Tag Archives: aurora borealis

Giveaway – “Touch of Spring” Earrings

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giftwrapIf it’s Monday – it must be time for a new giveaway and new questions!

Last week’s answers to “Which celebrity would you run away with…” were so much fun! Although some names were mentioned a few times, it was amazing to see the wide variety of choices, overall! Thanks everyone for playing along. 🙂

This week’s giveaway is a reflection of the signs of spring that are just starting to dot the landscape here in New England – and maybe in your neck of the woods, too! The trees are budding and soon new leaves will appear in that gorgeous springtime shade of peridot green.

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These “Touch of Spring” Earrings feature delicately etched Czech Glass Leaf beads, Vintage Swarovski peridot aurora borealis crystal teardrops, and contemporary Swarovski peridot crystals. Tiny goldtone beadcaps add a finishing touch, and the pretty earwires are 14k gold plated.
Measurements: Approximately 1-7/8″ long, including the earwires.

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Contest Rules and How To Enter

1. For your first chance to win: How about another whimsical question? 😉
Pretend that you are a millionaire and that you’ll be hosting a very elegant dinner party at one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world. The fun part is that you may invite dinner guests from all periods in history! Think of people that you have always found interesting! Which authors, celebrities, historical figures, artists, politicians, clergy, singers, actors, etc. would make up your ideal guest list? Remember you can have guests from the past and the present and you may invite as many as you like – but please choose at least four!

2. For a second chance to win, leave a second comment that answers the question: What is you favourite kitchen gadget??

3. For a third chance to win, leave a comment on any other post on this blog except this one. You can do it today by looking for a post in the archives to comment on, or you can come back during the week and add a comment on any post – old or new. You will receive an extra entry each time you do so.

You can choose any one or all of the above chances to enter.

A valid email address must be given at time of entry. You must be 18 yrs. old. The name of the winner will be listed here after the completion of the contest. The winner will be notified by email. The prize will be mailed by USPS First Class Mail. If no valid email address is given at time of entry, or if winner fails to respond to email within 3 days from the time notification email has been sent, the win will be null and void and a new winner will be chosen.
All entries must be received by 9:00 p.m. EST on 04/12/09, and the winner will be selected on or about 04/13/09.

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Over the Rainbow

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Do not adjust your set – this picture is not upside down. 😉

I had to take it at this angle to get the colors to photograph realistically!

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Here’s a necklace and earrings that I made for a special order. Can you see that the button-shaped beads have a swirled texture and an iridescent finish? I used a mixture of Czech and Swarovski beads, and the color scheme is a rainbow of teal, violet purple, and royal blue, along with touches of black.

Taking pictures of jewelry can be quite a challenge, especially if the piece is very reflective, or glittery, or in this case – has an aurora borealis flash on it.

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From time to time, a customer will write to me, after she has received a piece of my jewelry, and say that it’s even “prettier in person”. I hesitate to write those words in a description, because I fear that it sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s often true! Most jewelry really is more beautiful when you have it in your hands. A photo just can’t capture the sparkle and 3-dimensional shape.

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I do keep trying to get better photos, though! It’s comforting to read that even professional photographers struggle when it comes to pictures of jewelry. In fact, many of the very high-end jewelry stores allocate a hefty portion of their budgets to hire only the most talented photographers for their catalogues and advertisements.

Besides lots of practice, good lighting is key. Carol gave me a tip about using a plastic wastebasket for a light box, and Luciana sent this link, which describes how to make a light tent from a cardboard box! There’s also a wealth of good information on photographing your artwork in the etsy forums.

If you have any tips to share, I know we’d all love to hear them!

In the meantime, you can find me putting the camera on the tripod and practicing . . . some more!

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