Photography!

When you create etched copper components, lampwork beads, clay beads and jewelry you either go to shows to sell your wares or you open an online shop. If you don't your house gets really full of your handcrafted necklaces, bracelets and earrings!

 I don't like to travel too far from my own bed so I have an online store on Etsy: MiyaBeads. It's easy, convenient and I like it. It is hard to sell jewelry online, though, because people want to see it up close and personal. And folks want components to make their own. But I SO enjoy designing jewelry that I will continue.

That's where photography comes in. To sell jewelry you have to have excellent photos that create a mood for your shop. It has been a constant learning experience for me. I am always trying to improve my photos. I always listen to friends when they talk about their cameras and I like the camera I use now. It has macro capability and I get clear photos. I edit with a free program -Irfanview, because it's easy peasy, works really well - and is FREE!

For me the problem is the background. I have a photo booth that was gifted to me by a friend. I love the light in it. It is a white box and I want a natural background so I made wood squares to fit inside on the bottom and the back.

I have decided the color of stain is a bit too cool and I want to take the wood back out and stain it again with some warmer tones. So, I hope that works. I have decided the petrified wood rock has got to go. It is natural but I think it's the wrong color. Next!

I found a fabulous cast iron hand that looks vintage. It was white but that's no problem. I spray painted it with brown metallic paint. Then I over-sprayed it with matte black paint. I didn't cover the brown completely because I want a bit of an antique look- not one solid color.

I'm happy with that. I think it has a good look to put necklaces and bracelets on to photograph. I'm also thinking of getting a 2 inch thickness of a small tree trunk that has  darkened with age to photograph copper on. Another thought is to use a piece of bark. I'll have to play with that idea before launching it.

One thing I believe above all else that I have learned from viewing other jewelry photography - you need a consistent look for all your photographs. So, ever onward to get that consistent look I want for my Etsy store! Any ideas?

My Bead Soup Reveal!

I am so excited about this year's soup! My partner Pam Hurst sent me some awesome stuff! See her blog here  http://pamhurst.blogspot.com

 Chunky carnelian! Semi precious beads! Pearls! And more but the stunner is the pmc silver focal handmade by Pam!  so, here is what I have made:

For this necklace I used the citrine squares, the aquamarine squares, the focal and clasp. I added some blue guilders paste to the silver focal since blue is the main color of the necklace. I made tiny sterling silver  balled head pins to use to make the cluster of citrine, aquamarine, and I added some faceted 4mm semi precious heishi to the mix in coordinating colors of blue and dark citrine.  For the necklace portion I used aqua blue 4mm sperpentine heishi  and added in the remaining aquamarine square heishi in intervals at the bottom near the focal. I used the remaining citrine heishi right around the focal! The clasp is awesome with the flowered focal!

Here's a close up of the pendant.

 For this rustic tribal necklace I used some of the fabulous chunky and faceted carnelian beads!  The focal is a genuine African trade bead which I surrounded by layered bead caps in copper. the oval metal beads are African brass and copper mix beads. I love them!  I used two lampwotk disk beads I made, copper heishi, red and green jasper disks, a pretty green semi precious rectangle stone with awesome striations and the finishing touch is the clasp that I made. It is solid copper that I etched, patinaed with liver of sulfur, sanded and then sealed with spray sealant. I sell my etched copper pieces  in my Etsy store if you are interested.

My final piece is one that I have been working on for awhile but did not finish until this blog hop. It is an ocean themed bracelet in purples and blues with pearls,  an etched copper piece, sari ribbon, lampwork and a huge piece of rainbow fluorite.  I wire wrapped some recycled sari ribbon with seed beads and amethyst beads to a wire base. I added a  large hammer faceted rainbow fluorite bead, copper bead cap, my lampwork bead in shades of purple, a gorgeous huge pearl from Pam, my etched copper piece with fishies on it and a fabulous clasp that is wire wrapped to the the etched copper fish piece. I may have to keep this one! OK, it will be in my Etsy store cos I can't keep everything I make! lol

I have alot more soup so I am going to have another reveal day. My partner Pam is going to do another also!

Thanks to Lori and Lisa and all who helped with this awesome blog hop! Lori, I hope you start to improve faster and faster.  Keep up the hard work healing as you have many who love you. <3

See the whole list of participants here:

http://lorianderson-beadsoupblogparty.blogspot.com/2014/05/8th-bead-soup-blog-party-participant.html