Hi everybody! It has been ages since I have blogged. I can’t even begin to explain how crazy it has been since we moved from the heart of the Twin Cities to rural northern Minnesota.
Downsizing is supposed to make life simpler, right? Well, I can tell you that is not the case when you downsize and don’t have anywhere to put stuff. We purchased our new home last July and intended to build a garage and finish our lower level (which holds my studio) right away.
I created this piece as a little art therapy for myself. Titled “False Advertising”, it is how I am feeling right now, especially on social media, where I am trying to appear upbeat, but inside am feeling a little bleak.
Way back in 2015 I made a storage unit for my art studio table. At the time, I wondered how well a storage caddy made from chipboard would stand up to daily use. Would it be worth it to pay for a unit made from cardboard? Four years later, I can assure you that the answer is a resounding yes.
Read the rest of this entryHi everyone! You may have noticed that your browser took you to a new location. To better reflect my brand, I have updated my website, to https://www.BetsySkagen.com. I hope you can take a minute to update your browser. This is on a certified secure server, so no need to worry about all those scary internet things.
I have also changed my store name to reflect the “new me”. You can now shop at https://betsyskagen.zibbet.com/
Instagram and Pinterest also reflect the new name. Hopefully you will soon be able to find my Facebook page at Betsy Skagen Mixed Media Artist. Unfortunately, Facebook doesn’t seem to like change, so I am currently battling Facebook gatekeepers to allow this change.
Another reason for the change is that very few people could spell or even pronounce Paper Calliope. Truth be told, most people mispronounce Skagen also (hint: if you use your noggin, it rhymes with toboggan), but hopefully people will learn this over time.
I hope you continue to follow me, I have some exciting developments under way that I think you will find intriguing .
Warmly, Betsy
For decades I have walked the shores of Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota collecting lake glass, or what those of you on the coasts call sea glass.
After two and a half loooooong months away due to an unplanned medical snafu, I am gratefully alive and finally venturing back into crafting.
Unlike the arrogant little tot featured in my project, I was much less confident about getting back to crafting. I decided to make the transition a little easier by using some of my favorite things for my first project: Gypsy Soul Lasercut’s Mini House Shadowbox, Paper Calliope’s Snarky Ancestors, 7gypsies paper and Seth Apter’s embossing powders.
Please pardon the weird sizing. My new design is under construction and there are a few glitches. That’s the problem with being a designer and not a programmer! Hopefully all will be corrected soon!
I’ve been so busy creating over the past year that I decided I better start applying for some holiday craft shows. Here’s a small sampling of what I’ve been creating over the last year. Please note that all creations are copyrighted.
Handcrafted cards with a Minnesota twist.
Once in awhile a project comes along and surprises you with childlike and carefree moments of creative play.This was one of those projects.
I got a much-needed respite when I spent a recent afternoon painting, shrinking and melting bits of plastic into fused combinations of happy color. I hope you hop on over to the ColourArte blog to see find out how to create some of this fun for yourself.
