A New Studio Space

If you read my "Why are you UNinspired?" post last week, you will know I haven't been working much this month. If you were to look at my Flickr stream, you will see it is no longer filled with bead, jewelry, and studio related photos. Instead its mostly dance, knitting (because sock knitting is easy to do on the road!) and outdoor related photos. Because I'm spending my life weeding, planting and nurturing veggies, driving my daughter to dance competitions (finally over!) and track meets (finally over!).

Because my family needed time at the lake to unwind and get some chores done, we've been here all week. Unfortunately I'm not getting many chores done because I'm obsessed with watching the Sandhill Crane family whose nest is in the marshy area next to the tip of our property. They spend most of the day digging up our yard feeding the two babies.

This morning I woke up and desperately wanted to make beads. However, my lake house studio hasn't been outfitted yet. Yes, I will set up a torch at the lake too because I plan on being here most of the summer if I get my way.

The space where I will be setting up my small studio is a tiny little alcove in the garage.

I bought an oxygen concentrator from a fellow Indiana lampworker named Amy (I can't spell her last name) who makes GORGEOUS, juicy beads. (Like her facebook page for a regular dose of eye candy). I am lazy and don't want to lug my current oxy con back and forth. So I bought Amy's old one for the lake.

When we had the house built, I had the builders install a gas line just for my torch. That's one of the nice things about building a house....you can customize what you need and not have to hire someone to come in to install it.

I have a Paragon Caldera kiln, with the bead collar, that is currently sitting in my current studio collecting dust, so I don't have to buy another kiln. (If you want a small kiln that is really versatile, I LOVE this kiln and would highly recommend it. I bought a kiln specific for bead making because I needed more kiln space than this one offers).

And my view out that window?

My next big step is to get another torch. I will be going with another Carlisle Mini CC bench burner, like the one in the photo below.

I also need a bench to attach it to. Hubs keeps telling me he will build one for me. I'm not sure when he will find time to do that. One step at a time, I guess.

Have a creative week!

-Jen Cameron
Glass Addictions