~ Journey of My Mind + Preview ~

I was busy making stuff all last weekend! I felt very inspired! Some days I sit there and just can't make anything I like. Some days, I just can't stop making stuff, don't even want to sleep. Last weekend was a few of those good days.

If you look at the things I made in order, I think you may see a pattern. I have a little notebook full of design ideas, but sometimes when I pick up the beads, something different emerge all together. Let me show you my creativity journey.

I started with playing with some clear Swarovski rhinestone rondelles, thinking about bridal stuff. Came up with a necklace that I liked a lot.


It reminds me of a crown for some reason. Of course, I have to make matching earrings for the bride. Just something simple to compliment the necklace. I love using leverbacks for bridal stuff. Adds so much elegance and they are not likely to fall off during the crazy dancing.


Now, of course I have to make a colorful version! So, I made a blue one and a green one. I added pink rondelles for a little contrast. I really love how they turned out!


Then, I started playing with matching earrings and decided to go with something simple again. But, I wanted to bring out the pinks instead of the greens and blues. One pair of earrings to match both necklaces!


I really like those pinks together so I put a bunch of the rondelles on a delicate chain and voila. Another necklace to match the earrings.


I was playing with new beads I got from BellasBeadsAndMore for the extender for that necklace. I love those lucite flowers! Naturally, I had to make earrings with them.



Ok all that pink, now it's time for my favorite color yellow!


So cute. I...got greedy and made a yellow necklace for myself. Love that yellow jade! I would put it in my shop, but I am out of that yellow lucite flower.


To round off the weekend, I made stuff to match creations from the week before. Cute, dangly earrings for the Girlie Girl bracelet.


And a starfish necklace for the Stranded earrings.



My goal for the weekend was just the starfish necklace and the girlie girl earrings. Somehow it ended up being a royal floral creation extravaganza. My craft room looks like a bead bomb exploded in it. I guess I should take some time this weekend to clean...or maybe another extravaganza?

~ Etsy Milestone: 100th Item Listed ~

Before I know it, I have been on Etsy for about 6 months. Today, I finally listed my 100th item for the first time! Here it is, a simple Swarovski pearl and crystal necklace for a blushing bride.


Matching earrings are available too!


I guess this is a good time to review my goals I set when I started this blog.
Goals (setting it low for now):

• 1 sale a week for the till June - Yay! I exceeded that!
  
• 6 sales a month by September
• 2 sales a week by December

I am at 46 sales now with some sales to friends off Etsy. I am hoping to reach 50 sales soon! My reward for reaching 50 sales is a mannequin head to show off my earrings and probably another big crystal order. Here are the heads I am looking at.

Lisa


Tina:


No name for her...let's call her......Suki.


Thanks to Julia from customcute for researching for me. I think I am leaning towards Suki. What do you think?

~ Custom Orders ~

This past week, I have been busy with custom orders. I am very happy with how things turned out! I am going to be listing some of the items in my shop as well. Watch for them!!

First up....jewelry for a blushing bride and her wonderful bridesmaids. The wedding theme is black and fuchsia and here is what she picked out for the bridesmaids:




For the bride, dangly, sparkly, with just a hint of extravagance...



I made a few hair accessories for her to choose from too. They are so much fun to make! Definitely going to be making more!
A hair comb...


That's what it looks like in my hair...


Some simple hair pins for the flower girls...


An extravagant hair vine....



Finally done with all that! Going to ship it out tomorrow. Another set that I shipped out is these beauties, a set of Swarovski Pegasus Crystal Necklaces. I called them, "Together, We Can Fly". These are meant to be a set for lovers or best friends. The thickness and length of the chain make these unisex necklaces. Lighter and shorter chains can be requested, of course.



Also got a custom order for Nadia's Earrings in blue and I just got new bicone pendants in Indigo blue. What perfect timing! I like how they turned out, so I made an extra pair for my shop.

~ How to Photograph Clear Crystals ~

I have always had issues with take pictures of clear crystals.  The easier way is to use a black background, but the black background doesn't match my shop's look and feel.  Looks nice though.

Then, Licia of LiciaBeads advised me to use a gray background.  So, I took a gray cardstock and tried it out.

I am not happy with this though.  I think the gray is too light?  Maybe I need another pattern?

This is Licia's picture.... much nicer I must say.

So, I tried other backgrounds.  This is a pink and brown Juicy Couture lingerie box.

I think the dots maybe a little bit distracting.

Of course, nothing beats the mannequin shots.  The sun only shined into my living for 15 minutes yesterday!  I was taking my time and then, the sun went away and it started raining :(

Ooo, by the way, the mannequin's name is Yuki, like the hot nurse robot on Railway Galaxy:

I think I am going to reshoot all my clear crystal creations on the Yuki and in the Juicy Couture box.  I need to find her new clothes though.  Why are all my cute tank tops so low cut?!? :)