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Susan Elnora helps you embrace your demons.

I first discovered Susan Elnora’s Embrace Your Demons collection when the designer posted this image on her IG with the following quote:

Susan Elnora demon necklaces in silver with gemstone eyes.

Don’t fight your demons. Your demons are here to teach you lessons. Sit down with your demons and have a drink and a chat and learn their names and talk about the burns on their fingers and scratches on their ankles. Some of them are very nice.”

— Charles Bukowski

I’ve always had a weird fascination with/love for gargoyles and these cute little articulated Susan Elnora demons give me the exact same ugly/cute dangerous fiercely protective vibe. I loved the designs at first sight – but then I read the Bukowski quote and I felt it all the way in the depths of my heart.

Susan Elnora dog demon, cat demon, and regular demon necklaces in silver

If there’s anything I’ve learned in my 34 years of life, it’s that everyone has certain demons that they’ll have to battle with again and again over the years.

You know about some of mine (like my chronic pain), but, like pretty much everyone, I also have other more secret struggles that I don’t share with most people. I don’t necessarily accept the idea that the hard things in life are meant to be lessons, but I do believe that our ongoing demons are something that we need to learn to live with, whatever that means for us.

As much as I loved Susan Elnora’s demons when I first saw them, I forgot about the collection until I happened across Susan Elnora at the Baltimore American Craft Council Show in February. I always love visiting Susan at this show; her designs are so much fun and she always has something new to love!

Susan Elnora's demon necklaces are all handamde and unique

The demons are SO CUTE in person! Fully irresistible. I can’t get enough of their charismatic little faces, their asymmetrical shapes, their unique wings. Each Susan Elnora demon starts as a freehand sketch drawn by the designer and then individually made by hand, and it shows.

I’m ashamed to say this year I took almost no pictures at Susan’s booth because I was too busy playing with her Embrace Your Demons collection (these pictures all come from Susan’s Instagram.)

The Susan Elnora Embrace Your Demons collection has expanded since its inception to include pet demons, which can even be custom ordered to match your pet! I particularly love the kitty cat demons. (I’m very allergic to cats, though, so maybe I just see them as slightly sinister.)

Necklaces from the Susan Elnora Embrace Your Demons collection. Silver with gemstone eyes.

Don’t fall in love with the demon on the left, because he’s mine!

I’m not just calling dibs – I’m wearing him right now, with my pajamas. He came home with me from the February show. I’m passionately in love with him, from his flashing orange sapphire eyes to the tips of his pointy ears. He’s my little buddy and he hangs out on my neck to protect me and remind me that I’m strong. I’ve already taken to wearing him for extra strength I have to do something particularly nerve wracking.

I’m also no stranger to Susan Elnora’s darkly adorable mythical designs – I’m already the proud owner of one of her unicorn skull necklaces. I’ve also shared a few other of her creations on IG, including this other unicorn and this narwhal.

What do you think of Susan’s demons, my darlings? Is this collection resonating with you too?

Susan Elnora demon necklaces and skull ring

All photos c/o Susan Elnora’s Instagram.

Each Susan Elnora demon necklace is individually handmade by the artist You can now get a Susan Elnora demon custom pet necklace made to look like your pet in demon form! Two demon necklaces by Susan Elnora. Handmade in silver. Susan Elnora's Embrace Your Demons collection. Handmade demon necklaces in silver with gems! Susan Elnora cat demon necklace Necklaces from the Susan Elnora Embrace Your Demons collection. Handmade in silver with gemstone eyes. Handmade necklaces from the Susan Elnora Embrace Your Demons collection. All in silver with gemstone eyes. Every Susan Elnora demon necklace is individually handmade by the artist in silver with gemstones.

Level up your photos with a clip on phone light.

I added a clip on phone light to my on-the-go  photography arsenal shortly before my VicenzaOro adventures last fall and ever since then, people have been chasing me down at trade shows to ask me where I found it. The happy truth is that it’s easy to find, easy to use, and super cheap!

Level up your jewelry photos with a clip on phone light.

If you’ve ever seen me in action at a trade show or jewelry store, you know I’ll do anything to find the right lighting. I’ll sit on the floor, I’ll lean under a table – whatever it takes. But sometimes even the most undignified contortions get me nowhere. Some places are too dark, too bright, or just wrong.

This clip on phone light is my new favorite jewelry photography tool!A clip on phone light solves this problem. Having an easily portable source of adjustable light makes an enormous difference. A lot of convention centers (which is where trade shows usually are) have reddish or yellowish light, which doesn’t do most jewelry any favors. The clip on phone light shines white light, which is perfect for diamonds.

We’ve talked about tips and tricks for good phone photography here on the blog before. Anyone who’s ever taken a picture knows that light is the biggest thing to make or break a shot, and when you’re working with a subject as reflective as jewelry, it’s even more critical.

An example of the difference a clip on phone light can make in jewelry photography. This necklace is by Susan Elnora.See what a difference it can make? Two completely unedited photos: the first with a phone light, the second without. This fabulous necklace is by Susan Elnora.

The clip on phone light’s biggest issue is that it sometimes provides too much light, and the ring of light can be reflected in certain gemstones, especially cabochons. This particular light adjusts to offer three different levels of light.

Like any photo strategy, the clip on selfie light requires some practice to to really get things down. But I’ve found that it’s definitely worth the effort, especially if you take a lot of jewelry photos on the go like me!

An example of the difference a clip on phone light can make in jewelry photography.I can’t tell you how many people have ordered these for themselves after seeing mine in action – more than a dozen by now, if not two dozen.

This post is for all of you who have wanted to ask how to get your own phone light but haven’t had a chance. And so that instead of giving the laborious instructions, “Go to Amazon, search for clip-on selife light’ and then look for the one that….(etc)” I can just say “Search ‘phone light’ on my website and you’ll find the exact one!”

And on that note: I have to thank my fabulous friend Hannah Becker, who taught me about clip on phone lights in the first place! I’m spreading the phone light gospel, but I didn’t discover them without help. 

This post contains affiliate links. 

 The best thing you can do for your jewelry photos is to get yourself a clip on phone light! It makes a huge difference. An example of the difference a clip on phone light can make in jewelry photography. An example of the difference a clip on phone light can make in jewelry photography. This necklace is by Susan Elnora.

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