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Metric Conversion Chart,
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Working with Clasps,
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Bead Storage Tips Eventually every beader is faced with the dilemma of how to store beads. I hope all of you will respond by clicking here to email me your storage tip for publication. I'll start the column off by telling you how I store my beads. My current projects, tools, threads and findings are all stored in a fishing tackle box. It's durable, portable and I love it. I store my sterling silver beads in individual drawers in a storage device meant for screws and nails. These storage bins are available at Walmart. Now for the hardest thing to store - large bags of mixed beads. They are first placed in small freezer bags with a zip loc top. Then the zip loc bags are placed in plastic kitty litter pans. Each kitty litter pan has similar beads in it - for example, all wedding cake beads are in one kitty litter pan and 'wedding cake' is taped onto the front of the pan. The pans are kept on plastic shelving. I chose the kitty litter pans because of their height - the zip lock bags sit upright and it's easy to find a bead bag and take it out. ******************** Storage Tip Submittted By Ang, http://silk-e.com/angielina74I actually broke down and bought a craft storage case a few years ago; it's shaped like a small suitcase with removable tray and more space in the bottom half of the case for larger items (tools, thread, etc.) Over the years however, I discovered recycling containers: candy tins (altoids/velamints), aspirin bottles, 35mm film containers or even small, clear plastic, paint containers make excellent storage spaces as well. anything with a screw top lid is the best container for storing loose beads, especially if you're traveling.
My bead supply has grown so much now that the craft case I have is
NOT enough to hold all of my supplies. everything is now in 2 3-drawer
storage spacers to keep them better organized.
******************** Storage Tip Submitted by Rebecca, http://www.hodous.com I started out storing my beads much in the same way you mentioned, zippy bags, tackle boxes, plastic shoe boxes and plastic nut /bolts and screw containers. As the collection grew, so did my need for organization. I now store my beads in tubes, (from the tiniest 1inch tubes to the 6 inch tubes) in plastic rolly carts available at office supply stores / Walmart. (6 shallow drawer units) I have the beads in drawers by color. Some colors take up 1-3 drawers. I use 4 of these for beads, another one for findings / sterling, cabs, and hand tools. And yet another for thread, needles and semi-completed pieces. The units tuck away easily into a corner, or under a table if you don't add the wheels. With literally thousands of beads in tubes. Organization is the key to finding what you need, when you need it. ******************** Casey Wynja uses Tic Tac containers when she travels. They are small enough for all the different colors she needs and they never spill. She also stores beads in baby food jars. Lastly, she stores beads in margarine containers because they are flat and she can pile them on top of one another******************** Carolyn Walers has found a way to use opaque containers for storage. She takes pictures of her beads on a flat bed scanner, prints the picture and puts it around the container. ******************** Storage Tip
Submitted by Mary, MB Jewelry & Beads, Aiken SC ******************** Storage Tip Submitted by Andrea Grim, http://www.finders-keepers.usI also use the storage cases with the clear sliding drawers that are designed for nuts and bolts, but I use it for my silver. I can see what each bin has in it quickly and easily, and have several of these lined up on my work area and organized according to their primary use. I have one that has headpins and ear wires, clasps and jump rings, and smaller silver that I typically use with earrings. I also use gemstones and crystals in my work and currently, I use the plastic translucent storage cases used by those who sew to keep their threads organized. It may actually be called a 'thread organizer', but I'm not sure. I have one for each color family of gemstone and the translucent case helps me to easily identify which is which. So, I have all my carnelian and coral in one case, jaspers and agates in another, clear quartz and mother of pearl in another, Sodalite and Dumortierite in another, and so on. I have separate cases for crystals (all crystals and not color sorted) and lamp work beads. I keep them stacked in a 3 drawer storage bins (another great Wal-Mart find) and can keep my work space clean and easily grab what I need as I work on each individual piece of jewelry. So far this works fairly well, but my business is fairly new and I don't have a massive amount of inventory. I'm still working on a better storage system for finished pieces, and welcome suggestions. I have finished 'on-line' pieces, finished but 'not yet photographed' pieces, and finished but going to trade shows or consignment shops pieces and am giving my Glad food storage containers a new use! ******************** Dorothy Parker has built narrow shelves to accommodate the baby food jars she uses for bead storage. She screws the top of the lid to the top of the shelf. She also checks out the stationary sections of department stores and picked up Walmart's plastic pencil cases for .20 a piece. ******************** Pat Duerfeldt uses spice racks that turn. They have 16 glass jars with lids and I store my seed beads in these jars. "I have 8 racks now, that I find for about $2.00 each at yard sales. I have delicas in three racks, each jar has several shades of the same color. I have charlottes in 2 other racks and two cuts in 2 other racks. My 8th rack has my baby beads, sizes 18-24. With a turn of the rack I can easily find the color I'm looking for and the type of bead". ******************** This is your magazine as much as it is ours - Click here to email a beading tip for publication or to pose a question for a future tip. |
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