Sneak Peek! New Photos of New Jewelry!

I managed to take some photos on my lunchbreak today of items to list in my Etsy shop. Let me know what you think of these "rock-collector" rings :)

Smu is Back! Sneak Peek at New Work

After a long break I am back at the jewelry bench and the computer! I was able to spend some time being creative this weekend while hubby and baby took a nap together :) I am quite pleased with the fruits of my creative labor and plan to list the matching set pictured above in my Etsy shop along with a newly-created copper and chyrosocolla ring.

Sneak Peek!

I finally got a chance to take photos of some recent creations so I can post new listings in my Etsy shop! Here is a sneak peek for my blog readers at three of my favorites from this recent photo shoot before they hit Etsy. Above is a quartz cyrstal pendant made with a stone purchased at the Raleigh Gem & Mineral show. Next is one of my perennial favorites--a fossilized ammonite. This fossil pendant is on a antiqued copper bail and chain which coordinates wonderfully with the rich earthtones of the ammonite fossil.

Finally, an aqua-blue seaglass pendant with a double-bail on a silver plated chain. Let me know what you think of my new work!

Something New from Smu

Here are a few photos of some new work I hope to list soon on Etsy. The blue cylindrical stones in the necklace are peruvian opal--the aqua hue combined with inclusions of creamy white remind me of a frothing sea :) The silver seahorse charm set on the wearer's right is accented with one of my own handmade lampwork beads of aqua dots on a black background.
This barette will be the first listing in my brand-new accessories section and is adorned with small seashells from a recent trip to the Outer Banks of NC.

Let me know what you think of my latest creations!

Lunchtime Photo Shoot

It was sunny (and very, VERY hot) at lunchtime today, so I ran home for an impromptu photo shoot :) I've been on a bit of a hiatus from my online activities lately and am ramping up to get things going again. Step #1 of the process is always photos, so I can create new listings and stock up my Etsy shop! (you would think that step #1 would be making jewelry, but I have lots on hand already--good photos are the bottleneck in the process for me...) Let me know what you think of this batch of photos :) I'd love your feedback!

Sneak Peek - New Work!

At long last I have photos of new work to share! I'll be listing these items in SmuTopia's Etsy shop soon, but wanted to share a sneak peek of some of my favorite photos from this round :)

Sneak a Peek at what's New from Smu!

This fall I've been expanding the selection of metals in my designs and have become very fond of using brass. The contrast of antiqued brass with light-colored beads like the lovely lilac purple ovals used in the beachy bracelet pictured here. In addition to my normal product shots using driftwood and flooring tiles for a background I've also taken photos of this bracelet on one of my wooden hand bracelet displays.
I have a set of 12 wooden hands (made by my Grandpa) that I use at craft shows, and they've become a real conversation piece with customers! Hopefully they will draw as much attention in my Etsy shop as they have in person at shows :)

In addition the the beachy brass bracelet, I have this pretty little blue seastar bauble pendant and several other items ready to list. Stay tuned to my Etsy shop for some great new stuff as we close out the week!

Sneak Peek - New Listings Coming Soon!

It's been rainy all day here, but that didn't stop me from shooting some photos of new work while I was home on my lunchbreak.
The photos came out rather well considering the lack of sunshine!

Let me know what you think, and be sure to check my Etsy shop later in the week as I will be listing these new items and several others!

Thoughts for Thursday and Sneak Peek at New Work!

Autumn is definately here! While much of the country has been cooling down for weeks now, the cooler temperatures have just made their way to Raleigh, NC within the past few days. While I am enjoying the cool fall air, I must say that I miss the long days of summer! As an early-riser, I'm bummed that it is getting dark before I get up lately--Daylight Savings Time, where are you?On the other hand, the changing seasons offer a great deal of natural beauty and inspiration! I created the Seahorse Bauble set (to be listed soon on Etsy!) shown here to bring on of my favorite designs into the new season--what do you think?

New Work! Sneak Preview :)

I have photos of new work all edited and ready for listing on Etsy! I would love your feedback on my new work--what would you call these designs?

An Adventure in Asymetry

Here is a sneak peak at my recent foray into asymetrical design! These are the first two asymetrical designs I plan to list on Etsy, both necklaces, and I am quite pleased with how they turned out, despite my predisposition to symetry in design :) Please post a comment letting me know what you think of these new designs!

Sneak Preview of New Work

Here's a peek at a few new designs.  I plan to list these items on Etsy by the end of this week :)

New Work! E6000 Glue Project

I got out the glue this weekend and made some new jewelry using fossils and a geode slice from a gem and mineral show I shopped at last year (as well as a pretty aqua piece of seaglass). If you are thinking about making jewelry that requires glue, I highly recommend E6000.

There are zillons of different types of glue for sale--almost an entire aisle at my local craft store. When I first wanted to use glue for a jewelry project I did some research through forums of jewelry artists on Etsy and Flickr. Everyone came to the same conclusion--E6000 is the glue to use! After trying it, I absolutely agree! This is a seriously strong glue that I feel confident using to bond stones and glass to ring bases. I have also used it on plastic with great results. It dries clear and I am not strong enough to break the bond (I've tried!). One word of warning--E6000 smells terrible! Make sure you are outside or in a well-ventilated area!