Every now and then - I am smitten by the toggle bug. Since it's a multi day/step product - often I have a day of making just rings - then time is spent pairing them up - and then comes the final torch day... yesterday was just that!
These are little sculptures that have movement - and color - plus a sweet clink sound as the rings tap each other. There is a bead hole through the main part of the spindle, and can be worn - I see these as more of a collectors' piece.
I had two kilns going at once, and this made things much easier - as one held soft glass beads and the other had the borosilicate components for these toggles. There is always a ramp up *in my psyching myself up* to get 'em done... and finally by day's end - I was there. Happily pleasing results!! smiles, Jill
10.28.2015 - Crazy Mix...
I fired Adobe Photoshop - and downloaded something called Pixelmator... still learning to use that - so am using some older pictures. This is a shot I took at the Ladybird Wildflower Center just about this time of year - a few years back... kind of cool that Nature creates its own garland! Come the holidays I always like to find some excuse to leave a strand or two of lights up... I've always liked the unexpected lighting afforded by them. But, this year - I bought a strand of those outdoor string lights - like you see at trendy outdoor cafes. - (while I'm confessing.. I also love timers) - These cool string lights are adorning the oak tree that leans over my deck out back... and they dutifully come on at dusk and go off promptly two hours later. I have never been so aware at the shift of daylight to dark as the days grow shorter...
on an aside... seeing as it's cooling down - we went to an outdoor pottery festival last weekend - and while I enjoyed the pottery - I REALLY was taken by the innovative means of display... I know a great many of you that read also sell in shows - and I thought I'd share. This one below all folded out by means of piano hinges... and it all was just things that folded off of a small trailer! Very cool. It would also allow, depending upon depth, *for smaller items* - such as jewelry - a means to simply fold up and secure.
There were other amazing displays - I wish I'd taken more pictures. NOTE TO SELF... do it. smiles - Jill
8.13.2014 - Keeping it simple.
The first cool front of the summer rolled in last night, so it's coffee & oatmeal enjoyed on the deck on this gift of a summer morning - simple pleasures.
It is so easy to over complicate the things we all do - daily. I am constantly looking for that least common denominator - to knock it down a few notches, simplify, and get back to the basics.
I'm heading towards photography and light today. I started selling on eBay in 1999, at a time when there were fewer than five pages of lampwork listings. It was all just beginning for us back then and the market was hungry for what were offering. Listings sold for crazy high prices and it began a process of thinking for me. "Online sales - how can you stand out?"
The means of promoting your items was through the photographs and descriptions in your listings, and the images needed to be drop-dead gorgeous with well written descriptions. I have always loved the sexy side of photography - the careful arrangement of a set to capture crisp edges, a necessary reflection or the effect of a light flooded bead spilling out a color-filled shadow.
These minute nuances of serenity and beauty - in their simplest of forms - were what caught and kept the attention of online buyers. To allow them to enjoy the absolute sweetness of pure form and color - thoughtfully arranged and beautifully delivered.
It took me awhile to find my voice and understand how important the concept of being consistent was. Early on, I photographed in natural daylight, I loved the sparkle my glass gave off in the sunlight, but quickly realized that sunlight had differing color "temperatures" depending upon time of day and season, this caused my images to be inconsistent.
I moved indoors, giving up the sparkle and bought an illuminated light box and high(er) dollar equipment... (because we're used to "more is better" - right?) NOT. Currently, and for perhaps the past eight years, I photograph indoors with an old 5megapixel Sony Cybershot camera on a piece of printer paper with two daylight lamps overhead.
Keeping it simple... I strive for the quintessential compliment from customers - "I just received my beads and they're even prettier than the pictures!" I love it.
smiles,
Jill
ps - I am looking for a few more of these memory sticks:
if you have one, contact me and I'll give you a $50 credit (for a 128MB stick) to use towards purchases on my site.