Where the Wild Ficus Grows

I love my workshop! Sometimes, I think I love it a little too much. I have the great outdoors on three sides of me, with big, double glass doors on all four sides of the room, so that I have a clear view in every direction. Of course, one of those doors just looks out onto my living room, but even that has it's advantages. I can keep an eye on my kids.

I didn't always have a workshop that I love. My first workshop, in our first house, only consisted of my bench shoved into a tiny corner of our laundry room. I couldn't even push my chair all the way back because I'd run into the washer. It was tight.

In my second house, size wasn't the problem with my workshop. It was pretty darn big. But I was still in the laundry room. And the laundry room was in the basement. An unheated basement.

My workshop now is everything I could ever want. It's big. It's sunny. I have great views. It's in the main part of the house. I have my own television. But most of all, everything fits! Even my huge ficus! Too bad he blocks some of the sun, though. This is usually where I take my photos of my jewelry.



The table in my workshop is where I store my laptop and where I can price and tag my jewelry.

My bench has been with me since I graduated from college. My dad made it for me. It has tons of drawers to store all my goodies. The drawer pulls don't match, but my bench rocks, none-the-less.

In my drawers, I store small polishing supplies, my metals, my saw, caliper, and sanding sticks, my mandrels, hammers, draw plate, draw tongs, and stamps. The other drawers are just for storing all those items that don't fit anywhere else.

I love the little shelf my dad added to the inside of my bench. I store my notebooks, findings, and wax carving supplies there. And the catch tray is big enough to catch all of my shavings and stones that like to go flying.

On the other side of the room, I have all of my big tools. This includes my kiln, ultrasonic, home-made polishing hood and motor, and down below is my vacuum caster. The cabinets were recycled from when my parents redid their kitchen, and we just bought a counter top to put on the top. They're not actually built in, so if we ever move, I can take them with me.

This crazy piece of equipment to the left is a wax injector. I have yet to use it, but can't wait until I get to the point where I can. I hope it works; I got it used.

These cabinets are WONDERFUL! They all have pull out drawers, which are great for storing all those little items that might get lost deep in the back of the cabinets if I didn't have them. Here, you can see my casting supplies, such as my flasks, mixing container, and the investment, as well as other odds and ends. Another drawer holds my dapping block, punches, circle cutter, and my scale. Then I have a great storage space for all the items that I don't use very often.

I love my workshop! It's my own private space that I don't have to share with anyone. Even the television is all mine! I had no idea how important that was until I had kids.

This post was inspired by one of the Etsy Teams that I'm a member of, Aspiring Metalsmiths.

There are quite a few of us who cleaned up our work areas (a little) to show them off to those of you who are interested in seeing where we work. I hope you'll go and take a look at their workspaces, too. And here they are:

Jessica Lopour of Abella Blue

Jeanne Milmann of Golden Water Creations

Sylvia Anderson of Sylvia Anderson

Steph Stargell of Steph Stargell Designs

Clarity of Scrollwork Designs

Brandy of The Frogs Pond

Pennee of All Wired Up Jewelry Designs

Esmeralda of SilverBlueberry

Heather of Misty Ridge Designs

Joy of JoyPeckJoy

Nancy of Nancy Creations

Carole Axium of Carole Axium Designs

Gloria of Hemlock Hollow

Stacy of Form and Funktion
Julie A. Mauerer of Jamauerer