Always Learning

I am beginning to HATE photography. Taking pictures of jewelry (like anything else I imagine) has it's quirks, the light has to be perfect, the stage has to be nice, and you have to try and appeal to your audience.  I thought I had it all figured out. Here is an example of my props: 

In the shade but with natural light. See how it kind of has a gray cast to it. Well on one or two pictures that tends to be ok BUT when all your pictures have it... not so much. 

Here is an example of a necklace done in this setting: 

Nice but gray. so I tried it in full sun: 

Nice but I'm not crazy about how stark the shadows are in full sun, not to mention the glare. 

So I was pointed in the direction of Gimp photo editing. It is free and you can use it online or download it. 

Here is the finished product via shade but edited slightly: 

I like this. Not gray, not to "BAM" with the shadows, and you can see in all three the colors pretty much stay the same. I am going to have to get use to the photo editing because it can get a little crazy too. For example: 

As you can see all photo editing is not good. :)  That was an exaggerated example, but it is funny how you can go from editing to improve and editing to the extreme if you are not careful, or if you've been at it too long.  

So what I have learned is that pictures in the shade of natural light is good, but you may have to "tweek" it just a bit so that it does not look like a haze. 

Yes, I still think I am hating photography, but I can get along with it I guess.

Something Special in our Custom Items: Coming Soon

You can see our available items on our Etsy Site. What I wanted to show you today is a couple of items I'm working on getting up there for custom orders. Custom orders are more difficult, because my "vision" and the customers "vision" might not match, and frankly NEITHER will match the end result perfectly.

I'm working on this:

  as an item to be framed. I imagine color schemes will be discussed and a digital picture will be necessary so that I can print it out and use for the piece.

This came about because my mom does not wear jewelry, and I wanted to do something special for her.  The woman in the picture is my great grandmother. My mom and I do genealogy (mom more than me really) and this woman has held a fascination for both of us. She disappeared in the 20's with her youngest daughter and has been impossible to locate by record. It just so happens that we have this beautiful picture of her.  I did the bead embroidery around the picture and put it in a shadow box frame.

The price range for this in an 8" x 10" shadowbox frame will start at $180.00.

For a less expensive alternative and something you can wear I have this:

 The picture in this is about 1 1/2" x 2", surrounded by beads and will have a chain, or ribbon necklace with other embellishments. Again I will need a digital copy of a picture. Beginning price range for this will be $80.00.

Introductions

              We ARE Beading Branches. We have had and will have guest beaders in our shop, but Coleen and I are the main designers, and beaders. Our shop was formed when the two of us decided we were beading at a rate that would soon have us buried in bead work if we didn't find a way to sell some of it. We both have some very ambitious ideas and thought this would be the best way to make every one happy. 

           

               Coleen is a stay at home mom of 4 busy boys. She has her heart set on starting a non profit organization that will help chronically ill moms manage their day to day lives when they find they are just out of every thing it takes to run a home. Of course their families can help, and then there are friends and church family. But when one is chronically ill it is difficult for them to keep asking friends and family for help. Long term illness has a mind of it's own. Some days are better than others, so Coleen's idea is to have people who call be called on when they are needed, for what ever task might be too much of a stress at the time. 

                Maxine is a stay at home mom of 6 busy children of her own. Her heart has led her to being baking for our soldiers overseas with the fantastic West Point Moms Bake group. At present she is sending one or two packages out per month, but would like to expand on that. Our soldiers are away from home and family and LOVE to receive packages from "home", no matter who's home it's from. Baked goods are a special treat, and just to know they are being thought of is a great boost.

                On our Etsy site you will see many different items and different styles of beading and bead work. It is our pleasure to create gorgeous items for our customers. It is our goal to bless our families and our communities with the profits.

                 As for this blog it will be a place where we can share with you what we are learning along the way.  We are also on facebook and twitter. Like us / follow us there for specials and previews.