Ann Wells,
Jewelry Artist

My name is Ann Wells and I am located in Portland, OR. I began Collage Designs by Beulah 6 years ago. My tag line is, “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle with Fashion.”

I began collecting cans from co-workers and bringing them home to be recycled. Recycling centers were not really available in the city I was living in. Later, people started bringing me magazines as well, but I wanted to do something with them before they went into the bin. One thing led to another and Collage Designs by Beulah was born.

The technique I use to make my jewelry is decoupage. First, I collect any images and shapes from magazines or paper product. Next, I use a nontoxic glue to adhere the paper to the surface of the jewelry. I coat the piece with the glue 15-20 times, sanding in between coats. Finally, I seal the piece with a nontoxic acrylic sealer. In the past year, I have started making jewelry out of other found items, such as records, plastic shopping bags and old games.