Keeping Projects Separate

by Judy Larson
When you start making multiples of things, it's easy to end up with a mess of stones and wire and metal. Here's how I've chosen to keep order on my bench!
Instructions
When working with multiples of the same stones like for the earrings in this tray I separate them into sealed baggies.

This helps retard tarnish and also prevents a major mess if the tray gets dropped.

No more scrambling to find everything on the floor and then having to rematch stone pairs and their bezels.

Been there, done that!
Judy Larson's Keeping Projects Separate - , General Education, , I separate them into sealed baggies
Recently, while making MANY pearl earring gifts for the holidays, I ran out of black velvet storage trays and needed another way to separate all the parts for each pair.

I considered egg crates, but didn't want to remove the lids since I save them for friends who raise chickens and the lids just got in the way.

Then I spotted some tart pans in the dish drainer after baking, and had a light bulb moment!

I'd used muffin tins before, but the tart pans were smaller and three fit easily on my work surface.

After pairing the different pearl shapes and threading them onto head pins, I placed each pair into the pans and added the matching ear wires and embellishments to each well.

Since I didn't plan to store these like I would with velvet-lined trays, the tart pans were both a time and sanity saver.

No rolling pearls, no mix-ups.

I could work on the earrings production-style doing the same step across all pairs while easily seeing which ones were finished and which still needed attention.
Using the tart pans gave me the push I needed to complete projects I thought I'd finish months ago.

Still, I really missed using my velvet trays.

The non-reflective velvet is much easier on the eyes compared to the tart pans even though, after years of use, the pans have developed a dull finish.
Judy Larson's Keeping Projects Separate - , General Education, , keeping projects separate
Judy Larson's Keeping Projects Separate - , General Education, , I needed to complete projects

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Tools

10 Compartment Clear Plastic Organizer Case
G20-22
  • G20-22
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
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  • Category: General Education
  • Technique(s): General Education