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