Studio photos

Keeping my studio somewhat organized is challenging!  One of my biggest problems is how to store all the rods of glass I use to make beads.  Love, love, love the colors!  I need to be able to find the colors I want, and also see when a color is getting low so I can re-order.  I re-purposed the wood cubes- they were toy storage for my kids, who have been out on their own for quite a while.  Then I bought plastic downspouts, cut it into 14" lengths, and stacked it in the cubes.  I tried to keep the transparent colors in one section, opaque colors in another section, etc, but as I keep adding new colors, I am running out of room!  There is a section with mystery glass- I don't know the manufacturer or the color name.  It sure makes it challenging sometimes!

Every day when I am done torching, I put the glass rods and tools away and sweep all the chips off.  I like to start the day with a clean workbench.  It doesn't stay that way for long, but if I start out that way, I seem to be able to concentrate on the beads and not the mess.  Wow, my water dish is really dirty!  Instead of didymium eyeglasses, I use a shield, which I love.  My original thought was that if the prescription for my eyeglasses changes, I would have to get new didymiums, which can be quite expensive.  With the shield, I can wear my own eyeglasses.  A side benefit- it shields a lot of the heat from hitting my face, so in the summer, it is much cooler!

I keep tools in cups and glass rods in pots, all within reach.  The table behind me holds lots of other goodies, like silver foil and leaf, enamels, frits and wire.  They all have proper homes, but they never seem to get there.  This is all the stuff I use on a regular basis, and it seems like too much work to put it all away, and then get it out the next day.

My studio is my favorite place in the world!