In it’s September, 2009 issue, Entrepreneur magazine declares Etsy as a website to watch. I agree. Etsy online stores have wonderful handmade or hand crafted items for sale. Online shopping at Etsy is like visiting an upscale straw market or bazaar-fun and cool. Many of the sellers are masters at their crafts.

I discovered Etsy about 3 years ago through a social site and have been buying from them since that time. Early on, I loved the artsy, craftsy look of the site, that has changed somewhat, but you can still find lovely, unusual items at Etsy.  If you are looking for an unusual gift item, check them out. Also, anyone who is a craft’s person should definately take a look at Etsy and think about becoming a shop owner.

For information see  Etsy

Successful relationships whether business or romantic are built on a foundation of honest, thoughtful communication. Whether you are contemplating a business partnership or marriage, giving some thought to these four questions may save you headache and grief.  

1. How does the person react in a crisis?
2. How does he or she handle money?
3. What does the other person expect from you? What might happen if those expectations aren’t met?
4. What are the other person’s goals? What are three things he/she would like to accomplish in the immediate future, and in the long term?
5. What makes him/her angry? How does the person deal with anger?

 Think before leaping, if his or her goals are not the same or at least similar to yours, do you really want to move forward?

Old fashioned from scratch baking powder biscuits. The way you remember them or wish you did

Ingredients

2 cups/500 mL sifted all-purpose flour
1 tbsp/15 mL Baking Powder*
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL salt
5 tbsp/75 mL vegetable shortening
3/4 cup/180 mL milk

Cooking Directions

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening and cut into dry ingredients with two knives or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center and gradually add milk, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead lightly for 30 seconds. Roll out 1/2 to 3/4-inch/1 to 2-cm thick. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter**. Arrange on greased baking sheet. Bake at 450ºF/235ºC for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve hot with butter, butter and jam or a favorite of mine, butter and lemon curd

Makes 12 biscuits, one per serving.

**For something different, after rolling dough, instead of using a biscuit cutter, cut dough into small squares or triangles. Great fun for the kiddies.

*Visit Watkins for more recipes, herbs and spices.

British writer and author Douglas Adams, liked to tell a story about not jumping to conclusions about people.

In April 1976, he was sitting in the waiting area of a railroad station, and he had placed a package of cookies and a newspaper on the table in front of him. A stranger next to him suddenly reached across, opened Adams’ bag of cookies, and started to eat them.

Douglas Adams said nothing. But he took a cookie from the bag as well. Soon the bag was empty, as both men ate from it. When the stranger left for his train, Adams picked up his newspaper—and found his bag of cookies underneath it. Rather than a stranger eating his cookies, he had been eating someone else’s cookies.

Adams’ take on the lesson learned is look to yourself first before you assume anything of another person, “Otherwise, you’ll wonder why it seems that someone else is eating your cookies.”

Douglas Adams is the author of the bestselling book “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”

Layoffs can make your future look grim.  Take a positive step and look for new career strategies. If you have been caught in the cross-fire of job change and are not ready for retirement or are too young to retire, consider doing the following:

Evaluate your talents and values, be brutally honest with yourself when you do this. Remember there is no such thing as “They can’t get along without me.” The truth is the company won’t fail if you are not there. Keeping this in mind, think about your real talent and value to your work place. Talk to people you know well and those who you know well. Talk to co-worker’s and friends, ask them to be honest. You may be surprised to find out what other people think about your professional skills and what they feel your weaknesses are.  Armed with this information , hopefully, you will be able to find a good job/career match for your talents.

Update your skills. People often fail to update their job skills, particularly their technical skills. If you only learn what you need to know to get the job done you may be woefully lacking the skills to get a job elsewhere. You must be willing to spend money and/or time to upgrade your skills and knowledge. Attend company learning classes if offered. Don’t be offended if your boss suggests that you take a course on organizing, or being a good gatekeeper, it does not mean that you are doing a poor job (however, it is something to think about) It may mean that your boss sees potential for something bigger. Whatever the case, update your job skills and let higher ups know that you are doing so.

If you are still working but want to make a change, do a lot of research before saying goodbye. If a particular career appeals to you, investigate it to the fullest. Talk to people already in the field, and find out what they like and don’t like about their work. Get on the Internet and do a deep search by typing in the name of the career and move on from there. 

Make it a point to promise yourself that this time around you will enjoy your work rather than just put in hours. Do something you love, and let yourself enjoy the work.

See  Learning a New Skill