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Courting My Beading Muse . . .

I think about beads and jewelry a lot.  Maybe not constantly, but almost.  So when my muse is with me, I must court her so she stays and provides me with inspiration.  Here are some results . . .

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My Studio Work Space

1/28/2013

7 Comments

 
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Just this week I "remodeled" my work space.  (I've really been into the new looks, updates, fresh starts this year so far--no guarantees on how long this phase will last, however.)  But this is where I work.

Organization and efficient storage are the keys to my being able to work creatively. It will always nag at me if I have a chore to complete before I sit down to have fun.  And beading is way beyond fun for me.  It's when my muse sits nearby, maybe on my shoulder, and gives me artistic encouragement and inspiration.  Hence, the remodel . . . and on to courting the muse!

First a little history:  My studio is a big room in our basement that used to be the rec room when the kids were little and played down there.  Years went by and the room became a store room for furniture, athletic equipment, you know, an easy place to stash whatever. Then one day I thought that I wanted to move from a small spare bedroom upstairs to this luxurious space that wasn't being utilized to its full potential.  It's big (about 18 x 30 feet), carpeted, and completely comfortable, and I am really appreciative of it. So I carried all my beading stuff down the stairs piece by piece (and of course did a thorough purging of the accumulated goods to better homes.) The arrangement has gone through several redos over the years, but I'm really happy with it now.  We plan to move the pool table out later (right now it's a staging area) and put in a large wooden dining-style table (now living in the garage) for display, work, bead retreats, and classes.  It's always something . . . 

The photo at the top shows where the magic happens, so to speak.  There are two six-foot tables, one under the windows and one to the right forming a corner.  The table you see is the actual workspace; the other table holds stuff.  The cool thing is my storage on the table.  I ordered two shelf units from Amazon (the kind that are used in schools as mailboxes or paper storage).  I assembled them, put them on the table, and proceeded to fill up the 72 cubbies.  Since most of my beads and findings are stored in plastic divided boxes, the fit is perfect!  And . . . everything I use all the time is with reach.  My husband is going to build one for the other table that is a more custom size.  I'm sure I can find things to fill up those cubbies too.  

But the best thing is that I'm no longer working in a one-foot-square space.  In the past I've always somehow ended up doing that by surrounding myself with beads, boxes, books, tools, articles, etc. until I have almost no room left to work.  So, right now at least, I have the whole length of the table to work on a project.  No guarantees, but for this week, it's working!

The photo to the left above is my tool table.  It's a steel garage or workshop metal shelf from Costco, so it's beefy.  I have three of these altogether.  The other two are for other purposes.  But this one is where I keep my hammers, mandrels, bench blocks, stamps, cutting tools, dapping tools--anything that really requires some pounding.  The shelf below is storage for tools used less often.  The wooden section on top is a leftover from my mishmash of earlier storage shelves.  It's about four feet long and about nine inches wide.  It's perfect for the little things that need to be corralled or they fall off or get lost.  I have the stamps, hole punches, scale, dapping blocks, glues and other solutions there.  And it's open underneath so that tools with longer handles can be tucked there and still be found easily.

Those are my two main work areas.  I sometimes go downstairs and just look at it.  Do you ever do that?  I'll do the same thing after I've made a piece that I really, really like.  Just make a trip to look at it.  It's somehow satisfying.



7 Comments
Dennise link
1/30/2013 12:23:28 am

Love the new workspace. The "teacher's mailboxes" work great. I'll have to borrow that idea for my studio.

Looking forward to more blogs!

Reply
Judy
2/4/2013 08:32:37 am

I loved the tour of your new 'Studio Work Space. The mailbox/cubbies is a great idea. And yes, I also love the fact that you often step downstairs to stand and gaze at what you've created. What a feel good moment! I bet your muses are surrounding you with big smiles looking at your pieces with you! Thank you for sharing your space and inspiration.

Reply
Toni McCarthy
2/5/2013 06:32:20 am

I'm definitely a cubbies girl. Give me organized space and I can fill it up with the best of them. But clutter drives me crazy!!

Reply
JoAnn GReen
2/7/2013 03:39:53 am

Love the idea of taking old pieces you don't wear anymore and
making them into something beautiful and special again....more to treasure! Keep up the creative work!

Reply
Virginia Mann link
4/2/2015 11:31:32 am

Dearest Happy Mango Beads....
You cease to inspire me. If Happy Mango Beads (in my opinion) has a life of it's own (organically ever-changing)...then I rate you either SO YOUNG INSPITE OF # OF YEARS IN BUSINESS... that you are able to tweak the imaginations, hearts and guts of your followers...

or so OLD BUT RICH IN WISDOM and A CONSISTENT FOUNTAIN OF INSPIRATION to all whom lay eyes on your blogs no matter how long ago we purchased your product.....YOU ALL ROCK!

I LOVE YOUR INTERVIEW WITH Toni McCarthy. She rocks. I too am a retired teacher (Middle School Art) and Mojos is the name of my business...small but touches my inspiriation/soul button. Toni said what I feel, see, smell, touch and share regarding jewelry design and construction...including the husband part.

I commend you....follow your business...would never THINK of deleting you from my contacts. You...HAPPY MANGO BEADS....keeps on keeping. I love that you are so plugged in to be ever- changing, international and finding super stars like Toni.

Thank you!
Mango Beads Lover
(I will copy this letter to Toni)
(Because Tucson Gem and Mineral Show rocks Tucson....most of my Mojo's business is handled there, so my purchases with you are spaced out as needed. What I find from you is what I "can count on" to "fit" my style of body adornment....worldly. I thank you and will always remain a big fan). Another customer and inspiration to so many is Cindy Lesher....whom I met while living on our sailboats in The West Indies and Venezuela for many years. Her genious continues to grow and inspire!)

Virginia Mann


From: Happy Mango Beads BLOG
Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2015 11:41 AM
To: rojoman@comcast.net
Subject: Happy Mango Beads BLOG


Happy Mango Beads BLOG

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Featured Designer ~ Toni McCarthy

Posted: 02 Apr 2015 05:00 AM PDT

Toni McCarthy of Beads & Threads

Toni McCarthy is the artist behind Beads & Threads and she is our featured designer! Toni began designing jewelry in 1995 with a small box of glass beads in her (former) sewing room. Upon retiring from teaching, she decided to dive into the world of beading, jewelry making and growing her business.

1) How long have you been creating jewelry?

I have been creating “stuff” my whole life, beginning when I was about four and decided to make a wardrobe for my doll. I did learn to sew properly later and made clothes and quilts for a long time. I discovered beading about twenty years ago and haven’t looked back! When I learned that I couldn’t possibly wear or give away everything, I decided to go into business.

2) Where do you find your inspiration?

I find my inspiration everywhere, and it probably drives my husband crazy when I say things like, “Look at those colors on the sidewalk – it’s a great combination for some earrings.” Even a walk through Home Depot inspires me – all those tiles and lamps and little pieces of hardware – amazing! Plus, I’m lucky to live in the fabulous Northwest where it’s green just about all the time. And it’s only two hours from the ocean, or the desert, or the mountains depending on which direction you choose. Can’t beat the inspirations in those places!

3) What are your favorite beads to work with?

My favorites change all the time, but I guess I’d say the more ethnic the better, the more color the better, the more texture the better. Glass as a category is my ‘go-to’ favorite material, but the types of glass I love will change with my current jewelry passion.

4) What is your work space like?Toni McCarthy of Beads & Threads - Work Stations

I am fortunate to have a large studio workspace. It’s a room in my basement that, in a former life, was our rec room where the kids played. Then it became a storage room for all kinds of forgotten stuff. Over the last five years or so it has evolved into a wonderful place for me to work. I have a large old dining table that extends to about eight feet so I can spread out or have get-togethers with my friends who love a good bead play day now and then. I have a workbench where I hammer nad use my micro-torch, and loads of shelves and cabinets to store my bead collection and library. I appreciate my sanctuary and use it daily.

5) Any tricks of the trade you care to share?

My only ‘tricks’ are learning the value of good (and by that I mean interesting also) photographs and never being afraid to audition and re-audition repeatedly, if necessary. Nothing is ever perfect the first time. If you ‘waste’ a bit of jewelry wire or a few crimps because you had a better idea, you learned something and your jewelry will be better for it. As far as photography goes, I’m a huge fan of PicMonkey photo editing software. I use it all the time and I recommend it to everyone I talk to about jewelry photos.

Molten Mojo Line

Reply
Bree Bites Food link
12/17/2020 04:00:59 am

Very nice postt

Reply
OLIVIA
4/15/2021 12:07:28 pm

me encantan las maravillas que nacen de tus manos y de la inspiración que te da Annie ! felicidades bonita !!!

Reply



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    About Me . . . 

    I am a beader. 
    I love it. . . all parts of it:  planning projects, buying beads, accumulating tools, reading articles, organizing my studio, auditioning designs, researching other artists, and hopefully inspiring myself to continue courting the beading muse. 

    I have been designing handmade beaded jewelry since about 1995, 
    and always my focus has been on What Women Buy for Themselves  (although I have LOTS of customers who are men too!)

    All pieces are designed and made by me in my studio here in Camas, Washington.
    Czech glass in bold colors is my main "fabric."  In addition, copper, brass, vintage German glass, handmade lamp work beads, and copper and silver wirework are mixed with metals, gemstones, pearls and found objects in one-of-a-kind designs.

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    TURQUOISE & TAGUA: Winter 2009
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    SERENDIPITY: Summer 2012
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    MARIA: Tagua Nut Bracelet Spring 2013
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    SADDLES & SAGE: Gemstones and Glass Necklace Summer 2013

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