photo re-shoots

Some of you may remember how in my looking at how I got where I am today post, I talked about how I took new photos of most of my inventory last summer.  Thankfully most of those photos have held up pretty well, and I haven't had to do too many re-shoots since I started using my light box.  However, there are a handful of items that have slipped through the cracks.  There are a few newer items that need a couple new shots, too.  For example, when I started using the light box, I had no idea how to set up good camera angles for my earrings.

So I've been using this slower summer time to take a few new photos.  This is a slightly tedious process.  I know that most of us would rather be making and photographing new items.  However, continual shop improvement is so important on Etsy.  I get frustrated when I see successful shops that simply refuse to update photos, especially for made to order items.  If you make a new one, take some new pictures.

I'm also really hoping for a very good 2011 holiday season.  I've built up a ton of new followers this past year and received a number of comments from people who are eying particular items with gift ideas in mind.  I want to do everything that I can to have a great shop ready for those shoppers who will be here before we know it.

Here are a few of my recent re-shoots.

Some pieces are much harder to photograph than others.  I'm still not totally sure what to do with these little daggers to show their full effect.  I did include one photo in this listing with me modeling it on my arm, which should help because the daggers hang much better that way.

This was one that I already did a re-shoot for in the light box, but I did it before I got my gray backdrop.  The music was a little distracting, and the white was too harsh for all of the neutral colors.  This is a piece that might actually do better against a colored backdrop, but this is still better than the previous shots.

a few more peeks this week

I have pictures of a few more things that I've been working on this week.

Do you remember the champagne mix that I had in my last in the works post?  This is one of the things that I've been doing with them.

I bought the stone focals back in Iowa with plans to make some of these for sale this summer.  Obviously that didn't happen.  Making my design team piece for my inspired to work with this design again.  I have five of the focals so I'm going to go ahead and make the whole set.  I may list it for the holidays anyway.  If anyone wants to jump on one now, let me know.

As part of my overhaul for made to order pieces, I'm making a new version of this piece.  I know that those listing pictures are pretty good, but I still want to eliminate as many made to order listings as possible.  And I love this design and color combination, so how could I not want to make another piece like that?

Finally, in my fun with beaded bails lately, I have gotten inspired to redo my Kristie Roeder ceramic donut piece from a couple years ago.  You can see the original version in this hub.  (Kristie has one more donut like this available here if anyone is interested in making their own.)  I love the donut and the colors that I paired with it, but the bail is way too small.  A really skinny ribbon barely fits through the hole.  I have a hard time tearing apart projects right after I've made them, but it's easier to do when I come back to them later.

I know that there are almost no brown delicas left, but I only need few more to make the expansion.

A final note:
Please check out my newest crafty hubs if you haven't already.
Right Angle Weave Beadweaving Technique: Why It's So Versatile
Beaded Beadwoven Leaves: Stand Alone Projects, As Components, and Cuff Designs

redo, back in stock, treasury feature

I had to redo the clasp on one of the bracelets that my grandma purchased from me earlier this summer.  I used cube beads for the clasp originally, and it didn't hold very well.  So I took it out and put in a button and seed bead loop instead.

I played around with the white balance in the light box today.  The tripod photos have considerably less blue tint than the ones that I've shot thus far.  I'm still struggling to get close up shots on custom settings that don't blur.  It's a work in progress.  My shots are still improving.  Hopefully this button clasp will work better for her.  Trial and error!  My other cube cuffs with cube clasps are wider so I think they'll hold better, but I'm not planning to use that design again.  If anyone is interested in the above design, you can purchase it as made to order in my Etsy shop here (or click on the photo of it).

I made a new version of my Two-Hole Button Explosion Earrings and updated the listing today.

I have one more multicolored explosion version planned as well as an all blue version.  After that, I'm not sure yet, but as always, I'm open to suggestions.

Patch (patchfirstshop) included my Beadwoven Bracelet - The Leafy Series - Winter in her EtsyBloggers weekly treasury: Favorite BLUE!!  Patch is the one who came up with the weekly treasury idea for the team.  It's been a big hit so far.

You can view this treasury by CLICKING HERE.

I finished the first draft of my next beading PDF pattern tonight.  Having completed one pattern already, I feel much more confident about this second one.  I think that my photos are better for it, too.  I used all white backgrounds (except for a couple of the completed bracelet shots) and black thread so the clarity is good.  I'll proofread it and make the final edits in Word tomorrow.  I should have it for sale within the next week.

Thank you to everyone who promoted my Christmas Button Charm Bracelet during the Christmas in July sale, especially through the Christmas treasuries, because it sold today!

I'm participating in my first SNS tonight.  My sale will hold through 6AM EST Sunday so there's still plenty of time to check it out if you haven't already.

raspberry filled fringed peyote cuff

Since I sold the most recent version of the leafy series - autumn, I've been searching for new copper/bronze/gold leaves for a new version. Both of the larger leaves in the one pictured in that listing are no longer available. The best thing that I've found so far are these gold Czech pressed leaves from Fusion Beads. I know that this wouldn't be the same, but do you think it would still work well for this design? I love my vibrant autumn version, but I'd like to continue the original autumn design, too.

I completed my custom order for Sharla (BeadedTail) this week. She wanted a bracelet/cuff that would coordinate with her raspberry filled peyote triangle earrings that she won from me in a blog giveaway. This is what we worked together to design. It will be on its way to her tomorrow or Thursday!




She has already enjoyed the photos. Hopefully she will enjoy the cuff even more in person. :)

book recommendation, other hobby, redone listings

I have another bead weaving book from the library that I've been reading this week: Seed Bead Fusion: 18 Projects to Stitch, Wire, & String by Rachel Nelson-Smith. There really are only 18 projects in this book, and the bead weaving projects are all based off of 2 basic designs. While it is not one of the more diverse beading books I've ever seen, it does have some of the best instructions. The book includes directions in writing, drawings, and photographs for EVERY project. I've never seen anything quite like it. The photographs are all excellent quality. The other unique strength of this book is that there are pictures for each finished project of exactly what is explained in the directions and nothing else. I don't know if anyone else gets frustrated by this sort of thing in most books, but I think that it can be annoying to read directions for a basic peyote cuff and not understand what to do because every picture uses a different sort of bead or has a much more complicated clasp. This book is not like that! It is also not for a beginner, but it allows someone with a little knowledge of basic bead weaving techniques to take on some more advanced projects because all of the directions and pictures are so good.

In other creative endeavors, I finally tracked down a free transcription for Golden by Fall Out Boy, which has been one of my favorite songs for over a year. No, I don't just keep Chopin books around for photographing jewelry, I really do play the piano. :P I haven't in a while, and it's been fun to work on a new piece again.

I finally edited and upload the pictures that I took of some of my older items last week. Take a look if you get a chance!

monochromatic retro charm fringed peyote cuff

double stranded raspberry right angle bracelet (2 versions currently available)

turquoise right angle bangle
double stranded blue and purple right angle bracelet

remakes, leafy satisfaction

I made new versions of two of my designs. I have listed them as "made to order" for the last couple weeks, but they are both bracelets that I've sold/given (as presents) multiples of so I want to have them on hand for in person viewing as well. I also wanted to have some new, better pictures because my ability to photograph jewelry (and edit pictures of jewelry) has improved significantly since I made the original bracelets.

This one is identical to the original.

This one is a slightly different shade of purple, as exact shade I used previously wasn't available any more.

I remade my leaf bracelet again over the weekend. I know that I said that the third time would be the charm...but then I dropped it at work and one of the large glass leaves broke. I really wasn't going to be happy with the leaf missing so I took it apart and made it again with my one remaining large clear glass leaf. I am now very satisfied with how my bracelet fits and am 99% confident that the design will hold. I will also be more carefully about how I hold it when I'm not wearing it. So I finally went ahead and made another leaf bracelet last night. It's very similar to my original and will be listed as soon as I get it photographed. I have a few other newly finished pieces to photograph and list as well. :)