Life lessons

30 years ago, I had this idea that I could design and produce glass objects that people would want and that we could make a living out of making and selling. My training had been in studio art and art history, not one business course had ever been taken. Little did I know what it would take to make my passion for glass into a business. Cover of October 1990 Kingston Daily Freeman article In September of 1990, I filed my DBA as Sara Beames Glass Design and immediately signed up for Craft Fairs throughout the North East. Those first...

My Dad was raised in the Bronx by his Lithuanian parents to whom Yiddish was their primary language.  But like so many 1st generation Americans, the focus was on assimilation and speaking English.  Dad mostly spoke Yiddish with his sister (my Mom was a 2nd generation American and spoke very little Yiddish).  Still, there was a bissel of Yiddish in our home and as happens, it was often used to say things they didn't want the kids to understand.  One of my Dad's sayings was "Zolst vaksen vi a tsiba'le, mit kop in d'rerd!"   He meant it as "you are driving...

This has been such a difficult time for so many of us.  With all that is going on in the world, it is easy to feel down and to get overwhelmed. Staying busy and being in contact with other people helps, but in the quiet moments, it is sometimes useful to look beyond ourselves. Here are 5 remarkable and inspiring Jewish Women.  What I particularly love about these women is how they challenged the conventions of their times (and RBG still does) and how their acts of Tikkun Olam helped to repair the world! Emma GoldmanEmma Goldman dedicated her life to the creation...

  Most of us are stuck at home right now. Forget about makeup and doing your hair, just getting out of sweat pants might feel like a real accomplishment. Wouldn't it be nice to do something unexpected for someone and brighten their surroundings and their day! Below are 3 suggestions that are sure to put a smile on someone's face. And in case you did not know, we are happy to gift wrap and include a card (for free) and to ship it for you. Home is where the heart is. Bring blessings of love and peace, joy and happiness...

Mother's Day is May 10th, which also happens to be my Mom's birthday.  We honor our mothers and other women of valor on that day and rather than get all serious or reflective about it I thought humor, especially in such a serious time as this, is just what we need most.  Here are a few quotes from one of my Mom's favorites, Erma Bombeck.  Enjoy and remember to honor the women in your life. “Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.”“When your mother asks, "Do you want a piece of...