Where do you create
Judy Larson takes you inside her "creative space" - and shows you how she stays organized which helps keep her creative juices flowing! Why not show us your creative space?!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Where do you create?
People always want to see my craft room.
They assume it's huge and impressive. It's just my basement laundry room.
It's 12×15 feet, used for laundry, sewing, quilting, sketching, painting, scrapbooking, and jewelry.
Woodworking happens in the unheated garage during warm months.
All supplies stay in one room for easy access.
Overlap in tools and materials keeps everything together.
Closing the door on the mess is a bonus.
People always want to see my craft room.
They assume it's huge and impressive. It's just my basement laundry room.
It's 12×15 feet, used for laundry, sewing, quilting, sketching, painting, scrapbooking, and jewelry.
Woodworking happens in the unheated garage during warm months.
All supplies stay in one room for easy access.
Overlap in tools and materials keeps everything together.
Closing the door on the mess is a bonus.
I didn't always have a dedicated workspace.
Storage was tough, so I kept tools minimal. I worked at the kitchen or dining table, clearing it daily for meals.
See-through under-bed containers helped with setup and cleanup, but it wasn't ideal.
After moving, I used a small stair landing space. Storage stayed limited.
I wanted a rolling cart with shallow drawers.
Under-bed storage kept supplies safe from kids.
I'd still use under-bed boxes and carts today.
They're compact, hold lots, move easily, and tuck into closets.
Storage was tough, so I kept tools minimal. I worked at the kitchen or dining table, clearing it daily for meals.
See-through under-bed containers helped with setup and cleanup, but it wasn't ideal.
After moving, I used a small stair landing space. Storage stayed limited.
I wanted a rolling cart with shallow drawers.
Under-bed storage kept supplies safe from kids.
I'd still use under-bed boxes and carts today.
They're compact, hold lots, move easily, and tuck into closets.
Note: My work room seldom looks like this as there is almost always a project of some sort going!
One room corner holds jewelry-making tools and supplies.
The centerpiece is an old partner's desk I rebuilt and refinished.
I use it for all projects, not just jewelry.
Deep drawers store tools and metals nearby.
The garbage can fits in the right-side cabinet.
Before this, a smaller desk meant hiding the can under the chair. Far less convenient.
One room corner holds jewelry-making tools and supplies.
The centerpiece is an old partner's desk I rebuilt and refinished.
I use it for all projects, not just jewelry.
Deep drawers store tools and metals nearby.
The garbage can fits in the right-side cabinet.
Before this, a smaller desk meant hiding the can under the chair. Far less convenient.
A note on chairs: I use an adjustable armless chair for comfort and proper height.
It lets me sit close to the desk with back support.
My daughter Kat uses a matching chair opposite when visiting.
The open desk back allows clamping tools like a vise or bench pin.
Carpet isn't ideal for workspaces, but basement floors get cold.
Cold floors worsen my foot arthritis.
Bonus: Dropped beads don't bounce and roll!
It lets me sit close to the desk with back support.
My daughter Kat uses a matching chair opposite when visiting.
The open desk back allows clamping tools like a vise or bench pin.
Carpet isn't ideal for workspaces, but basement floors get cold.
Cold floors worsen my foot arthritis.
Bonus: Dropped beads don't bounce and roll!
I built two custom tool racks for the desk top.
They're simple: two dowels, up to four feet of 8-inch wide, half-inch thick lumber, and 2-inch wide lath base.
Racks protect tools from scratches, unlike drawers or desktop tubs.
Not all my tools I'm a tool junkie but these are my most-used ones.
They're simple: two dowels, up to four feet of 8-inch wide, half-inch thick lumber, and 2-inch wide lath base.
Racks protect tools from scratches, unlike drawers or desktop tubs.
Not all my tools I'm a tool junkie but these are my most-used ones.
A tall shelf next to the desk holds stacked bead boxes. (I'm a bead junkie too!)
It stores bench blocks, rubber blocks, and a small jeweler's vise from my father-in-law, a watchmaker.
Wood blocks for sheet metal forming sit there, plus my drill and fire extinguisher.
Hopefully, never need that last one.
It stores bench blocks, rubber blocks, and a small jeweler's vise from my father-in-law, a watchmaker.
Wood blocks for sheet metal forming sit there, plus my drill and fire extinguisher.
Hopefully, never need that last one.
I rescue beat-up furniture my husband calls it "garbage."
The tall middle cabinet came from salvaged sewing machine drawers, used for years before this build.
It stores wire spools, glues, bead-stringing materials, alcohol inks, leather, metal stamps, less-used tools, old watch parts, Swarovski beads, resin supplies with UV lamp, scrapbooking tools, and art materials.
A rock cairn from Canadian friend Roland Hill sits on top. A sterling neck piece from son-in-law Richie's Caribbean snorkel honeymoon displays on the neck mandrel.
The antique spool chest under the TV garage sale find my father repaired 30+ years ago holds wire and sheet metal in plastic bags.
Two lower cabinets from an old vanity have drawers perfect for file folders or stacked shoe-box containers, including one for metal clay tools.
The tall middle cabinet came from salvaged sewing machine drawers, used for years before this build.
It stores wire spools, glues, bead-stringing materials, alcohol inks, leather, metal stamps, less-used tools, old watch parts, Swarovski beads, resin supplies with UV lamp, scrapbooking tools, and art materials.
A rock cairn from Canadian friend Roland Hill sits on top. A sterling neck piece from son-in-law Richie's Caribbean snorkel honeymoon displays on the neck mandrel.
The antique spool chest under the TV garage sale find my father repaired 30+ years ago holds wire and sheet metal in plastic bags.
Two lower cabinets from an old vanity have drawers perfect for file folders or stacked shoe-box containers, including one for metal clay tools.
I print photos of everything I make on typing paper and add construction notes.
When the stack hits an inch thick, I spiral-bind it at an office supply store.
Templates or extra materials go in plastic sleeves in a three-ring binder.
I skip most quilting or jewelry books but keep notebooks and references organized together.
When the stack hits an inch thick, I spiral-bind it at an office supply store.
Templates or extra materials go in plastic sleeves in a three-ring binder.
I skip most quilting or jewelry books but keep notebooks and references organized together.
Continuing around the room: scrapbooking supplies, ironing board, and fabric storage first.
Upper cabinets hold more fabric, torches, tools, LOS containers, PMC clay, molds, and stamps.
A 1907 cabinet by my great-grandfather wood-burned and finished by my grandmother now stores art supplies.
Originally her music cabinet, it later held games, crayons, yarn, knitting needles, embroidery, and served as a TV stand.
Same wall has washer, dryer, sink, water softener under a small basement window.
Upper cabinets hold more fabric, torches, tools, LOS containers, PMC clay, molds, and stamps.
A 1907 cabinet by my great-grandfather wood-burned and finished by my grandmother now stores art supplies.
Originally her music cabinet, it later held games, crayons, yarn, knitting needles, embroidery, and served as a TV stand.
Same wall has washer, dryer, sink, water softener under a small basement window.
And finally on the last wall in my laundry craft room, there is more fabric storage and the sewing machine cabinet my father made for me as a college graduation gift in 1972.
Larger tools like drill press, anvil, and kiln stay in the garage.
No rust issues I coat metal tools with WD-40 regularly. Dehumidifier runs during laundry.
My space evolves constantly with new pieces, tools, or supplies.
Yours will too. Mine took decades I've collected rocks, beads, and tools for 60+ years.
What does your creative space look like? How do you store supplies? What "find" can you repurpose?
Enjoyed Judy's article hope it inspires your setup!
Happy Wrapping!
No rust issues I coat metal tools with WD-40 regularly. Dehumidifier runs during laundry.
My space evolves constantly with new pieces, tools, or supplies.
Yours will too. Mine took decades I've collected rocks, beads, and tools for 60+ years.
What does your creative space look like? How do you store supplies? What "find" can you repurpose?
Enjoyed Judy's article hope it inspires your setup!
Happy Wrapping!
Materials
Wire
Beads
Cabochons
Tools
Storage
Plier Stand - 8 Hole
HOL-315.04
- HOL-315.04
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Wooden Plier Stand
HOL-306.00
- HOL-306.00
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12 Bead Containers - Organizer
G20-13
- G20-13
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- Price: $6.97
- Gold Club Price: $5.23
24 Compartment Professional Beaders Organizer
G20-25
- G20-25
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- Gold Club Price: $6.73
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- Category: Storage
- Technique(s): Tools, Storage, General Education
Judy Larson
Other Articles by Judy Larson
What is Druzy
Coiled Wire Jewelry Series Part 1 - Everything New is Old
Soldering on Copper
Charting Your Creations
Design Process with 3 Earrings
All About Rolling Mills
How to Use Disc Cutters to Make Metal Washers
Disc Cutter Basics and How to Make Metal Washers
I Am Not a Hoarder
The Beauty of Druzy
Design Process with 3 Different Earrings
Think Outside the Box - Alternative Metal Texturing
Fall Leaves for Your Designs
Cholula "Folk Art" Charms
Lemons to Lemonade
Why You Should Take a Class
Bead, Shell, and Rock Cabochons
What Tools Do I Need for Wirework and Bead Stringing - Start With The Basics
Choosing Pliers
Saving, Storing, Using Tutorials
Flop to Flip
The Story of Turquoise
Non Marring Tools
Using Lower Quality Beads
Differences in Gold Plating
Inventorying Your Supplies
Engineering the Multi-chain Necklace
Benefits of Extender Chains
My Most Often Used Embellishments
Sliding Gauges and Calipers
Wire and Sheet Gauge Measuring Tool
Silver Plated Copper Craft Wire
Jewelry from Other Cultures
Conversation Starters
Well, That Didn't Work, Now What
Water Casting for the Weekend Jeweler
A Few Thoughts on Multi-Strand Beading Wires
How to Downsize Your Earring Projects Without Losing Style
Celebration Jewelry
Moonstone- A Flash of Light
A Short History of Charms and Charm Bracelets
Easy Asymmetry
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