Studio Tour

Originally my "studio" was where ever I could find a place in the barn. I soon realized this would not work. I like my things clean and organized, my husband? Not so much.

I really needed a space of my own. One Christmas my husband asked what I wanted. Normally, I say nothing but this year I really wanted a studio. Being lucky enough to have a husband that indulges me, that's exactly what I got!

Times are tough for everyone and we were no exception. We had to build on a very limited budget and we did. In total, I think we spent less than $300.

Since my studio is a room inside of an existing building (our barn) I only need two walls. The material for the walls we already had. The only out of pocket expenses were ventilation, paint, base cabinets and counter tops. We pooled all of our gift cards together and was able to purchase most of those things at a surplus store or on sale at Lowes.

My glass storage came a bit later. I was lucky enough to find the vinyl fence post on clearance at Lowes. They were a discontinued item and marked down to $3.50 a picket. I simply cut the pickets into 12" sections and stacked them on top of each other. Gorilla glue is a wonderful thing! My husband added a backing so the glass doesn't fall out the back.

While I started out on a hothead, I soon found I had very little patience for it and upgraded to a Nortel Minor. I am very happy that I did. It works like a charm.

You'll notice a mirror in front of my torch. I assure you that is not for vanity purposes. My husband, kids and friends think it's very funny to sneak up on me since the door is to my back. With the mirror, I have a little warning.
My pink arm rest are actually water noodles. They were inexpensive and do a fine job.

So there you have it. A glimpse into my studio. A bit drab and I really wished I had a window. It's not exactly my dream studio, but when you're on a budget, beggars can't be choosers. Or something like that. One of these days I'll fix it up and add more color. As it stands, I spend every minute I can at the torch. Lampworking really is an addictive medium, everything else falls to the wayside.