PICMONKEY.COM ~ It's A Love/Hate Relationship

Yes, it really is.  The "love" part of the relationship is because it's so FUN to play with all the effects they have available to take your photos to another dimension entirely.

The "hate" part of the relationship is because, like with any new "toy," I lose myself in playing and comPLETEly forget the time.  I can get caught up after midnight playing around!

Anyway, I have a few pics I've played with over the last few days so you can see a little bit of what you can do at PicMonkey with yours.



Soft white effect around edges
Also added a little color saturation
to bring out the yellows without
going crazy




The Cinerama effect (doll, isn't she?)




This one I slightly over-saturated the color then used
the Lomo effect




This one I used the pixel (reverse) focus to do a little
editing, 1st, then went to the newest effects and added
the Paint/Red effect and used the "Add" under the
Blend Mode. The pic was already black & white so
this kept it from getting too "heavy" and dark. I, personally,
think the "blood runs" look cool with this "dangerous" (HA!) group.




Old Time Circuit Riding Preacher
or
Someone's very handsome father?
Used the Daguerrotype under the framing
section. You can change the the film effect
to "recolor" it, too.



The 3 Amigas!  Are they beauties from the past? Only the
photographer knows for sure! (love that daguerrotype!)

Well, sorry no jewelry-related eye-candy, but it's fun seeing what PicMonkey will let you do. Have a go!

KNOW YOUR PRODUCT!



Moss Amethyst

 I read an article by the Silver Bear on the JETs blog called "Fakes, Frauds & Rip-Offs" about the various "gems" out there that are really just quartz with fancy names (well... he said "trash" but I still like most of the quartz available, they're gorgeous)  Still and all, Silver Bear had some great points to keep those of us who do use these stones, but don't know the difference between semi-precious and quartz, from being taken in by outrageous pricing (he's a gemologist... he knows things).
I think I'd add something to his dissertation, however: remember the names of the stones you sell!  We who use these stones in necklaces and bracelets need to be able to let our potential customers know what we've used in a design. Maybe we don't need to go into the detailed explanation Silver Bear did but we still need to let them know "Hey, this is quartz versus actual amethyst" or vice versa.  To that end, those of you we buy from need to be sure you correctly label the stones you sell.
As an example, there's a lady in my town who owns a bead and yarn store. It's like walking into Aladdin's Cave she has such wonderful things! BUT!  Some of her stones aren't labelled.  I asked about one I was interested in, it had a great color and pattern but no name label.  Chances are, according to Silver Bear's post, it was some form of quartz.  Regardless, her reply was "Oh, I don't know.  I buy stones I like and don't always get the name."  Uhm, sorry, but that's bad business in my book.  If I don't know what a stone is, I'm not buying it since I can't tell potential customers what they're getting (leaving it at "quartz" is lazy in my book, I'd want to know what kind of quartz before I bought from someone).  So, that day, she lost a potential sale on that particular stone.  She actually has lost a lot more in the sales department from me.  She really hikes the price of her wares and I think it's because she needs to read Silver Bear's article.  Not every stone with a fancy name and huge price tag is worth the money.
It's like buying a car, folks. Do your own research.  Don't buy just because you HAVE to have it (and might never find it again! gasp!) or it's pretty or unusual and the high price must indicate it's quality.  There are always variations on that particular stone out there.  Learn about the stone before you buy.  You'll save yourself, and any future customers, a bundle of money.  Not to mention that, if you have a savvy customer who researches before buying and they know that particular stone isn't worth the $50.00 price tag slapped on it...?  You lose out on 1) them wanting to buy anything else from you... if you overcharge for what they know is worth only $20.00 what else have you over priced? 2) you lose out on the money you paid for an over priced stone to begin with.  And, 3) you lose out on word-of-mouth.  It works for bad as well as good.  Do you want people to tell others "Oh, buy from so-and-so on Etsy (or wherever)! They have great products and great service!" or do you want them to say "Well, they have a great looking product but the prices for the items they sell? Yeah... well, it's up to you but I wouldn't pay that much for simple quartz." 
Educate yourself before the fact.  Don't lose customers because they knew what you didn't.

Another Self-Challenge and Updating a Jewelry Line

Carson in his Halloween Costume... yes, that's
a wheel chair; yes, he's only 2; yes, he really does
know how to move that thing around on his own!

I have a line of jewelry on my Etsy store that's dedicated to Spina Bifida. There's an adorable little boy in my church, Carson, that was born with this malady that inspired this line and, when my line starts selling, I'm going to be donating a portion of the proceeds to an SB charity or for SB research. 



Anyway, in the not-too-distant past I had created a set of necklaces for for Carson's mommy and some friends of hers who each have a child with SB.  We called the necklaces "Perfect Imperfections" because the stones were all one color except for this one line of yellow running thru them... a "flaw," if you will.  And that's what I'm changing the name of my SB line to, "Perfect Imperfections."  The challenge for myself is this, several of the pieces I make are going to have a "flaw" in them somewhere.  Some obvious (like a bead or link that doesn't "belong" with the color or scheme) and some "hidden" (you'll have to look to find it; after all, not all physical maladies are obvious either).  I wrote a poem for Carson and his mom, as well, also called "Perfect Imperfections."  It reminds us that God can use what we see as imperfect or useless, either in our lives or someone elses.  It's not up to us, it's up to Him.

PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS

Man says "They're broken, throw them away."
God says "I can use them, give them to me."

Man says "What can they do? They're useless."
God says "What can't they do? I will use them!"

Man says "Don't bother, they're imperfect!"
God says "for my strength is made perfect in [their imperfections]."

         "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my [imperfections], that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  II Corinthians 12:9

Etsy Treasuries, Pinterest and My Birthday

Well, I'm getting a little more "internet social savvy" than I was before... which is hard to do when you consider I'm at work for most of the day.  Still, it's happening.  My product is slowly getting out there and I'm networking.  Hopefully, my store will begin to make the rounds, too. 

The Etsy Treasuries were first.  I did one for all purples, then all reds, and then gray (yes, gray is a great color) and today, I did one that's for garnet.  That's because January is my birth month and I absolutely LOVE garnets.  I love them red, orange, green... whatever color they come in (and they come in a lot!).  So here's a link to the Garnet/January Etsy Treasury.  There are some seriously talented people out there!

Now, I have to admit, while I liked everthing I put in my Treasury, there were a few things I liked a bit more than the others.  They just caught my attention and kept drawing me back.  So, for your enjoyment (if you're too lazy to follow the link to Etsy!) here are a few of the treasures I found:



by Izovella ~ isn't it a beaut?




I love tea and this teacup by Sheilasart is terriffic



by FebraRose. Love her use of various beads.



meredithdillman  draws these herself
before turning them into fun pendents

 So, that's it for today.  I also pinned a few of my items over at Pinterest if you'd care to go see what's up there.  I'm sure some of these artists wouldn't mind the extra exposure, either.

WHAT SANTA BROUGHT

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEAL!

Santa brought me not only a brand new Canon Rebel T2i EOS 550D (digital) camera, he brought me an RPS Studio Pro Style Desktop Studio ("take pictures like a Pro!")  Now, nothing against my iPhone3GS, it's taken some pretty darn good pics for me to post, but I am so STOKED about getting to use my new camera and new Studio set up for my photos I can hardly stand it! (~does the Happy Hamster Giggle-Shimmy~)

Speaking of pics, and iPhones and such, I have a new necklace that will be going into my Etsy store as soon as I can set this studio up and get off some shots (hopefully, tomorrow night... depending...)  Anyway, the necklace is made from two clasps I bought from Melinda Orr over at Melinda Orr Designs with the copper one being the closing clasp and the metal & stone one becoming the focal piece.  I paired them with some GORgeous handmade beads I bought from Pam at Ferrariorginalbeads on Etsy.  Here's the iPhone version and I should have it posted on Etsy by (as I said/hoped) Thursday night.

Hope everyone else had a great Christmas and plan on having a Happy New Year.

MERRY KISS-A-MOOSE! (er, I mean, Merry Christmas! ~heee~)

MERRY KISS-A-MOOSE!

(ain't he a cutie!? I'd kiss his li'l nose!)

STILL GOING STRONG!

Yup, the Virtual Craft Show is still going on, folks!  Take a peek at today's gifted artists and their sites as well as go back to the previous days to see what those artists (including myself) have to say and show!



Who's Got Backbone!



Who's Got Backbone!
~close up~



 And, speaking of showing, I have a new necklace that I made for Kare-Bear for Spina Bifida Awareness.  I bought the focal from Marsha Neal over on Etsy and I plan to talk to her about some more in, not only this color, but this design.  Just something about it that makes me think of the spinal nerve.  Anyway, I do have three other focal beads in this color (tho' a different pattern each) and will make some more necklaces for the Spina Bifida portion of my Etsy Store and should have them up fairly soon.  Maybe.  We're getting ready for our church's Christmas cantata, too, so I work when I can (aaaaaahhhh!)

Shop On!

WARM UP YOUR CREDIT CARDS, IT'S ALMOST HERE!

Well, folks, it's just a few more days until The First Annual Virtual Craft Show and, yes I've said it before, I'll be a part of it!  Here's how it's going to work:

7 Days, 70 Artists, GIVING AWAY 70 things.

Can you believe it????

I hope you'll take the time to visit these artisans' shops and blogs, too.

Here's how you win:

For each of the 7 days of the show, you get a point for each of the following (you don't have to do all four)....

 Commenting 

Facebooking this page

Twittering this page

Blogging this page

Once you've made a comment either on Facebook, Twitter or your Blog, be sure to let me know in the comments.  Also, be sure to have either a blog with an email contact, or leave an email in your comment so I can notify you!  

Drawing will be held a couple of days after the show. 

So, that's how it's going to work. I'll be a part of the show for only 5 days, but you can visit as many shops as you want over the course the Show and, hey, why not any time after?  Some of the Etsy shops will have Christmas discounts going on later, too. 

Yes, I know a few of the prizes to be given away.  No, I'm not going to tell you. So there!  You'll have to visit the individual blogs and comment there for your chance at their prize.  Trust me, it's worth it!  The start of this whole shootin' match will be here, so be sure to start off there (yes, you comment on her site, too, to win prizes.)  My Etsy shop WILL be open by the day the Show starts, but I'm hoping to have it up and running before then, so check back and see if the link has been added over on the right near the Facebook link.

Happy Giving Thanks Day, folks!
And, Happy Shopping!