Spring is really here...

Yea!!  Spring is here!

Tuesday was the first day of Spring.  And here in New York the temperature has been up to 80 degrees already!  When I was walking today, I found more evidence that spring is really here!

So with spring comes the craft fair season.  This will be my first, and even though it seems grueling I am going to give it a try.  And I have tons of work to do to get ready.  I've found some really great ideas for getting my "table" set up.  I found this fabulous site on pinterest with tons of DIY ideas for attractive, interesting ways to display my work.

 I just got something called "Square".  What a great idea and it is free.  This small plug in allows your iPad or iPhone to swipe credit cards and function as a cash register.  It will tally sales, add sales tax and send receipts to the buyers email account--just like the sales people do in the Apple store.  The ability to take credit cards can really boost my sales.  If you are in the craft fair business and you don't have "Square", just Google it.  That's how I found out all about it.

So to get ready for the craft fair season, I need to figure out what I have in inventory and what I need to make.  I have thought of a few new things to try out this spring.   I got a fabulous vintage world atlas; the pages make gorgeous beads.  Here is a bracelet I made from one of the maps, you can find more pictures on my Etsy site.

Paper Bead Cuff Bracelet- Vintage World Atlas 

I thought it might be a good idea to put together kits so DIYers  can craft  this bracelet on their own. Everything you need to make the bracelet, along with directions is included in the kit.

So as you can see I am getting ready for the spring craft fairs.Anyone who can give me some good ideas on displaying my jewelry or for that matter, surviving a craft show, please leave me a comment.  Check my etsy site for new listings.  I will keep you up to date on times and places, hope to see you all there!

anne

annemadethis giveaway winner

Hi to all,

I am really sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to everyone.  When there is too much to do, it just becomes overwhelming and nothing gets done right (or at least the way I want it done!).  My mind just clouds over and I totally lose my focus and my creativity.   I am always afraid that I will forget something, something will "fall between the cracks".  Then I don't feel good about what I am doing or myself for that matter. But, now I think I am back.  Once I  focus, I can prioritize and weed through the mess.  So I can say that a lot of neat things will be coming up this spring and I'll let you know about them soon. But first I have to announce the giveaway winner.

 annemadethis giveaway winner

And the winner is...    Meg for her comments on February 27th about my collage art beads. 

Congratulations Meg!

Please contact me at annemadethis@gmail.com to confirm mailing instructions for your bracelet. Thank you everyone for participating.

Stay tuned for another annemadethis giveaway!

I"ll be talking to everyone soon,   Be sure to visit my Etsy shop.

 anne



"Creating is my Happiness, sharing it with the world is a dream come true."

Square Fused Glass Art Piece

Hi to all,

Isn't this glass piece spectacular.  A friend of mine and a fellow Etsy artist made it.  Today I'd like to tell you a little about her and her art work.  Her name is Kelly and her shop is RedPony50Creations.  Kelly and I worked together in the corporate world for many years.  She was in Texas and I was in New York.  




When she was laid off from her corporate job, Kelly created every day to lessen the stress of job
 hunting. Her Etsy shop was born! But Kelly did not get there overnight, it all started fifteen years ago when she took her first stained glass class with a friend. As soon as the class was over, she began investing in glass and tools to set up her own home studio. Working on glass at the end of a busy day helped her decompress and relax.

Black & Gold Dichroic fused glass pendant
Another example of Kelly's work

When she took her first fused glass class, she knew she was hooked. Her studio out grew her garage, so she built a barn to work on glass. Recently Kelly relocated to Colorado and set up her studio in her basement. She says the "air in Colorado is so fresh and the skies are always blue...it's an inspirational space to create in!"

Glass Flower Stake Sun Catcher
What a fun piece!

I hope that you will visit Kelly's shop RedPony50Creations, just click on the link. Make the store one of your favorites.  Feel free to convo her for custom work or a specific color combinations.  She will also create wholesale orders.

Just a reminder

The drawing for the Recycled Paper Pendant is March 15th!  You can enter easily, just leave a comment.   That makes you eligible.  Read my post of February 9th for all of the details.

Check out my Etsy shop annemadethis  

Take a look at my button bracelets and my new tropical paper bracelets and thanks for reading my blog!

                              anne

Giving up control, once in a while!

My new guest room chair

Hi to all,

My new guest room chair has a long story attached to it.  I will just give you the highlights.  This chair was picked out by my daughter, Tori on a trip to Home Goods.  It's a great chair, isn't it? 

This chair is the beginning of a decorating and a personal adventure for me.  Tori is going to redecorate my guest room (her old room) completely.  My input will be very limited.  It will be her vision and  I will have to give up all artist control of the room.  This means getting rid of things that I have a 25- year attachment to.  (And it is probably about time for some of the stuff!)  Really difficult for a type-A personality like me.   But, change is good!  And I think the room will be beautiful.  All of my relatives will appreciate it, I am sure.  I will keep you posted as the redecoration progresses.

 Megan Brizzolara from California is one of my fellow Etsy artists.  She is a nurse by day and a crafter at night.  Megan purchased paper beads from my Etsy site annemadethis; she reworked the beads combining them with her own and crafted this great necklace.  You can visit her shop by clicking on Nutmeg5.  Since she has purchased more beads, I am looking forward to some new creations!

From Megan's Etsy shop Nutmeg5

Enter now for a chance to win a Recycled Paper Pendant

This is our second free giveaway at annemadethis!

This month annemadethis is giving away the recycled paper pendant was crafted step by step in my January 14th blog. Entering to win is easy. To enter just leave me a comment on my blog. Each comment equals one chance. If you leave a comment linking an item from my Etsy shop, that equals two chances. Enter as often as you wish. Every comment is a chance to win. The winner will be announced on March 15th here! Here's a picture of the pendant. I will put it on a rubber or faux suede black cord for you with a magnetic closure, you choose. It's a funky interesting piece you will love wearing!

anne

Happy Valentine's Day

Hi to all,

Hope you get tons of candy today!  During the last few days, I've been working on some new paper bead  bracelet designs.     I'll be listing them this week on my Esty site.  Soon I plan to do a tutorial on how to make this bracelet.  In the mean time, please let me know what you think.

Paper Beads from the Funnies!

Tropical Paper Beads

I've been wanting to put this recipe in my blog for a long time.  Although the recipe name sounds unappetizing, the results are delicious!  And you will always have homemade vegetable stock on hand.

Vegetable Broth (Garbage Broth)

This is a great use of vegetable peelings and trimmings. When you fix potatoes for dinner, save the peelings. Do the same for carrots, squashes and sweet potatoes. Also save the trimming from celery, onions, garlic and just about any other vegetable you prepare. Put the peelings and trimming in a plastic bag and store in freezer. Once bag is full, get your big stock pot, fill it with water and the frozen vegetable scraps and peelings; bring water to a boil and then simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours. Add salt if necessary. Strain out all vegetables. Refrigerate.  You will have a fantastic vegetable broth that you can use as a base for soups and sauces. And it didn't cost anything!

Don't forget about the annemadethis recycled pendant giveaway!

anne 

Recycled Paper Pendant Giveaway

I wouldn't mind turning into a vermilion goldfish.

                                                                                           --Matisse

The Goldfish   1910

Hello to all,

I have been experimenting with a new bead design.  These beads were made from Sunday newspaper magazine supplements.  I varied the font of the pages to give some visual interest.  And adding the large seed beads gives it a splash of color.  The bracelet is strung on heavy elastic thread, so it just slips on.  I thought I might try making a bracelet from the comic strip pages and some colorful magazine front covers.  It's a fun bracelet to wear!  There is a picture below.  I appreciate your feedback, just leave me a comment.

Paper Bead Cuff

Enter now for a chance to win a Recycled Paper Pendant

This is our second free giveaway at annemadethis!

This month annemadethis is giving away the recycled paper pendant was crafted step by step in my January 14th blog.  Entering to win is easy.  To enter just leave me a comment on my blog.  Each comment equals one chance.  If you leave a comment linking an item from my Etsy shop, that equals two chances.  Enter as often as you wish.  Every comment is a chance to win.  The winner will be announced on March 15th here!  Here's a picture of the pendant.  I will put it on a rubber or faux suede black cord for you with a magnetic closure, you choose.  It's a funky interesting piece you will love wearing!

Collage Pendant

Looking forward to hearing from all of you!

anne

Collage Art Paper Beads

I shut my eyes in order to see.

                                                      --Paul Gaugin



Tahitian Women on the Beach   1891

Hi everyone,

The other day I was sitting in my work area/studio and I was trying to think of an idea for decorating my paper beads.  What could I do to make them stand out from an ordinary paper bead?  On my work table, I left over materials from previous projects all scattered about.  What about a mixed media collage on the bead?  And then I started.

I began by layering tissue and glue on the finished paper bead, then small pieces of paper, plastic, ribbon, string, thread and glitter. I coated the whole thing with an ultra thick gloss. And my collage art bead was born!  Another way to use those scraps of paper and bits and pieces of string, yarn etc. left over from other projects. What do you think?

Be sure to check my blog again in a few days.  I will be announcing the Pendant Giveaway.  You will have chance to win a recycled pendant and a paper bead bracelet.  Two ways to win!

I love comments, so please give me your feedback.  And visit my Etsy shop.

anne