Micro beads

Dear Friends,
                    Looking forward to trip.Only one more "sleep"to go!We are going to a Western night while on our cruise.I have made myself an Indian costume from a t-shirt,a pair of old Ugg boots and a suede effect skirt.I decorated them with faux indian beadwork by attaching double sided sticky tape to decorate the outfit then stuck micro beads to the tape.To get some pattern,I cut chevrons from some of the backing tape and attached them to the bare tape.Dipped the tape into the beads.I found it easier to put them out on a small plate first.When I had covered the bare parts of the tape,I carefully peeled the chevron-shaped tape off and dipped these areas into contrasting colored beads.I decorated the headband in the same way.It is very effective.I can also remove it afterwards,if I want.I believe that Martha Stuart is selling micro beads in some nice colors.I got mine from EJR beads.I think there are lots of uses for this method of embellishment.You could decorate shoes or bags for a fairly temporary effect if you wished.I will post pictures soon.I bought my beads to use with resin but the kids have already decided they like them as well.My daughter has had a go with Ice Resin.She had mixed results but learnt a lot.Like me,she is interested in art and crafts so I hope she gets the bug!!Love to all my beady friends,Anne.

Ribbon Wrapping.

I have been finding out all about ribbon wrapping this week.It is great for these beads with enormous centre holes that are just too big to use with wire.I have had a lot of fun as the designs and types of ribbon are huge and if you have some longer scraps of ribbon,this is a great way to use them up.My ribbon stash is rather large so I have experimented a bit.I have made a bracelet to wear on holiday.Smitten Beads have a project list using ribbon wrapping.I combined this with filigree bead caps to hold the ribbons in place and then wire wrapped them for my own design.Really pretty and effective.Smittenbeads.co.uk and go to the top of their home page and click on projects at the top of their product list.
   I am starting to get excited about my summer break next week.Only two more days in work and then we are off!We are going to Vigo,La Coruna and Lisbon and Gibralter.I have been to Gibralter before.I found it very strange  that boiling hot weather and English style pubs,red telephone and post boxes.Marks and Spencer etc.I found that the duty free was good value but everyday things were very expensive.However the rock is not to be missed.The tours are fab.I do not go up the rock as I have a serious problem with heights.I went around the city walls in Dubrovnic a couple of years.I was terrified so will not do that again.Anyway,enough of my ramblings.Love to all my creative buddies,Anne.

Slide Show

I did spend hours trying to set up a slide show for my jewellery.It has not worked out as planned and I will very likely strip it out and start again on the weekend.I think that I had better enlist help from someone who knows what they are doing.I sure as heck don,t!!!!!
   The Royal Welsh Show is on at the moment and the rain,inevitably has not stopped falling since Monday.The food company that I work for have a stand there and have been very busy.The rain has not dampened enthusiasm for the visitors.I wish I had been able to go,but have been left behind to hold the fort,so to speak!I have made some new pieces of jewelry and will probably post these on the weekend.I also ordered beads from Smitten Beads,based in Bath and had some stunning beads from Mermaid Glass on Etsy.Very pretty indeed!I have ordered a few things online and always wait in anticipation for their arrival through the mail.Before I go on my European trip I intend to do my big online shop for supplies for my Fall and Christmas collections.I will also buy some things while travelling.My supplies should be with me when I return.Perhaps I will take some pics of my goodies to post online.Anyway!Enough of my ramblings for one blog.Love to all my beading buddies,Anne.

Untitled Album - Anne Betenson - Picasa Web Albums

Untitled Album - Anne Betenson - Picasa Web Albums

The Sky Inside

Last night I listed a new mixed-media piece on Etsy"The Sky Inside"earrings.I  just checked my e-mails and it has made it to Patina Reef,s treasury.Brill!It is such a boost to morale when someone else appreciates your work.
I am still new to mixed-media work.I used to think that it was somehow wrong to mix materials and to use old things and plastic.Heaven forbid!Nowadays it is considered a good thing to re-use and recycle objects and materials.I have used copper wire out of a dumpster to make very interesting pieces of jewelry.I even made some rather chunky copper chain with thick recycled copper wire from an old extractor fan.I hammered the links and they looked great.Very industrial.
 Tonight I am going to try to set up the slide-show feature on this blog spot.That will probably take me all night.I can then display part of my portfolio online,which will be cool!I hope that I can get that done tonight and not still be working on it next week.Only a few more days left in work before I go on my trip.Anyway,enough of my ramblings for on day.Love to all my creative buddies,Anne.

Ice Resin,Episode 2!

Thanks to Barbe from ObjectsandElements!She gave me some really good advice about what went wrong with my ice resin first attempts.So I had another go last night.Totally different this time.I warmed the resin bottles up in hot water for a few moments and,hey,presto!It worked.I have made the coolest bezels in town.When they have fully set,I will take pics.I even used up the last little bit to make some pendants.I molded these in a re-used tray that once held antipasto.The oval shaped little compartments are pendant sized,so ideal.I backed them with Chinese newspaper that came wrapped around some goodies I had bought of Etsy.The paper went slightly transparent so next time ,I will seal it first.However,I do like the effect.I even went a little mad and took some tiny flowers from the garden and set them in bezels to make earrings later.That worked really well.But some of the purple flowers changed to a rather interesting shade of green!!!Still looking good this morning though.There were a lot less fumes this time,so I did not have a problem.All in all,a good experience.
  I am getting excited about my trip next week.Looking forward to the flea-markets and new bead shops I hope I find.Only seven more days in work,can,t wait.Love to all my beading buddies,Anne.

Ice Resin and mixed media.

I found the experience with the ice resin interesting.I have to admit even though it did not go 100% to plan.I will have another go on the weekend. I have just bought the latest issue of Cloth.Paper,Scissors and saw some mixed media pendants.I have seen some really fab looking bezels Theres a fab website ,Objectsand Elements.They sell all sorts of quirky bits and pieces.Been a bit of inspiration for me,especially the idea of recycling old things.Especially using bits of fabric,old keys and polymer clay together.Will keep everybody posted.
  I mentioned that I found my Araceli Booth painting in the wardrobe!I have since found out that she now resides in Spain.I bought my painting in a gallery in Alton in Hants where she used to live.It must be quite an early one as it is not on her online portfolio.I love the painting and always envied her talent.I used to teach art to residents in a nursing home some years ago but cannot paint anywhere as well.I just dabble these days.I don,t know whether,if I did scan it,would I be allowed to show it on my blog.Perhaps I will e-mail her when I get time and ask very nicely.All my love to my creative buddies,Anne.

Mixed Media Results and assorted ramblings

Dear Creative Friends,
                                 The experiment with the Ice Resin proved interesting.The resin did set but remained sticky to the touch so was no good.However the smaller ones I treated to a coat of Diamond Resin and they set nicely.The others I have pulled out and will redo.
Probably on the weekend.The butterflies were really nice and I made them up into earrings and bracelets and have already listed them on Etsy and Folksy.
  The studio makeover is going to take some time and as I am going on tour around Europe in two weeks will probably not be finished until the end of August.My eldest daughter will be 21 on our return and has booked our local pub to have her party.So I will be busy with that as well.I cleared two huge bags of old clothes and toys from when the kids were little and a local charity is picking them up tomorrow.That makes more space for beads,LoL!I found my missing Araceli Booth watercolour painting at the back of the wardrobe.The frame needs some repairs but will be very nice in studio.I bought the painting over twenty years ago and it has survived all sorts of ups and downs including divorve,homelessness and everything in between.It therefore deserves some love and attention.I remember seeing the lady who painted it on a watercolour masterclass on TV years ago,she was amazing!I will look her up on Google later to see what has become of her.Love to all my creative buddies,Anne.

Mixed Media and Resin

Hello friends,
                    I have finally taken the plunge and got the box with the ice resin out today and had a go.I read the instructions carefully,but the resin bottle would not pour as it have gone very thick and gooey.There was nothing in the instructions about this so I just spooned out what I thought I would need and added the hardener.It said to mix for two minutes until it went clear,so I did and it didn,t!!!!Arggg!However it did clear eventually and I made up some bezels and filled them.It was rather tricky to guess the right amount so a couple have overflowed.I am rather messy.My daughter came back from her friend,s house and helped a little.Just as well,really.In spite of having a well ventilated studio,I was overcome by the rather noxious fumes given off and was nauseous and dizzy,very yuck!Next time I will work outside.The bezels look good but I will not know whether I got the mix right until they set.That means I will have to wait until tomorrow night after work,after I have been for my dental check-up as well.Can,t wait.Also have done some more work on my studio makeover,got rid of lots more junk.I think I might have to put a ceiling  up when I come home from my European tour.The beams are very dusty and I think I need a new ceiling light to replace the old flourescent one.So I might as well do that at the same time.It will not cost too much as I can do the work myself.I nearly took some photos to post but have decided I will wait until finished.Anyway enough of my ramblings for now,love to all my beading duddies,Anne

Redesigning my workspace.

I have taken the plunge and started to re-organise my studio into a more artistic and creative workspace.Gone is some of the junk and theres more to go when I have room in the bin for it all.I am being ruthless.I have also started to put a base coat of paint on the grey breezeblock walls.It is looking less and less like  a prison and more like an artists studio. I will have to purchase a storage cabinet of some sort but have been given a very large sheet of white laminate which I have sawn down to make a new table top.I have started to dream of the new artwork that I can hang on the walls when finished.Will post pictures when finished.
  I have  had some delicious beads from Caledonia March on Etsy,Connie never fails to please me.I also have had some fab charms from Lima Beads.I will leave you all now and go and lie down after all that painting.Love to all my beading buddies,Anne.

Expanding my business.

Dear friends,it has been a busy week and has gone very fast,perhaps too fast.I have had some sales this week,but not enough to let me give up the day job.I am working on improving sales but it can be a bit like pushing a boulder up a very steep hill.I have two etsy shops,one folksy shop,a presence,of sorts on MISI but sales are still hard come by.I work hard on my marketing but has yet haven,t cracked it.I have put one of my Etsy shops up for consideration on Paper-N-Stitch and started my new shop on dawanda,just to see how I get on.Will post findings when I am able.I will look at Poppytalk this week to see if suitable.I have also upgraded my Paypal account to a business account in line with going professional.I will have to "suck it and see"so to speak!I don,t know if there is a secret formula that gets the customers thruogh the virtual doors of my online shops.Perhaps someone knows it!!!!It is not easy putting effort into working in a fulltime day job,looking after a home and family and then working on building up a business from scratch in "spare "time.I would like to know what my fellow travellers think on this and perhaps share experiences together.Enough ramblings from me for one blog.Love to my creative friends,Anne.