Jen's Jewelry Box

Happy Friday, everyone!

I just created a new page called "Jen's Jewelry Box." I wanted to showcase all The Glistening Pearl pieces I've added into my own jewelry collection and provide a few comments about why I personally love those designs.

Although I only make what I would wear, there just happened to be something so irresistible about the pieces pictured in my jewelry box. Some, like the puka shell necklace pictured above, are currently one-of-a-kind and never made it to my Etsy site. However; I absolutely adore that piece and hope to find a few similar puka shells to offer that design in the future. When I get that excited about a creation, all I want to do is to be able to make that little slice of paradise available for everyone to enjoy.

I hope you enjoy browsing through my favorites!

Photography in Direct Sunlight

As much as I enjoy designing my pieces, I also get excited about photographing them. Jewelry is surprisingly difficult to photograph, especially when you have a simple point-and-shoot camera. (I'm hoping to eventually upgrade to a DSLR one day!). However, I kind of love the challenge, and I find it quite rewarding when the pictures turn out well.

Now that I'm in a new location, I decided it was time to work on a new photography set up. I always prefer shooting in natural lighting, and I find that diffused sunlight looks best for my work. Proper lighting has always been my biggest challenge, and I find it to be the most important aspect of my photography.

That being said, I thought it would be fun to share my simple DIY set up for direct sunlight photography:

SUPPLIES:

All purchased at my local craft store -Hobby Lobby- using a 40% off coupon found on their online website.

1. White poster board

Mine is around 2 x 3 feet, I believe

2. White construction paper (poster paper?)

 Approximately the same size as your poster board

3. White tissue paper

Or something comparable to diffuse light (shower curtain, etc.)

4. Backless (and glass-less) wooden picture frame

Find something large (but not bigger than your tissue paper!) and lightweight - It'll be easier to maneuver when shooting

5. Masking tape

Rather than just shooting on a large piece of construction paper, which can easily bend and warp with just a few uses, I've taped the paper onto a poster board. This keeps my shooting surface relatively clean and smooth over time. Conversely, rather than just using the poster board, I picked up the construction paper because it is cheaper to replace when your sheet becomes too dirty for your liking.

I wish my frame could be a little lighter, but I wasn't able to make a frame myself. As you can see, I've just used the masking tape to secure the tissue paper tautly against the frame. Voila! A relatively cheap light diffuser.

Sometimes I position my diffuser directly over the top of my jewelry, sometimes I have it leaning over the side. It really just depends on the direction of the light and which direction I want the light coming from.

Here's the outcome of my photo shoot last week. It's a little greyer than I'd like, but I'm still experimenting with what time of day works best for the lighting I need. Hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes!

My Little Corner

Welcome to my new and improved workshop! Granted, my little corner in the apartment is no longer this organized and the table has supplies strewn all over, but I finally have my own jewelry working space and I couldn't be happier.

I'm currently in the process of going through my inventory and reorganizing my supplies, but hopefully I'll have a updated picture in the near future. I love being able to look out my window while I work, and I look forward to being even more productive designing in a comfortable environment.

I'm so pleased to be sitting at my table right now and working on a bracelet. Ahhh..... Back to it!

New City, New Set-Up

Aloha from Las Cruces, New Mexico! I've had quite the West Coast-ish journey this summer (check out my previous posts!), and I've finally settled into this new place of mine.

Welcome to my lovely little patio. Here I've set up a test run of my newest display - a slightly larger table,  a market umbrella (yay, shade!), two DIY earring displays, and my beautiful DIY necklace tree. I've brought along the driftwood I found in Santa Barbara, but my stone from the beach and mirror decided to somehow escape my boxes during shipment! It makes my display feel incomplete, but I'm sure I'll make do.

I'm happy that I've been able to expand my display, as well as having the option to bring in another table to the side, if needed.

This jewelry tree is so gorgeous in person, especially with all the shimmering necklaces draped around the branches. I love being able to hand-make most of displays as I'm really able to enhance the essence of my designs.

What do you think of this little boutique on-the-go? Is New Mexico ready for this beachy goodness?!

Portland, OR

I had the opportunity to spend three wonderful weeks in Portland, Oregon this summer. I biked all around the city, over all the bridges; hiked once a week to beautiful waterfalls and breathtaking views; slept in everyday until at least 10:30am; saw old roommates who I haven't seen in two years; and had my fill of delicious ethnic foods from food trucks for an incredibly reasonable price (thai basil fried rice is my new favorite dish!). It was glorious.

Hike #1: Horsetail Falls on the way to Triple Falls

View of the gorge

I handpicked fresh berries at Sauvie Island Farms and managed to gather 8.25 pounds of raspberries, blueberries, and marionberries (pictured above)! Marionberries are a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry and only found in Oregon apparently. Fresh marionberries are my new favorite fruit.

Hike #2: Another view of the gorge

Hike #3: Mt. Hood! I played in snow in July and couldn't have been giddier. I made it snowball but had it whacked out of my hand before I had a chance to throw it at an unsuspecting victim. All in all, the best hike of the trip.