Studio Friday: Look Back

This week's topic for Friday July 13th: LOOK BACK!

They say don't ever look back, nor dwell on things for too long. One is supposed to instead just move on, eyes straight ahead focused on one's goal.
BUT...here's the but... while it is certainly true to not look back and dwell on the negative events it is one of the best things one can do, to look back... but on the positive things and see how far you have come!!!

"The people who are happy and fulfilled measure their progress by comparing where they are against where they’ve come from. The people who are stressed and dissatisfied measure progress by comparing where they are against their ideals."- Jamie Smart

This topic is a little bittersweet for me because as you may already know from reading one of my last posts, I'm letting go of my original dream for Yvette Designs.

Looking back to the start of my jewelry making endeavors, I have come a long way. I went from not knowing what a blog was, to being blogging obsessed; from being photographically challenged, to nearly accomplished. The materials that I used have evolved to better quality and the jewelry now has a more young and contemporary style.

My first and only jewelry party is depicted in these two photos above. I hosted it at my home. The day that I sent the invitations the city began roadwork on my narrow two way street(I had no idea they were going to do this), and it completely threw the success of the party. I only had a few guests, and only one of them bought jewelry. I put a lot of effort into it, and I was crushed, but I kept forging ahead with my sales in other ways.

This photo was one of my first attempts with hot lamps and an empty milk carton diffuser. I would sweat to death in my little home office or in the hallway where I'd try to get the perfect shots to put up on my new blog. At this time, I had never even heard of Etsy. Now, getting the perfect shot is as simple as point, click, and some minor Corel Photo touch ups, and Etsy is no longer a mystery.

My jewelry and I have come a long way. The journey has been fun, but there is still more to do. Since I'm ever changing, it should be interesting to see how my skills and jewelry develop in the next year. Maybe then I will do another similar post to have a walk down memory lane.

Cheers!

Cheers to you all! I'm thoroughly enjoying this Wednesday morning because it's photographing and photo editing day here in the studio. Honestly, this used to be the most unnerving day of the whole make/sell process, but now that I have gotten the hang of it, I find it to be very exciting. As soon as I finish photographing, I rush to the computer, memory card in hand, to see what I've captured on "film".

These yummy dangle earrings will soon be for sale on the new website! The days are winding down to the final reveal. I'm a bit nervous, but more than anything, I'm super excited because there will be lots of new styles to choose from. In the past few days, I've made several sterling chain necklaces with simply eye popping pendants, and gorgeous sterling charm bracelets.

Etsy Store Redux

This past week, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes of Yvette Designs. I have decided to redo the Etsy shop which means I'll have a brand new banner, all new photos, and products to add for your viewing and shopping pleasure.

The new look is based on my personal aesthetic, influences, and inspirations. For example, the new photo background colors were inspired by my heritage and culture. My ancestry is Latin, but my culture, being born and raised in Louisiana, is Cajun. The violet, mustard, and green backgrounds are representative of my love for New Orleans, while the deep red, and again mustard are symbols of my Latin heritage.


Some of the props in the photos have meaning for me as well like the peacock feather, which is used frequently in Mardi Gras masks, and the dahlia flower which was the flower I chose for my wedding. Finally, one of the last things I need to do to personalize the store is to add a banner. I'm hoping to get it finished by the end of the week. While the store does not yet have the completed look, you can view it in its early metamorphosis. http://yvettedesigns.etsy.com

I would like to know what you think of the shop's new look. Please feel free to comment here and let me know if there is anything I can do to make the store better. Thanks to all of you, my readers.

Photo School

Have you ever wondered how web pros take those awesome product shots? In the past year, I've learned first hand that jewelry is actually one of the toughest subjects to shoot. Since starting Yvette Designs, it's been photo trial and error the whole way.


So far, I've used studio hot lamps with mixed results, natural light, which was way too harsh, and a rigged cardboard box that has carried me through until now. Yes, a cardboard box. I cut two sides out, and cut the top where I shoot the image from. Then, I taped velum paper to the two sides which serve to diffuse natural light rather well.

Now, I have this handy plastic dome (above) which my jeweler mentor lent to me. Since I used a different colored background than usual in the new photos, it's hard to gauge just how much better this pricey contraption really is than my penny photo studio, the cardboard box. Compare the photos on the sidebar (complements of box) to the ones here. What do you think?