Embracing Fall

Usually by this time of year I find myself sinking into a depression.  I hate saying goodbye to the long days of summer and dread the cold, dark mornings of fall.  This year I’m happy to report that I’m actually looking forward to taking out my scarves and bringing out my favorite boots (Frye, Paige Riding Boots).  I’m ready to layer sweaters, wear thick socks, sit by the fire, cook crock pot dinners and drink red wine.  But most importantly I’m ready for football, Gamecock football specifically.  We say it every year, but this year is our year!

For me, fall also sparks creativity.  I’m not a huge fan of being cold.  My friends call me ‘granny’.  If it’s below 70º I more than likely have goose bumps.  Having said this, with colder weather on the horizon I’m looking forward to spending time inside with my beads and baubles.  First thing on the agenda is to re-open my etsy shop!  A photographer friend of mine Kasey Loftin took amazing photographs of my jewelry and I cannot wait to share them.  Here's a sneak peek.  Stay tuned!!

Homemade light box

I had suffered through one too many rainy, yucky weekends.  I was getting anxious to post pictures of the latest OPJ pieces.  I decided to look into making my own light box since I wasn't interested in spending money on purchasing a "professional" one.  The sun wasn't showing any signs of coming out, so I googled images of "homemade light box" and got a pretty good idea of how to make one on the cheap.

All you need is:

• Medium sized cardboard box
• Scissors or x-acto knife
• Tissue paper
• Poster board
• Glue/tape
• Daylight light bulbs
• Adjustable light fixture (ie desk lamp)

I had a lot of this stuff laying around the house, so it was very inexpensive.

Before

After

 Check out this tutorial by Rob Smith - Click HERE.

The key is to purchase the right bulbs and daylight is the way to go.  If you use regular bulbs, you'll have a yellow tint to everything.

While I will always prefer to photograph in natural light, sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.  Check out the latest pieces shot in my homemade light box.

 

The colors are pretty true to what they are in real life, however, I'm still working through the shadowing issue and glare.  What do you think?

I Do

More and more ladies within my circle of friends are getting engaged and when they ask me to help create a look for their wedding day my first thought is excitement, quickly followed by anxiety.  While creating custom pieces is one of my favorite things, it is often difficult to really understand what the bride wants.  For example, people have different ideas of color.  Is it beige or tan, purple or aubergine, moss or tea green?  Meeting the needs of what the bride wants and expects becomes priority number one.

I had the opportunity to work with three fabulous brides in 2011.  Here are some images of what I created for their special day.

Erin is a dear friend and very close to my heart (soon we'll be sisters in law!).  Creating exactly what she wanted was so important, especially because she was my first bride!  Lucky for me she knew exactly what she wanted.  Erin had a gorgeous summer wedding outside at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, NC.

Photograph provided by Chris Lang Photography.

Kasey's wedding day was spent on snowy Heavenly Mountain in Lake Tahoe, CA.  She didn't want the traditional "white pearls and crystals" for her wedding day jewelry, so we worked together to create a few different pieces that reflected her style and personality.

Photography provided by Nicole Taylor, Taylored Visions.

Amber's wedding day was 11/11/11.  What an awesome day to begin with.  She asked me to make her bridesmaids earrings as a thank you to them for being a part of her special day.  Since her wedding was in the fall, she wanted to incorporate the rich colors and textures of the season.  Luckily Amber provided me with a picture of her bouquet, so I was able to match the colors perfectly!

Such a beautiful wedding party!!

When creating custom jewelry for brides, it's important to fully understand their expectations.  Learn all you can about their wedding from the dress to the cake to the color of the table cloth.  All these details will help you understand their personal style and taste.

Thanks again to these amazing brides for allowing me to play a small part in their big days!!!