Adventures in Jewelry: stud earrings

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Blame it all on an obsession with "Outlander"

Well, I haven't really been slacking. I have had a million and one things to do. Honestly. It's like I will never catch up with the summer out here. It's been painfully hot -- especially for me, I have that whole one degree of temperature variation where I feel comfortable.

It's 71 degrees in case you're wondering. At 70, I am freezing...at 72 I am overheated. My mother always laughs at it -- because she is lucky enough to have a very wide range -- if lower than most people -- around 55 to 73 degrees and she is fine. But once the weather tops 72 degrees, I am literally overcome by the heat and hiding from the sun. (Red-hair, can only be outside about 5 minutes before I actually start burning to a crisp -- sunscreen or not).

So that leaves very little of the day that I am "okay" to be doing work. Add to that that my office is facing the south -- and sheesh, it's pretty hot here in the studio by about noon. Even today, I was taking photos on my windowsill about an hour ago -- so bright I about went blind shooting though the lens. Meh, well it's alright.

I have been making a few items of late -- but I discovered that I am just plain bad at taking photos as I go and rather end up with about ten items to do a photo shoot of. I feel kind of badly about that -- because I should be better -- it's like I just put of the photography and editing until I absolutely must list the item -- then pack it away for when it sells.

I recently started watching the "Outlander" series on Starz. Can anyone say hooked? I started reading the book -- and then eventually I did the whole whispernet synch on Amazon so that I could listen through my kindle or phone while I was in the office -- working. Or in the car. Or in the kitchen, doing dishes. Or lounging in a hot bath. Or...well you get the point.

There is this wonderful description in the book of the pearls Jamie gives Claire in the book -- the baroque white pearls from the fresh waters in Scotland -- that tipped me to try and make a set like that for my mother. But finding filigree that could work for between the pearls has been hard. I was thinking of just using stardust beads instead and making the piece "inspired by" instead.

By the way -- these are stardust beads:

Rose Gold Stardust Post Earrings

It could work -- but boy if I don't have to have a little down time after finally getting those kids back in school for the year.

Here's a few of the newer items I've finally shot and edited for the shop: