Photo-drama

Now, I never claimed to be a photographer, and to be completely honest I have never even taken a “good” picture.  This is proving to be a challenge for me.  I need to be able to take good pics of my jewelry in order to sell it online.  So, I have been playing around with some suggestions that I read on about.com.  One was to use a scanner….that didn’t work out so well.  Look at these….

Not so hot, huh?  By the way, I hate that second bracelet, with the flower, too.  So, you won’t hurt my feelings to say that it ain’t so great. :)  So, then I read that I should take pictures of the jewelry on myself or a model.  Since I have no model present at this time.  Here are the pictures of the bracelet on my wrist.

I am still not happy with that.  See, I have a size 8 wrist and this is a 7 inch stretch bracelet.  So, it’s not exactly showing to the best of its potential.  And, now, I am getting frustrated that it looks a different color in each pic.  It really is a pretty spring green.   So here is the last one that I took.  I snapped it outside, at about 11 am on this beautiful spring day.

So, I like this one the best.  It’s very true to the color and nothing else in the photo is distracting.  But, you see my struggle that I put myself through for each and every item that I want to list for sale! 

   Now, just for fun, here are a few more shots I took while I was outside today.

Here is my new raised garden bed that we put in last weekend.  See my little lettuce babies, just popping their heads out??

Here is a close up of the little lettuces!

And, here’s a little bee in the azaleas.  Can you find him???  

My conclusion on the photos?  I need to build a light box and get a better camera.  Anyone want to donate a good manual focus camera???  ‘Cause I don’t have a few hundred lying around here, waiting to be spent on a new digital camera.  Anyway….Have a happy weekend!

Other pics

Ok, so I am currently obsessed with chain maille. I think it is SO cool lookin'. Alright, I am done being 12 years old. But, I really do like it and I want to learn to do it well. So, with that in mind, here are some pics of bracelets that I made while practicing putting these little rings together. The first one is a simple 3-3 link chain. It was very simple, but bold looking. The other 2 are of a 2-in-1 encaptured chain. It is more delicate and the picture does not do it justice. It is a single length pink coated copper chain trapped within a chain of silver plated jump rings. The link chain, I gave to a friend and the pink and silver one I kept for myself. I am still not happy with my ability, or lack there of, to close the rings nicely. I guess that will come with practice.

First post! How exciting!

So, here I go with my first post to the new blog. I plan to use this site to share with "anyone who cares" the growth and progress of my first venture into a home based business. I have opened a little shop on Etsy.com to sell the jewelry that I am making in my spare time. I love to do it. Here's the address to that site www.pamelaspretties.etsy.com I am obsessed about beads and wires and, now, jump rings! So, I thought that I would use a blog to document and share the things I make to sell, those I keep, and the things I make custom for others. Also, I can share the things that fail and just come out horribly. I am sure there will be lots of those! I will post pictures, tips I pick up and websites and books that I love. Sound good??? I hope so. Check back for more!

Here's the first pic. I made these cute little earrings because I got ALOT of these butterfly beads in an assortment package and I didn't know what else to do with them. I am going to post them soon in my store. If they sell I might make more. What do you think? Any ideas? Leave a comment and let me know!