Today I am mourning the loss of a friend and mentor. Karen Ancona, former editor of CNA passed away September 30. It pulled me up short as I have been meaning to call her and send another note, I guess I never really expected someone with a spirit as strong as Karen's wouldn't get better.

Karen served as the editor of CNA for 20+ years. She was on the front end of  identifying little trends that eventually became categories of their own- scrapbooking and altered art to name just two.

She loved her job because she loved the people. She would be brutally honest when it required it and the best advocate when a product was a winner. If Karen locked on a product at a show that she really liked, she'd talk about it to anyone who would listen. She was the consummate cheerleader. She championed the independent and loved to get real with the "big guys". She truly enjoyed folks with big ideas and a desire to move the industry forward.

Each month Karen would speak to readers in her editor's letter and often they would respond. Often it was kudos or personal stories but once in a while she'd get crumpled paper. She said that was ok, it meant folks were reading.She was a great advocate of camaraderie amongst competitors. The world was big enough for everyone.

Karen taught me how to be an editor. Under her tutelage I learned how an article may start with one premise and go in a completely different direction. She taught me to "take one for the team" and when it was best to just let go of something. She would give you rope when you needed it and smack you back into reality when you needed that too.

I have so many memories that it would be hard to list them here but I'll share one. One weekend Karen called and my husband told her that I had this flu that I couldn't seem to shake. Karen came by and said to me- I don't think you have the flu, I think you're having a baby. She was right, and that baby will be 6 this week.

The craft industry has lost one of its biggest advocates. If she had the opportunity to say so in her column, she probably would have said "Goodbye dear readers...I wish you well."--Beth

P.S. Today would be a good day to shoot off an email to a colleague- current or former- and tell them thanks and how much you appreciate them. That would be a great way to honor Karen's memory.