Thursday, April 25, 2013

My Jewelry Studio

I realized I've never ever shared my current studio space! Frankly, that's because it is usually in such a disastrous state that I wouldn't wish to show anyone on a good day. Last weekend, I received a much needed reprieve when the grandparents took Nora for two whole days. What did I do with my rare freedom from motherly duties? I cleaned out my whole studio from top to bottom. Obviously, you can clearly see where my priorities lie. As soon as I get a moment to myself, I go straight to fixing up my studio! Oh, and deciding to take on that task was not that fun, mind you. There were huge boxes upon boxes of stuff piled up under the desk, items and paperwork that I had been avoiding dealing with for over a year and a mish-mash of beads and findings in every corner that had been thrown every which way. In my defense, I did have some help with the beads going everywhere part. There's a 2 year old around here that loves to play with Mama's beads. ;) Even with all that work, there is plenty more I would love to do with my space, but at least it is clean, the top of the desk is clear and I can work in there once again! It was well worth the effort.

This is the top of my main work surface where I keep some of my jewelry and favorite displays, a few bead storage units, my essential jewelry-making tools and some bead bowls and baskets. I love the art piece on my wall. I need to hang more pictures and art!

My materials wall. This wall is directly behind the desk and chair. The pegboard expands across almost the entire length of the wall. Over the years of making jewelry, I've learned I work most efficiently when I have my supplies out where I can see them all the time and can get to them quickly and easily. 
My pegboard wall holds materials and tools I use on a regular basis: metal gauge wire and beading wires, rulers and measuring tapes, scissors, hammer, metal and leather punches, bead stops and misc. tools, silk knotting cords, leather cords, suede lace, hemp, cotton and Irish waxed linen cord, silk cords, dupioni ribbon, sari ribbon and fibers, glass beads, gemstones and wood beads. 

Studios and organization is such an interesting topic for jewelry makers because anyone who works with beads knows the dilemma of bead storage and setting up a space that works. It is the bane of our existence! There seems to be no easy answer or solution for most of us. Ideally, I'd love to have absolutely every bead and finding visible at a glance. Just like when you walk into a bead shop, everything is out where you can see it!  

How about you? How do you like to organize your work space? Have you shared photos of your studio? It's always fun to get a glimpse inside any creative space! Please share with me by leaving me a link to your photos in the comments! Even if you don't have photos, I'd love to hear your thoughts on studios and organization.

18 comments:

  1. Such a lovely work space... :) I have a nice space too. but i need to organize it a bit more ..I have a 6 year old who is in competition with me ..and sneaks away with my supplies :)

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  2. Love it Erin! So colourful and light and organised......almost the polar opposite of mine, other than mine is equally colourful! Thank you for sharing.

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  3. WOw! That is a great creative space! I am in desperate need of some organization. I believe that next weekend I will be pulling every single thing out and putting only back what I love and use and need. I am with you on needing it all out where I can see it. Right now I am tripping over it and I have barely a 12" square to work! You are inspiring me with your cool peg wall! Thanks for sharing! I could happily while away the hours here. Enjoy the day. Erin

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  4. LOVE that peg board! great idea for all your materials. I have a 'blank canvas' wall and I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with it. I was thinking about magnetic paint so I could post my sketches and timelines on it, but some pegs would be fantastic as well!

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  5. So in love with your peg board! I am a clutz so I can see that all coming down, but it would be awesome to have even just for awhile! lol!

    Blessings

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  6. Very nice Erin! Love the fun and bright colors you chose.

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  7. An inspiring display, Erin! I am curious if you or anyone else have links to systems that would protect from dust and/or light. My jewellery space is shared with a sewing studio, and as you know this creates lots of air-borne fibre dust.

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  8. I have pegboard envy, just sayin'! LOL!! I would love to have everything out in plain sight because I work better that way, too. My 'bench' doubles as my 'day job desk' w/computer and work stuff so I can't even leave a project out at the end of the day and have to put everything away each night. Organization has become my middle name as far as my beads/jewelry stuff goes! Love the pics of your studio.

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  9. Very nice Erin! The pegboard is great! Everything right at your hands within reach! Lovely! Thanks for sharing and have fun creating your beautiful designs!

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  10. That is great that you have two whole days of time to get things together. What a treat! I too have pegboard envy - I love that you can see everything at a glance. That helps so much for me in the design process. I forget about everything I have when I can't see it. I organize all my leathers, cords, wire in different stacked pull out drawers for scrapbooking. My beads are stacked and labeled in bead boxes as to general category but there are like 50 boxes of beads just stacked in piles on top of each other under my beading table and I can't get away from that system but it drives me crazy sometimes. The thought of reorganizing all of those beads...

    Thanks for sharing your space - it obviously works great for you because you create beautiful things in your studio! : )

    Tracy

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  11. love the peg board...I don't have one of those. Not sure where I would put it as every nook and corner of my room is FULL!!! HAHAHAHAHA The drift wood eisels are cool!

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  12. I love bead studio peeks! Looks like a great place!

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  13. Wow your bead work is similar to mine..Your organization is inspiring..
    Please check out my Hand Beaded Jewelry and comment...

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  14. Love seeing your studio space Erin! I also like how you are displaying your jewelry too. I love seeing other artist's studios!

    My husband made me two large and two small pegboard frames; it is where all of my bead strands, ribbon, chain and wire hang. I too need to see everything as it helps to inspire me. It also makes it easier to see what I have to work with, where as before when it was in boxes I would forget about half of what I had! Besides peg boards, I use wooden boxes that have divided sections and a fantastic slim drawer unit from Ikea. I also use storage cubes inits with baskets. Here is a peek into my studio: http://modernnaturestudio.blogspot.com/2012/09/celebrating-100-followers-with-giveaway.html

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  15. I think your studio is much more efficient than mine. I used to have a much better space but gave it up so my daughter could have her own room. Now I am in the dining room and it's a small room, so it gets messy fast especially when I really get going! You can see some of my old studio pics on the recent post on the Vintaj blog... http://vintaj.com/wpblog/?p=17940
    <3 Thanks for sharing your space with us!

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  17. I must say, your collection is amazing, I like the colourful stuff in the pictures and the necklaces in the first picture are beautiful.

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  18. I love your peg-board idea! Having things so I can see them and they are handy is the way I work (and clean) best too! If I can find some wall space, I will "borrow" this great idea of yours! --Sharyl

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