Agate Coral Necklace Featured in an Etsy Treasury

My Agate Coral Necklace which I wire wrapped and fabricated with Chryscolla ( a beautiful blue/green mixture of gemstone) has just been featured in a beautiful gift guide treasury on Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTA2NTA1NzF8MTI5MDI3NjIzNg/think-believe-wish-a-gift-guide-for-her

So exciting to know the work and love and care you put into making a piece is liked.

Tales Of De Stash

Y'all KNOW I have an enormous stash of beads that I adore but have yet to find exactly the right design  to use( better known as DE Stash). O.K. so it's the Holiday season and I've really gotten in the mood to create with Green and Red and Gold, Blue and White. So there is this bead that has been with me for 6 years( no joke!) and every time I have tried to make something with it.....hasn't worked out. Until this morning.....it came to me that I wanted so much to showcase the bead since it is a faceted, deep emerald green glass almost a trapezoidal shape and they way to do that was to use the bare minimum of design and embellishment. So, I got out the solid copper wire, copper delicate chain and copper lobster claw findings and set to work. Finally! 

It's listed on my Etsy shop:http://www.etsy.com/shop/DesigningParrotJewel?ref=ss_profile

As you can see, I have done a fairly simple, decorative wire wrap, attached it to the delicate copper chain and it's complete. Ready to be worn to any holiday gathering or to work or shopping.

 Hope you like it!

Is Good Photography A Challenging Task?

One of the first things I learned when confronted with having to photograph my jewelry creations for my Etsy shop was that it wasn't going to be easy for a photo challenged person such as me. I'll be honest, most of my personal photos up to then were awful. I cut off everyone's head whether I liked them or not, everything was fuzzy and to far away to really see. Sigh!

I had to learn to do this! I went out and bought a Canon power Shot camera. One touted to be a miracle worker...it would correct shake, it would correct lighting, etc all automatically. O.K. I figured that I could probably learn to use. So I began and oh boy, the photos were still bad. Not as awful as before but hey baby not exactly good. Edges of necklaces were getting cut off when I put up the pictures on my shop on Etsy. Would I ever learn??

Then I started to really look at the pictures that made it to front page in treasuries and I started to put together treasuries too. LIGHTBULB!!  I realized that the pictures of items  that appealed to me were pictures that didn't necessarily show the entire item but enough of it to fill the frame and be sharp and obvious, then I'd be interested in seeing the actual listing for the item.

So, A few things I have found and that have helped me to take better photos.:

      1. Macro is number 1. Make sure that you really are taking a close up of the item so that as much detail as possible shows.

      2. Plain Background. Yup, don't use a confusing or conflicting background. White is best or a color that allows the details of the item to show. Don't use a print behind a print! 

      3. If Using A Model. Remember the ITEM is the focus of the picture not the person wearing it!  This is one area where it is permissible to "cut off their heads" or at least part of it.
     4. FOCUS. Yeah, well I still have difficulties in this area. Fuzzy pictures don't entice customers.
I'm finding that Jewelry is perhaps one of the most difficult subjects to photograph and I keep learning more techniques and redoing/updating photos. My shop still is not as photogenic as I would like it to be. And some colors could drive me totally over the edge. Amethyst is one of my favorite gems to work with and one that I have such a hard time getting to photo in it's realistic color. Purple always comes out too dark when I do it, no matter how I play with the lighting when taking the picture...sigh.


Anyway I could continue on  and on but this post is long enough!
However, let me say this...... if you have any advice for those of us who are photo challenged and MUST take pictures of their products, please please do let me know. 


Oh and since today is Thanksgiving ( better known as turkey day)....Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

A Love of Lampwork Glass Beads

I have a love of lampwork glass beads. It is astounding to me the detail and beauty and variety that artists come up with in making them. I have quite a few in my "stash" mainly because I am always looking to create the perfect jewelry to accent the beauty of the beads! Needless to say, my stash grows larger every day. But.......in sorting through the lampwork beads today I came across two beauties that are heart shaped, navy blue and clear glass and wow it hit me! Earrings would be gorgeous! So I set to work with silver findings and navy blue glass beads and this is the result......

I love them! What do you think??

I listed them in my Etsy shop for under $20.00 and No shipping charges!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86622695/lampwork-heart-earrings

Carnelian Christmas Angel Bracelet

Carnelian Christmas Angel Bracelet

DesigningParrotJewel on Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86314127/carnelian-angel-bracelet

Yellow Turquoise Necklace Featured In Etsy Treasury

The Yellow Turquoise necklace created and listed last week, has been featured (first row spot too!) in this beautiful Etsy treasury.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTE3MzMxOTN8MTExNDY4MTA1Nw/all-i-want-for-christmas

I'm so excited!

Carnelian,Coral and Copper The Fabulous 3 C's

The 3 C's to warm  your winter; Carnelian, Coral and Copper in a delightful necklace. Guaranteed to warm any look. 

These are possibly my three favorite materials to create jewelry.  They all project such a warm, cozy feeling and just feel right when the weather starts to turn chilly. This necklace has a crescent moon pendant of Carnelian that I have drilled and attached with copper chain to the body of the necklace. The beads "over the moon" are also Carnelian, faceted rounds and tubes. The body of this is red Coral pieces ,shell and copper etched ovals.See it in my Etsy shop:http://www.etsy.com/listing/80315667/carnelian-and-coral-gemstone-necklace

It's The Key Necklace

Gunmetal Chain Necklace

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85808926/gunmetal-pendant-necklace

The Key Necklace is three strands of gunmetal chain in different types and textures with etched and engraved lead free metal disc charms, a center silver plate key pendant and an extension clasp to make the necklace adjustable.

I really like the simplicity and style of this piece and the neutral color  of the gunmetal. This would look great worn with a sweater top, layered top or simple round neckline blouse.

It's now listed on my Etsy shop (link above) and don't forget to look at the bracelet too!

Designing Parrot Jewel Is On Google+

Designing Parrot Jewel is on Google+ business pages now! Exciting news, that two days ago Google announced to all that they were releasing "business pages". These are similar to Facebook Fan Pages plus. 

We'll be sharing new jewelry creations plus new creations from handmade artists of every kind on our page. Come follow us!https://plus.google.com/110140780478531228862

Seed Bead and Silver Earrings

 Seed Bead and Silver Earrings.  Browsing in one of my favorite craft stores, I came across silver plated bezel frames on earring wires. This was interesting and I decided to get some of them.

At home when I sat down to figure out the classic "O.K. now what do I do with these?" , my first thought was to fill them with gemstone chips.  All well and good but these are small as in petite! It looked like I had mountain peaks in an earring frame and just didn't work for me. Small 2mm round beads didn't do it either...sigh. "Now what?" I put them on my work table and left them there.

The next day, I looked at them again and this time thought about seed beads. They are small, round and just maybe...well after trying many colors( I have  loads) I really liked the look of the silver lined clear beads. It looked like the inside of a mineral geode or ice,,,so sparkly. Great, I glued them in, sat back and still felt something was missing. So, again rummaging  through metal beads and gemstone beads until I came across the lovely genuine copper leaves. They are engraved and textured and just gorgeous.Ah Ha!  The earrings were born and are living in my Etsy shop:http://www.etsy.com/listing/85477526/silver-dangle-earrings

 

DesigningParrotJewel

Yellow Turquoise Necklace Under 25.00

Just finished a Yellow Turquoise Necklace that is on Etsy for under 25.00! Here's a picture of it and a link to it:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/85473262/yellow-turquoise-gemstone-necklace

This is a copper wirewrapped pendant of yellow turquoise on a copper chain with a copper and silver toggle clasp (18" long).

Wall Street To Art Interview With Miriam Schulman

Miriam Schulman

Hi Miriam,

  You had a successful career on Wall Street in finance, what led you from that into becoming an artist?

   "I worked for a very successful hedge fund that imploded famously in 1998 and forced me to rethink my values.  When I was expecting my second child I decided to 'take time off'.  However, a year after he was born and I was contemplating a return to the corporate world the World Trade Center was attacked and I took that as a personal sign not to go back to that world.  I have always been creative and created artwork continuously as a child, through college and beyond so it was a natural transition.  There are many artists who followed this path such as Gauguin, who was first a stock broker.

   Where did you study art?

   I studied Art History at Dartmouth and took studio classes there as part of the major.  I also studied with masters in watercolor such as Charles Reid and Mel Stabin.

   How did you find your Voice (style)?

   My voice is continuing to evolve.  I am not afraid to experiment.  Free hand drawing is the best way to discover your artistic voice.

   What are your sources of inspiration?

   I am very fortunate to have some of the world's greatest art collections only a short train ride away and I take advantage of that often.  I find myself inspired most frequently by nature and its opposite the city.  The human figure and portrait as well as the materials themselves.

   What would you like to have people feel when they see your paintings? your collages?

   I want my art to make people happy.

   Do you follow a defined routine/schedule (i.e. paint only in the morning..etc.)?

   In order for me to have a productive day, I need to exercise as soon as my children are sent off to school.  After a vigorous exercise class, and a shower, I take care of my online marketing efforts.  I usually settle in to my studio around 1p.m. and paint for a few hours.  In the summer, I get to paint longer because the light is better and I have less responsibilities for my family.

   Do you have any advice for people who want to pursue art and have a successful career in it?

   Don't give up.  Tenacity is the key."

Sonatina Forest By Miriam Schulman

See Miriam's beautiful work at :http://www.SchulmanArt.com and http://schulmanart.imagekind.com and her Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mimistudio