The 365 Project: Week Eight

I almost forgot to post this!  this past week's Picaboo theme was perspective with the challenge of creative camera angles.  I was also featured in Picaboo's Blog again with the photo of a dracaena plant you see above!  I'm no stranger as you know to camera angles since I use them constantly when photographing my jewelry.

Baha'i Temple near Milwaukee

Creative camera angles can turn a boring photo into something extraordinary by just a simple tilt, looking up or down etc.  No need for fancy camera features (although I LOVE my macro setting and black and white), all you need is to be willing to look a little silly sometimes to get a cool shot.  You have a camera in your hand so people are less likely to point and laugh at you, hopefully.

I admit I cheated again this week with the photo of the Baha'i Temple you see above.  I took it several years ago near Milwaukee when I was on a trip to Chicago.  It was just too perfect for this week's theme and challenge so I had to include it.  Also, it's not like I was going to drive all that way just to take that picture again!  I love the architectural beauty, intricate details and the angles in the shot I took while looking up at it.  I also got a shot of my inquisitive kitten, Zoe, with her buddy, Jasper, in the background and a cute shot of my daughter who loves her picture taken!  She also insisted I take a picture of her lime green owl!  Below are an old weathered fence at the beach and a little foot bridge over a creek.  It was a fun week of pictures and gave me an excuse to get out of the house as well even if I did look a little crazy hugging a fence to get my picture ;)

And of course some lovely treasuries!  The one on top I made and could use some more love!  Thanks!

The 365 Project: Week Two

I've been keeping pace with taking a photo a day so far.  This week's Picaboo theme was transportation and the challenge was to use manual settings.  I'm not one who ever has her camera in the blah and boring auto setting but I haven't messed too much with the full out manual mode either.  I usually prefer Program mode on my Canon so I can adjust the ISO, color, and macro settings.  For the challenge I played with the aperture priority (Av) and shutter speed settings and got a cool shot with the ceramic owl beads.  They basically let you play with the lighting and focus of your subject.  I picked a medium value that put the most focus on the first bead without completely blurring out the rest and had generous lighting.  I'm glad I played around with it since knowing how to mess with it can land me some cool shots for my Etsy photos!

Ok enough camera talk!  It was cold and snowy so I didn't get too many "transportation" shots like I wanted.  I had this whole plan of going some old train tracks I know of and getting a cool black and white shot of the snow just barely covering the tracks.  However with my husband's truck in the shop and him using the Jeep for work (and he works 13 hours a day) and getting dumped with snow it just didn't happen!  Perhaps when hubby's truck is back from the shop I can get my shot :)

I did however get some interesting pictures for this week!  I was irritating our tail-less cat Sasha with some close ups and got this great stoic pose moments before she decided enough was enough.  Then Kaylie and I were watching the cardinals outside when this very pretty male pheasant popped out under the trees for a quick meal under the bird feeders!  I was afraid I'd scare him away so I took the shot through the dirty window but he's pretty nonetheless!   Then I got a nice shot of a bright red cardinal and had fun giving the photo a retro look just for the heck of it!

I'm excited to see what they will announce next week's theme to be tomorrow!  If you're interested in starting The 365 Project yourself, it's not too late!  Check out Picaboo's blog if you want to follow their themes and challenges, it really is fun!  You can also see my photos from last week if you missed them!

Projects in Progress!

Happy Friday the 13th!  I wanted to share with you a few of the things I've got going on now.  I'm pretty much snowed in from the storm that dumped all the snow on us that we've been missing for the past month so I've been working on new jewelry designs!  I suppose not being able to go anywhere has been good since there's not so much to distract me including my little girl who is stranded at Grandma's (I'm sure she thinks it's cool being able to stay there for three days instead of the usual two, lol!).

Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner it seemed fitting to add some new heart designs to the collection in my shop.  I've had the design scribbled out on paper for a while but other projects buried it.  Once I've finished oxidizing and shining these will eventually become a pair of cute earrings and a necklace!

The other project I don't want to give away just yet but I bought these adorable little ceramic owl beads and I've been dying to use them!  I can tell you it will be a multi-strand necklace with the cutie owl as a focal ;)

I should have these finished and listed next week since I don't usually list over the weekend.  That and between shoveling and my birthday on Sunday, I'll be too busy anyway! 

Of course I need to share some Treasuries with you!  The one on top is the latest one I made for the NNN Team and EHB Team!

My Christmas Finds!

Curious little Zoe, isn't she festive with her jingle collar?

Obviously I love handmade, there's no beating around the bush on that issue!  I wanted to share with you two items I recently purchased for Christmas gifts!  There's no worry either that any surprised will be spoiled since these gifts are for ME!  I fully take responsibility for the fact that I am IMPOSSIBLE to shop for so to spare my husband waiting in the long lines at the return counter I usually get my own gifts and tell him he bought them for me.  I use his money after all so it's not entirely untrue, right?  If you're thinking it's no fun that I spoil my own surprises it's not.  Not that I don't like being surprised on Christmas day, I just hem and haw over what I want and it takes me forever to pick out something and regardless I still razor blade the tape on packages to peek just like I did when I was 6 so there's no surprising me anyway :)  Tisk tisk, I know.  My ma was smart when I was little and used to pack the special items in bigger boxes packed tight with bags of rice so I had no way of guessing!  I will remember that when my own little one starts sneaking peeks!

I love the detail!

Anyway this year picking gifts for myself was pretty easy as I already had an idea of what I wanted!  I collect little vintage metal trinket boxes at flea markets and I have them all over the house.  I love them but they all share one flaw, they're small and I can't put much in them other than a few rings or so.  I have a cute piano shaped one on my bedside table that I have crammed full of necklaces that are my favorites and I wear too often to stash in my jewelry chest.  The hinge is a little busted but I still love it, it's just overflowing now!  So I'd seen some super awesome handmade glass jewelry boxes made by Kelly at Galeaz Glass in some treasuries I was also featured in in the past and I quickly bookmarked her shop!  I had this one here custom made just the way I liked and it turned out GORGEOUS!!!  I love the jewel like peridot color and it's soldered with copper foil, YES!  Now I can fit everything I need in it!  She does amazing work and does more than just boxes too.  I may snag one of her sun-catchers for my mom's birthday later on!

Next up I'm getting a new phone at the end of the month when my upgrade is due.  Thank GOD because my BlackBerry drives me CRAZY!  It's falling apart and I can hardly use it anymore!  Knowing that and also knowing that I want a new Droid 3 (I'd actually LOVE the Razr but a bit out of my budget, ok a lot out of my budget) I will need a new case for it as my Golla pouch I have now won't fit.  Instead of settling for some overpriced case I don't really like I thought I'd scour Etsy for that perfect phone case that I can also stash my license and credit cards in when I don't feel like lugging around my purse that somehow now weighs 10 pounds.  Oh wait, I have a kid, THAT'S why!  I wanted to find one with owls or some kind of cute birdie print on it and lone behold I found the PERFECT one for the perfect price!  Is it not SUPER CUTE?  I got this adorable pouch from Mariella at Juici Bags on Etsy!  It's nice and roomy and well padded too.  The cute matching button is actually a velcro closure so your cards are still secure but a cinch to get to.  The little handy clip is great for keys or attaching to your purse so it never gets lost.  As in I won't have to dump out the contents of my purse all over the sales counter to find it when I hear my phone ring or I need to get my Visa!  Ok I'm not quite that disorganized, but you get the picture.  She also makes more than just phone pouches; she makes iPad covers and a slew of iPod cases for various sized models.  All are really cute!

 

I just love all the wonderful things you can find on Etsy without having to wait in line at the stores and you're helping out another crafter every time you buy something!  Can't beat that!  Between Etsy and Amazon, I don't think I've stepped foot in a department store this year for gifts.  Sorry Wal-Mart but I just don't need you!  I hope you all have found wonderful treasures on Etsy as well, support handmade! ;)  As for the rest of my family I've made scrapbooks of Kaylie from Picaboo for the grandparents and I've made my own handmade goodies that I've shown in a past blog post (Kaylie made some too) and custom jewelry to give to friends and family along with cookies, lots and lots and lots of cookies!

New Briolette Necklaces and Cute Owl Pendants!

Honey Drop

I finally got to use some gemstone briolettes I purchased what seems like forever ago.  I don't know why I just stuck these little sparkly gems away in my beading box to never again see the sunlight for several months, especially since I knew what I wanted to do when I bought them.  However late is better than never right?

Nightfall

I have a few more briolettes in misty green chalcedony, icy blue quartz, and some chalk turquoise waiting to made into necklaces but I wanted to test the waters if you will with the first four I have available in my shop now.  Each briolette has been wire warpped in copper wire with a little swirl design and oxidized, shined and sealed with Renaissance Wax to preserve the finish.  Along with the briolette are pretty Czech glass beaded charms for added detail.  The sparkly pendants are each on 22" brass plated chains with lobster clasp closures.

Olivine

Almond Coffee

I have Honey Drop, a warm honey yellow citrine briolette perfect for showing off nature's fiery autumn colors.  Next up is my personal favorite, Olivine, a gorgeous earthy olive colored quartz briolette that reminds me of long walks in the mossy woods as a kid.  Almond Coffee is a coffee quartz briolette with swirls of mocha just like your favorite coffee house latte on a brisk morning.  Nightfall is a jet black onyx briolette just as dark as a moonless night for an ultra chic look for just about any occasion!

Boy Meets Girl

Hoot at the Moon

Whoo

Last but not least are the four new owl pendants in my shop!  I'm pretty excited about these little guys and they're just so darn cute!   My favorite of the four is Boy Meets Girl, it was love at first sight when little green boy owl met pretty in purple girl owl!  Adorable for Halloween is Hoot at the Moon with a little brown owl with golden eyes looking up at the moon in a star filled sky.  Whoo is up close and personal with a sweet little owl in a warm sienna color peeking at you with a sliver of retro teal behind him.  Lastly, he may be a little nerdy but he's oh so loveable as Smarty Owl with his little glasses on sitting on a branch with a red background.  Who can say no to that?  :)

Smarty Owl

 Coming soon I'll be offering a great new gift option for my jewelry with the holidays coming up right around the corner!  I'll be making custom hand stamped jewelry kraft boxes tied with natural twine cord!  They're eco-freindly, sturdy, inexpensive, reusable, time saving and did I mention that they're CUTE?  I'm keeping my general theme of "nature inspired" just like most of my jewelry using flowers, leaves, birds, dragonflies, etc for stamping options.  I should have the listings up and ready soon, keep an eye out and I'll also announce them on my blog and my Facebook Page!

Hand stamped kraft boxes, will be available in 3 sizes!