Earring Inspiration

I love making earrings! I can't believe how many different things you can do with the same basic bead shape.  The silver wire ones were inspired by projects in Denise Peck's 101 Wire Earrings.  Still one of my favorite books.

When I do shows I make up 5 or 6 different designs, like the ones shown, and do them in 4-5 different colors.  It's a quick and easy way to come up with a collection of earrings in a hurry.  Oh how I wish I had a craft show to do!  Well, I mean an artist's market because me and craft shows are not good buddies.  My customers shop were art is sold and not country crafts.  You can be at the busiest craft show in your city, but if you sell work that is more urban, artsy and targets a different market, you'll find you have very frustrating results.  In general if paintings are being sold at a show, I know it will be a good place for my work.

The earrings above feature my Branch Disk Beads.  Other great earring beads that I make include the new Willow Disk Beads, Petal Disk Beads and my handy tiny Spacer Beads.  You can also find an earring bead grab bag in my Etsy shop and save a little green.  The grab bag beads sets are ones I made up for Bead & Button and there are just too many to photograph individually.

Thanks for visiting today! 

Photo Redo

So I whipped up some headpins over the weekend and photographed them. I was happy with the photos and listed them in my shop. And then I looked at my shop and realized that the photos were dull and not eye-catching at all. Blah. I quickly realized I didn't have enough light. So this afternoon I pulled out the camera and tried again. You can see the first photos on the left and the updated ones on the right. I took these photos in the same area with the same camera settings, the only difference? I took the better photos during the middle of the day and the other ones too late in the afternoon. It can make all the difference. Do some experiments during different times of the day and see if you can find better natural lighting.

So how important is that first photo in your Etsy shop? Which one would grab your attention and deserve a click through? Which ones are more likely to end up in a treasury or on the first page? Let the photos work for you!

And now for some props! Here you can see the original photo in the lower right-hand corner. The raven was okay as is, but I didn't feel the photograph captured this little guy clearly or with enough personality. With a few strategic props this listing is much more of an eye-grabber than before.

I also wanted to give this little guy more attention because I went crazy making them last week and have about a dozen more than usual in stock. So they are on sale in my Etsy shop, yep you can save a whole buck. And with that dollar you could buy yourself a little chocolate treat and celebrate Halloween 4 weeks early. Yep, that sounds like a plan!

Join the Book Club

Do you crush on beads?  Is that too weird?  I'm crushing on these little books from Jubilee.  They are so sweet and tiny and have little dog-eared pages - yes, it's definitely puppy love! 

I so badly want to do a holiday market or two - but I'm just not able to find one that fits me here in SA.  I should look into some places in Austin - but of course, it's probably already too late.  Sigh - oh well Etsy may have to be my craft fair this season.  I have several lines of jewelry planned, like the little Book Club pendants above - I love thinking up the titles!

Are you starting to plan out your holiday selling season?  Etsy has a boot camp you can join.  Here is the 1st newsletter and checklist.

Humblebead Headpins

So a few days ago I shared some art bead headpins from various beadmakers on the ABS. I have wanted to make some of my own for a while and whipped up a few sets last week. Here are the results. I love them in earrings - so quick and simple. So let me know what you think - would you like Humblebeads headpins?

And a shout out and thanks to Lorelei for sharing how to make photo collages on the ABS today - they are so fun and easy.

Hello?

Heather, oh Heather where have you been?

Buried in beads and deadlines!

The packages are stuffed, the bead boxes filled to the brim.

The projects are finished, the photos and directions await.

The book is taking form, there is so much on my plate.

Forgive my absence, unanswered emails and flight.

I'm back now, head up, with goodies to delight...

I know, I know, I'm a really bad poet and ha, I do know it!

But what I lack in poetry skills, I make up for with beady goodness.

I managed to whip up these two bead sets inspired by the ABS monthly challenge. I hope to make more limited edition and fall inspired pieces in October.  Can it really almost be October?  Seriously.

I'm so excited to tell you about a new store that is going to carry my work, but I'll wait until it's up on their site.  Squeal!

I leave you with a little bit of cuteness from Lorelei, what a sweet fate for my acorns - those lucky beads.

Persian Garden

I picked the art work for this month's challenge on the Art Bead Scene.  We take turns picking out some of our favorites from art history.  This is a new-to-me fashion illustrator and designer, George Barbier.  So I'm loving the art deco vibe and inspiration.  In fact, I sat down and created a few pieces of jewelry to fit in with the challenge.  I can't win, but I can still play along! 

Isn't that the cutest house pendant - from Rings & Things!

Earrings using leaves from Vintaj, crystal ball beads, Czech glass and Willow Branch Disks in copper.

You can't help but look to the lariat for a quick 1920's flapper inspired fix.  Here I created a very earthy looking one with a wing pendant from Earthenwood Studio, a Vintaj leaf and one of my own etched copper leaves.  I have them paired with wood, ceramic beads from Elaine Ray and Branch Disk beads in lime.

Another pendant with the fawn, the leaves and fawn are my favorite part of the painting!  I paired this one up with leaves from the Patera line, various disk beads, the clasp is a magnetic flower - love it.  The chain is a delicate bar chain from Ornamentea.

I still have a contest coming soon, I haven't forgot - you guys have just been keeping me busy with orders!  Are you planning to enter the Art Bead Scene's challenge this month?  I hope so.