The Story of a Jewelry Photo Shoot & Technique

Rings are $15-$16 each

I will have a variety of adjustable fashion rings that are recreated with vintage elements. 

All photographs of my jewelry in this blog post, were taken by Tracie of Tracie VanWechel Photography. Please do not reproduce or copy any of these photographs or jewelry designs. Thank you! To see more of Tracie's work, please visit her blog here.

Below you will find some more photos that I had professionally taken of some of my jewelry I've been working on for the upcoming events I'll be selling at. I am very happy with how these shots turned out and the creativity behind Tracie's work and watching her behind the lense of her camera was quite intriquing.

Please be sure to check out the previous two posts I've created, as the one shows the making of the Junk Bonanza giveaway necklace I'm providing, and the other tells a bit about Tracie's photo shoot of my jewelry.

  Boot/Bowling Necklace  - SOLD- $39.00

Notice the creative set up of this vintage wooden shoe form?  That is Tracie at work creating a cool photo shot of this Junk Bonanza style necklace with cowboy boot, bowling pin, bowling ball, heart and bling.  Love how she mimics the boot with photographing just the tip of the shoe form.  Now that is clever!!!

This photo shows more of my vintage wooden shoe form I was mentioning in the photo just above this one in which Tracie just made sure she only had the tip of it to make it look like a boot in that photo.  Here it is used as a prop to just lay a vintage redesign bracelet over the edge of it.    Bracelet is SOLD.

I love how Tracie took this necklace and used the edge of one of my many vintage display frames to drape it over its edge.  Again her creativity is amazing!  Above necklace is SOLD.

Car Necklace - SOLD $69.00

A more traditional photo of a one of a kind design.  Same necklace is in the below shot too.

  Car Necklace  -  SOLD

Like I said in this post, I really love how Tracie used her creativity in setting up the above photo.  It's so unique the way she draped it over the car, etc.  Such an out of the ordinary way to photograph a piece of jewelry, and hopefully one that people will remember and like.

Lg Glass Pearls w/Watch Face w/Bird Necklace - SOLD- $49.00

You will notice this vintage chippy hinge prop from this post.  Tracey grabbed this and used our back deck flooring to take this cool shot of one of my "Signature Pieces".  I continually try to create jewelry with the use of vintage pocket watch faces, with birds and/or another cool element in its center.  Sometimes I use pearls such as the necklace above with the watches, other times simple vintage chains, and other designs are more elaborate with a mix of elements included in its design, but you'll always find me creating this focal design.    I always have new customers discovering my jewelry, and this is hands down one of my most popular designs, so as a favor to new customers, I will try to always have a good surplus of pocket watch clock pieces.

Sigaut Necklace  - SOLD- $39.00

This piece is a combination of a damaged rosary chain, vintage tassle, SIGAUT perfume image created with a vintage eye glass prism and pocket watch case.  I love my vintage mannequin and you can read about the story of her unveiling here.

Gold Dble Strand w/Blue  - Available - $59.00

This piece was created with three seperate vintage elements and is now a lovely, classy two strand necklace. 

Tracie will be photographing the Junk Bonanza show this year, and will also have an interactive display booth during the event, so be sure to stop by her booth and find out more about this awesome gal.  Thanks again Tracie for the honor of working with you.

Heavy and Tough...All in a Days Work!

The story of a giveaway...

Necklace for Free

Yes, my blogging friends, you've heard me right.  A giveaway.  This is the first of three I'm offering in connection with Junk Bonanza event that is coming up in September.  I will be vendoring there Sept. 16-18 at Canterbury Downs in Shakopee and I hope to see you there. 

Do participate in give away #1.  Just head over to the Junk Bonanza Blog on Saturday and follow Jills' directions for entering to win this necklace made by me.

Now for the story of the necklace...

Count them, 1, 2, 3. Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear all sizes of cash registers at my fingertips. A special thank you goes out to my dear friend, Carolyn, for snagging the two largest cash registers one day for me while she was out and about. She and her husband did a lot of the dirty work with taking these apart in their shop and allowing me to come and use their tools to finish dismantling them. As I say, they did quite a bit of the toughest work and then in addition to their time, I spent another 17 hours harvesting the cash register tags from these registers, filing them smooth, drilling holes, cleaning them, spraying them with a protective coating, and than they were ready to create with. Ahhh, the joy of working with junk elements...

Notice the gorgeous patina on the drawer of this cash register.

These registers were filthy to work on.  My friends even removed the mice nests before I started in on them.

Nice to have this warm, well equiped and well lit shop to work in.

I knew that these little tags would really become cool jewelry too.

So focused on the task ahead...

At last...the junk treasures removed.  Oh wait, at this point they all need to be cut apart with a bolt cutter, ground down with an industrial grinder, filed, holes drilled, washed, treated with a sealant so they don't make a mess on your customers clothes, and than at last one can design with them.

So why am I telling you all how to do this?  Because, I for one, am a jewelry designer that will not be harvesting cash register tags again in my lifetime to make jewelry with.  If you think its easy, have at it.  17 hours of work to get something to the point of designing with just isn't something I'm going to be doing again.  Been there...done that...  Let someone else have fun with it instead. ;)

Free Necklace

When my cash register tag necklaces are gone...they'll be no more.  Here's a few more that will be offered at the Junk Bonanza sale event.

Paris inspired in gold tones...

Paris inspired in silvertones...

Telling a Story... a Junk Bonanza Jewelry Photo Shoot

Telling a Story...

I am showing you the after photo first, as I want one of my favorites from this photo session to be featured at the top when my blog is shown on peoples side bar. A little secret for how to getting interest in your readership of ones blog.

I loved this vintage metal car way back, when I found it for sale at a local occasional sale shop.  I knew then that one day, it would be a great jewelry prop and that I would use it for display at the Junk Bonanza show.  You see I like to pave the way, and find unique and non average props for my jewelry pieces, and this show is such a great venue to do that with.
So when Tracey and I met for this session, she pulled out the car from my prop selections, grabbed this aqua number piece and set this fabulously creative shot up.  When I asked her about it, she explained that the #267 set up like this gives the illusion of a license plate on the vintage grey metal car.  Now how creative and cool is that?

Before

After

Before shot is great in and of itself, but the after with the addition of the burn technique added to the edges of the photo, just really is the perfect technique to showcase my vintage redesign styled jewelry.  Would you agree?  I'd love to hear comments and feedback of your thoughts.

This photo is of the same necklace and I love it too, but the creativity that my photographer of choice came up with for the #267 with the car, just was such a cool idea and I love what she did in that shot of this necklace too.  It's amazing how your props and settings can make such a difference with the presentation of jewelry.

How lucky am I?

So lucky that I have a friend in my life named Tracie, of Tracie VanWechel Photography.  The photo shoot I had with her this week was at my home and we used our backyard, and my jewelry props to photograph some of the pieces I will have for sale this year in my booth, Mimi-Toria's Designs, at the Junk Bonanza. 

Jill is working for Junk Bonanza and is blogging about the upcoming JB show and featuring artisans and vendors that will be selling at the show. I wanted to have some great photos of my jewelry for this blog as  my vendor hi-lite should be coming in a future blog post.  I just emailed the photos to Jill today, so check it out on the JB blog in a week or so.

Tracie will also be the onsite professional photographer for the Junk Bonanza event this year working closely with Ki to capture all of what happens at the JB event behind the scenes, before the show starts and all of the flurry and activity during the shows event dates, September 16, 17 & 18th.

I bet the little boy or girl that owned this car years and years ago would of never thought one day that it would be a treasured jewelry prop for someone's business.  It makes me wonder who that former owner might have been?  Thank you Tracie for bringing the concept of telling a story about my jewelry or props to my blog readers.  I love this idea. 

More Tracie photos will follow in upcoming blog posts, so stay tuned for more...

I'm linking up this blog post with Gina over The Shabby Chic Cottage for her  Transformation Thursday today.

Oronoco Gold Rush Days 2010 - Part 3

2nd Annual Junkologie Blog Party

August 20, 2010

4:30-6:30 p.m.

Oronoco Park Campgrounds

220 5th St NW

Oronoco, MN

 

This sign greeted each of us as we entered the Pfarkel Sisters camping area.  Amy of Junkologie created the original idea and asked the Pfarkel Sisters to work together with her this year in sponsoring it.  Anywhere the Pfarkel Sisters are, there will be fun times. They are just an awesome group of ladies.

These vintage drapes were strung between two trees and created an entry into the junked up table which had information for the upcoming JUNK shows Junk Bonanza and the AA/JMS events, business cards, and entry forms for the attendance prizes for the blogging party.

Close up of the cool table set up.

Purpose of a Blogging Party:

1) to meet fellow bloggers

2)Junk up your culinary skills in the 2nd annual blogging potluck. 

Bring your food served in a junked up display, and potentially win a prize.

3)Win Junkologie gear and other prizes just for attending.

Amy of Junkologie explaining the hows and whys of the entries for the potluck.

Part of the potluck tables.

Cold drinks and yummy food was shared by all.  Next year, I will participate.  This year I didn't know if I was able to attend or not, until right before it started.

Amy had a helper with picking the winners for the prizes. Sophie, a junk extrodonaire in training of the Pfarkel clan was more than willing to help Amy out with this fun task.

Amy giving Sophie directions as to who the lucky winner was.

Some of the lucky winners with their prizes.

Never a shortage of words when you get this many ladies in a group.  Lots of visiting and fun.

Note the retro cool furniture some of the ladies are sitting on.  Amy found these pieces at the Flea Market the day before and was nice enough to let people use them during the blogging party.

The ladies from Iowa come up to Oronoco and Junk Bonanza each year to hunt for treasures.

Mary and Amy in a conversation while others visit behind them.

See, I was really at Oronoco...Jenny and I visiting.

Jenni, is my new 20 something jewelry friend I met at the show and than she came over to the blogging party.  It was fun to meet and visit with her, as we both have a passion for vintage redesigning jewelry.

This segment of my blog post is about a California film crew that was attending the Oronoco Gold Rush Days and filming on site for a pilot show for this upcoming Fall on the History Channel, when they heard about the blogging party and wanted to come and see what it was all about and film it.  How fun is this...  Come along with me for a behind the scenes look at a TV crew filming in Minnesota.

BB Entertainment

Manhattan Beach, CA

Producers Nick and Deborah with their Film Crew

The gentlemen meeting the Pfarkel sisters in this photo is the gentlemen that is interviewing the people they are filming through out the US this summer for this TV series.  He is a Vietanam Vet, and was a very interesting gentlemen filled with wisdom and life experiences.

Meeting and visiting with Ki, owner of Junk Bonanza.

Crew in action.

As I look on the interview/filming from behind the crew.

Amy has done studies on the health and wellness benefits of junking, antiquing and such and is explaining her thesis she's working on.  I was then asked to share a bit as I had an earlier conversation with this gentlemen that he wanted filmed.  Who knows what will be kept or tossed, but it was interesting, fun and another fun life experience now called a "memory".

They loved the retro campers the Pfarkel Sisters and families own and use, so they even filmed a bit of history about their cool campers.  Filming the cool retro camper above.

An inside shot of the Pfarkel sisters cozy vintage camper that  they've dolled up.  They even travel with this cutie pie little poodle.

I hope you enjoyed this little 3 part mini tour via my blog posts about Oronoco Gold Rush Days, and some of the great vendors one meets, the fabulous people to hang with, the fun blogging party each year, the great food, the hot weather, and the fabulous treasures one can leave with.

Oronoco Gold Rush Days 2010 - Part 2

The Goods...

Jewelry and Design Elements

Love the above pieces that I purchased for my vintage redesign business on Friday at the Oronoco Flea Market.  I paid a bit more than I would of liked to, but they were such great pieces, so went for it.  The two neutral colored pairs of earrings were from a 100 year old ladies estate.  Loved the patina on the bracelet, and the colors of these pieces, well lets just say they go with the European Romantic feel that I strive for in most of my designs.

Adored this cute little four leaf clover glass bottle stopper that I found in a junk box at the key guys booth.  Thanks Robyn for the heads up on these fun finds.

This gentleman had the cooooolest keys!  Robyn and I had a blast picking and choosing each of our own styles from his vast collection.  And they were a good deal tooooo.  How good?  I can't tell....

Gorgeous patina on this coin will be turned into a charm soon.

Loved these six keys and the special details they each have on them.

So cool!

Love the detailing on this key...

A beautiful religious charm...

Gorgeous blues on this vintage sweater clip and a cool chain section too.

#8 anyone???

Cool grunge on the "K" token.

During a 15 minute rain storm I was able stand under a tent filled with jewelry only. :)  Sorted through a junk plastic bin and came away with these treasures.  The dealer sold it for one lump some.  A good deal, not sure yet, but there are some cool elements to work with.

Details of the above photo.  Found some great beads, vintage bead caps, charms and misc.

This will be used in a personal design for myself.  It's a Mexican coin, and from the year I was born.  Ooops, now you know my age...as if I care. :)

Architectural Display Pieces and Hardware Finds

Before Photos:

The white architectural wood pieces were a gift from a vendor.  Thank you Cindy!

Love, love, love these treasures of vintage hardware I found to purchase.  Dirty, grungy, and ohhhh, so cool. Stop in at Junk Bonanza to see what I'm doing with them.

Loved the patina on these three hinges, so they came home with me too.  Stop in and check out my space at Junk Bonanza to find out where they end up and are given a new lease on life.

  After Photos:

I spent Saturday morning washing, air drying outside, and than poly coating all of these pieces to protect the customers clothes from any messes.  Now, they're ready to use and design with.

Washed up, dried and treated with a clear coat.

Love designing with these, but they are hard to find.  I hit the jackpot on Friday for these.

Notice the coolness of these.

Gorgeous patina on this one...

Love, love, love these babies.

Washed, dried, sprayed and ready to go.....

Chippy patina is divine.

So cool...

Thrill of the hunt!!!

Love this crusty hinge...

Another awesome patina on a hinge.

A very cool hinge with great patina.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Now plan to stop on over at the Junk Bonanza event in 3 weeks to see what I create with all of these new found treasures.  Show dates are Sept. 16, 17 and 18 at Canterbury Downs.  Check out this link to learn more.  It's going to be a great show!