the art of taking photos

so living in pittsburgh makes it rather difficult to take photos of my pieces. the weather is frequently gray, cloudy, sometimes a bit rainy. there are definitely sunny days, but let's be honest... it isn't just a coincidence that we all have low vitamin d levels around here!
i had such a hard time with blah, flat photos of my items, with no pop or vibrancy. it is so important to have photos that let the customer feel like they are holding the item in their hand. photos that really show the fine details of the item. photos that actually reflect what the piece looks like in real life!!
so this is what i did about it!!
i had seen a few websites that had ideas about making light boxes and all that. with a 4 year old, i couldn't have a contraption like that sitting around. i then discovered a little how-to for using the sun and things around the house to create the perfect image.
first, i found a window that gets sun shining directly in.
i put a tv tray up against the window and made sure that the top of the tray was a bit higher than the window sill.
i put a piece of foil, shiny side up, down and then covered it with parchment paper. i then tacked it down so it wouldn't have too many wrinkles.
i then found a regular old copy paper box lid. i took a long sheet of aluminum foil and taped it to the outside, shiny side out. finally, i took some parchment paper and put it over the window. it helps to soften the light coming in from outside.

it was that simple!!
place your item with it's back to the parchment paper over the window. 
using the box lid, find the sun and direct the light coming in from the window onto your item.it's good to have something to prop up the lid or hold it in place, or to have a tripod for the camera. you will need extra hands for this!
oh, and always mess around with the light settings on your camera, too. i have found that adjusting it to a +1 is good for my camera and the natural light i have.
this is the difference.....                                

what are your little tips and tricks for taking good photos??? i'm always looking for new ideas!

i'm on etsy weekly!!!

hi everybody! look at this super feature of In Metal Jewelry on Etsy Weekly!
it would be SO awesome if you could stop by and show some IMJ love!
http://etsyweekly.com/?page_id=288
thanks :o)

lovely blog feature by Fulltime Adventure!

http://fulltimeadventure.blogspot.com/2011/04/loving-me-some-etsyinmetaljewelry.html
take a peek at this lovely little blog feature by kathy at Fulltime Adventure! she found me through the Upcyclers giveaway that i am currently sponsoring and loved the pieces so much she wanted to blog about it! thanks kathy!

i'm sponsoring a GIVEAWAY!!

i'm sponsoring a GIVEAWAY!! and it's my first! the winner will receive this beautiful pendant, handmade from upcycled glass! this one of a kind piece is a striking red with yellow edges. it looks like a frozen flame!
i would be so thrilled and honored if you all could enter to win! here's the link!
http://love2upcycle.blogspot.com/2011/04/giveaway-from-inmetaljewelry.html

upcycling blog feature!

http://sofiastreasurechest.blogspot.com/2011/04/upcycle.html

check out this awesome blog featuring my upcycled rosette pendant!
yay for upcycling!

BNR round 2 going on now!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4db8299847f26d91bbdcd975/open-perfect-for-mamas-day-bnr-round-2?page=4#comments
here's the link for the BNR going on right now until 3pm EST!
i have two featured spots so i'd love it if you would stop over and show some love!!
and don't forget my current coupon for 10% off your purchase ILOVEMYMOM10

glass part 2

so once i bring the shards home, they get a good cleaning. they are individually washed with soap and warm water, dried, and then shined up nice and pretty. here's a pic of a handful of glass all dried and shined up, ready to be made into something fabulous. i go over every edge and point to make sure it isn't sharp. i love the rough and unique edges of each piece, but i will rub my fingertips over the edges and on some fabric to make sure it doesn't cause damage. if there are any issues i use some tools to grind the sharpness down to make a safer edge, still leaving it rough and varied. i think one of the most interesting aspects of the pieces is how asymmetrical they are. (i am a libra so i typically like balance and symmetry, so this is odd for me!) each piece has a shape that suits it better for vertical or horizontal hanging. the thickness of the glass determines how deep or bright the color is. the size determines if it will be a suncatcher or pendant (some are interchangeable if you like big statement pieces!) i'm thinking of trying to make some earrings and outdoor mobiles soon. we'll see what else i come up with! i'll take suggestions if you have any!

hidden treasure: the glass shards

this is just a small portion of my stockpile of glass shards. aren't there are so many beautiful colors?? holding each piece up to the light really shows you the striking shades. it's hard to see just how amazing they are, but this is how i found them- covered in dust and dirt, all piled together.  i found these at Creative Reuse Pittsburgh, where i get a lot (most!) of my materials. they were all on a shelf, separated by color, stored in huge plastic pretzel barrels. because they were kinda in a corner i had passed them by a couple times before finally noticing them. i went back again and again, each time sitting on a big spool of hot pink ribbon, holding each piece up to the sun shining through the giant window in order to see the color. i looked at each piece for shape and break, handpicking some for pendants and some for suncatchers. so much fun- like a treasure hunt! each piece has beautiful striations. some of the break patterns are parallel and some are rounded and swirly. every piece is as one of a kind as you can get.

monday bnr!

hi all!
this is just a little fyi that i am going to be in a bnr on monday, april 18th from 11am - 3pm, EST. here's a link to the preview if you would like to browse around:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4da8725d75626d9127b47600/preview-only-perfect-for-mamas-day-bnr

hope to see you there!

a match made in heaven

jennasaurus: haikuesday 9: "Where did my keys go?Not in my purse or pocketOh, they're in my hand......"

crafts and haikus? yes please!
check out this super fun feature!

i'm in a blog feature! yay!

 the feature of the week is me! take a peek!
Teslas: Crafting in College: Feature of the Week: "Every Friday I will showcase one of my follower's so we can find out more about them and their art. This is the second lucky person to be fe..."