Taking Pictures Outside!!

I'm a vendor at a market every Saturday rain or shine until October... this past Saturday was warm and sunny so I decided to try my hand at taking a few photos outside. I've been having a great deal of trouble taking pictures that I'm happy with... I've been told outside provides the best lighting. I have a great little camera, a Sony SuperShot DSC-W8O... that isn't my problem,...a part of my problems is the lighting. I purchased a "light box" but I just received it so I haven't had a chance to see how I do with it. I attempted to make a light box but lets just say my artistic talent lies elsewhere!

These pieces I'm posting today are a small sample of what I've been working on in the last couple of weeks...these are different from my fall and winter pieces...light and funfor the summer as we change our jewelry type with the season!

This piece is made with stunning tourmaline rondelles, wire wrapped around a sterling silver pendant, hanging from a sterling silver chain...

The colors are good but I've not yet managed to capture the sparkle of the gems...could be more crisp and clear!

This next piece is a gold plated fancy ball chain, with a lab created quartz briolette which has been wire wrapped with gold plated wire, along with a summery starfish! The color is good on this photo!

I enjoy making ear wires...something different than the traditional ear wires!
These are stunning Labradorite rondelles hanging from handmade sterling silver wires...again I haven't managed to capture the sparkle of the gem!

How about stars and a lightening bolt in sterling silver?

What woman wouldn't like a simple pair of pearls on a fancy sterling silver wire...dress up or down!

I've begun to work with gold filled wire recently, which I enjoy...completely different feel to it compared to sterling silver wire. I've paired these handmade wires with pretty Kyanite gems... while the earrings color is good, the back ground is a little blue!

These earrings are made from one piece of gold filled wire...delicate swirls ending in the ear wire! I have a pair of these in silver which I wear all the time!

These next three pieces I made from sterling silver sheet hanging from a leather cord...cut, polished and tumbled.

Simple but fun pieces for the summer! My first Dog Tag 001!

I love what this one says..."live, love, laugh"...I plan to make more of these with different sayings/words.

Can't forget three summer favorites... such fun pieces... each one making their own statement!
A beautiful green brass butterfly hanging from vermeile chains...which is gold plating over sterling silver.

A lovely brass dragonfly, hanging from vermeile chains!

Not to be left out is the ever popular brass octopus, hanging from leather cords!

I've been trying my hand at wire wrapping pendants in the last couple of weeks... which have been well received. I make them in both gold filled and sterling silver, naturally these are one of a kind as making two identical is not likely...here are three chokers I took pictures of on Saturday...
The first two are gold filled wire, hanging on a leather cored...

This one is sterling silver wire, with a delicate white pearl, hanging from a leather cord...I often add a pearl or a gem as I feel it adds a little something special!

This trendy necklace is made with interesting green/blue/gold glass rectangles spaced with brass ovals, finished with a brass toggle!

For the most part I feel the pieces look reasonably crisp and clear, the back grounds are somewhat gray or a touch of blue...while I'm not completely happy with the results I see improvement, which is what I was hoping for ...if I have time next Saturday I'll take more, possibly with a different back ground color...after I took these on Saturday I read a post that was asking for input on background colors...most of the people polled preferred colored of some kind over white...let me know what you think??? I would appreciate knowing your thoughts!
Cheers

"Birthstone of the Month" Emerald...again

***I've decided to re-publishing my previous "Birthstone of the Month" posts...they were, for the most part well received...I've been contemplating doing a series of post regarding the healing properties of semi-precious stones but thought I would begin by re-publishing these...***

Emerald is the most precious member of the beryl family; the name is derived from the Greek “smaragdos”, which means “green stone”.

The wonderful green color is produced by chromium present in the gemstone. The vibrant color won’t fade, as it is stable regarding light and heat. As with many gemstones the color varies depending on the source or the location the gemstone was found. Apparently the most favorable color is a strong slightly bluish green.

Colombian emeralds are a pure green with a slight tint of blue. There are significant deposits, especially in the Muzo mine northwest of Bogotá.

This magnificent emerald was mined in Colombia, set in white gold, with yellow gold claws, encased in diamonds...what more could you ask for ladies!!!

A 60 carat Colombian emerald set with approximately 25 carats of diamonds on yellow gold. Market value US$240,000

Brazilian emeralds are a slightly lighter color of green with more yellow noticeable, often slightly cloudy, but most often without inclusions. Deposits have been found in Bahia, Goias, and Minas Gerais and while relatively new deposits, discovered since the 1980s, Brazil has become one of the most important suppliers of emeralds!

From Northeast Brazil...A fully terminated, semi-gemmy Emerald crystal...Measures about 1/2" across...semi-gemmy means "clear in spots but not completely"

Zambian emeralds have good clarity are are a deep green. Other deposits have been found in Russia, Afghanistan, Australia, Ghana, India, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam, China and the United States.
These lovely emerald crystals are from Wenshan, near Kunming, Yunnan Province, China
Here is a natural, grass green Emerald (Beryl) crystal from the Lao Cai Province of Vietnam
Famous Emeralds can be found at the British Museum of Natural History in London, England, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, in the treasury of Russian, in the state treasury of Iran, in the Treasury room in Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey and in the Viennese treasury in a vase is a gem 4 ¾ in (12cm) high, weighing 2205cts, cut from a single emerald crystal.

Most emeralds are not clean, having some imperfections such as cloudy, cracks, inclusions of fiber, tremolite rods, some of which make the emerald sensitive to pressure…hence the emerald cut was designed to maximize the color while the rounded corners help to minimize chipping and breaking of the corners.

These semi-gemmy emerald crystals are from the Jiangsu Prov, in China

It is common for emeralds to be dipped in a specific type of oil or sometimes prepared with an artificial resin in a vacuum if they have hairline fractures or other faults…this is usually done in the country of origin. The FTC in the United
States requires a disclosure of this kind of treatment.

While not my favorite gemstone I have to admit these lovely gems have grown on me…a nice set of emerald earrings or perhaps a bracelet would be nice…what do you think???

Cheers

Natural gem photos courtesy of "Orbital Joe"

Emerald jewelry courtesy of "Swamibu"

I thank both Orbital Joe and Swamibu for allowing me to use their wonderful photographs! More of their amazing work can be found on Flickr.com

Information courtesy of:

Gemstones of the World, Walter Schumann, Third Edition, Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.,

The Jeweler's Directory of Gemstones, Judith Crowe, Firefly Books, 2006


Cheers

Now that I'm here...

I've decided to do a feature on another Etsy shop... therosecottage.etys.com


"The Rose Cottage"
This wonderful shop is a beautiful as its name implies...offering items done in

"Shabby Rose Cottage"

Aren't these the cutest!!! If only I had a granddaughter!!

Vintage items

A lovely cup of tea??

Greeting Cards

The perfect card for that special friend!

Hand Knit

A stunning shade of green...perfect for those cold winter days!

She also has a wonderful treasury found here http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=25076 I know she loves doing treasurys so watch for many more done by therosecottage

A talented woman...stop by, I know she would love to have you visit and you never know what you may find in her wonderful shop!

Enjoy...Cheers Heather