Studio Saturday

Sorry for such a late night Studio Saturday post, we had a little technical difficulty today.

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

Susan Z has won a medieval style hand cast pewter ornament from Lynn Davis! Susan please email Lynn with your address to collect your ornament.

Your back in the studio tonight with Heather from Humblebeads. I'm doing a show this weekend, so my studio has been a flurry of last minute jewelry-making activity. Now being the founder of the Art Bead Scene, you may guess my love for all art beads. And even in my own jewelry I use beads from artists across the globe. I love shopping for art beads just as much as you guys, even though I make them every day! Pictured above, a pendant from Spirited Earth (my new favorite), a ceramic round from Elaine Ray and one of my disk beads.

I love to work in multiples, varying a design slightly. Here is a series of necklaces in progress using the same basic elements in different color schemes. I added in pearls and stones to each focal bead set. I love those little square bowls - they were from my Bead & Button booth. Now they inhabit every nook and cranny in my studio, holding projects, orders and random bits. I can stack them in trays for easy clean up. They were a steal at Target for $1.00 a piece.

And here, they are doing double duty as displays for my jewelry. I filled them with Styrofoam and hot glued moss on top. The Styrofoam lifts out of the bowl so they can go back to their utilitarian purposes here in the studio.

So my question for today - what's your favorite storage secret for your beads? Love working with muffin trays? Would you be lost without tiny pieces of velor as beading boards? I'd love to hear your little tricks. Leave a comment and one lucky winner will receive a set of 6 polymer clay disk beads from Humblebeads.