New stuff! Beaded chainmail bracelet

Erin Karlstad — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 03:44:25 +0000

New! Chainmail watch!

Erin Karlstad — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 03:05:29 +0000

Eulogy of my Mother

Erin Karlstad — Sun, 15 May 2011 14:31:54 +0000

Pat Freiheit was my mother & I am her one and only child. My perspective and experience with her is unique from all others because I’m the only person on earth that had the honor to have called her Mom.
That being said, I want to honor her memory by speaking of what I know better than anyone: Pats role as mother.
While I was growing up, It was always my Mom & I. My mother was not average or typical. She was old-school in her approach to parenting. She played the roll of mother & father and did it well. I loved, feared & respected her. She ruled with an iron fist like a father but she made dinner from scratch every night like a mother. Every evening dinner was always at 6pm sharp and if I was late or I didn’t like what she cooked, I wouldn’t eat that night. My chore list was literally endless. As soon as I though my work was done, she would always find something else for me to do. I never complained, I knew not to complain, because her reaction to such behavior was worse than the chores. My mom would not tolerate disrespect or laziness. She taught me to be grateful & appreciative. With me she instilled work ethic, common decency & common sense.
When I got into my teens, she used to tell me “I know you better than you know yourself”. And I always responded with adolescent defiance: “You don’t know the half of it, Ma”. But she always knew! I could not hide anything from her. My Mother knew everything about me, she eyed my every move like a bird of pray. She kept me from slipping into the dark places that teens tend to gravitate towards. Partying with my friends was unheard of & boyfriends were illegal. She never released her iron fist. My friends in high school called her “Sergeant Slaughter” because of her task-master ways along with her Army veteran status & she loved it! She had a wicked sense of humor, so she took “Sergeant Slaughter” as a term of endearment. At the time, in my teenage mind, I hated that iron fist…but it was for my own good. Out of my group of friends, I was one of the very few that made it though high school without a drug habit or a criminal record. She refused to let such things happen to her daughter.
As an adult, my mother became my closest confidant. She listened and advised, never passing judgment. Although she wouldn’t hesitate to tell me I’m a dumb-ass when I was making a bad decision, she allowed me to make my own choices & learn from my mistakes. She recognized that her duty as a parent was to give me the tools to develop the skills to become an effective, productive, responsible adult & she succeeded. She was a dynamic mother.
I am now a mother, I have been for over 14 years. Of course, being a mother myself has made me recognize and appreciate all the methods behind the madness. My son, Ethan, was the apple of her eye. She was so proud to be a grandmother to such an intelligent, well-rounded child. She saw her grandson as the grand culmination of her life’s efforts. I am proud that I was able to return my mothers investment in me by providing her with a legacy, her beloved grandson.
My mother sculpted me like clay into the person I am today. I am forever grateful & will continue to keep her memory alive by living by the standards & code of ethics she instilled. I love you, Mom.

What grounds your moral compass?

Erin Karlstad — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:57:41 +0000

Participating in an organized religion is not auto-calibration for ones moral compass. Public displays of faith are just that: displays. Being a descent human comes from within ones self.

Great minds

Erin Karlstad — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:54:40 +0000

Free thinkers, artists, innovative minds & mad geniuses: These are the people who create the world. These are the people responsible for the advancement of mankind. These people are evolution.

Nature is “God”

Erin Karlstad — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 18:49:41 +0000

The way nature works is something we cannot fully understand, nor are we meant too. If there is a “god” it is nature. Nature creates, nature sustains & nature destroys. Nature is all around us and cannot be avoided. Nature is older than time and will proceed the human race. Respect nature and it will return with fruitful bounty. Defile nature and it will return erode with destructive force.

Household Goods!

Erin Karlstad — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:30:24 +0000

Here is an extension chain I made for a candle chandelier.

New Jewels!

Erin Karlstad — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 04:49:14 +0000

New Jewels!

Erin Karlstad — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 02:42:45 +0000

New Jewels!

Erin Karlstad — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 22:18:47 +0000

Jewelers brass & cloisonne beads.

Handmade by Erin Karlstad.

Visual Anarchy

New stuff! Beaded chainmail bracelet

New! Chainmail watch!

Eulogy of my Mother

What grounds your moral compass?

Great minds

Nature is “God”

Household Goods!

New Jewels!

New Jewels!

New Jewels!