What has Betty been upto ?

Well I have been busy .I know I am a terrible blogger but I try when I remember .I must really pull one's finger out.

Anyway I have been voluntering and working with The Rushden cluster (Rusheden community college ) and various Rushden schools.We have been working on a collaboration With Northamptonshire county council and Doc Martens.

I was approached and asked if I could design and create a Doc marten boot that could be made completely from landfill waste .I Went to meetings and found out what ideas' they had and how we do it.The kids loved the idea.And they had some fab idea's .We eventually settled on a scuplture that we could fill with household waste.So I went away and made a small mock up using materials and watse from the Pheonix recycling centre in Raunds.I came up with this.

Next step was to create a larger version for the kids to decorate and fill with household waste.

Good thing the weather has been nice and a partner that can follow instructions.

The construction off the boot took 4 days on and off.Chris my partner was a huge help.So this was the 3and half ft boot in my garden .All constructed from materials rescued from landfill.I had some netting too that was to go on the boot. I decided to let the kids put that on and then we had been given scrap leather ,laces soles that were going to landfill from Doc Martens.We would use these to decorate the boot.I then left the children to decorate the boot how they wanted to .They had some great ideas and asked if they were possible and they then went ahead and created this .

The boot is now moving round Rushden and surrounding area.I believe it is currently in Higham high street in an empty shop window.Then will be moving onto Asda,waitrose and then Rushden library.

New portraits

Have been busy trying to create new pieces.My poor partner has only been asking for this piece for two years.I thought I should really at least give it a try haha.He is very happy with it .It was mounted and framed the minute I finished it .

Long time no blog

Hey sorry it has been so long But I am not great at blogging and find it hard to get the incling to actually do anything blog wise .But I do try to remember .I have seen researching and experimenting with style and colouring of my work .I hope to keep on experimenting and go where creativity takes me.

I have started to think and pressure myself with creating for money but to just create because I love it and it seems to be a better way for me to go and seem to have flogged a few bits to so all good haha.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/bettysdelightsAnyway this is a short and sweet blog and I will get back soon to blog soon.I have my website to update and rearrange but this damned weather does really not suit me .Whether it be SAD or just pain due to disabled hips.Anyway I cam going to try harder .But here are afew pics I have been working on to keep you going.Thanks Tx

Etsy shop listings

It has been a while since updating .But I have been busy stitching away .I have been creating some new collections from burlesque babes ,more tank girl and a few mini stitchworks.Please do check out the lionk and them out in better detail

.http://www.etsy.com/shop/bettysdelights

 Hand embroidered with a little of me dabbling with hand applique .Very much enjoyed these .

Love this one I added vintage buttons for the pearls on the necklace .Was fun making this and I love how it has turned out.

This is one of my mini embroidered art works .Lichenstein hand embroidered and then mounted in hand dyed lace .

Check out www,bettysdelights.co.uk or click on the etys link abve to check out all my newest pieces .

Volunteering

I have for some time been battling with myself at what life will hold for me.Being disabled and in pain on a daily basis kind of makes things difficult for me.I cannot hold down a job due to things getting to much for my hips but want to and want to feel I am making a differance and am contributing.Well I have a list of voluntary positions I have done.Here are some.

• Sure start office worker = 6months.
• Head chairperson for charity based after school club = Approximately 2 years.
• Charity shop worker .
• Dostiyo ,I run a craft session for the ladies.
• NCS = National citizenhip service  .Week of tutoring ,caring and working with 16 and 17 year olds.
•  http://www.ufa.org.uk/young-peoples-activities/national-citizen-service

 I never knew what exactly was for me on the volunteering front.I have enjoyed all the positions in which I took part in .But one has really stood out from the others.I never once thought I would be good with teenagers !!!!.They scared me and I often would look at them and judge them by the way they behaved.But I found that when working with young adults that had behavoural issues ,adhd, dyspraxia,autism and general issues at home or background.I found fell into a comfortbale understanding world.I was shocked at first but then as I got to learn about the young adults and their problems it hit me how wrong I had been to judge them on what I believed were just anti social behavioural problems.These young adults had problems beyond belief and as the week went on they learn't to trust me and I them.I loved being around them and loved spending time with them.I have never loved ,laughed and cried so much in one week.It was an emotional rollercoaster but one I would so do again.I now am finding I smile when I wake ,I laugh more,I am far more laid back and see things really differantly than before.I understand better young adults and the problems they have .I now know what I was mean't to do and that has made me one very happy lady .And apparently I am a natural youth worker and I tend to agree .I have never met such a loving ,caring bunch of kids .They have so much to offer and I felt that week we made them believe in themselves ....they enjoyed their time spent with us and I to with them ...Oh I am gooey again haha ....:))))))))))) .I am going to leave it there but I know youth work will be somewhere I definately visit again .Terri

oh dear my blogging skills definately need brushing up on.

Hmmmm not really good at blogging. I keep promising myself I will blog then I get writers block.And then I forget or just run out of time.I know I should and  know that I will not get to show all you wonderfull people out their in the world my passions and my art.

I am terrible at tweeting ,Really still don't fully understand it .And again forget to do it.I have tried pinterest and lost interest but then sometimes I remember and post a few bits and bobs.I forget my emails and rarely check my website.I think my mind is more on creating physically than creating a blog with my fingertips.I will get there eventually .I think my brain just needs time to get used to it all haha.I lost interest in technology some time ago ,actually many years ago when I saw how it seemed to effect peoples means of communicating.I found rude people talking on phones when at the cash register.I found people cutting me up in the street walking into me due to texting .People answering phones while driving and not caring about the consequences.I think  I am possibly not against technology as much as I go on about it  but possibly more the people that use it haha.People listening to mp3 players or i pods whilst in public seems to me to give the impression they are rude and do not want to speak to anyone .And often end up slamming on the brakes to stop hitting them as they did not look to check for cars as normal but they could not hear them due to the high levels of music in their eardrums.

Haha how on earth has this blog gone from my bad bloggin skills to rudeness of people .........oh I see haha I think I went of trail somewhere .Anyway blogging .................................................................... um yes ...yeah sorry must try harder ; ) TX

What is a girl to do ? I don't know !!!!!!

I have just yet yet another Etsy bill threw.And yet again I have not sold a thing.I have alot of people liking my work and listing in treasury's but I am thinking how long can I go with not even making the cost of the billing back?.I have just re set myslef back up on Folksy which I closed shop for a while whilst ill .Only ever sold a few things on there to .Still not covering costs of listing though.I am wondering is it time to give up on the internet market places and just make for the sheer joy of it . Do the odd craft fayre just as a social thing and hope that I may sell the odd thing just to cover costs.Thing is I will never be able to do loads of craft fayres due to my disablilty.It hurts to much to sit for all that time and I suffer for to longer period after them.I really am at a point of not knowing what is best.
 I am thinking without my crafts though I will get bored ,life will be pretty crap so I would have to continue in some way.

I have my voluntary job as the craftgroup leader at Dostiyo that comes up once in a while .But is not a weekly thing for me.I think I need to find something I can do to make me feel useful and not spend money.

I am thinking now I have my scooter I maybe able to volunteer again for the charity shop for a few hours again .Not being able to access the loo's was a big issue in my wheelchair ,but now I am more mobile with the scooter I can always use a public loo .I want and need something to do .And socially I need a way to get out more often .Hmmmmmmmm If I had a few hours in a shop at least that would be less time at home getting bored or crafting so much that it is costly and taking up so much room.ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHH haha what is a girl to do ???????


HELP !!! haha