All I have been doing is retaking pictures and loading them up with a colored background.
I am torn if I like it or not.
There is a definite difference in many of the pictures for sure.
Especially white or crystal pieces. It's AMAZING the difference! MUCH BETTER!
I need to decide what colors I LIKE though.
sigh.
Soo much work!
I am still using natural light so I have only a small window in the afternoon to take pictures.
Plus, I have to figure out why the same piece of paper is photographing like 5 different shades!
All taken at the same time with the same camera!
It's crazy how a DARK blue piece of paper I first used looked electric blue in MANY of my photos.
I have to retake them. Too bright.
I think slowly I am going to change the shop into color backgrounds and see what I think when it's all done.
Eh, worse comes to worse...I'll just change everything back.
Ugh!

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while...A lot going on.
Sigh, and as my Grandma always said, "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all..." Wasn't feeling very positive and didn't want to sound like a "negative Nancy." No offense to ANY Nancy's out there. LOL!
At the moment I am staying in my current apartment.
I NEED to talk to my Landlord and that should let me know for sure what my plan of action needs to be.

Been working on jewelry and new floral accessories.
I uploaded a lot of new pieces to Etsy.
I still can't get them to look AS BEAUTIFUL and SPARKLY as they look in person.
Sometimes I feel as if I sell you (looking at the piece) and myself short because soo many of my pieces LOOK SOO much BETTER in person!
Ah, well...at least the feedback is always positive about how amazing they look in person...or how much even MORE beautiful they look when their purchase arrives...
I imagine I am NOT the only person that struggles with this.
I mean, as far as the rest of us that do NOT have the professional photo studio at hand.
:P

I am beginning to think maybe I want to try neutral "colored" backgrounds to photograph against instead of striving for the perfect "white."
After all, the several "crystal" items I have been making lately simply wash out against the white background.

Perhaps I will try this and see what you all think.

BAZZAR...My Olive Green Collection TREASURY

BAZZAR...My Olive Green Collection

These I am center bottom!
Olivine Nuggets.

Do you ever feel like your whole world is crashing down around you?!
heh
My modem broke Monday night so I haven't had any internet since!
...that's not what I am talking about.
Just been having another reality check...and stressing out.
I need to figure out where I am going to move to NOW.
Stress....

I went supply shopping today because I am moving...(I should be saving money) But since I won't have access to going there personally I thought I should take advantage of having time to go before I leave.

Goodness!
I can't even repeat what I spent...WAY OVER BUDGET!
Let's say...for now on I am ONLY going to shop in the "special cases" for my gems!
Moving forward I mean of course!
I was salivating looking at how gorgeously lovely the "expensive" gems were.
*sigh*
I am now entering the bigger boys territory.
I finally made my second purchase out of the expensive case!
*giggles*
I purchased Mystique Topaz???
Oh, shoot, I better find out for sure.
LOL!
I spent enough that... I better know!

Vintage Inspired Beauty

HERE IT IS!
This is the BEAST that I worked on for 5 hours straight that first day...I'd say, this piece in total took me almost 7 hours to make.

I think I LOVE it!
Dripping with various shapes and sizes of Swarovski crystals...faceted Smokey Topaz, Sterling Silver and beautiful opalescent fresh water pearls.

The photos just don't do this piece justice!
Maybe I'll call her The Queen?!

PICTURES!

Remember the bracelet that I was trying to match the Swarovski droplets in Black Diamond to a few entries ago?
Well, here it is!
...minus the droplets!
I decided to make the bracelet WITHOUT the extra drop pieces in it.
I actually knew it would LOOK beautiful without them.

I am pretty happy with how this one turned out.
It's all Sterling Silver and Swarovski crystals.

I should be packing.
I am MOVING!
All I can think about is all of my jewelry and accessory supplies...and how the heck am I going to move it all!
Ugh.
Moving is hard enough when you have all the "normal" clothing and "things"...but then I throw in all of my supplies,( I REALLY NEED my own separate studio for it) My massage table, and ALL of my TONS of makeup, kit, boxes,chair....it would literally be perfect to have its own room!
I am totally lagging.
I need to get to it so I might not be logging for a few days.
Eh, who am I kidding.
lol
I'll be touching in just to take a break.
The worst is that I have all these ideas for pieces in my head and I can't start anything right now!

Foggy

I am a bit foggy today.
I was up until almost 3:00a.m. working on a new piece.
I realized that I was working on it for 5 hours STRAIGHT!
It's different then anything I have made before...well, I used different items together I mean.
Ah, it might help if I tell you what it is! I am currently working on a bracelet made with gray freshwater pearls, faceted round Smokey quartz and a TON of various colors and sizes of Swarovski crystals. It's quite a piece if I do say so myself...I'm still not satisfied with it though. I'm not sure what it is. LOL! This was the reason I actually stopped working on it last night/this morning! I decided to take a breakfrom it. Part of me feels like it has a bit of vintage/eclectic flavor to it. I think someone will LOVE this for the holiday party going!
As soon as I finish it I will have pictures!

Dreams of Nirvana Treasury

I love the calm soothing tones she chose for this Treasury.
"Dreams of Nirvana"
There's my Dragons Tail at the bottom middle!

AND
If you peek at the top right corner...My FAVORITE SPA THERAPY has her yummy Tea Tree soap showcased as well!!!

Yays for US!

I am so relieved that it is FINALLY COOLING off!
Phew!
I went to pick up supplies today...didn't stick to my budget...Ah, but I purchased various sizes and colors of Swarovski crystals! Soooo pretty!
It kills me every time though.
BUT, I think EVERYONE can see the difference in using the best quality crystals...the brilliance is truly lovely.

I have a custom bracelet that I am starting on...I swear that everyone thinks I am crazy...I was trying to pick up more of the Swarovski Teardrops in the color shown in the photo with the earrings.
Everyone that I talked to said that the ONLY color it comes in is Silver shade. I swear that the ones in my photo that I purchased were Black Diamond. I mean, look at the photo! The "depth" is the same as the Black diamond crystals that I used at the top! If it was more "pale and translucent" then I would agree with the sales people and say that I was crazy...I REALLY believed that the teardrops I used were "darker" don't you agree?!
OK.
So, I have a picture of the regular black diamond in the teardrop shape(bottom)...not the exact same cut but I found it (even though it's out of stock) The middle is the Black Diamond AB in teardrop form and the photo of the little diamond pieces(top) are Crystal Silver Shade.... Now, I know you can see the same difference that I do. The Silver Shade are VERY transparent?! RIGHT?

Simply Elegant Treasury

Ah!
I'm in another Treasury!
Simply Elegant.
There's my Victorian Metal in the bottom left corner.

FINALLY! My new HAIR STICKS!

Like something functional and TOTALLY Stylish and fashionable?!
LOL!
Check out my new Geisha Hair sticks!
I wish there was a better way to display them...I'm sure I will certainly take more pictures as I learn how to promote these.
I made some for myself and they REALLY are quite beautiful in the hair.
You just can't get the true sparkle and feeling of movement they make from stagnant photos.
I thought to model them in my hair but then I thought people might not care for that...hygiene and all...Of course I would wear it with just washed hair!
LOL!
I noticed a lot of people get kinda of funny about things being worn on an actual person for display.
It seems it's torn, some people don't mind and some people would refuse to purchase something being worn.
Ah, oh well, what to do? What to do?!
Here's some pictures anyway!
Onyx Geisha and Golden Geisha.
I used all Swarovski crystal and 14Kgf wire and chain!
:D

Take a LOOK ABOVE!

I just finished adding a ton of new pictures above!
Check it out!

Reworking photos AGAIN!

I am soooo TIRED!
I have literally spent that last 2 days reworking and retaking photos of new and old pieces.
My head is spinning...and my arm is killing from the hours on the computer!
I'd much rather be working on designing new pieces.
I get in these crazy moments where I just want to retake pictures that I just don't feel are up to par.
...which can be A LOT!
LOL!
I think the pictures I have redone look pretty good...there still are several that I now see that I want to redo again!
:P
I had to retake new pictures of the new pieces I JUST did because I just wasn't satisfied with the ones I listed.
Ah, work in progress...I REALLY just need to take the time and make myself a light box.
...how many times have you heard me gripe about this?
LOL!
Here's a few new pics.

Did You Hear....grey is the new black Treasury

YAYS!
I am in another Treasury!
Silver Snow Set is in the top right corner!