Friday's Fab Fav's!

T.G.I.F.!!   Time for my list of Friday's Fab Fav's!

Here's the scoop - these are blogs or sites I regularly follow and think have something special to offer. 

This week, unlike last week, they're all jewelry related in some fashion. (i.e. - they have some sort of jewelry related posts or pages on their blogs), but each have something other than just "pretty jewels" to offer. 

 

So, grab your drink of choice tonight and sit back, relax and allow yourself to be thoroughly engulfed!

1st up  is Kerry Bogert's Blog, Kab's Creative Concepts. 

You've all heard me whine about my jewelry photographs and how I'd like to improve them, so when I found out that
Kerry was making her "Snaptastic" photography class available as an eCourse,...I signed up! 
(You should seriously check this out!!)

Kerry's blog has great inspirational photos, links to her fabulous book, (Totally Twisted: innovative wirework and art glass  jewelry) and amazingly colorful glass beads she creates and sells, as well as informative posts and links for those in the jewelry and bead world.  

 

Next up this Friday is the creative

Lori Anderson with her blog, Pretty Things.

Lori's the mastermind and host behind the Bead Soup Blog Party I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in this past September (Cool experience!). 

Lori's one of those rare and amazing people who instantly put you at ease and make you feel you can accomplish anything. Down to earth and very real (and oh, so funny!!) Lori share's tutorials, wonderful sites to check out, where to catch all the latest 'goings on', great books (and some bizarre ones, too!) and a plethora of stunning jewelry designs,..just to name a few things! Seriously - you will not get bored with this site - check it out!

And last, but certainly not least this Friday is Rena Klingenberg and her website and newsletter:
Home Jewelry Business Success Tips. 

I'm not sure I can even put into words what all Rena's site encompasses or what it's meant to me.  

I was so excited to find Rena's website and to receive her newsletters many years ago,...2004 or 2005 I think it may have been. I'd already been designing jewelry (mostly earrings) since the late 1980's (yep, I'm old - 46 to be exact!) but stopped when my son was a toddler and had just started to revise my passion when I found her site. 

She's been a source of great business information over the years with everything from setting up booths at trade shows to expanding your business with various services to using social media to expand your business,....everything that you could want to know - she's touched on the topic - trust me on this one! Plus, there's a ton of people who regularly post to Rena's site with gorgeous inspirational jewelry photos, great business advise and all sorts of fun jewelry topics.  This is one you need to book mark and read regularly!

Althought I've only given you three again this week,
 trust me - you'll be filled to the brim! 

"But it's all good, Baby!!" 
(as the hubby always says!) 

I hope you have an excellent weekend! 

Go out and do something creative!

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Fabulous Friday Favorites over at Shel's!

Cheers,

~Shel~

Barbie's On My Bead Table!!

Barbie's on my bead table today!

What's on my Bead Table you ask? 

Bead Table Wednesday over on Flickr

Barbie's on my bead table,...along with some things that are getting packed up and ready to ship, some things I still have to take photos of (I'm waiting a bit cause I know Kerry Bogert over at Kab's Creative Concepts is gonna show me how to get even better shots than before!) and then I've got these two little fun fella's hanging out, waiting to be put into some designs, plus bunches of earring wires and clasps to get created and shipped out tomrorow to peeps.

Beady Bottles of Fun

What?  Of course Barbie's got Pearls!

Ya think I'd have a Barbie (circa 1972 or there abouts) and not have Beautiful Pearls on her?  Right!  

 

As my muse, she's got a few fun pieces of jewelry - not all pearls either.

Maybe I'll be brave enough to show you some time!

Barbie in MiShel Designs Pearls

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Hanging Out with Barbie!

Cheers,

~Shel~

SNAP Your Way To Great Photography!

I've been struggling with taking better

photos of my jewelry for quite some time. 

Once in a while I get a couple

of good shots off, but on a continual basis,

I'm due for some major improvement. 

This will become a thing of the past
(the so-so photo - not the clasp!)

 

I have been searching for a class to take here in the Valley

similar to the one I participated in a few years back,

but didn't turn up anything that fit my schedule 

or that wasn't clear across town.  

So, imagine how excited I was when I was reading

Erin Siegel's blog last week and she mentioned that

Kerry Bogert's Snaptastic class

was now available as an E-Course? 

(insert image of Shelly jumping up and down with joy here!) 

"Woo Hoo!" 

Totally Twisted by Kerry Bogert

Aside from drooling over Kerry's

deliciously colorful beads she creates

and enjoying her fun book, Totally Twisted:

 Innovative Wire Work + Art Glass Jewelry,

I had seen her photographs on her blog and thought,

"Wow, this chic knows how to take some photos!"  

I hope you'll join me over the next five weeks

as I share some of the photos I will be taking

while attending Kerry's class and

let me know what you think.

I cannot WAIT to improve on pictures like this one!

This is gonna be a fun ride folks and I really think

you should go check out

Kerry's Snaptastic E-Course

 and if you jump on it (Today's the first day of class!!) 

you can join me on this fun adventure and

take your own photography skills to new heights!! 

What do ya say?  Are you up for it?!! 

Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Great Photography is on the Horizon!

Cheers,

~Shel~