Perfect Pearl Earrings

“Jackie” Pearl Earrings

I LOVE these new silver and pearl earrings! They have become, my almost, every day earrings for daytime casual and dressier evening looks.

Pearls, in general, are my go to favorite gem because they are so simple, yet so incredibly versatile. I typically acquire pearls that have character, texture and organic shapes. Because no two pearls are identical, it gives them more interest and personality and they blend much better with my design aesthetic. Not to say that perfectly round pearls are not amazing, because there is no doubt that Mother Nature can wow us with her flawless creations.

These earrings, like many of my designs, begins with a basic idea, then I play with shape and form until I land on my version of perfection. The small but important details, such as the ear wire design, make these a beautiful success.

Embracing the design process, with all its challenges and triumphs, is so rewarding. Although I may not embrace every end result, I ALWAYS learn something new along the way.

You can find these little lovelies, that I named “Jackie”, on my website here! 

Cheers!

Jackie

Blue Jeans, Silver Shoes and Graphic Jewelry

My style

Simplicity is the key to this winning style, if I do say so myself!

Graphic, minimal jewelry is best worn against a simple backdrop. Add too much pattern and the jewelry gets lost. I love this look for a casual daytime outing. Change into cute black heels for a little extra wow!

Check out my graphic necklace here! and these special earrings here!

Enjoy your day!

Jackie

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Camo, Chucks, White t-shirt and Pearls →

My style

Jackie Kennedy said it perfectly, “Pearls are always appropriate”, and I completely agree!

I wear pearls with just about everything. A little black dress, jeans and a sweater and yes, with my camo pants, Chuck Taylor high tops and white t-shirt!

Check here to see this necklace, and more of my unique, contemporary pearl jewelry.

Let me know how you wear your pearls!

Jackie

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Rewind Reflect Reimagine

Recently, I had a moment of clarity about my jewelry business and social media presence. It was in a static state and needed a makeover. Realizing this, I decided to take a step back, reflect, regroup and reimagine this multi-faceted venture. A daunting and challenging project. 

My first action was to withdraw from Instagram. It was clear I needed to master this channel, but I knew I couldn’t focus on this task if I was still engaged. I began thinking about the endless images I scrolled through every day. I had to wonder, what causes me stop, look and like an image or post? What possesses me to follow one person or business and not the next? Why would someone stop, like and comment on an image of mine or follow me?  What makes a person want to view my profile and click to my website? And with all the algorithm changes, how do I even get visibility? So many questions to ponder, and I needed expert advice to help answer them. 

With all the offers of free webinars promising to give you hints and tips to generate more likes and followers, I elected to take a few to see what I might learn, and boy I learned a lot! The presenters filled each session with great information and practical ideas to enhance your presence, with the goal of attracting more views, followers, and ultimately sales. I also dove into the feeds of people and businesses I admire, searching for a common thread or that “something” I was lacking in my images and commentary.

The “aha” moment came when I realized my posts had no personality, style, or context. They lacked interest and excitement and I was not present in any of my images. Who was I, other than another person making jewelry? Coming to that conclusion gave me such great relief! I look forward to incorporating what I’ve learned and moving in a new creative direction.

You can follow me @jackiejordanstudio to witness the transformation!

Cheers to a new adventure!

Jackie 

Temporary Studio Blues

If you haven’t heard the news, I am relocating my life and my studio from Dallas to Kansas City, Missouri. When I told my fellow jewelry friends I was moving to KC, I got a “deer in the headlights” stare followed by, “WHY?”. If you’ve never visited, or spent time in Kansas City, you don’t know what you’re missing. I’ve lived there twice, each time briefly, but I fell in love with this town in less than a heartbeat, and I have looked forward to the day when my husband Kurt and I would move back forever. 

Kansas City is a hidden, midwestern gem of a place. There is a welcoming and authentic sense of community here that I never felt in any other city where I’ve lived. It is also rich in history, arts, culture, entertainment, unique shopping, and so much more. I am eager to dive deeply into, and become part of this diverse, creative, and embracing maker society.

While this remarkable next adventure won’t be without a few less than ideal, temporary lifestyle changes, we couldn’t be happier.  Kurt and I are building our forever home, a dream come true, but in the interim we will be apartment dwellers. My bench will be a makeshift kitchen table with tools in a stack of boxes, and the worst part, no torch! This will take me back to my roots, and the first lessons learned in this incredible craft. There is no doubt it will reignite my love of rivets and other cold connections, so not a horrible consequence. As Alexander Calder once said “The trouble with a lot of artists today is that they have too much technique and equipment. They don’t know what to do with it all. If you cut down on it, you can work more strongly within narrower limits” I’m certain to rediscover the truth in that profound statement.

Although this interim situation may give me the studio blues, I believe it will push me to be more inventive and creative. It will also make me appreciate more than ever, the dedicated studio space my new home includes. No more soldering in the garage in 100 degree or 30 degree weather. No more climbing stairs to my bench on the second floor and back down to the garage again. No more lack of water at my fingertips and poor lighting conditions. And the best part is no more neighbors weirdly looking at me in my apron, mask and safety glasses.

During this transitory time I will continue to create as I dream with anticipation about my new studio space and sharing it with you. Please be patient, it’s nearly a year away!

Jackie

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Picture "almost" Perfect

If you ask any artist what the most difficult thing about their business is, I would bet, shooting great images of their work is at or near the top of that list. It's definitely at the top of mine.

As I don't possess the budget to hire a professional photographer and editor, I instead, invested countless hours researching, experimenting, shooting, re-shooting and purchasing a few tools to aid in the photographic process.  Some may say, with all the hours you spent on this, perhaps hiring a professional may not have been so costly. My response, you are likely correct. Still, I wanted to learn this skill, become proficient enough to create great images, and add it to my list of accomplishments. Is the ongoing learning curve worth the overwhelming time and effort? For me, yes. For others, perhaps not.  

I scoured countless articles and blogs regarding product photography, and most suggest a white or neutral background for most everything. Websites, submitting images to potential clients and any social media or catalog placements. With this in mind, I gave it a go. My set up is simple with all the basic equipment for product photography. I also followed the suggestions for lighting, camera settings and opting for a white background.

I must admit, after re-shooting and editing my entire collection I thought, what did I do? I had been so used to shooting on a gradient, or gray background, so seeing my images float on stark white was quite startling.  It took a while before I liked what I was seeing. This change made my website look much cleaner and minimal, which better reflects my design aesthetic, so double bonus! If you visited jackiejordanstudio.com in the past days, the changes in my images are evident and I would love to know what you think!

I've learned a tremendous amount in this quest for, if not perfection, at least images I am proud to publish. There is still much to accomplish and learn, but I am thrilled I made it to this place in my photographic journey. 

My next quest, modeling my jewelry to showcase size, proportion and aesthetic. A scary proposition, but one I must take on. 

Wish me luck in pursuing this next milestone!

Jackie 

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