transplant in May 2015.

All items in this shop are handmade by me and I apologize for any “quirks” as I am on numerous prescriptions that cause tremors. My only desire is to support awareness.

**To DONATE an items, please use the following coupon code at checkout. The item will NOT be shipped to you, but will be given to someone who needs the support. (Coupon Code: Donate1)

Filed under: Handmade jewelry Tagged: awareness, beaded jewelry, Gabriel House of Care, handmade jewelry, jewelry, organ donation