Shop Update Nov. 30

Got a few more pictures taken, these will be going up sometime today on Etsy.

These raked beads, above, were so time consuming to make- but I really love the effect. Cirque seems a very apropos name for them, don't you think?

 Still have quite a few sets to photograph along with a handful of capped and cored focals. Tomorrow is another day..

From Mole Hill to Mountain

I should know better than to procrastinate with this many sets to photograph and put up on Etsy. This happens to me every year after BABE- what is at first a mole hill becomes a mountain and so I continue to put off photographing 50+ sets of beads for the shop. So here is my first step, and you can be my witness :) You can check out my flickr for more pics and size reference.

I think what is causing me the most angst is the thought of having to untie allll those sets to photograph them loose, and then retying them...so then the thought of 'why not just photograph them tied?'. Although the rules of online selling recommends lots of photos, I'll most likely err on the side of sanity and take pics as they are to save myself time. This way I know I'll get them listed before Christmas, lol.

Post Etching - new beads

Here are some of the beads from a couple of posts ago, etched. My camera seems to be taking more grainy pictures for some reason..I'm trying to figure out what is different since I moved my photo tent to a different spot. I'm thinking I like them better etched, but everything looks better etched to me, haha!

Etsy Shop Update

Going to do a shop update real quick since we're leaving again next week to visit more family. Thinking of just leaving the shop open and shipping what sells when we return in Sept. I've got tons more beads to photograph (really wish the pictures would just take themselves, lol).

Nesting

My lovely sister-in-law was nice enough to play around w/ her new camera using some of my beads as practice macro shots. Hubby leaves soon, so just the pic:

Pile of Hollow Big Hole Bead Lovlies

I hope I'm not the only one that loves these- still debating on whether to just core w/o beadcaps or do the whole she-bang w/ coring and double beadcaps. Sell them separately or in a set? Having a hard time making up my mind on this one..perhaps you can help me decide.

Beads and 100 Followers :)

This past week has been a whirlwind of travel, meeting new people, and trying to get ready for the show next month. Just noticed that I have 100 Followers for this blog!- thanks for your interest and here's to showing you work that continues to grab your attention. Met up w/ some wonderful beady people over the weekend and look forward to our next Carolina Firefiend meeting. One member generously let me borrow her Jim Moore press since my Impress Bead Liner was too slim to fit my big beads inside to core and cap. (these three beads above are a few I've done so far, before running out of bead caps) Another is going to tumble etch some of my hollows to see how it compares to my usual acid etch method.
Thank goodness my wonderful cousin is nearby and willing to babysit my little man, making it possible for me to go to these meetings.

And Again..two more sets for Etsy

These look nice together- totally by accident that I put that strand of encased crackled beads together and after setting them next to the hollows noticed how nice they look together..hmm, I can see a new set in the future w/ a mix of matte and encased beads.

These will be going up shortly on Etsy :)

Going up Tomorrow on Etsy

ETA in Etsy shop ---> after breakfast, before laundry :)

Etsy Update!

Finally getting around to re-opening my shop and putting up new work. These are smaller hollows than what I normally make- so if you like them snag them, because I didn't make many.
These will be listed shortly:

Work, work, work

Trying to get the time to get all these listed is causing me a headache. About to head out of town for an appt. that will take most of the afternoon. Maybe tomorrow?
Argh, and all of these still need to be etched and photographed..maybe the in-laws won't notice me slipping off while they admire the little man this next week?

And a closeup of a favorite bead.. still trying to figure out which color of coral it was.

Big Daddy

The last few times at the torch I've been trying to work small, as you can see the smallest hollow bead is approx. 11x16mm. As customers keep asking if they could get smaller hollows, I thought it couldn't be too hard to make them smaller...Yesterday, I couldn't take it anymore and my hands decided to try and make the biggest hollow yet- it measures in at 37x49mm, which is nearly 2 inches across. And this made me think what else I could make bigger- smaller sculptural focals, perhaps? Who knows, the big daddy took me more than 30 minutes on my Minor torch and it was a decidely delicate dance keeping it warm enough. It's always nice to feel my creativity start to percolate and see new possibilities.

Updating Etsy Today

Right-o, off to start adding work to Etsy, then off to enjoy the rest of the day :)I love the striations and reactions from the Red Copper Green in the set above- top left, third down and bottom.

Missing the beach and hearing the ocean..

Totally groovin' w/ the colors in this set..love the reds.

Etsy Update for March 23rd

Hoped to get some of these listed today, but life got in the way..between a sputtering car, cranky child and hubby getting ready to leave for 9 days hasn't left me w/ much free time. Tomorrow I'll be editing all the photos for the listings- so look for these to be listed sometime in the afternoon/evening.
My etching solution was uber-strong, I'd forgotten about that since I hadn't bought new solution in a while. Next time, I know not to leave the beads in for much time.

Briefly Surfacing

Just wanted to show some pics of the beads I've done in the last day or so:
Ok, back to the torch while Z is napping..more pics later.