prep

prep, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

Hopefully this little lot will get me thru the week!

Each project has the bead mix, wire etc in a bag. All I need to do is grab my basic toolkit (pliers, snips and polishers) plus the beads etc and off the Wee Guy and I go for some fun in the sun (hopefully)!

His hat, sunscreen and shade are already waiting for us in the coat cupboard.

Maybe one day we'll be able to leave the house in less than 15 minutes!!

portable polishing kit

portable polishing kit, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

This is my portable polishing kit. I use it for polishing up sterling silver, copper or fired fine silver (I have slightly different polishing papers for the unfired art clay pieces and I have to make sure they are well padded for transit).

I can usually fit whatever I need to hand finish inside the tin and the emery file is strapped to the outside. All I need to do when leaving the house for the day is grab it and stuff the kit into my bag.

With the grits and files available I can bring most pieces up to a high shine, or at least start them off by hand so that the machine finishing (either tumbling in stainless steel shot or using a buffing pad with tripoli and rouge at home) is shorter.

Viola!

PS: Now all I need to do is perfect the art of photographing shiny objects!

portable crafting and lunch

portable crafting and lunch, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

yawn!

more portable crafting with circular knitting needles


but with the added excitement of a creamy mocha coffe and a pain chocolat


mmmmm! portable crafting rocks!

portable crafting; organisation

portable crafting; organisation, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

..... well, it's an attempt!

I find it's much easier to cram crafting into any spare moment if my kit is organised and stowed together. I group tools, etc according to projects and techniques so that if I need to pulla quick on-the-go project together I don't have to waste time hunting around for components. I started doing this when I used to sketch or paint during nap times (and oh boy does that seem like a long time ago now! naps are a definite thing of the past now!). I found I could get more done in a short period of time if I wasn't having to track down all that I needed for a project. If I could just reach into a box or bin and find everythig that I needed then my time was spent much more productively.

This is my art clay kit and tools, all conveniently kept together in a salad box. I like the salad boxes since it is a good example of recycling, and since they are transparent I can see what is inside each box when they are stacked (oh and they stack nicely too!). In addition, the lid keeps the smell of the oil paste inside the box and not all over my other materials.

I've also found that I can keep partially used packets of ACS on the go for longer if I double wrap them in the original art clay ziplocks in this salad box container. I add a damp piece of cottonwool into the outer package and seal it. I'm sure my last pack was still useable over a month after first opening it, and probably longer!