Official Blog of CrystalSplendor.com

We Are Up and Running Again

2012-01-29T05:31:00.000-08:00

We are currently operating on a loaner computer while our computer is being repaired (if it can be). So far we have been able to recoup eighty of our lost image files so we are well on our way to finish rebuilding the Crystal Splendor site.

The Crystal Bouquet Jewelry section of the site is almost finished. As many of our customers know, the site emphasizes using crystal and crystal figurines as decorating accents to enhance the beauty of a home.utilizing simple creative touches. Here's an idea for customers who love placing flowers around the home.

While Crystal Bouquet Jewelry is used to accent bridal bouquets, they can also be used to accent a flower arrangement in the home. The following are two very popular customer choices.

Butterfly Bouquet Jewelry

BQ-Butterfly-Small

Dragonfly Crystal Bouquet

Jewelry (Set of 2)

The small Butterfly retails for $11.99 and the Dragonfly retails for $18.99. Shipping for each item is $9.95. You can see that there is great detail in each of these pieces. If you would like to order one of these items before the new site is published, simply send your request to sales@crystalsplendor.com and we will contact you to process your order.

When It Rains It Pours on Crystal Splendor Figurines

2012-01-23T07:27:00.000-08:00

Just when you think things are going well, the clouds open and dump a massive amount of rain on your home fire, even when the forecast is clear. That's pretty much what has happened in the past ten days.

The first thunderbolt was a hacker who managed to attacked my personal E-Mail account and copied my contact list. This low-life mailed a really stupid E-Mail to the list promoting a biz-opp program. I wouldn't have been so offended if the sales letter were well written, but it wasn't. The best I can say is it was written by an uneducated fool. Imagine having the skill to hack into Verizon's system, but not having the skill to write with proper grammar and spelling.

The next thunderbolt was a biggie. Malware infected our computers and destroyed several files and sections on on the main drive. We lost several folders that contained our product images for the Bridal section on our new site. At least were able to borrow a computer from our service rep as long as it takes to repair our drive. I'll continue to work as quickly as I can with our supplier to rebuild our product folders.

Unfortunately, we have to reschedule the release of the new site to the end of February or sometime in March.

Status of New Site

2012-01-15T12:07:00.000-08:00

We have been working diligently on our new site. Our anticipated release of the new format was scheduled for January 2012. It's doubtful that that the site will be completed by the end of January. There are six areas of Bridal and Wedding Jewelry to be completed.

Crystal Florida has recently released all new images for their product line and we plan to use these new images on the new site. They also added eighteen new products to their list of products. These additions are extending our time line publication. Hopefully, we'll have everything completed by the end of February.

I've fallen behind on the blog posts so I must make amends. Each week I'll feature a piece of jewelry so you can get an idea of the range and beauty of these products. One of my favorite pieces is a set of green rhinestone earrings.

These earrings have an incredible sparkle for rhinestones. This closeup shows just how bright they are.

They are a real value at $16.99 and are suitable for both formal and casual wear. You can find them on the Jewelry Page (navigation column) at http://www.crystalsplendor.com/

Our Christmas Star Is Broken

2011-10-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

In November of 2010 we featured the star of our website, Ginger the kitten. I was rephotographing a Christmas crystal figurine to place on sale for the season. As I was cleaning up Ginger jumped into the photo box and started attacking the figurine.

Ginger's adventuresome went a bit too far this Spring. She came home after a hunt favoring her left hind leg. The diagnosis by the vet was "a dislocated elbow." The first treatment was to reset the joint and place a cast on it. Ginger wasn't happy with it when she came home from the clinic.

She was in this cast for four weeks initially before returning to the clinic for x-rays. Unfortunately, the joint would not heal properly so surgery was required. Two weeks later (it took that long to schedule a surgeon specialist) she had surgery to place a screw in the joint to hold a small bone in place. She returned home with a pink covered cast that an attendant with a sense of humor attached a Nike logo on the foot area of the cast.

In three more weeks she was due for more x-rays. In the meantime, Ginger never let the cast get in the way of her activities. She fought with her brother Skooch, ran up and down the stairs with abandon and always found ways not to let the cast spoil her naps.

Three weeks later she was back at the clinic for more x-rays. The tendon damage was completely healed and the bone settled nicely in place. The cast will remain on for another three weeks. That's a total of twelve weeks in a cast which is a lot for any animal. In spite of all the visits to the animal clinic and the prodding and probing and two surgeries, Ginger is her normal self enjoying her favorite places and hide-y-holes in the house.

Our CrystalSplendor.com website star feline may be broken but she will return to her glorious self in the next few months. She just has that kind of ego!

Crystal Splendor New Software Update

2011-09-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

Progress on the new software package is progressing nicely. While there is much to do to redesign the site template, the work has been going smoothly.

This week I will be adding a selection of bridal jewelry to the data base. Once a reasonable selection of product for all of the categories is complete, I will publish the site to the internet. The new software package will give our customers a variety of new features.

One of the new features on the package is an enlargement option. When you click on the thumbnail image of a product you will be taken to the description and order page. A larger image of the product will be shown. So far, that is the same as the current package. If you click the image on this page you will see a much larger image of the product. This is a very nice feature because you can get a better view of the cuts in the crystal and get a better overall view of the crystal figurine.

I'll post some other nice features of the new software package in future blog posts. So be sure to come back every week to stay current with our progress.

Feel free to add your comments or to ask questions.

Fashion Conscious Women Wear Crystal Jewelry

2011-09-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

The Swarovski Company has added a new business model. They have branched out and partnered with jewelry and apparel designers to develop new products using crystal stones. You have probably seen wedding TV shows with brides choosing dresses and veils decorated with crystal.

Actually, this is not a new trend. Women have been wearing crystal jewelry for a long time and various items of clothing have been adorned with rhinestones and or crystal for quite awhile. Swarovski is simply expanding these markets.

Fashion conscious women know the value of having some crystal jewelry in their jewelry box. There are times when simplicity or understatement in appearance is warranted. There are other times when other jewelry seems to clash in color or style.or with patterns.

The reason to have a few pieces of crystal jewelry is simple. Clear crystal is neutral. By that I mean it can be worn with any outfit without clashing with colors or patterns. You might say crystal jewelry is a salvation when pressed for time while dressing and none of the jewelry is working. My wife has that problem from time to time when getting ready for work. Crystal is the answer that saves a lot of frustration and aggravation.

Another good feature of crystal jewelry is it can be worn for both formal occasions and casual activities. Do you have some crystal jewelry in your jewelry box?

Another Crack In The Crystal Figurine Market

2011-09-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

The Swarovski Company enjoyed tremendous growth in the crystal figurine market. They sold their products through a vast network of gift, jewelry, greeting card and variety retail stores. Business was booming.

In the 1990;s they made a fatal mistake in the manufacturing business. They changed their business model from distributing to retailers to selling from their own company run stores. They went back to their retailers and reclaimed the inventory. Naturally, the retailers were devastated. Hundreds of retailers throughout the country lost a profitable product line which ultimately resulted in very bad feelings toward Swarovski..

Swarovski placed their stores in high-end shopping centers and malls. The expense for this model was enormous and they ultimately realized that they could not get the same distribution of product as the retail distribution model and be profitable. Consequently, they started closing all their stores.

Today only a few retailers carry the Swarovski crystal figurine line. If you wish to purchase a Swarovski figurine, it is simply easier to order online rather search for a retail store.

One of the basic concepts in manufacturing is "stay in the manufacturing end of business." Historically, manufacturers who run their own retail stores are destined to failure. Only a very few have been able to make the model work for awhile, but they too eventually close their company run stores.

Swarovski's model change put a huge crack in the crystal figurine business. Product was not easily available to consumers (remember, this all happened before the internet was viable) and serious collectors felt cheated.

However, this great void in the market spurred on a number of American entrepreneur craftsmen to design and sell their crystal figurines to the retail stores. The crystal figurine market rebounded for a period of about ten years thanks to the American entrepreneurial spirit.

Swarovski has another new business model which seems to be working very well. It has nothing to do with crystal figurines. It might make for a good future post.

Hurricane Irene and Crystal Splendor

2011-08-29T06:06:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not being able to update our posts on the crystal figurine market for this week. Janet and I spent most of our time preparing our property for the storm. We stayed off of our computers during the hurricane to avoid any hazards from a possible electrical storm.

I'll post my last piece on the crystal figurine market over the Labor Day weekend so please come back. This new information might really surprise you.

Why Crystal Figurine Companies Went Out of Business

2011-08-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

There are two root causes that American crystal figurine companies exited the marketplace. While there is always the normal challenges of survival in the market, that was not the primary cause of so many companies falling to the wayside.

The primary cause is generational. Most of the entrepreneurs that started their businesses were from "The Greatest Generation." These men were willing to learn the trade and had the patience for the tedious work of cutting, sizing, buffing and polishing crystal. They had prior experience in business and saw the opportunity in a growing market.

Basically, they were selling their products to people in their own generation. These customers valued beauty and quality in their homes. These were the same people who scrimped and saved to buy and place beautiful china, glassware, crystal and silverware on their dining room table and throughout their houses.

As the original owners of the companies retired, they passed their businesses on to their sons or other family members who were already working in the business and knew the trade. This is the point where generational attitudes changed. As these new owners retired, they found that they could not find people who wanted to learn the trade.

The current generation of today is interested in electronic gadgets like mobile phones, electronic games or electronic readers. Instant gratification and throwaway toys is the norm. Their interests have taken them in a different direction and different markets. Today's youth are focused on technology and technical careers.

This major shift in generational attitudes, i.e., no replacement craftsmen and a shrinking market ultimately led to the closing of the American crystal figurine businesses. Inventories were sold off at a large discount and the doors were closed one by one.

While the crystal figurine market is smaller than it was four years ago, the market is still strong and vibrant. It's just that most of the crystal figurines sold in America will be made in Europe, China, Japan and other countries where craftsmanship as a career is still valued.

The Changing Crystal Figurine Market

2011-08-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

Back in the 1980's the crystal figurine market began to emerge as a large collectible market. By the 1990's there were over twenty American companies designing and selling crystal figurines. The volume of figurines produced was huge and the variety of designs was extensive. Many of the craftsmen used genuine Swarovski Austrian crystal in their designs.

Today, there is only one American company still producing crystal figurines, Crystal Mountain. They are located in the Poconos of Pennsylvania and have been in business for over twenty-four years and still sell to retail stores throughout the country. There are several reasons only one company remains which I'll cover in a future post.

The crystal figurine collectible market is shrinking, but a new market is emerging. That market is the "crystal figurine home decor accent" market. Home owners are now using these figurines as focal points in their homes rather than putting them in a curio cabinet. We sensed this change two years ago and have been participating in this trend by showing different settings on our website.

If you have a nice setting and would like to share it with others, take a photo and send it to us attached to an E-Mail. Send it to designs@crystalsplendor.com

Our Bridal Jewelry Department Is Progressing

2011-08-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

I found that adding jewelry to Crystal Splendor is a bit more involved than I thought. We not only have to build the department on the old software package, we also have to repeat the same procedure on the new software package. This process will take a lot more time than anticipated.

So as not to disappoint our customers, I am putting only a few of the most frequently sought after pieces on the old site. The full selection will be on the new site.

The next challenge is whether or not to include veils in the selection. There are literally hundreds of veil variations that include length, color, edge trimming and styles. It's been a long time since I went through the marriage process. I could be wrong, but I think most brides to be would want to purchase their veil where they buy their wedding dress. I welcome any comments from our readers and customers. Help me out! Send your opinion to: support@crystalsplendor.com

Bridal Jewelry Coming to Crystal Splendor

2011-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

After four months of resesarch, we have selected the beautiful bridal jewelry Elegance by Carboneau to be in our jewelry department on CrystalSplendor.com. The Elegance line offers only the most trendy, elegant & classic wedding items & accessory styles and our prices will be very affordable.

With our vast trendsetting assortment of items, we can guarantee that each of our customers’ vision of a perfect wedding day is realized. Our exclusive collection of wedding products will include Crystal Tiaras, Couture Beaded Veils, Classic and Couture Bridal Jewelry, Swarovski Crystal Monogram Cake Toppers, Bridal Gloves, Bouquet Jewelry & Much More!

We will begin adding the jewelry to Crystal Splendor on August 5th. The line is very extensive and will take a great deal of time to complete the department. At the same time, I will be redesigning the website on another software package. "Patience is a virtue" so please be virtuous.

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New Happenings at Crystal Splendor

2011-07-24T08:51:00.000-07:00

Over the past five years we tried to add new features to the website. We've changed templates, colors and Home Page formats. These changes were made to make the website easier to use and more attractive.

Unfortunately, our current software is limited in scope so we have decided to upgrade to another software package. This will give us an opportunity to add a number of unique features that will greatly benefit our customers. While we aren't starting from the very beginning, construction of the new site will take between four and six months.

Customers can still order from the current site without any problems. CrystalSplendor.com will remain totally functional. However, we may change the colors as an experiment so don;t be surprised if you don't see the light green and aqua background colors. Everything else will remain the same.

Here are the things that are being done right now:

     1. The current line of crystal jewelry is being dropped.
     2. A new design for the site is being developed.
     3. More Crystal Mountain figurines are being added.

The new site will offer:

     1. A limited selection of bridal jewelry with many items suited for both formal and informal wear.
     2. Low cost jewelry for children and the budget conscious.
     3. A private membership area for customers.
     4. A survey section where customers can offer their requests and opinions.
     5. A Wish List section.
     6. A new opt-in section where customers can sign up for the newsletter.

These are just a few of the new items being added. There are some more nice features that will be included in the new site. I'll post those features in a month or two.

Some Crystal Figurines Make Good Bookends

2011-07-18T05:03:00.000-07:00

Remodelling the living room gave us a chance to cleanup the bookcase. Over the years outdated magazines and books we no longer wanted to keep cluttered the bookcase. Repacking the bookcase was a good time to clean out and get rid of the "junk."

The additional space gained provided a chance to nicely display some of our favorite crystal figurines. We used a crystal elephant and a crystal dolphins on a heart as book ends. While it would look better with two elephants, I have only one. Nonetheless, we like the result.

If your crystal figurines are large and heavy enough, they make very attractive bookends.

Prior to the remodel, the crystal ship was placed on top of the bookcase, but guests couldn't get a good look at the ship so we placed it in the center of the bookcase (thanks to the added space we gained). We like the new Look. What do you think? Feel free to make a comment.

A Touch of Home Decor with Crystal Figurines

2011-07-10T05:20:00.000-07:00

Unpacking our collectables after remodelling the living room is taking a great deal of time. We are carefully cleaning each piece before placing the figurines in the curio cabinets. As I was unpacking some crystal figurines, I placed the Pink Swan on an end table so I could get to the smaller figurines.

After all the crystal figurines were unpacked and placed in the cabinet, I noticed that I forgot to put the Swan in the cabinet. It suddenly dawned on me that the table top arrangement was an interesting decor accent so I took a picture to share with our customers.

The Tiffany imitation lamp is a small candle lamp. The ceramic figurines of Marie Antoinette and Joseph ll, made by Josep of California are over sixty years old. They were purchased by my wife's grandmother.

Sometimes you just stumble into an interesting home decor arrangement without thinking about it.

I Lost the Battle for the New Curio Cabinet

2011-07-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

I unpacked the figurine boxes with great anticipation and enthusiasm. I just couldn't wait to set out my wife's cat figurine collection so I could determine how many crystal figurines I could put in the cabinet. As I started to put out the last of the cats and several crystal pieces feeling very confident that my crystal would be beautifully displayed, my wife came home.

She loved the display, but threw me a curve ball. "Where are the rest of my cats?" she said determinedly. By the tone of her voice, I knew what that meant. There was another box filled to the top.

The "best plans of mice and men" are often put aside in the face of the wiles of a woman. My wife has a lot of wiles that work very effectively on me. She won, I lost! Actually, I really didn't lose. She was so delighted and happy that her cat figurines were nicely displayed that it was worth giving up some space to see the sheer joy on her face.

I managed to place a few crystal figurines in the cabinet, but the camera doesn't clearly pick up the outlines. The pictures say it all!

The cabinet has a mirror for the back panel. This make getting a clear shot of the figurines very difficult. The shelves look like they are jammed-packed, but they are not.

You can see the crystal, but you can't discern the outline of the figurines. Once again, the mirror causes reflection problems altering the appearance of the figurines.

If you look closely, the crystal figurine on the lower shelf is a Dragon. It is an elaborately cut figurine, but the facets can't be seen.

The bottom of the cabinet was filled with the larger figurines to add visual balance to the other shelves. We didn't raise the large cat at the bottom. My wife likes the idea the cat looks like it's peeking over the door frame.

Overall, everything worked out well. I'm happy with the display and my wife is ecstatic. What more could a man ask for?

We're Back to Unpacking Our Crystal Figurines

2011-06-26T06:27:00.001-07:00

After many weeks of remodelling our living room, we have finally reached a point where we can safely unpack our crystal figurines and other collectables. We purchased another curio cabinet to display our crystal and my wife's cat figurine collection.

I will be showing photos of the new cabinet on this blog in the near furure. It is going to be a challenge to get good photos without flash reflections on the front glass panel. This curio cabinet opens from the side. If you followed our posts on photographing collections in glass cabinets, you know the kinds of problems I'm talking about. Nonetheless, I'm going to give it a try.

I will also be posting some new ideas for creating interesting decor settings in your home. Crystal figurines have gone beyond the collectible and gifting customers. Many of our new customers are telling us that they are using some pieces from their collection as decor accessories. There's nothing like a little "sparkle" in your home.

Sunlight Improves Crystal Figurine Photos

2011-04-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

Some of the best photos of crystal figurines in my album are those taken outside in the sunlight, particularly those taken in the late afternoon. As I have mentioned before, background colors and lighting affect the quality of the photograph.

Take a look at the two different photos of the same figurine. In the first, the background color influenced the color of the crystal which is 100% clear except for the flags.

The outline and facets on the sails and ship are hard to see. Details in the flags can't be seen. Now take a look at the ship photographed outside in the Fall under a shade tree. While this shot isn't the best that can be taken, it is an improvement.

In this photo you can at least see that the ship figurine is made with clear crystal. You can also see some detail in the flgs. However the gray tabletop does tend to blur the outline of the sails and the ship's body. If I were to photograph this ship again outdoors, I would either set it up with blue sky as the background or set it six or eight feet in front of a bush. The bush would simply fade into a background blur in the photo. The figurine would be far enough away from the bush so that there would be no color influence on the crystal.

If you are having trouble with bacground colors ruining your crystal photos, try taking your shots outdoors. With warm weather coming you'll find your outdoor photo activities enjoyable.

If you have some crystal figurine photos that you like to share, send them to designs@crystalsplendor.com

Backgrounds Affect Crystal Figurine Photo Results

2011-03-06T06:17:00.000-08:00

Crystal figurine shots with wood backgrounds are perhaps the most difficult photos to get right. The color of the wood will dominate the color of the figurine. This photo is a shot of a handblown glass figurine made by an Austrian craftsman. The figurine is called "Blessed Mother." To the upper left are two ornaments hanging from a shelf. The customer invited me to take these photos.

As you can see, the glass appears to blend in with the wood background. That's because the camera, figurine and background are in a straight line. The following shows what happens by moving slightly to the left.

While this is still not a great photo, it is much better than the first. The outline of the figurine is clearer and you can see the hands folded in prayer. The back of the figurine can be seen in the mirror, This photo is better because the wood is not in a direct line with the camera. The additonal angle helps to negate the effect of the background on the figurine.

Moving another six inches to the left strenthened the outline of the figurine. It is slightly clearer. Unfortunately, this is the best shot this setting has to offer. I took over fifteen shots and the ones shown here are the best. To get a good photo of this figurine requires a different setting.

When I looked back over all my figurine photos, the worst ones were those with wood backgrounds. I can't explain why, it"s just that way!

Send Us Your Crystal Figurine Display Photos

2011-02-20T08:36:00.000-08:00

I won't be taking photos of the various crystal figurine displays we like to set up through the year. It will be about three months to remodel the living room and refurnish it. All our crystal figurines are packed and stored for safe keeping.

Help! Please send us your photos of how you display your crystal figurines so I can put them on this blog or on our website, www.CrystalSplendor.com Your photos don;t need to be perfect. I can improve most photos with our photo software. If I can't improve the photo, I will send you an E-Mail with suggestions to get a better photo when you do a re- shot.

Send your E-Mail with your photo as an attachment to: designs@crystalsplendor.com

I am not a good photographer. As a matter of fact, I'm a pretty poor one. But I have learned how to get reasonably good shots of crystal figurines and gemstones. With all the new advances with digital cameras and photo-phones, good photography has become much easier. However, photographing glass, crystal and gems is still a bit difficult. View the posts from 7/27 to 11/1 on photographing crystal figurines. You'll find the tips very helpful and will improve your photos immensely.

We Are Packing Up Our Crystal Figurines

2011-02-13T05:34:00.000-08:00

No, we aren't giving up on our collection. We are simply packing them up for safety as we remodel several rooms in our house. After 25 years of the same furniture, my wife and I realize our tastes in furniture has changed, Of course the wear and tear on the furniture from years of cats and dogs and everyday use has a lot to do with our decision.

Our collection is displayed in the living room on the fireplace mantle, bookcase and a curio cabinet and sometimes on an endtable. Since the living room is being rehabed, the figurines have to be removed and secured in boxes placed somewhere else in the house where no construction equipment or materials can come in contact with them.

The living room is getting a major makeover. The ceiling is getting drywall to cover a foundation crack that just won't go away. The fireplace is being redesigned and rebuilt. A theater style drop ceiling is being built over the fireplace with ceiling lights installed. Once the construction is done, new rugs and furniture will be added.

If we get good photos of before and after, we'll post them. It may give you some ideas for displaying your crystal figurines.

Did Scooch Help With Christmas Shipping?

2011-02-06T06:35:00.000-08:00

Well, sort of. Scooch was more interested in the gift wrapping process than shipping crystal figurines. His contribution was pulling ribbon off the spool and putting decorative designs in the paper with his claws. He was quite creative and artistic in his designs.

But, I must admit, Scooch did help out now and then. When Ginger was busy inspecting crystal figurines and packaging, Scooch helped out pulling orders from the fax machine. He definitely left his mark on the orders.

It's wonderful having free help at Christmas! How could I possibly run my business without Ginger and Scooch.

Shipping Crystal Figurines Is Exhausting Work!

2011-01-31T06:45:00.000-08:00

If you have followed this blog and our website CrystalSplendor.com you know we have featured our cat, Ginger, on several occasions. She was very busy in November and December pulling orders from the fax machine, inspecting the crystal figurines before shipment and checking packing material for safe delivery before shipping.

On the last shipping day for Christmas delivery she just crashed,

Ginger is a small cat, but loaded with energy, courage and curiosity. Actually, she is the most curious cat we have ever had. When we ship crystal figurines from our home office, I open each box, remove the packing and inspect the figurine before shipping out to our customer. Since this process requires two hands, I have to put the figurine down on the packing table. Ginger jumps on the table and sits in front of the figurine then visually inspects it. She leans in a bit and smells the figurine then lightly taps it with her front paw. She looks up at me as if to say, "I approve." It's quite hilarious.

Ginger's behaviors never cease to amaze me. I wonder how I could ever run my business without her. Her antics take the stress out of the daily routine.

Changes Are Coming To CrystalSplendor.com

2011-01-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

Each year for the past five years we have made an effort to improve the Crystal Splendor website. These changes included different headers, color schemes, image sizes, articles on crystal figurines, returning customer discounts and long running sales to just mention a few.

Over the next three to six months we will be making a whole host of changes that are designed to make the website more interesting and user friendly for our customers and new visitors. Our first major product change starts mid-February. We are dropping our current line of jewelry made with Swarovski Austrian crystal and replacing it with Swarovski crystal jewelry from three different manufacturers. This change offers our jewelry customers a much wider selection of styles and colors more suitable to their tastes and budgets.

We have another major change coming in March that will affect all our returning customers. Keep viewing this blog to stay current with all the changes. If you have any suggetions or comments on the website, please leave a comment after this post. What changes do you think we should make?

What Can You Do With Crystal Figurines?

2011-01-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

Long time collectors place their crystal figurines in cabinets for safety. This is sensible, particularly if you have energetic pets. A curio cabinet keeps all of the figurines together and displays them as a unit. However, this group of collectors is dwindling in numbers
These collectors are being replaced by homemakers who use the crystal figurines as decorating accessories. They buy fewer figurines, but buy with a specific design idea in mind. Sometimes they just combine their figurines for a new look in a room. The following picture is a good example of a simple, but lovely combination.

The homemaker combined a crystal Peacock with a Pink Rose Crystal Basket and placed them on a mirror purchased from a Dollar Store. It's a simple, yet stunning display. The crystal catches the sunlight from the bay window and the sparkle catches the eye as soon as you walk into the room. This display is an absolutely perfect example of how crystal figurines can be used to add interest to a room or an area.

If you have a photo of a display you have created, send us the photo as an attachment to an Email. We will publish your display on this blog or on our website. Send to: designs@CrystalSplendor.com. If you wish to maintain your privacy, we will only publish your first name, first letter of last name, town and state. Example: Mary J. Cherry Hill, NJ. If you prefer, we can publish your photo only with no reference to you.

Thank You and Happy New Year

2010-12-31T08:03:00.000-08:00

On behalf of the Crystal Splendor staff, I'd like to thank all our customers and blog readers for a reasonably good year. What started out as a terrible year for merchants ended up with some promising events. The severe recession took its toll on most businesses, particularly the collectibles industry.

However, we saw a slow, but steady increase in business starting in September. Perhaps consumers are feeling a little bit better about their own financial situations even though their outlook on the general economy is still pessimistic. We'll see how things work out with this new Congress.

This coming year, 2011, will bring a number of new changes to http://www.crystalsplendor.com/. Keep checking this blog as we begin to implement these changes so you can stay current with everything that will be going on. We hope these changes will be helpful and beneficial to our customers.

Enough said! Have a Happy and Safe New Year!

Answers To The Aurora Borealis Questions

2010-11-22T07:45:00.000-08:00

The two most common questions about aurora borealis (AB) treated crystal figurines is:

What is it?

If the crystal is designated as clear on a website, why does it show in various colors?

Aurora Borealis is a metallic oxide coating applied to crystal to create a range of colors depending on the light source, color of surrounding objects and ambient light in the room. To the naked eye an AB treated crystal figurine will reflect very soft colors of the rainbow while still maintaining its crystal clarity. However, changing the light intensity will cause the reflected colors to deepen or become darker.

It is almost impossible to photograph an AB crystal figurine and capture the clear appearance of the figurine. The intensity of the flash will heighten the hues of the colors and make the figurine look as though is is made with colored crystal. The following photos are of the same crystal ornament photographed with two different backgrounds. Notice how the AB colors are different in each shot.

In this setting the colors are moderate hues of light blue, lavender and a touch of yellow.

In this photo the color hues are much deeper and range from dark to light blue and lavender to deep purple. Notice that the crystal berries are showing clear. They do not have an AB coating.

You can see a number of AB treated crystal figurines at http://www.crystalsplendor.com/ and order with confidence that the AB figurines are actually clear.

Set Up A Christmas Display Using Crystal Figurines

2010-11-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

Using crystal figurines as Christmas decorations is much easier than you think and you can use materials and objects that you already have . The first photo features a reindeer and a sleigh.

These two pieces are the basis for the display. The reindeer is a unusual design. The head is hard to see in a photograph because of the intricate scroll work for a candle holder attached to the antlers. Also, for additional strength there is a solid piece of crystal between the front and hind legs. That makes it harder to see the outline of the legs.

When you think about reindeer and sleighs you also think about Santa Claus, Christmas trees and perhaps seasonal flowers so we will add those elements This display needs some color so we've added a red Christmas tree and and a floral arrangement of poinsettias. Here's what that looks like.

The display looks fine as it is, but I think it could use a touch of something else. Well of course, a Santa Claus figurine. This is what the final display looks like.

Adding the Santa provides a good visual balance to the display. The reindeer and sleigh are Gorham crystal from Lenox, the ruby red tree is Fenton glass, the Santa is a Lenox figurine and the floral arrangement is made with silk flowers that we have had for over twenty-five years. The individual pieces were acquired over many years. We try to do something different with them each year.

Sometimes the simplest of displays can bring the most joy. Your kids or grandchildren would love the following dsiplay.

The crystal figurine is is a Mother Kangaroo with a baby in the pouch popping out of a Christmas gift box. The box is from the Dollar Store and is stuffed with tissue. The floral background is an eight inch candle ring placed upright against the wall. The display is novel, easy to do and not expensive if you already have a figurine.

Christmas Bells Are Ringing

2010-11-08T06:40:00.000-08:00

Crystal Mountain has introduced four new Bells for 2010. The bells are made with genuine Swarovski Austrian crystal and have a lovely crystal sound when rung.

Each bell retails for $65 and is on sale for $55. They can be ordered at http://www.crystalsplendor.com/ from the Home Page. Quatities are limited so order early.

Christmas Bell

The Christmas Bell is 7" tall and the base is 3" in diameter. The bell base is engraved at the top of the base and the handle is tapered. All of the bells come with the Christmas trim which can be removed to display the bells all year long.

Holiday Bell

The Holiday Bell has a tapered handle and a bell shaped base 3" in diameter. The bell is 7" and is engraved in a long, narrow leaf pattern. Trim is included.

Yule Tide Bell

The Yule Tid Bell is similar to the Holiday Bell. The difference is in the slope of the bell base. The bell gently flares out to a bell shape from the top. The base is 3" in diameter and the handle is tapered. Overall length is 7" and the upper base is engraved.

Winter Bell

The Winter Bell is a sleek, narrow bell standing 9" tall with a base of 2" in diameter. The top of the bell is engraved and the trim is included. It's a beautiful crystal figurine and will be a converstion piece with your guests and friends.

Each of the bells can stand alone for display or can be combined with other Christmas decorations to produce a fuller display.

In the next post, we'll demonstrate how to build up an interesting Christmas display using crystal figurines. It's much easier than you think and you can use the materials you already have.

New Crystal Figurines For 2010

2010-11-01T05:24:00.000-07:00

Crystal Mountain has announced the introduction of seven new figurines for 2010. This week we will show you three new roses and next week we'll show the four new Crystal Bells. All Crystal Mountain Figurines are made with genuine Swarovski Austrian crystal.

These two roses each sell for $25 and are on sale for $22 at http://www.crystalsplendor.com/. Returning customers also get an additional 10% discount.

Clear Crystal Rose

The Clear rose is 1 1/2 " wide and 2 1/2" long

Blue Crystal Rose

The Blue Rose is 1 1/2" wide and 3" long.

The next rose is a distinctively beautiful and unique crystal figurine. It is called "Christmas Rose" and is 3" wide and 9" long. The figurine does not follow the normal scheme of design. The petals would normally be red crystal, but in this rose they are clear crystal. The center is red crystal. Now that's different. The Christmas Rose retails for $290 and is on sale for $246.

Christmas Rose

There is one problem with these roses. There are only thirty of each rose available. Once they are sold out, they will no longer be available. You can consider these figurines as Limited Editions.

You can order these crystal roses at http://www.crystalsplendor.com/ We show them on our Home Page.

Use Materials Available To You For Crystal Figurine Displays

2010-10-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

Use the materials you have around the house to build your displays. The best displays are those that are simple in design. Combine your crystal figurines with other figurines of different materials.

For this display we combined two playful ceramic kittens with a crystal flower basket. It's a real eye-catcher when you walk into the living room. Actually, it's a lot of fun to put these displays together. Obviously my wife is a cat lover (well so am I) so we have dozens of cats made from different materials and we never run out of ideas to brigten up a dull spot in a room.

But don't limit yourself to other figurines. You have lots of little items around the house that you can combine with crystal figurines to make an attractive display. Think candles, small boxes, kids blocks, flowers, mirrors, holiday items and so on.

If you have a display photo you would like to share, send us an E-Mail with the photo as an attachment to info@crystalsplendor.com We will publish it either on this blog or on our http://www.crystalsplendor.com/ website.

Feel free to leave a comment and a link.

Decorate Your Home With Crystal Figurines

2010-10-18T05:29:00.000-07:00

Homemakers are increasingly using crystal figurines as home decor accessories. Even serious collectors with full curio cabinets will place figurines around the home to add interest to cetain areas.

We all have those end tables that end up cluttered with unreaed mail or magazines, catalogs and just general junk. You know, those things we plan to get to later. That's a good place to set up a small crystal figurine display. It doesn't have to be elaborate. Just take your favorite figurine, combine it with some candles and you have a functional point of interest. There's no room for those odds and ends.

But it doesn't end there. You can create an enjoyable atmosfere with your display. My wife love candles, particularly the fragrant ones. She burns candles through the Fall, Winter and Spring. Sometimes on a Saturday evening after a week of hard work, we'll light the firepalace and candles and turn off the lights and just talk. The atmosphere is relaxing and even romatic at times.

The above photo was taken during the day and the following photo taken at night without lights. I think you get the idea.

Why You Should Photograph Your Crystal Figurines

2010-10-11T06:40:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons to photograph your figurines, but there are three main issues to be considered. If you are a serious collector you no doubt have a large investment in your crystal figurines. Protection and safety of your collection should be paramount.

Photograph your crystal for insurance purposes. If your collection is stolen or damaged in a fire you are entitled to be reimbursed for your investment provided you have sent photos of your figurines and the fair market value for each piece to your insurance company.

Another consideration is the scarcity of "sold out" limited editions and discontinued figurines. Once these pieces are no longer available there is always the possibility of an increase in value on the secondary market. You will need photos if you choose to sell them on an internet auction site.

Don't forget that through the 1980's and 1990's there were over twenty companies in America that designed and sold crystal figurines. Many of these pieces were beautiful and done in different styles and patterns from the other companies in foreign countries. They were uniquely American. Unfortunately, these craftsman have either retired or died with no replacement, leaving only one company in America still designing and selling crystal figurines.

Of course we can't forget photographing crystal figurines for your own purposes. With proper software you can use your photos on calendars, bookmarks, collages, greeting cards, stationery and a host of other items Or you might enjoy showing photos of your favorite figurines to neighbors, friends and relatives.

There are many good reasons to photograph your crystal figurines and that is why we made so many "how to" posts on this blog to help you get the best shots of your crystal.

Decorate Your Home With Crystal Figurines

2010-10-04T08:37:00.000-07:00

Homemakers across the country are doing something new with crystal figurines. Granted, serious collectors are displaying their figurines in a curio cabinet and gifters are are still giving crystal figurines that have meaning for their friends and family.

But the new trend is decorating those dull spots in the home with the sparkle of crystal figurines. There are so many ways and reasons to use crystal figurines as decorating accessories. If you combine your figurines with other items and different objects you can create an interesting display in your home. There are no rules or limitations. Just do what you think will look nice and keep those displays that please you.

If you have a photo of a display you would like to share, send the photo as an attachment to the E-Mail and send to support@crystalsplendor.com With your permission we will publish it on our site:
http://www.crystalsplendor.com/

How To Use A Photo Imaging Editor

2010-09-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

Many of the photo imaging editor software are similar in their functions so you should have no problem following along if you aren't using Photo Pad from www.ACHSoftware.com

Let's get started. Double click on the Photo Pad icon on your desktop. Across the top of the page are Files, Effects, Tools and Help. You can access all of the functions of the software from here or you can use the icons on the next two rows.

Get familiar with the icons by placing your cursor on each icon. A pop-up window will appear telling you the function of the icon. Don't worry if there are functions with which you aren't familiar. The software is user friendly so you can experiment till your heart's content.

I've selected a slightly flawed image to use for demonstration. The first icon on the first row is "Open." Click the icon and you will be transfered to your folders. Select the folder then the image you want to work with.

Click the image file and then click open..

This image is OK, but is has a flaw on the right border. Part of the background material is curled so I want to remove it from the
photo. Also, I think the image can be enhanced.

Always start by tyring to improve the photo. Go to the Auto Level icon and click ( looks like a stock market chart or mountain peaks). The image may or may not change. A new section on the right side of the screen will appear. If you like the image click approve or you can click cancel and try using the other functions to achieve the results you want.

Next step is to crop out the fold from the border. The first icon on the second row is the crop tool. Click it and in the top right of the screen select from the list. "No constraint" allows you to move each border to where you want it, " original properties" maintains the relationship between height and width of the image, "square" will change the image from rectangle to square and "golden ratio" will create a horizontal image like a panorama image.

To crop your image, place the cursor on the red border line until the cursor changes to a staight arrow. Left click and drag the red border to where you want it then click "Apply."

This is the result of both functions. The curl is gone and the background is a rich, deep blue. The photo is significantly improved. But let's say you want the image to look much different.

Try the Grayscale, Sepia, Negative or Mosaic tools for a different look.

Grayscale removes all colors and creates a version of the old black and white photos.

Sepia changes the photo to a brown photo similar to those taken in the late 1800's. Use the slide bar in the right corner to lighten or darken.

The Negative tools produced this image. You have to admit that sometimes you get strange results. However, I did take the grayscale image and used the negative tool and got a black and gray image.

Just for the fun of it, this is what the image looks like with the Mosaic tool using 100 rows and 100 columns. If you do needlework you could enlarge and print the image and use it as a pattern.

The software is a lot of fun to use and is very versatile. Experiment with all the tools. Now you can see why I suggested that you don't delete any of your bad shots. This software can change what looks like a disaster into a work of art.

Remember, if you want to save your modified photo, click on "Files" and then click "save image as" and give it a new file name. A new file name prevents overwriting your original photo.

Improve Your Crystal Figurine Photos

2010-09-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

In the last post it was recommended that you not delete any of your photos, even the bad ones. Using a good free photo editing software package you can significantly improve your images.

I had a specific reason for taking photos of the hanging ornaments. I was just experimenting so I made no attempt to clear the background. Here is how I proceeded.

I stood 4 1/2 feet from the display and took this shot of the display.

The ornaments are not clearly defined so I zoomed in again and got this photo.

The crystal is still fuzzy (even though I cropped the photo when I finished all my shots). I tried two move shots but saw no improvement. I know my camera gets clear crystal images between three and five feet so the problem had to be too much light. Remaining in the same place, I set the zoom on the first level and partially covered the flash with my finger. Here's the result.

Terrific! The crystal is clear and the outlines are sharp. I don't want the counter or candle stand to the left in the photo so I shot again with the zoom set up another level.

This turtned out to be a good photo. The crystal is clear and well defined. The background is still noticeable so I tried one more shot. I covered the flash enitrely with my finger and with the same lens setting I took this shot.

You might think this is a bad photo, but it isn't. Notice the crystal ornaments are clearly defined. So lets see how this photo can be improved. Using photo editing software I chose the Auto Enhancement feature and got the following results.

This picture is great for my purpose. The Aurora Borealis coated figurines display nicely and the background is obscure.

Become the Master of your photos. You can Google "free photo editing software" and select one you like. We've tried many of them and have selected NCH Software. It's the best! Go to http://www.nchsoftware.com/ In the Software Categories box, click on "Image and Photo Tools." At the bottom of the page download "Photo Pad." Open the program on your desktop. The icon will be titled "Photo Pad Image Editor." With this software you can make your good photos look even better and the improve the bad shots significantly.

In the next post I'll point out some of the features of the software and answer any questions you have. Please feel free to leave a comment or qustion.

Analyze Your Images

2010-09-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

Your analysis of your photos is twofold:

First, you need to find the right balance of focus, light and distance for the digital camera you are using.

Second, you are looking for the clearest image of the figurine.

Open your photo folder and make notes of your observations as you go along. You took your shots at roughly three, five and seven feet using different levels of zoom. The first thing you will obvserve is the further away from the figurine, the darker the photo will appear. Believe it or not, that may not be a problem. More on that later.

Start with the three foot shots. Which photo shows the best picture of the figurine. Create a new folder and copy that image to the new folder with a new file name. Example: 3dolphin2zoom.jpg. You took a photo of a dolphin at 3 feet with second level zoom.

Go to the five foot photos and then the seven foot photos and select the best image of the figurnne and repeat the above process. If there is more than one good photo in each of the groupings, copy those as well, giving them new file names.

Go to your new folder and start with the three foot shot(s). Did the flash provide enough light to produce a good image of the crystal. Is there color in the crystal that is not in the surrounding background? If so, you'll need to find another location and reshoot.

Go to the five foot shot and examine it closely and then do the same for the seven foot image(s).. At these two levels, don't worry about lighting. You already know you will have to add light at those distances. Focus on the clarity of the figurine.

Compare the images from the three distances against each other. Which distance produced the best image of the figurine, not necesarily the best photo. Make a note of it.

Now, take a look at some of the observations you've been making consciously and subconsciously. Here are some of the possibilities:

1. You get the best image at the three foot mark. That means your lens focus, light from the flash and ambient room light are all in balance.

2.  If all the images at the three foot mark are fuzzy, blurry or distorted it means you camera does not take sharp photos closeup.

3. If you get a good image at the five or seven foot mark, it means your camera takes good shots at that distance even if the photo is a bit dark.  Your camera has a good focus capability, but the flash isn't adequate for the distance. Add some light from a table or desktop lamp and retake the shot.

Once you know the correct distance for good photos you can make some spectacular photos with your camera. But what about those dark photos and those photos where the figurine looks so small. In the next post I'm going to recommend a free photo imaging software to handle those types of photos.
     .

Tips On Photographing Crystal Figurines

2010-09-07T07:29:00.000-07:00

Your digital camera probably takes good photos of people, objects and scenery, but photographing crystal, glass and gemstones is a whole different ballgame. You will need to change the rules with crystal figurines.

Your first objective is to get the figurine to look like crystal including clear outlines and facets. To do this you have to find the balance of light from your flash, ambient light in the room and the distance from the figurine. Here is a simple way to do this.

1. Place the figurine in a setting that appeals to you.
2. Step back about three feet and take the shot. Set the zoom
     to the next level and shoot. Set zoom to highest level and
     shoot.
3. Step back another two feet and shoot. Set the zoom lens on
     its lowest setting and shoot.
4. Stay where are and set the zoom to the next highest setting and
     shoot and then shoot on the highest zoom level.

5. Step back two feet and repeat the above process again - shoot without
     zoom, then first level zoom, second level zoom and then
     the third level.

No doubt you checked each photo after you shot it. What is important is not to be upset by the results. Good or bad, keep moving on. When you complete the entire process above, you have created a database of valuable information. Load your images into your camera's software program and save the images to a folder. This folder is where you will do your analysis, not in the camera.

We'll cover some observations you need to make in the next post.

There Is Color In All Crystal

2010-08-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

Several customers have informed us that they seem to get estraneous colors in the crystal figurines that are not in the photographing area. Sometimes it's just one color and other times it may be two or three different colors. What should be clear crystal shows up as colored crystal. This is not unusual. However, we are talking about clear crystal and not crystal treated with an aurora borealis coating.

Here's the simple explanation - there is color in all crystal. Faceted crystal acts like a prism. It can reflect all the colors in the rainbow at one time or reflect just one color. Light source and the number and positions of facets will determine which color the camera will see.

The following figurine is made with emerald green flower buds set in small clear crystal leaves. It was photographed in six different locations and each time the clear crystal showed as yellow crystal.

I finally found a place where the photo of the crystal would come out as clear crystal. I placed it a a small table close to a window. The sunlight was subdued a bit by a sheer contain so that there was no glare on the figurine. The leaves on the plant were matte and had no reflective capability.

You can see that the crystal under the green buds are clear and absent of any color. Sometimes you have to just keep trying and experimenting until you get the results you want. Just remember, if you get colored crystal in your photos, the color is in the crystal.

In the next post I'll provide a brief outline of "How To Photograph Crystal Figurines." It will cover all the things I learned while testing my new camera.

Not Every Photo Shot Is A Good One

2010-08-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

You can expect to get some bad photos of crystal figurines everytime you pick up your camera. I estimate that for every good photo you've seen on this blog, there were at least two or three really poor photos.

The two following photos are the result of being too close to the figurine. As you can see, the crystal looks fuzzy.

The next two photos are the result of poor framing. The crystal looks good but the head and tail feathers are out of the picture.

The next shot indoors is a really bad photo. The shot was taken about six feet from the figurine. The flash simply did not provide enough light.

Standing about three feet from the figurine yielded this shot. While it's not a great shot, it's a big improvement.

Once again you can see the importance of light, distance and zoom setting when taking your photos. Oh yes, don't forget about correctly framing the object.

Another problem with photographing crystal figurines is color showing in the crystal when the crystal is actually clear. That's the subject of the next post.

Recap of Photographing Crystal Figurines

2010-08-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

In the last few posts we are testing the quality of a new camera, determining the proper distance from the figurine and the lighting required to assess the type of photos results we will get. To be consistent throughout the experiment, we used the Peacock figurine for all the photos.

Up to this point, all our shots were taken indoors. The question in my mind was, "How would sunlight affect the photo of the figurine?" After a long day of processing orders, I finally had some spare time so I took several shots outside. These photos were taken between 4:30 and 5:30 pm. Easternd Daylight Time.

I set a brick on top of an old picnic table for some height and placed the Peacock on the brick. I sat down on the bench and took the following two photos. Keep in mind that the Aurora Borealis mirrow base shows green in almost all light settings.

This is a good shot of the figurine ignoring the fact that I forgot to rewind the hose and that I had left stepping pavers in the background. The crystal shows up clearly. Notice the mirrow is now blue reflecting the sky up through the tail feathers.

In this next photo I simply moved the figurine to the right and I slid to the left on the bench.

This is a fairly decent photo, but there is more background than I like. I adjusted the lens to the first level of the zoom and took this shot.

OK! This is another good photo if you appreciate a Peacock standing on a brick somewhere in the woods.

Next, I did something that you are never supposed to do with a camera. I sat on the opposite side of the table and took the photo facing the sun. That's a big NO NO! Look what happened.

Every detail of the figurine is crystal clear. The mirrow is reflecting the blue sky and you can even see clouds on the right side of the mirrow. Why did this photo come out so well? I can't figure it out but here are the three conditions I observed.

One, the picnic table is under an sixty foot oak tree, but sunlight does flood the area. Two, there is a dense bush behind the table which blocked some of the light behind the figurine and three, a cloud was covering the bottom half of the sun which probably reduced the amount of light in the area. All of these conditions contributed to the end result. I didn't expect this shot to work, but I am pleased it did.

The next post will finish up the outside shots. There will be some good ones and a few bad ones just so you know that not every take is going to turn out.

Distance and Light Must Be Balanced

2010-08-09T07:49:00.000-07:00

The distance from the crystal figurine and the amount of light the flash creates (as well as the ambient light in the room) will determine the clarity of the crystal and the intensity of the background color in your photo.

The next two photos are a good example of this concept. Here is how the next photo was set up. I placed the Peacock on the outside edge of a lighting studio with a medium blue backdrop. No spotlights were used and only the late afternoon sun (about 5:00pm EDT) provided any additional lighting. I stood back about four feet from the figurine and used the first level of the zoom lens.

As you can see, I was close enough to the figurine so that the flash clearly flooded the photo zone with adequate light. The figurine photo is sharp and there is not an overabundace of blue color in the crystal from the blue background. Unfortuneately, the photo wasn't framed properly and I caught a curled edge of the display studio.

The following shot is the same shot as above with only two differences. I moved back eight feet from the Peacock and used the maximum zoom power on the camera.

This photo is a good example of how the lack of adequate lighting can sometimes create a dramatic effect for a photograph. The left side of the Peacock received little light, yet the crystal picked up the color of the mauve tablecloth and the background on the left went dark. I must admit that this is one of my favorite figurine photographs, but in fairness, I think it was a lucky shot. I'm not sure I could duplicate the shot again.

If you plan on taking photos of crystal figurines with your digital camera, you will have to experiment to determine the right distance and amout of light combination needed to get a good shot. Once you know the relationship for your specific camera, you can plan on getting some really good photos.

In the next couple of posts, we'll experiment with taking photos outdoors in the sunlight. Photographing crystal in the sunlight presents a different set of experiences and rules.

Distance Determines the Color of the Photo

2010-08-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

The folowing three photos will show you how distance from the figurine will derermine the look of your photo. The determining factor is the strength of the flashbulb. The flash on most digital cameras will spread good light coverage somewhere between three and five feet around your focal point. Beyand that point you will experience fade-out or a darkening of the background and the figurine.

The Peacock was placed on a mauve tablecloth in front of a flower centerpiece. The jacket used in the former photos was removed. This above photo was taken eight feet from the figurine with a zoom lens.

Notice that without enough light, the figurine simply captured and reflected the surrounding colors, but the end result is dark

The following photo is the same shot with one difference. I moved to within four feet of the figurine and reduced the zoom.

By moving closer, the flash flooded the area so that the crystal was clearly defined and only picked up a little color in the body and tail. The placemat and flowers can be clearly seen.

In the next photo I kept the zoom setting the same, but took one step to the left.

In this photo the background has little influence on the colors in the crystal, but creates a contrast for the figurine so it can be seen clearly. There is a tan chair to the right of the Peacock and a maple corner cabinet about eight feet in the background. Only a touch of mauve was picked up by the crystal.

The distance from the figurine will determine the amount of light that will reach the figurine. You can use distance to create different results in your photos. We'll get a bit more into that in the next post.

Color, Light and Distance Affect Your Crystal Photo

2010-07-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

By now you've noticed that crystal picks up the colors of material or objects that are around or near the figurine. There are also times the camera will pick up colors that are nowhere in the the room (more on that in a future post).

The distance between you and the figurine also affects both the clarity and colors that will show in your shot. This picture was taken about five feet from the figurine with just a little zoom. There is no light source behind the figurine which is why the background is dark. The caamera flash was only strong enough to reflect off the Peacock.

The following photo is basicaly the same shot with two small differences.

I took a half step to the left and one full step forward and kept the zoom setting the same as the first shot. By moving forward the flash provided enough light to lighten the background. You can clearly see that the Peacock figurine tail reflects the color of the jacket. Also notice that the Aurora Borealis mirror is green in this photo. It reflects green in most settings but can reflect any rainbow color depending on the circumstances.

In the next post you'll see how distance can affect not only the color of the figurine, but the whole photo as well.

New Camera Experiments

2010-07-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

My wife was surfing the TV channels as I came into the living room and she stopped on QVC. Bob Mackie was showing his new line of clothes. Long story short, I convinced my wife to buy a jacket.

Shortly after Mackie's showing, a sale for the Fugifilm JX250 digital camera was next and caught my eye. The camera operates with 14 megapixels (that's alot) and also takes movies. Just what I needed after my fiasco with Skooch. The part of the sales pitch that caught my interest was "you can take a picture from a distance and blowup any small section and have a clear, sharp image."

Okay, that was going to be my first test. I placed the jacket over the shipping box so I would have some color in the photo and I selected a crystal peacock from our personal collection as the subject.

This photo was taken in the dining room about 4:00 pm with no additional lighting other than the camera flash. I stepped back about six feet and took the following shot.

The following photo is a a closeup image cropped from the above photo using a free photo editing software program. The cropped photo was not altered in any way (we have to keep the experiment legitimate).

Let's put the sales claim to the test. Notice the outside edges of the tail feathers are clean and the facets on the the body can be seen. Look closely and you can see the line patterns of the jacket's fabric and the fuzzy edges of the hem. No doubt that this camera lives up to its advertising claims. Most importantly, I finally have a moderately priced camera capable of taking good, clear pictures of crystal figurines.

Am I being too hasty to make that claim? Let's see. I'll use the peacock for additional shots and post them over the next couple of weeks.

An Avalon Sunset

2010-07-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

As the sun set over Avalon N.J., our vacation came to an end. We had a wonderful time at the shore, but alas, even fun things like vacations come to an end.

We are already back to work. In our next several posts we'll continue with some more observations about photographing crystal figurines. After missing a good shot of Scootch pushing Giner away from the figurine display, I decided to get another camera. This one takes videos so I'm ready for the next time. (I just have to figure out how to do it).

We'll start the process from scatch using a figurine from our private collection. The whole process started on a whim with no overall objective in mind. You will see how some really interesting shots.

Introducing Skooch - Part 4

2010-06-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

After the near miss of the crystal figurine slipping off Ginger's nail, I decided it was time to put Ginger on the floor. Obviously, that wasn't good enough for her so she jumped up to the display three more times and I kept putting her down.

All the time Ginger was playing with the ornament, Skooch was sitting on the floor watching all this activity going on. Skooch is Ginger's brother from the same litter. He's big and solid as a rock and he has his own behavior patterns and ways of doing things..

The last time I put Ginger on the floor she walked away so I started to pack up the lighting lamps and break down the display. When I turned around Skooch had jumped up and placed himself in front of the display.

Just for fun I took a shot of Skooch. It turned out to be a good shot so I packed up the camera and put it away.

I was amazed at what I saw when I returned to the display. Ginger had jumped back on the table and was trying to get to the ornament. Skooch was pushing Ginger away with his left hind leg square in the middle of Ginger's face. Undaunted, she kept trying and he kept pushing. Skooch was not going to let her get to the figurine no matter what!.

I ran to get the camera, but Ginger finally gave up when I returned. She jumped off the table and disappeared. I was really disappointed that I had missed the best shot of kitten behavior.

Who would think that an eight month old kitten would come to my aid to protect something of value to me. (The ornament was from my personal collection). Or perhaps he felt I couldn't control Ginger (he would be right) so he had to step in and take charge. Big brothers do that sometimes.

Kittens and Crystal Figurines - Part 3

2010-06-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

Ginger Does The Unthinkable

The last thing I expected Ginger to do was to get the ornament off the hook. She slipped her paw up the ribbon to just a couple of inches below the hook and caught a nail in the ribbon. She pushed the ribbon up and to the side until the ribbon left the hook.

Unfortuneately, I took the photo two seconds too soon so I didn't capture the figurine hanging by her nail.

In a panic, I dropped the camera and reached out to catch the figurine just as the ornament slipped off her nail.

I decided that "leaving well enough alone" was a safe and good policy to follow at this point. I rehung the figurine and picked up Ginger and put her on the floor. She wasn't happy about that.

I was finished with this whole saga but Ginger apparently wasn't. There is one more unanticipated behavior that I never would expect to happen. In the next post you'll get to meet "Scooch."

Kittens and Crystal Figurines - Part 2

2010-06-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

I watched Ginger for a few moments deciding what she was going to do next. I thought she might try batting the figurine again, but she came up with a different behavior plan. Obviously her whole effort was to get this "thing" down where she could gain complete control over it and have fun. She stood up on her hind legs and tried to free the figurine with her teeth. Notice how her paw is raised to help.

This was done with great intensity and determination as evidenced by one eye clsoed and one eye opened.

Success was not easily at hand just biting the ribbon so she started tapping the ribbon with her paw. The slight swinging motion allowed her to catch one side of the ribbon on a tooth. She pulled back and the figurine started to raise towrd the hook holding the ornament. As she moved her head from left to right she closed her right eye and opened her left eye (well, one has to keep an eye on the ball) Ginger didn't have a good bite on the ribbon and it slipped from her tooth and fell back to the hanging position.

This little girl doesn't give up easily! She was still determined to get at this thing no matter what. Look where she is looking. You won't believe what she did next.

Crystal Figurines Are Kitten Toys - Part 1

2010-05-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

I have had cats for many years and I'm always amazed how standard cat behaviors are applied to different objects. Ginger, our 8 month old kitten is the most curious cat we have ever had. She investigates everything and is right there when my wife or I are engaged in some activity. She's on the counter watching me wash dishes. clean the litter box ( a vested interest there) or tilling the garden. When I'm doing something she's right there helping (or so she thinks).

Crystal Mountain designed several new Christmas ornaments with new crystal stones from Swarovski. I set about photographing the new ornaments. You guessed it. Ginger was right there offering her assistance. What should have been a one hour job turned into a two hour challenge. She kept trying to get in the light box to examine the crystal figurine and I had to keep stopping her. After finally finishing the shoot, I stepped away from the photo setup for a minute. When I came back, Ginger was in the box doing her thing, so rather than chase her I took some photos of her. There are several so I'll post them over the next week or two.

OK, I'm caught, but I'm still going to find out what this thing feels like!

She gave the figurine a tap and watched it swing for a few seconds then put her paw up to stop it. Too bad I didn't have a video phone. What do you think her next behavior will be?

Tips On Photographing Crystal Figurines

2008-11-14T08:20:00.000-08:00

Let's start by saying that photographing crystal is a "hit or miss" activity. You'll need a lot of patience and experimentation to survive this endeavor. Professional photographers use very expensive cameras, two sets of special lenses and special lighting. The cost for the equipment runs from $4000 to $10,000. But don't be disheartened.

You can take good photos of your crystal and jewelry with your home camera if you take your time and are willing to experiment. You may need to use Photoshop, Gimp or some other photo software on your desktop to refine your images.

Here are the types of problems you'll run into:

Photos of Curio Cabinet

1. White spots on image - open cabinet doors or change angle of shot
2. Too many images in the photo - block off the back mirrow
3. Dull spots on the figurines - block off the mirrow(s)
4. A figurine you know you don't have - reposition figurines (the camera sees a large figurine behind a small figurine as one new figurine)

Photos of Single or Small Groups of Figurines

1. Outside edge of figurine is fuzzy - too much zoom lens
2. Colors are much darker than the figurine - too close, move back
3. Dark spots (shadows) on the figurine - not enough light
4. Glare on background - background is too glossy, use material that has a flat finish
5. A bright spot on the figurine - flash is too close to the figurine

In our next post, I'll give you some techniques that will greatly improve your results.

The Effects of Color and Aurora Borealis on the Camera

2008-10-23T05:26:00.000-07:00

These photos show how the camera sees colors in a crystal figurine. The photo on the left is a Christmas Ornament with an Aurora Borealis coating. The camera makes the rainbow colors just a little bit stronger than your eye will see. Lighting, camera angle and no zoom lens setting yielded a fairly decent photo of the figurine.

The next picture shows a different result when the figurine is placed in a different location and the lighting, camera angle and zoom lens setting are changed.
Notice how the Aurora Borealis colors are intensified and show much darker they are than your eyes would naturally see. If you were standing in front of the Christmas tree your eyes would see a pale rainbow effect.

Take a look at what happens with colored crystals in figurines. The Northern Star Crystal Figurine is made with clear crystals and sapphire blue crystals. The sapphire blue crystals are one of the most beautiful crystals made by Swarovski. They are actually much lighter in color than this photo shows. No additional lighting or zoom lens was used. The photo is reasonably good, but not a perfect studio shot.

This photo demonstrates again that colors are much darker or intense when lighting and zoom lens settings are changed. The conclusion to all of this is simple. What you see and what the camera sees are two different things. To get the two to match will require a huge investment in photographic equipment or a lot of patience and experimentation.

Here's one photographic rule you can count on:

The closer you are to a colored figurine with the camera or the zoom lens, the
darker the colors will show in the photo.

In our next posting, I'll give you some tips to help improve your shots. It won't be easy, but it is a lot of fun! In the meantime, if you haven't visited our website for awhile, go to www.CrystalSplendor.com

Another Camera Trip-up

2008-10-07T05:48:00.000-07:00

There are so many ways the camera will ruin your photos of crystal. The next biggest problem is the reflection of the flash bulb into a small white ball. Along with that problem is the tiny white spots that appear which are actually reflectins of the sparkle points on the figurines that get reflected back to the glass in the doors. There can be so many sparkle reflections that the photo will look like it's snowing in the cabinet.

The two white balls you see in the second photo above are the concentrated flash bulb reflections. The images of the figurines are fairly decent, but the two light balls ruin the shot.

I had the opportunity to be with the manufacturer when he was photographing a new Swan design. The photo was beautiful (so was the Swan) but the shot couldn't be used. A small flash bulb reflection fell exactly where the eye would be on the Swan.
It actually looked like an eye. The Swan design did not have the eye included in the structure. The manufacturer did not want to misrepresent the product so the photo was discarded.

The first photo is a good example of sparkle reflections bouncing off the glass doors. You might say, "There's a whole lot of sparkle going on in that cabinet."
The intensity of the sparkles actually affects the appearance of the figurines. The outline and surface of the figurines tend to be cloudy.

These posts cover only a small portion of the types of photo problems you can have with crystal and crystal figurines. We'll cover one more type of problem concerning colored crystal and crystal with an Aurora Borealis finish. After those examples we'll move on to some tips to improve your shots.

How Crystal Figurine Displays Fool the Camera

2008-09-30T05:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, you've been collecting figurines for awhile and your curio cabinet is filling up and looking beautiful. You're proud as punch and decide to mark this beautiful display for posterity by taking a few photographs. After all, the display is georgeous and the photographs will record your collecting and display skills.

So, out comes the digital camera and snap, snap, snap! With great anticipation, you view the images in your camera and disappointment overwhelms you. The photos look terrible! What happened? You did everything correctly. right? Well not exactly.

Let's take a look at some of the problems you might have experienced. First, you stood directly in front of the cabinet to take the shot. When you viewed the photo, there was a big glare in the center. You might even see your reflection in the photo. This effect is the result of the camera flash reflecting off the glass doors and the glass reflecting what is in front it.

Second, you are undaunted so you open the glass doors to catch the sparkles dancing off the figurines. Snap, review image, no sparkle! Once again, the intensity of the flash wiped out any sparkle that your cabinet light created.

Third, you get a good shot, but the cabinet looks cluttered. (Look at the image above). Your frustration is really growing. What happened this time? It's simple, your camera saw everything in front of it and recorded it. If you have a mirrow in the back of your cabinet, your camera recorded the front of the figurines and the back of the figurines as reflected by the mirrow. You can focus your eyes to see one thing, but the camera sees everything. Notice how the mirrow reflected the back of the door panels. Also, in the lower right corner five Swans appear. There are only two. Your eyes and the camera see two different things.

This cabinet in the photo looks cluttered and disorganized. But it is not. This is the manufacturer's display case of over sixty figurines nicely arranged so each individual piece can be seen. If you stood in front of the display, you could focus your eyes on one figurine, a small cluster of figurines or the whole shelf without ever noticing the mirrow reflections.

What does this all boil down to? Simply stated, crystal, crystal figurines and glassware are very difficult to photograph, whether shot as single units, as a group or in a display cabinet. Naturally, you want to take nice photographs of your treasures so we'll give you some tips on improving your shots in future posts.

Conclusion About Healing Crystals

2008-07-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

Basically, there is no scientific evidence that healing crystals work. Yet there are many people who put great stock in the concept that they do work. Medical professionals do allow for the possibility that healing crystals have some benefit for certain individuals. They refer to this as the "placebo effect." Simply stated, people who believe and use healing crystals will mentally experience the healing process.

One would expect that in the absence of scientific proof most doctors would reject the concept as worthless. However, that is not the case. Many professional medical people recognize that the mind, attitude and optimistic outlook of a patient all contibute to the healing process. They actually welcome those techniques that a patient uses in the healing process as long as they are not dangerous and the patient continues to use accepted prescribed medical practices (medicine, therapy, surgery, etc.).

If you believe that healing crystals work, that's fine. If you believe they don't work, that's OK, too. The point is crystal is a beautiful product that can bring you great enjoyment. If you have a healing crystal and it doesn't work for you, you still have a decorative item to hang in your window to enjoy.

The Seven Chakras

2008-05-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

The definition of the chakras is "circle" or "wheel." These energy sources eminate through the branching nerves of the spinal cord and focus their energy in seven locations in the body. Different cultures have utilized chakras based on religion, philosophy and even medicine. Chakras were first codified in Ancient India and practiced by the Hindus. Tibetans used them as part of their meditation ritual and the Chinese base acupuncture on them.

One would think that so many different cultures identifying a process and explanation for the "blending of the mind and the body" would provide some validity to the concept of chakras. But that is something for each individual to determine on his own.

Let's take a look at the locations of the seven chakras and keep in mind that each chakra has its own healing color.

Crown - the very top center of the skull
Third Eye - center of forehead above the top of the nose
Throat -
Solar Plexus - just beneath the rib cage
Sacral - near the belly-button
Base - under the body between the anus and the genitals

Without trying to convince you that chakras (or energy centers) are real, it's worthwhile to try to explain how chakras work. Think of the nerves in your body as electrical wires and the impulses passing through the nerves as electric current (this is the basis of Chinese acupuncture). It is resonable to assume that there would be areas of electrical accumulation within certain locations of the body. You may not know this, but the electrical outlets in your home accumulate electicity and leak out. You can't tell this because it takes a highly sensitive meter to measure this leakage. Granted, it is in very small amounts, but your outlets are leaking electricity and you are paying for what is not being used. Do the chakras work in the same way?

It is not a stretch to think that the body works in the same manner as your house current. Afterall, our bodies are nothing more than energies in motion (according to quantum physics).
Would it be possible for the energy in a chakra to activate an outside object the way an outlet provides power to run a toaster when it is plugged in? Is the reverse possible? Can an outside object activate the chakra to perform some task?

Those are the million dollar questions. In the next post we can postulate the ability of crystals to heal. Remember, we are only trying to explore the rationale behind the concept of healing crystals, not promote the concept.

Healing Crystals Can Contribute To The Healing Process

2008-05-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

Healing crystals can contribute to healing process in some small way. Let's take a look at the first two questions we asked and provide the answers.

Can a minor cut be healed with a crystal?

Many people are able to speed the healing process by rubbing the correct type of crystal over the wound. This process has to be done several times over a short period of time. Participants report an easing of the pain and a faster than normal healing. However this is an anecdotal observation and is not supported scientifically with control groups.

Can mild or severe pain be healed with a crystal?

Healing crystals have been successfully used to ease the pain and inflamation of arthritis. A special crystal called magnetic hematite is waved above the painful area. Apparently, the magnetism in the crystal affects the sore joint in some way, but there is no explanation of how this works. Some people do report good results.

It is important to keep in mind that healing crystals do not work for everyone. Again, no one is able to explain why they work for some people and not for others. There is a fundamental princple offered as an explanation of how healing crystals relate to the body.

Healing crystals work with the Chakras within the body. Chakras are energy centers located in seven different parts of the body. If you can accept the concept of chakras, you can accept the fact that healing crystals do work. More about that in our next post.

Questions About Healing Crystals

2008-05-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

The temptation to ask questions about curing serious diseases is self defeating. To ask if crystal can cure cancer or diabetes is foolish. Based on our research, we have not found any claims that healing crystals can cure disease. There may be some claims out there, we just have't found them. That's the good news. At least we don't have to deal with the bizaare.

That takes us to the questions we can ask:

1. Can healing crystals heal a minor cut?
2. Can they ease mild or severe pain?
3.. Can they speed the normal healing process?
4. What can healing crystals actually heal?
5. Can crystals alter a frame of mind?

Ponder these questions for awhile and we will look into each one. Do you have any questions of your own? Feel free to post them.

Do Healing Crystal Really Work?

2008-04-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

The subject of healing crystals is probably one of the most controversial issues in the area of crystal. Many people swear that certain crystals have an energy force to heal a wide variety of illnesses, while others consider the whole concept as foolishness.

The irony is both sides are right and wrong. You see, there are many stages to the healing process and many levels of possible successes. The answer to this perplexing problem lies somewhere between an individual's experiences and the stated possibilities.

One way to get through all the confusion is to set up a series of medical and phsycological questions. The answers to these questions will clarify in your mind the validity of crystals as a source of healing power.

We'll make a list of a few questions to see where it takes us. We are going on a quest for information, not a justification for or against the healing power. Please feel free to offer your knowledge and experiences. We'll ask the questions in our next post.

What Part Does A Crystal Play In Feng Shui

2008-04-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

Light is a powerful way of activating the chi energy in your environment. Crystals encourage and disperse light and are one of the most popular Feng Shui cures. Hang a beautiful crystal in the window and you will experience the beauty of rainbows filling the room with Sheng Chi (positive energy). Keep a crystal close to you to maintain that powerful Yang energy so necessary for your well being.

Reprinted with permission from Crystal Florida

Okay folks I know I posted out of order. We'll review Healing Crystals in the next post. I promise. Either way, this will make sense!

Lowry

What Is Feng Shui?

2008-04-28T05:12:00.000-07:00

The underlying principle of Feng Shui, which literally means Wind and Water, is to live in harmony with your environment. It has been around in the Western world for over 3000 years and is often referred to as the Chinese Art of Placement. It affects every aspect of life and the way it is applied can be either influential or detremental to the way you live.

By applying the principles of Feng Shui to your life you can open up a whole new world - a new way of looking at and listening to your environment. You can start getting your environment to work for you. By making positive Feng Shui changes, you can improve every aspect of your life, including your health, wealth and happiness.

In the West, Feng Shui is not a science as its principles cannot yet be proven by any scientific method. It is not a religion, although some of its advocates may consider it part of their religious rituals. It is not necessary to follow any religion to understand or practice Feng Shui. It is not just a philosophy as it encompasses many practical tools and techniques. It is not a belief system: asking someone if they believe in Feng Shui is like asking them if they believe in the weather. Feeng Shui is not a question of faith, but a fact of life.

Reprinted with the permission of Crystal Florida

Editor's Note:

The subject of Feng Shui is quite interesting and very expansive. In another post, we'll discuss what part crystal plays in Feng Shui. But before we do that, we will need to post some information on the "healing powers of crystal." Now, before you go accusing me of being mentally off balance, remember many people believe or at least participate in these activities.

The concepts are interesting and worthy of honest intellectual analysis and discussion.

New Jewelry Line

2008-04-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

We will be adding a new line of jewelry starting in June. This line will be made with Swarovski crystal as well as other gemstones. Our biggest challenge to selecting a new line has been finding nicely styled product that is affordable. With the price of gold and other precious metals climbing at a very rapid rate, finding affordable product has been tedious.

Our new line will offer our customers a relatively stable pricing option. Of course Crystal Splendor benefits as well since we won't have to be constanly changes prices to follow the precious metals market. Here is an example of this problem.

In late October of 2007 our supplier increased the prices of her jewelry. In early January the prices increased again. Yesterday we received a notice of another price change. It seems that the gold market is driving up costs faster than the retailers can keep up with them.

We of course were aware of the large increases in the price of gold so we set out to find other suppliers that would offer more stability to their pricng policies. We have found two top notch suppliers that have just what our customers are looking for and who provide better price stability. Stable prices mean less cost for the customer and less work for us.

We will keep you posted on this new line of jewelry over the next two months.

Is There Magic In Crystal Animal Figurines?

2008-04-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Do you think there is a possibility that there is magic in crystal animal figurines? Of course you would have to stretch your imagination a bit or be a firm believer in ancient magic. Doubters will vehemently deny the validty of magic and will go to great lengths to debunk the concept of magic. OK, let's give in and say there is no such thing as magic. Tell that to Disney Productions.

You see, Disney has created a vast and profitable company based on magic. This magic is not founded on concrete maginations, but rather centered on emotional magic that resides in all of us. We carry within us a pleasure mode that is stimulated by observation of the impossible actions we see in fantasy. They touch us deep within ourselves.

Just think about how Disney opens their TV shows. Tinker Bell flies across the screen waving her wand spreading a shower of Fairy dust. Intellectually you know it's just animation, but emotionally you sense the magic in the Fairy dust and what is to come.

If we can sense the magic in Fairy dust, could we sense the magic in crystal animal figurines. I had an experience many years ago that I put into an article. If you would like to see what I'm talking about, read this article: Is There Magic In Crystal Animal Figurines? You can find the article here: www.CrystalSplendor.com/site/1543042/page/905415

New Information Added To Crystal Splendor

2008-04-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

We have a small cadre of customers who have been asking about crystal stones and gemstones and other materials that our supplers use in the manufacture of their products. Some of the questions are very targeted and thought provoking. In an effort to help our customers get answers to their questions and to increase their knowledge about our products, we are going to add a series of informational articles to the Crystal Splendor store.

The articles will be located on the navigation bar to provide quick and easy access to the material, rather than placing them in the Article Archive where you might have to hunt for the information. Some of this information might be a bit technical, but the overall knowledge you are seeking will be there.

Our plans include providing facts about how crystal manufacturers got started, how and why stones, gemstones and other materials are chosen in the design of jewelry, the leaders in the design of crystal, crystal figurines and much more. Where possible, we will seek out the authorities on the subject as well as using our knowledge about the topics.

We are firm believers in the idea that "the more knowledgeable you are about a subject, the better and more informed decisions you can make." Some information will also be posted on this blog from time to time. To read the articles, go to: http://www.crystalsplendor.com/

Notice For May's Featured Product

2008-04-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

May's Featured Product is the Ice Pink Tea Rose, our Signature piece displayed on our website and this blog. The petals of the rose are a beautiful light pink, one of Swarovski's loveliest colored crystals. It is one of those figurines that you see and know instantly that you want it in your collection or that it is the perfect gift for someone special.

Having said that, please be aware that the quantity available for the sale price is limited to 15 pieces. May is the only time the Tea Rose will be on sale. Since it is our Signature piece, we will not put it on sale again.

Returning customers will have first choice of purchasing the Tea Rose figurine. You can place a Reserved Order (no deposit required) by sending an Email request to:

www.support@crystalsplendor.com

We will send you an acceptance notice and put your order on Reserve. We will also send instructions on how to order the figurine if you decide to make your purchase in April instead of waiting till May. We ask that you complete the order by May 25, 2008. After that date, we will make your Reserved figurine available for sale to another customer.

A Special Page for Returning Customers

2008-04-02T06:49:00.000-07:00

We created a new page for our Returning Customers titled "Specials." The Featured Product of the Month for the next three months will be listed there. This will give our customers the opportunity to check ahead for the sale price so you don't order at the full retail price. There's nothing more aggrevating than buying a product this month to seeing it on sale next month. We want to prevent that from happening. If possible, delay your purchase until the item goes on sale. If the item is a gift but isn't on sale until after your gift-giving date, send an Email to http://www.support@CrystalSplendor.com to see if we can accommodate you.

The "Specials Page" will also include other products related to the Featured Product of the Month so customers will have several options each month. We hope our customers find this page helpful in planning their purchases. Drop us a note and tell us what you think of the concept.

New Products Added To Site

2008-04-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

We've added more 24% lead crystal products to our site. Several customers have requested more jungle animals so we are including some in the following:

Item # Product

6910 Cobra Snake (have fun with this one)
132 Hippo
6540 Panda Bear
6280 Rhino
6235 Cow
6850 Giraffe

Next week we will add a Rocking Horse, Hummingbird, Passenger Airliner and a Mach Fighter Jet (kids love this one). In two weeks, we will add a selection of Feng Shui Hanging Ornaments and Prisms.

Be sure to vistit http://www.crystalsplendor.com/ often. There are a lot changes coming up in the next few months.

New Name - New Look

2008-02-16T07:52:00.000-08:00

We have changed the name of our figurine store from Crystal Crossroads to Crystal Splendor. In addition, we've given the site a new look. These changes have been in progress for almost a year. Our plan was to add another 300 to 500 products to our store, including new Home Decor products. Our present hosting company did not have the necessary bandwidth to handle the increase so we started building Crystal Splendor on another host server. As it turned out, our current host company was able to provide the bandwidth we needed so we went ahead and made the name and site changes about three months ahead of schedule.

The sales of the Crystal Mountain figurines, those made with genuine Swarovski Austrian Crystal, have been steadily and significantly increasing. They are such beautiful and elegant figurines we felt the store should have a more sophisticated appearance to reflect their quality. Consequently, we changed the colors and rearranged a few items. We hope you like our new look. Please feel free to tell us what you think.

All of these changes are part of a Five Year Plan. It is important for us to provide quality products and good service to our customers. To do that, we must stay current with the changes in the market place and continually adjust to shifting buying preferences of customers.

Figurines Made With Swarovski Crystal on Sale

2007-11-20T08:24:00.000-08:00

For the first time this year we are putting a selection of figurines made with genuine Swarovski crystal on sale. These ornaments show off the brilliance and clarity of Swarovski crystal and will add a touch of glass and class to your Christmas tree or sunny window. The sale starts December 1st and runs through January 15th, 2008.

A new addition to the catalog is the "Northern Star," just added in November. The spires of the star are made with sapphire blue crystal with clear crystal inserts between the spires. This ornament is absolutely stunning. Unfortuneately, the Northern Star is in limited supply. Our manufacturer has informed us that Swarovski will no longer make the sapphire crystals available. So if you want the Northern Star ornament, order it soon before we run out. It will not be available in the future.

Display Cabinets Do Fill Up Quickly

2007-11-19T17:50:00.000-08:00

This display cabinet shelf looks busier than it really is. Actually, the back panel of the cabinet is a mirrow which reflects the backs of the figurines giving it that crowded look. The naked eye, however, would only see the figurines unless your gaze focused on the mirrow. Mirrows add a wonderful dimension to a crystal figurine display. They actually help a small display to look bigger as well as showing the details on the back side of the figurines.

Smart Way to Collect Crystal Figurines

2007-11-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

Think small! While serious and long term collectors may have a beautiful display cabinet loaded with over a hundred dazzling figurines and an investment of several thousand dollars, you don't have to go that route. Many collectors have a small selection of five to ten figurines. They can be nicely displayed on a shelf or table and still bring you great enjoyment so you can think small.
Numbers are not what is important. It's the enjoyment, significance and pleasure you gain from the figurines you have. So think small, start small and build as your interest and budget allow.

New Products Added To Store

2007-11-08T04:38:00.000-08:00

The following products made with genuine Swarovski Austrian crystal have been added to the store. You'll find these figurines under Flowers in the Navigation column. Prices range from $34 to $170.

CM250B Minature Crystal Rose
CM251 Crystal Daisy
CM255 Crystal Daffodil
CM259 Crystal Sunflower On Mirrow
CM02-42 Crystal Dogwood

Monthly Featured Products

2007-11-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

Every month we will feature a different crystal figurine from our selection of over 300 products. The Featured Product will be sold at a significant discount so collectors and gift givers can purchase some of the more expensive figurines at a more affordable price We are open to suggestions from you on the products you would like to see as the Featured Product.

November's Featured Product is the Red Beak Swan. You can find the description and price at http://www.crystalSplendor.com/. We hope you like this figurine as much as we do. The clarity of the crystal is amazing.

Welcome to the Crystal Splendor Blog

2007-11-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

The purpose of the Crystal Splendor Blog is to provide our customers and people interested in crystal animals and crystal figurines a place to go for information about our retail store and about collecting. It's a place where you can ask questions, share ideas with other collectors, make comments about products and offer sincere complaints or criticisms. We encourage you to post your views and to respond to other comments made on the blog.

While Crystal Splendor staff may post to this blog from time to time, we hope that you will offer you comments and ideas along with many other collectors and those thinking about collecting. Our intention is to make this blog "customer centered" rather than store centered. Our posts will focus on special sales, new products added to the store, special promotions, customer discount offers, new ways to display crystal figurines and articles about crystal figurines. These are the areas our customers have told us that are of interest to them. The emphasis will be on providing information about these areas. But please feel free to offer your suggestions.

So, join in and have fun!