Have you ever had one of those days....

when you just can't get inspired? I've been sitting here looking at my beads...and wondering about what I could create. I've pulled out some beads here and some gems there, and nothing is coming to mind. I do have an idea for a lariat necklace that I want to try, but just can't seem to pull it all together. Maybe it's the weather! Yeah....I think I'll blame the dampness and blahness of the rain we've been having for 4 days straight!! I need some sunshine! I hear my garden beckoning me to come and play! But...I can't play until Mother Nature gives me some warmth.

But.....in the meantime, I did manage to make this sweet Spring inspired necklace over the weekend. You can find it in my Etsy Shop here. I call it, "Playing in the Garden" because that's exactly what I want to be doing. :D

HandCrafted Artisan Etsy Seller - Orion Designs

Meet Vicki of "Orion Designs." Vicki is a fellow team-mate on the Artisan Beaders Street Team on Etsy, and I'm happy to call her a very dear friend.

Vicki creates with a variety of gemstones in her jewelry pieces. From golden Citrine to Amethyst to Labradorite...she makes each gem come alive with beauty. You will also find vintage and contemporary glass beads and sterling silver in her pieces as well.

Vicki's "Mixed Media" pieces are stunning! The necklace above, "Spoil Me," is one of my favorites. Vicki also creates the most unique cards. Whether creating jewelry or cards or blogging, she gets to do it all at her lovely home in Alaska, which by the way, you can see and read about on her awesome Blog. Check out Vicki's *Flickr Page* for more photos of her fabulous work.

Great Photography Tips "Technique Tuesday" Artisan Beaders Blog

Whether you love taking photos of your handcrafted jewelry or you totally dread it, The Artisan Beaders Blog has a wonderful and informative post this week regarding photography. As I'm sure others can relate, taking photos of finished jewelry pieces can be a real pain. When I first began taking photos of my jewelry, I was so excited! Little did I know what a difficult task it would be! I soon learned that there was a lot more to taking jewelry photos, and I needed to do some researching. First and foremost, they need to be clear, and they need to show all the details of the piece...and from different angles.

"Black Velvet"

Now that I've been photographing my jewelry for almost 3 years, I like to think I've gotten better at it. I still have my days where I can take upteen million photos and not have any of them turn out right, and other days, they turn out great. But I almost always have to edit them to lighten them up. Since I sell mainly online, my photos need to feel as if a buyer is picking them up and looking at them at all angles. And this is what I keep in mind while taking photos. Props are great too, just as long as they don't take away from the object you are photographing. Read more about props and other important information in the "Technique Tuesday" post on the Artisan Beaders Blog. :-)

Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry Etsy Seller ~ Catie's Blue ~ Jewelry inspired by Color

Meet Brandi of "Catie's Blue." Brandi is a really sweet friend that I met on Etsy.com a few years ago, and she is one of my team-mates on the Artisan Beaders Street Team. She has a huge heart and is one of the smartest and talented women I know.

**Swirled Necklace - Aqua and Red**

Every jewelry piece in Brandi's Etsy Shop is handmade by her. Borosilicate lampwork, sterling silver, fine silver, and gemstones are a just a few of the materials she uses when creating. She even handcrafts her own fine silver ball headpins and beadcaps. Each of these gorgeous jewelry pieces you see are part of Brandi's "Artisan Lampwork Series", in her Etsy Shop.

**Brenda Earrings**

You can see the special attention to every detail in all of Brandi's pieces. The colors she blends together is an art in itself, and she has mastered it very well. She truely is a very talented artisan, and I'm proud to know her! You can learn more about Brandi on her Blog and see more of her stunning handcrafted jewelry on her Website, her Flickr, and her brand new shop on Artfire. :)

Bead Show

I went to the Rings & Things Bead Show, and was in heaven looking and fondling all the beautiful gems! lol! Rings & Things is based here in Spokane, WA, and they have a huge warehouse. They travel everywhere doing shows, and they do them twice a year in Spokane. This was my 3rd year going and taking advantage of their awesome discounts. The first time I went, I was a total newbie. I ended up buying lots of gems and glass beads that just looked pretty, without knowing anything about them. I've done my homework since then, and now I know what I'm doing...or at least I look like I do! lol! I had a definite budget this time around, so after all the sorting and adding up costs, this is what I came home with, minus some chain, watch faces, jumprings, and a few other supplies I needed. I had to put back some strands and held back my tears...but that's okay, I'll be at the next show in October. ;)

From top to bottom: Topaz/Gold glass beads, Peridot rounds, light Amethyst faceted rondelles, green tones of faceted Czech glass beads, light blue fiber-optic puffy square beads, faceted amethyst fiber-optic rounds, and faceted ollvine glass rounds.

From top to bottom: faceted Tanzanite bi-cones (10mm), blue goldstone faceted teardrop fans, Peridot rondelles, Prehnite nuggets, and Amethyst teardrop nuggets.