Recycled Paper Jewelry

Its now been over a month since we left home and it will be another month until we return. I have to resist the temptation to fret over all the things we'd like to do but might not have time for on this trip. 

I've been getting up early in the morning, when there is less competing for my attention,

to work on some of my own paper jewelry using SHAPE's recycled paper. I don't typically work this early at home but I'm considering starting to try getting into the studio at 5:30 – 6:00am every day. Will I be able to do it or will obligations, distractions and old habits creep back in?

At any rate...here I am now. I spread everything across the kitchen table and watch through the open door as the sun comes up over the house and hits the ocean. 

I'll be selling one of the pieces I've created while here with all money going to SHAPE. It will most likely be a necklace but I'm working on some brooches as well. My shops are closed so I'm trying to work out a way the funds will go right to SHAPE's account. Hope to have that sorted by next week.

Happy Monday!

I brought a small box of simple tools with me - a small paper cutter would have been nice too. Maybe next time....

In between homeschool and re-organzing my wholesale info. I've carved out a little time to work with some of the paper from SHAPE this week. I think considering the preciousness of the paper and size of
the beads I am just going to let myself go with some statement, one of a kind necklaces right now.

Are any of you in Pennsylvania or northern Maryland?  Have you noticed a surge of orb spiders like we have?  The one just off our back porch is eating stink bugs, God bless her!

Have a great weekend!

Introducing Ashley

They say when Ashley first came to SHAPE he was quite uncommunicative. Initially its hard to tell how connected he is to what is going on around him. 

Ashely cuts and wraps beads made from card stock/boxes donated to SHAPE from around the island. 

           

But start to spend some time with him and you realize he is very bright, misses little, loves color and is aware of all sorts of things even when he seems to not be paying any attention. 

And quite wonderfully, he is responding, with words more and more often. The day I got a direct "cool" in response to my new necklace design was a very good day indeed.

Working out payment and banking details for SHAPE's Etsy shop has been so much more complicated than we thought. The bank is in London, phone calls are $3min.,  SHAPE frequently loses internet connection and so on and so on...

But Paypal and banking info. needs to get straightened out so that they are actually getting the money from the sales they make. 

Coming soon to the Etsy shop - handmade journals using recycled paper. 

Recycled paper

Recycled paper pulp bowls

Rough Patch

We've hit a bit of a rough patch - figuratively and literally, emotionally, culturally...

For about two hours we watched water spouts form out to sea. None went all the way to the surface.  

So we're having a bit of a slow down and I'm working on beads. I'm considering listing some of the paper bead pieces when my shop re-opens on July 30 (with everything shipping from the U.S. on August 15). 

Terra cotta fully recycled paper beads.