Bead organisation -- ever evolving

About a year ago, I was in the middle of expanding my bead storage, by which I mean transferring from existing containers to larger ones, because my stash seems to have exploded when I was not looking. I did the blues (I store by colour) and then got stalled and haven't done the rest.

Then I discovered that I'm more into bead-weaving these days, and for bead-weaving, the size of beads are important. The most-used size is 4mm but 3mm, 5mm, and 6mm are also used occasionally... And for seed beads, the most-used size is 11/0 but 15/0s are also frequently used and occasionally 8/0s are needed.

I had already stored my seed beads separately, so that was not a problem, and I had also stored 4mm Chinese glass bicones and 4mm faceted round Chinese glass crystals separately. But now I also have 4mm pearls, 4mm unfaceted round glass beads, 4mm semi-precious stone beads... and what about the 6mm? Do I store them separately by size or put them in my original containers where my beads are sorted by colour?

The other beads probably would be used for stringing or other techniques. I had stored them by colour because I figured when I try to select beads for a design and match them up with each other, I match them by colour. But within a box of dark blues, all the various shapes and sizes of beads are bagged up in little ziplock baggies to keep the different types of beads separate. So that means, when I open the box, I cannot at one glance see all the options that are available.

I liked keeping the beads in baggies because then I could just grab the bag and did not need to leave a container open on my table, taking up space; and also, I didn't have to worry about possibly accidentally jolting it and knocking a bunch of different beads into a bead soup on the floor!

But recently, I was at a friend's place and we were making earrings together. She had all her beads spread out on the table and it helped so much for me to be able to see all the options available in order to match various shapes and sizes and finishes together to create simple earrings. Now I'm rethinking my bead organisation again!! Omg!!!

When you don't know anyone else who makes jewellery

I'm excited but have no one to talk to. Ish. Because no one will understand when I say I just ordered a set of 42 colours of size 15/0 seed beads!

Crafter's dilemma

I think I have developed an obsession with silicone moulds.

At last count, I have 44 of them, and that's with some of them lumped together into sets because they were sold in sets. If I were to really count each individual mould, I have way more than 44!

I think I'm fascinated with them because they can help me achieve resin forms which I couldn't otherwise. The latest ones which arrived in the mail (online shopping is dangerous!!!) were tiny ones to make roses 1mm in diameter, so that these roses can in turn be placed into my pendants.

I have to say that YouTube is very much to blame for all this. I'm watching the Japanese crafters -- despite not understanding a word they say -- and I'm so frustrated that they can find materials in Daiso Japan which Daiso Malaysia doesn't carry! I've taken to haunting every Daiso branch within my vicinity, and since most malls have a Daiso outlet and PJ is chock-full of malls, there are loads and loads of Daisos to haunt. It's so annoying  that some Daisos have items which others don't! Also, if Daiso were to accept credit cards, I'd probably spend much, much, MUCH more there. As it is, I feel like I'm single-handedly propping up Daiso's Malaysian empire 😂

So, YouTube. It started with me accidentally coming across a video of a Japanse crafter using UV resin, so I started researching UV resin, which led to me researching UV lights and UV lamps... then I saw a video where a lady painted her resin pendant using nail art techniques and that made me start researching nail art and gel polish (which also cures under UV light)... And then I saw a video where a lady made resin pendants using acrylic skins as a background, so I started researching acrylic pouring... one thing keeps leading to another -- it's like going down a rabbit hole!

I've always had this problem where I'm intensely curious about everything and want to try everything. Even with jewellery-making, I'm interested in stringing, simple off-loom bead-weaving, wire wrapping, macrame, crochet bracelets, wrapped leather bracelets: basically, almost everything except kumihimo and loom beading.

I say it's a problem because it means I have to get supplies for literally everything. For wireworking I have a steel block, nylon hammer, nylon jaw pliers, bail-making pliers, wire jig, wires of different gauges and metals... for bead-weaving I have Fireline beading thread, beading needles, size 11/0 and 15/0 Miyuki seed beads, 4mm Swarovski crystals... for stringing I have beading wire, crimp beads, crimping pliers, crimp covers, wire protectors or wire guardians, calottes or bead tips or clamshells (depending on what you want to call them), and all kinds of shapes and sizes of beads made of porcelain, glass, acrylic, resin, metal, wood, semi-precious stones... for crochet of course I have crochet hooks and yarns... for leather work I have leather and suede cords and cord ends. Seriously, it's madness. Madness!!! Then I also have a lot of chain in various sizes and finishes, not just to make necklaces but also because chain can be decorative, and the usual headpins, eyepins, ear wires or earring hooks, and of course jumprings and clasps -- magnetic clasps, toggle clasps, lobster claw clasps... holy guacamole.

I could make my life considerably simpler if I could just narrow my focus to one technique and do only that, but I can't seem to decide on only one. There are some things I'm interested in, like making paper beads, which I haven't tried; and some things I'm not allowing myself to get anywhere near, like metal stamping and making my own polymer clay beads and charms, because I already have enough going on and I don't need to amass even more craft materials for a completely new craft! (says she as she arranges all her shiny new silicone moulds)