Finally! I'm Happy With My Photos!

After much experimentation : white backgrounds, bright backgrounds, subtle backgrounds and many visits to my local ESK to buy far too many scrapbook sheets and different coloured paper, I've finally found a background that I'm happy with! And I had it at home all along.

I've started using the back cover of an old Reader's Digest Univeral Dictionary - a sort of silvery~grey colour which I think works ok. I know lots of people prefer a plain white background for jewellery but I found I got a lot of glare from the white especially with silver jewellery and it sometimes looked a bit off white. I think the grey sets off the colours of the beads well and makes them pop and I haven't had to edit the photos as much which saves time.

I've also started using a mini tripod I bought from eBay a few years ago which was immediately shoved into a draw when it arrived. I took one look at it and thought I just couldn't be bothered faffing about with it but I've now started using it together with the timer on my camera so I don't have to worry about having the shakes when I'm taking photos. Those photography guides do make sense after all!

Now I just have to find something I'm happy with for my copper jewellery as the grey is a bit dark for it sometimes depending on the colour of the beads. If any of you have any tips for backgrounds for copper jewellery I would be very grateful!

 

Horrible Cats, Grasshoppers And Free Moo Cards

Aren't cats horrible sometimes?

Earlier today when I was engrossed on the computer ordering my 50 free Moo business cards, this horrible creature on the left, who goes by the name of Eddie ("do my eyes match this cushion?")  appeared in the dining room with a sparrow!

After 5 minutes of me running round the house after him shouting "Out, out!" he then ran back outside and proceeded to devour the poor sparrow. After much crunching all that was left was a pile of feathers and a claw. I was going to take a photo but thought that would be a bit unsavourary!

Click HERE for the 50 free Moo cards. When you get to the ordering page it says the offer has been extended to February 2010 but it still worked ok and I only had to pay £3.00 for postage!

Backyard Wildlife

I heard it yesterday but didn't see it, but today I heard it, saw it and photographed it! Yes it's a grasshopper with a missing back leg!

My other cat Charlie was very interested in it but as he treats insects as snacks I made sure he couldn't get to it. I also saw a bright green one earlier today which I'm assuming was a younger one.

I don't think I'll win any prizes for my spectacular wildlife photography though!

Handmade And Fabulous! A Brand New Blog

Handmade And Fabulous is a new blog recently started by Susie of Folksy shop Lynwood Jewellery.

In Susie's own words Handmade And Fabulous is "a blog dedicated to hunting down the best that handmade artisans have to offer in the world of fashion, accessories and homewares. The blog has no global boundaries; it looks for inspiration from all corners of the globe. It presents some of the wonderful clothes, design, fashion, home wares and accessories that humans are making across the globe now!"

Susie will be regularly showcasing beautiful handmade items from online venues such as Folksy, Artfire and Etsy. If it's handmade and fabulous I'm sure she will find it!

Handmade And Fabulous also has a Flickr group. Why not pop over and add some of your photos? Each week Susie is hoping to pick the three most popular items and include them in a blog post for all to see. What a great idea!

This week's picks were this lovely clutch bag from Urban Knits

And this cute Owl Cushion from Linziloop, both Folksy sellers

A pair of my earrings were also featured!

I want to wish Susie all the best with her new blog and Flickr group ~ helping to increase awareness of the beautiful items that are made by artists and designers everywhere can only be a good thing!

Folksy Friday Featured Seller ~ Fiona T

This week's Folksy Friday features Folksy shop owner Fiona T ~ stay at home Mum to Anakin Skywalker!

Fiona, who opened her Folksy shop at the beginning of May, sells delightful embroidered and applique covered notebooks. Currently living in Derbyshire, she studied Textiles (embroidery) at Nottingham Trent University and has been drawing, knitting and sewing for as long as she can remember.

Pink Ninja

Fiona's items are the result of a collaboration with her sister, translating her sister's pen & ink drawings into Fiona's fabric 'sketches', before creating a fun end product.

Each tiny piece is cut and stitched by hand, so every design is unique.

Fiona likes to work with calico, cotton & linen, using applique, hand and free machine embroidery.

Pink Cupcakes Notebook cover

It was doing some freelance design work for a greetings card company which kickstarted the sewing/embroidery bug:

"I had made some embroidered lavender bags for birthday gifts last year, and an old college friend who works for Tigerprint/Hallmark, started nagging me to Do Something.

Getting back to design was always something I planned on doing "one day", but after 10 years out I really didn't know where to start. A few months later she ambushed me with a brief for some embroidered designs, to be honest they weren't great, but once I'd started sewing and making again, I couldn't stop!

I opened my Folksy shop at the beginning of May - it's earlier days yet but I hope to improve and expand on what I'm doing now. Mostly I'm just happy to be back doing something that I'd forgotten how much I loved".

Pink Bird 'N Bees Fabric Notebook cover

And Anakin Skywalker? He's Fiona's 11 year old Border Collie of course!

Pink Cat Fabric Notebook

I can't sew (or rather WON'T sew) so always admire anyone who has the patience to produce such well~made and covetable items as Fiona.

Visit her Folksy shop now!

Blue Ninja

One Small Mouse ~ A New Animal Welfare Blog

One Small Mouse is a new blog started by Serena Cowdy, journalist, presenter and owner of Folksy shop The Copper Swallow.

As Serena puts it "One Small Mouse unites people who care about animals with the good causes that need their help."

The aim of the blog is to highlight how we can all help our local animal rescue centres and the wildlife of Britain without necessarily having to dip our hands in our pockets : "It could be as simple as giving your old newspapers to your local pet rescue, counting the birds in your back garden or re-tweeting an urgent re-homing request."

The blog has various sections covering helping pets, helping wildlife, items needed and a section called campaign for change. There's some very useful information about animal charities offering reduced rates for microchipping pets, how you can apply for a grant from the Community Wildlife programme and how you can get involved in the campaign to stop bull-fighting in Catalonia.

One Small Mouse will also post appeals from animal charities and non-profit organisations who are looking for local volunteers, bedding materials or have a "difficult" animal to re-home.

Amongst the many informative posts there's a really interesting article here about how an American animal charity has found a free way to support homeless animals ~ ingenious!

I think the blog is a great idea and wish Serena much success in highlighting how we can all help even in the smallest way.

Visit One Small Mouse to find out how you can help your local homeless animals and wildlife now!

New Commission ~ Stripes and Spirals!

 Lampwork beadmaker Sandy Kelly recently bought a bracelet and a matching pair of earrings from my Etsy shop. She then asked if I would make her a bracelet using some of her own lovely lampwork beads ~ of course I said yes!

As you can see Sandy's beads are a pretty mix of colours in a stripy design which I teamed with Sterling Silver "S" links.

See more of Sandy's lampwork beads on her website FlowerJasper  

Blooming Marvel!

I was really pleased to notice the cactus that spends most of its time being ignored on the kitchen windowsill has started to flower! It's also grown quite a bit since I've had it.

It was given to me by a lovely man called Derek who was a client I used to visit when I worked for a care company. He made me laugh when he told me his late wife managed to kill one of their cactuses by forgetting to water it!

Here it is in all it's pale yellow glory!

Folksy Friday ~ Father's Day Ideas

  

 This week's Folksy Friday Picks ~

♥ Father's Day Gift Ideas ♥

Bacon Resin Cufflinks ~ Birdcage Creative

Wine Bottle Stopper ~ Diggi Woodturning 

 

Cool Cucumber Mint Soap ~ Melusine Soap

Father's Day Card ~ Spotty N Stripy

                              Father's Day T Shirt "Tattoo" ~ PIDGEONSTITCH

 

Rockabilly Father's Day Card ~ Konnie Kapow

Another great selection of original handmade items from talented Folksy shop owners!

Featured On Folksy Finds!

I had a message in my Inbox on Folksy today to say my shop has been featured on Folksy Finds blog !

That was a nice surprise particularly as I feel rotten today ~ it's summer (I use that term loosely) and I'm full of a cold! So that's cheered me up a bit.

 Thank you Myfanwy of Folksy Finds

~♥ New ♥~

I've also just listed a new bracelet in my Folksy shop ~

Burnt Orange ~ Frosted Agate and Sterling Silver