Intentional Stones

Camera Woes Again...

Deepest apologies for the lack of photos lately.  This round of camera woes has come at a very bad time, as I need more new photos for applications!!! 

Happily, I've found out the reason for my troubles. 

I love my little (big) point and shoot camera but do you see how the lens has one of those spaces for a door to close over it when the whole thing retracts?

Aparently my problem with the lens scratching is due to those doors being just a bit too close to the lens when it's all closed up. When I heard the question "are the scratches vertical lines?" from a camera repair shop, I knew I was in trouble. 

Cannon's going to replace the lens for me.  Not for free.  They've offered to trade the camera in for a discount, but not a great one.  I'm annoyed that this known problem and they haven't fixed it in newer models.  I can see how wrapping the thing in swaddling when you don't have it in your hands could possibly prevent the scratches from returning, but it doesn't seem reasonable.  I treat my camera very carefully.  I keep it in it's case when it's traveling and in a nice protected cubby or the case when it's at home. 

And still, Cannon is the only brand I've found with a really good macro setting that doesn't require a lot of work to use. 

So, I'm getting it fixed (along with a long nasty civilized note to the manufacturer) and starting to save up my pennies for a different one. Adam's had the idea of using a special lens tube and cap you can buy for the G11 for another purpose to replace the door mechanism.  But I'm worried that it will cause shadows in my pictures.  Still, I'm willing to try it rather than worry about scratching.

What's your favorite camera? 

I'm thinking it's time for a digital SLR- no weird doors covering the lens, just a lens cap.  They're getting much more affordable. 

-Simbelmynë

Working on Photography March 2012

I think I'm getting a little closer.

Still messing with my camera, but I like this background.  A black granite tile from the big box store.  I'm also looking into some frosted glass, but I'm surprised at how hard it is to find. 

I'm using my oversized light box to keep my basement from eating all my light.  But I've moved the lights inside.  I also got some better photo editing software, but that's going to take a lot of effort to improve.

For this image, I aimed the lights at the walls, to keep reflections away.  And I draped behind the tile with black to keep all the white from reflecting. 

I really hope this will lead to greater success.

-Simbelmynë

If a Piece Sits in a Basement....

...And is never seen by anybody but the artist, is it still art?

A pretty good question, eh?  Does it become art once it's pulled out and framed or worn? Will we ever know?

Fact is, we have about 60 items listed between our two shops, and hundreds in trays in my basement.  How on earth is anybody going to see the basement dwellers between shows? 

One of the new habits I'm trying to cultivate is photography.  My new phone is helping with day to day pictures, yay for a decent phone camera.  The Tumblr blog has been pretty busy.  But it's still no good for really good pictures.  With all my frustration, I've been avoiding the real camera and good lighting and well thought out backdrops. 

So, the new routine is "get one good photo a day".  I'll take two or three, sure thing! But even one is better than leaving the camera and the pieces hiding in the basement.  Spring weather is helping out, sunshine, overcast-Sure!  bring it!  Just as long as we avoid the four letter word beginning with s, I'm fine. 

Here's one from today.

A little work and I can get some things listed.  Slow progress is better than none!

-Simbelmynë

Artist's weekend

My family will be out of town having the time of their lives.

And I'm staying home to have a party! (yes, I do feel like a teenager whose parents have left town for the weekend)

It's an artist's retreat at Simbelmynë's house!  I'll hit Costco and fill the house with food. I'm used to all sorts of eaters-picky eaters, carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, food sensitivities, OmNomNomNivores... Also I have hot and cold running WiFi, which is, of course, optional.  And, never fear, coffee.

Everything's ship shape with lots of room for big projects.  I'm not far from Construction Junction, really you could get pretty crazy. I'm planning to set aside areas for specific things, and we can adjust as people arrive with their projects and goals for the weekend.  I have lots of places to sleep, if you're from out of town or just don't want to leave.

The jewelry studio will be in full swing.  I have almost every type of equipment anybody could need-from torches to finishing equipment. I have tables and corners and quiet areas for writing, being quiet, meditating.  A park next door for walks and listening to the world around us.  A full crafting room with all sorts of supplies, if you forget anything.  I even have a macro photography studio, if you want to get some small photos.

We can swap, dump, laugh, play, work, meditate, trade secrets, teach, learn, whatever we want to do.

If you RSVP I can make sure I have what you need.  Or just show up, the more the merrier!

Stay all weekend or come and go as you please. 

Official Start is 7pm Friday, March 18 and end at 7pm Sunday March 20.

-Simbelmynë

(412)608-8986

235 Oakview Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218

(Please ignore the photo it's from the highway, for some reason)

We're the last house on the left.

School's Back

I forgot how much time I really have while the kids are in school.  I'm taking the two classes AND I've had time to make my own projects on top of the homework. 

Everybody is pretty much loving being back at school. So far the kids' teachers are managing pretty well.  I have yet to meet them, but the grades, comments and notes coming back to me are all right.  Havoc's even doing well in spelling!  The summer's schedule of ballet/theater and kung fu would have left us treking insanely every school day except Friday.  Choices had to be made.  The littles loved Kung Fu, so I think I'll have them trade second semester.  Gradual progress is OK and possibly they'll develop a strong favorite after two good semesters of activities. 

I've had the random appeal to homeschool again.  Don't tell the kids, but I retain my sanity at 7:30 AM by imagining us switching to PACyber and getting the kids little netbooks to do school on.  All of us sitting peacefully around the dining table or on the patio doing our various work...What a nice dream.  But you know it would turn back into all of us fighting and not meeting one another on a workable educational level. 

My classes are giving me more confidence with design and metal.  These earrings sprang quite easily from my bench.

I've started a tumblr mini-blog just for bench photos while I'm working like mad.  http://intentional-stones.tumblr.com/ If I get too busy to write a full blog entry, try and find out what I'm working on over there!

-Simbelmynë

In which we discuss individual pieces

Mina's Lovely two strand necklace of amethyst, moonstone and pearl

Simbelmynë's pale amethyst and rose quartz scarab bracelet

Sunshine and Happiness

Mina and I shall discuss in the comments our own piece and the other artist's piece. Please, if a particular piece strikes you, say why in the comments?

Work Behind and Work Ahead

Now that we know what we have, we know how to complete the picture. 

It's not about me

You won't see many pictures of me here or many places.  I usually keep myself on the other side of the lens. I hate pictures of me.

It's about my self-image, who I've always been, big issues, little issues. 

I got the new camera and wanted to test it out.  It does a funny thing with faces, if you let it.  The camera finds the face in the image, no matter where it is in the frame.  I wondered what it would do with my face. 

You never know when you need a current photo.  Maybe for an icon, or an image for the shop, an intro photo of myself so that you could see who I am. 

 I discussed this with my friends on LiveJournal.  I dared them to post images of themselves. They responded with great photos.  And had many insights.  It turns out many of us share an insecurity about photos of ourselves.

How do we get past our negative ideas about ourselves?  How does anybody?

It's something I need to do to genuinely put my art out there.  

So, here I am.

-Simbelmynë

Trying something new

Teams and Guilds, Guilds and Teams.  These seem to be an awesome idea.  We try to help ourselves by helping each other.  And my Sunday posts have been full of wonderful artists from my friends at Etsy, in the Handmade Artist's Forum Team.  I've chosen my favorite item from the shop recommended for promotion each day. 

And, while this is certainly an excellent way to make sure this gets done, my heart's not been in it every week.  It's just boring. 

For a while now, Mina and I have been disputing Artfire vs. Etsy.  We have our shops on each, and Etsy is certainly the biggest marketplace and the most well known, but we're kind of small fish in this huge pond of the internet.  Artfire is simply smaller and a little bit more to our liking. 

The end result of this decision is this:  We'll be focusing our attention on the Intentional Stones Artfire Studio.

We Love Artfire.  We are already members of the guild by that name.  I'll probably just help my guild members in my favorite way each Sunday.   

Macro Photography

Going through the gallery for the guild, I've chosen my favorite up-close photos of small objects.  (Many of these artists have other wonderful photos, click the links to go to their shops)  I'll try to put into words what it is about the photo that caught my attention.  

KatsAllThat

This photo showcases the colors of this piece.  The pale antique writing on the background paper provides interest without distracting from subtle shades of pink and brown in the gemstones.  The leaves brighten the image.  The posing of the necklace draws the eye to all its different features. 

The artist has also provided a wide variety of photos of the piece and labels on each photo so you know the materials used, even while you're taking a closer look.

Pinkymonkey provided this image for these dangly wire wrap earrings.  The shallow depth of field accentuates the embellishment on the bead.  I guess I'd like to see the focal point of the picture in the center of the image, but viewed in it's thumbnail size, it caught my eye.  I count this as effective, because a shopper is viewing items, this is the first impression they get. 

Earrings have been my biggest challenge in photography, because getting the proper focus on a dangling piece can be tricky.

novadesigns

Here the neutral background and slight spotlighting make the carefully accomplished color jump right out.  The shape of the earring provides the motion of the photo and promises even more interest in the piece when it's hanging.  

  Grahtoestudio

 I enjoy the different designs of the snowflakes displayed together.  The fur in the background complements the smoothness of the wood of these pieces.  The neutral grey brightens the natural golden colors. The lighting shows the polish of the pieces and provides shadows to display the intricacy of the carving.

I guess this post encapsulates my goal in taking photos and preparing them for a listing.  I'd like it if my photos were the ones that stand out. 

I know when I'm shopping online it's the images that make me click as I browse. 

Could you comment and link to examples of items you've found while shopping online?  Why did that one pleased your eye enough that you wanted to see more?

-Simbelmynë

In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle

Our trip into the Daintree Rainforest on our third day in Cairns was full of beauty, fun and adventure. It's hard to find a topic amidst it all.  According to a list I saw recently, Australia is the 10th most bio-diverse country in the world.  I wonder where Cairns and it's surrounding regions would fall on a similar list of places. 

In one day, we explored the rainforest, a mangrove swamp and then went downtown to swim by the ocean. 

We very much wanted to see a Cassowary but we only saw signs warning drivers not to hit them. Workers at the rainforest park told us that people working and living in the Daintree could go years without seeing one, so at least we weren't alone.  Cassowaries are in the same family of flightless birds as emus and ostriches, but they have a bony crest on their heads, like a dinosaur. 

At the end of our walk through the layers of the canopy, I had the worst hankering for ice cream.  Time didn't allow lingering, but a little shop along the way let me grab some- Chocolatefruit flavored!

Adam loves Mangroves, probably an artifact of visiting his grandparents while they lived in Florida.  I was excited about the possibility of seeing crocodiles from protected walkway.  Locals warned us not to even think about looking for crocs outside of the protected areas, as we wouldn't see one from the ground unless they were about to eat us.  Yikes!

All in all, the rainforest of Australia from the beaten path is a relaxing place of wonder, beauty and the potential for infinite adventure.

This flower was in a garden, so I'm not sure where it's native. I just loved it's complexity.  Things grow everywhere, and you'd never need to bring things in, with all the amazing things that grow naturally, but I'm sure people do sometimes.

Strangler fig is a vine so strong it grows around a well established tree until the tree dies from it's resources being stolen and rots away.  This Leaves amazing arched, woven trunks of fig flying into the canopy.

Climbing palm is the only palm I've seen with wicked spikes.  I believe this one has a nickname "Wait awhile" plant.  If you walk unwitting into a branch, the barbed thorns will tear your skin if you pull them out too quickly. 

Wouldn't this look lovely as a bracelet or armlet?

Magrove roots, staying above the water for air but below for support, make miniature cathedrals in the swamp.

-Simbelmynë