Jasper & Love

While I normally avoid dyed gemstones, these match my favorite lipstick and I couldn't say no. Plus 50% off, LBH. As a bonus, they're drilled in such a way that stones overlap each other ever so slightly when stacked. If I were remaking these, the only think I'd consider changing is switching to slightly thicker 23 or 22 ga gold headpin at 3", and adding another stone. Could only fit 4 with my 2" wire :) 

Sun fire! This is my first of many explorations with carnelian gemstones - in this case, topped with aventurine. I adore the coloring on these stones (every one is different), so the only thing I'd change is switching to a marquise cut instead of oval. Or, if we're dreaming aloud here, an asymmetrical faceted cut, chunky but not so much that it becomes heavy.

Snails! Yep, those patterns you see are snail fossils from Wyoming. (Read more, it's really fascinating: http://geology.com/gemstones/turritella/) So how did I find a tiny bead to match as a topper - is that agate too? Nope. It's glass, actually, from a mixed set that I use WAY more than you would expect (Elyn, Eva, Beach Vacation, Sadie, Abode, Moxie, they're just surprisingly versatile beads. Check it out: jasperandlove.etsy.com) This particular pair is blue shot through with tanny golds and cooler indigo. 

Since my first round of glass pendant earrings went over so well - Siara - I had to go see what other options were available. And I'm thrilled with these. The color, the simplicity, and that first photograph that is so perfectly abstracted. Look for more riffs on this theme soon.

These make me feel like New Year's Eve!

The equivalent of a reversible jacket, these Julia earrings can be worn two ways - with chain to the side, or chain split symmetrically to either side. Flip through the photos to see what I mean. If I were remaking, I might try two different types of gold chain to add another layer of texture. Or I might add a third, or see if I can find a less symmetrical shape than square, or see if I can stretch the square into another shape...

Enough about me - what about you? What do you want to see?

Jasper & Love

Let's call this a "Making Of" or "Behind the Scenes" story. You know me, I don't like stuff. I like multi-purpose objects that store nicely, not bulky one-use-only things like studio lighting or elaborate photography props. 

So how do I shoot my product photos for Jasper & Love, like this one? 

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Simple! First, use natural light ALWAYS. This is more difficult half the year when I'm only home during daylight on weekends.

Second, white reflects light. I keep a light source on one side and a piece of white paper on the other, to keep the shadow from getting too dark. As below, white paper below the set is also helpful.

Third, glass! I love glass backdrops, because the surface abstracts whatever is actually there. This will become more interesting in following images.

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Once more with feeling! This time I'm shooting toward the window, instead of straight back into the white.

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I adore this shot. The warm tones in the earrings pop because the background is so blue. It would be better if the background were more blurred - I'm working on that. 

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Using a low fstop blurs the background window, and using a glass vase abstracts it further while being visually less distracting than the black earring holder.

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Here's the final shot. Now that you know it's there, you can see the window frame, right? 

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Similar setup, as seen from above. Instead of shooting into the window, this time I'm shooting perpendicular to the window, with glass-in-front-of-white-paper as the backdrop.

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Here's the final shot. While I love the abstracted nature of the previous, you can see that a white backdrop is less distracting. And adding the glass makes it less boring and impersonal than a simple white sheet backdrop. (I tried that, it looked robotic.

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Happy shooting! 

Cheers :)

Jasper and Love

This is what's next - glass and 100% semi-precious stones :) For now, I'm including glass shots in each shoot, but I want to get to 80% glass for all listings. Most of my work is both semi-precious stone and glass bead, but these are both complete semi-precious stones and gold. Love the texture that brings, and uniformity of sheen. 

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Jasper & Love

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Mmm, new photos! I really enjoy the glass backgrounds, and would like to (eventually) replace all the black earring stand shots with glass compositions. 

Jasper & Love: Grand Opening!

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So excited to finally open on Etsy! You'll see a few of the newest designs above, and I am excited to bring you even more later on this year. 

Shop now at jasperandlove.etsy.com !

Cheers!

Charity

Jasper & Love

At last! I saw these jasper beads in one of my favorite NYC shops earlier this summer, and made a necklace. But it simply wasn't right. So this past week I remade it, double the length, so that it works as a necklace *or* as a wrap bracelet. Ahhhh, perfect :) If you look closely, you'll see that I use 2mm and 3mm beads, which along with the color varigation give the piece its interest and texture.

Another at-long-last piece. I bought two of these dalmatian jasper beads in Portland ME earlier this summer. Then got home, and promptly realized that I needed four beads, not just the two. After much to do, I ordered more and received them this week - twenty, just in case I need more later :) Pleased with the end result, though I don't think these photos do the piece justice. I need a model in a black dress, maybe...

Yes! I recently discovered an online vendor with great prices (and a Labor Day weekend sale, fun!) and great inventory. So these were one of my first purchases. These were more difficult to place than you'd think - the sparkle inherent in colored faceted beads didn't fit well with the matte aesthetic of most of my recent work. But - on their own, these beads can shine. I look forward to finding other ways to make use of them soon :)

And finally, "Moxie". I took process photos for these, and may include them in a later post so you can see the drafts I go through in a normal brainstorming process. You may recognize the metallic faceted beads here - I use them often. You might also recognize the center bead - it's part of a set of pearly beads that surprise me often with their usefulness. The third element is a new faceted bead from my lastest shop discover a mere block from my day job office. The best part of these beads though, is the gestalt - as a whole they achieve a neutral champagne color that could go with many outfits, yet speaks as a statement piece. 

So overall, you could say recent weeks have brought great new vendors to light, which will be foundational to any sustainable business model I hope will grow from this hobby. Pleased with my progress, but eager as always for more-faster-better. Onward!

Jasper & Love

Another lovely week for creating new jewelry - and new product photos! I've been using much more morning light, as the evening hours of good light are nearing their end for 2016. This pair, "SOL", was a double lucky find. I accidentally found a new bead store one block from my office. (One block!) Better yet, it sells individual beads - many places only offer packs, so any choice is a larger investment that you'd really want to make. So I picked out the red and mango colored beads, as I'd been wanting some darker warm tones to work with, and the different shapes complemented each other. Then - then I found these turquoise-y green discs that look like globes and said MUST HAVE. In my rush, I didn't write down what they were called. Next time... :)

Now you can see - now you can see why jasper is one of my love languages. Oh! These are ocean jasper, like the last in today's series, so take a second to compare how different they are. Wow! But these strong deep colors and distinctive patterns are brilliant, and since I used all four this week I expect to buy more next week. (Ok, or tomorrow.) While I love the glass beads above the stone, what makes this pair work, I think, is the chain beneath. Only one question outstanding - do we like 2 dangling chains, or do we prefer 3? I may try three next time, or try adding some embellishment to the chain, to see if that enhances or detracts from the gestalt.

Sea glass! Alright, I only remember these are glass and am not 100% sure that they are sea glass. Something to ask my vendor when/if I reorder these. I adore this color, and adore even more how well it photographs. Look at the difference in color across these images! Aren't you so glad you have multiple images with multiple lighting sources, so you can get a feel for how these look? Me too. 

Ah, and the second pair of ocean jasper, alongside glass beads and a surprise guest, a plastic bead! I don't normally buy plastic beads - no good reason, I'm just too stuff for plastic. But these caught my eye before I knew what they were made of, and I took them home anyway. Do an experiment for me - pretend the bright blue plastic bead isn't there. Do you still like these earrings? I do. But *with* the bright - and perfectly sized - blue-green, these really come alive. I also like how the darker bits of the stone talk to the darker findings. It will be interesting to see if I can find some similar stones, then pair them with matte navy beads. Onward!

Jasper and Love

For now, I'm calling these "Cora II", just as the first fossil coral earrings I made were "Cora". We'll see if I need to get more creative, or if that will help me memorize all these names. I have a penchant for naming inanimate objects, so it's easier to remember than you'd think :)

Wow. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure the selfie product shot would work. But the lighting! The dress near-matching the wall! (Ok, not really in real life, but with this light - excellent!) These "Citra" earrings are *so* simple but still pack a punch.

By far my favorite. This asymmetrical composition is lovely - I can see myself using it again in future. But the colors too! Playing both sides of the gold tone, darker with the faceted small bead and lighter with the creamy yellow one... and same with the pink. A mottled salmon below, and a faded salmon above. Love these shapes, and the light in these images definitely worked in my favor.

These are one of the few one-of-a-kind earrings I expect to make. But who knows! I found these stones at a rock shop in Maine, and while there were a handful of others I really wanted, it was these that I simply couldn't say "no" to. 

Next up - besides just making more work and exploring more materials, I also want to get this glass product shot right. You'll see that some of these are different from before. The earrings are actually hooked onto a plastic vase, and a glass vase is behind it to further abstract the background. I like this method, but need some windex to make both vases spotless. Projects!

Jasper and Love

Absolutely thrilled with these shots :) 

The favorite shop name idea today is "Jasper and Love", two reasons this hobby has grown so much in recent weeks. Love, of course, of color and line and texture and all things creative. I am thrilled to be making things. If I had to pick a favorite stone, it would be jasper hands down - the patterns and color combinations are thrilling! Dalmation jasper is my latest object of affection - hoping to finish some earrings with it this month!