How to Unstring Beads...

When you buy beads, they come packaged on a few different ways. One way to buy them is strung on what are called "hanks", which is sort of like a bundle of strings of beads. Books are written about how to string beads, but unstringing them is usually accomplished by trial and error. And believe me, I've erred a few times in the past. What that means is beads flying everywhere and nobody wants that.
I recently read a tip on unstringing hanks of beads in a book I'm rereading called "Getting Started With Seed Beads", a fun and informative book by Dustin Wedekind. He suggests placing the strings of beads in a bowl and then clipping the strands one at a time and gently pulling the strings out. Dustin knows a lot about beads, but I've got a better way...

Using a tall plastic cup, hold the entire hank in one hand, right at the knots. Let the hank of beads dangle into the cup, then clip all of the strands and let gravity unstring the whole lot right into the cup.













It's faster and less chance of flinging beads everywhere, plus it's much easier to pour the beads from the cup into your bead storage. Mine happens to be portion cups with lids that I buy at Smart & Final (they're available at Vons too, near the Glad & Ziploc containers).

How to Photograph Jewelry and Other Small Items...

Here are some tips I use for taking great pictures of my bracelets using a regular old point-and-shoot camera. Mine is a Kodak EasyShare I've had for probably 10 years -



Use the "close-up" or "macro" setting on your camera. They all have one. On my camera, it's represented by a little flower icon.
Use natural light! This is probably the most important tip. I happen to have a skylight in my bathroom, so all my photo shoots take place in the shower, but any place where you get indirect natural light works.

No need to buy on of those fancy photo studio deals they sell in catalogs. A plain white piece of paper makes a great back drop. Prop it up against a white back ground like this (I'm using a ream of paper. It's perfect.) The pros call this a "seamless", and it eliminates the horizontal line in the background.






Place your item on the paper and get your camera up there real close. If you have shaky hands like me, you may need to brace yourself. Any jiggling while in macro setting will make your pix blurry.

There you have it. Great pix to showcase your beautiful creations!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/120802869/bamboo-tile-bracelet-santos-clasicos

Art is good medicine...

So far this year I've been slacking on my to-do list. The usual post-holiday funk, then a wicked chest cold that totally kicked my ass. I got a tetanus shot AND a flu shot last week and have felt like crap ever since. Can you get the flu from your flu shot? I still have a knot the size of a gumball on my left arm from the tetanus shot, but at least it doesn't hurt anymore.

My latest project was a chicken coop remodel for my Showgirl Silkie chicks. That made me feel a little better. It was nice to be outside, and it got my creative juices flowing. Yesterday I finished stringing three bracelets, and today I plan on photographing them & listing them in my Etsy shop. Now I'm debating whether I should go to the store or string the rest of my bracelets. I really don't want to go to the store, and I really do want to string the bracelets. As a moody Scorpio, it's very hard for me to get motivated to do stuff if I am not in the mood to do it. But Sprouts has shrimp on sale today and I am in the mood to eat shrimp...

UPDATE: I did go to the store & I actually feel much better now.

Lucky '13

The Holidays have once again come and gone. My plan was to make this New Year kick ass but instead I've been getting my ass kicked by a hellacious chest cold and severe asthma. Good news, I am on the mend, and it's certainly not too late to start the ass kicking. I had a pretty nice Holiday season in my Etsy shop. Which is great, since I have recently given up my day job to focus on being a full time artisan.
Now the store is depleted and I need to get myself busy restocking it full of lovely one-of-a-kind art. I'm excited to begin experimenting with some new craft & art techniques, and to improve & expand on some cool stuff I've been playing around with.
Happy New Year, Everyone!