I have no idea what started me thinking about this subject, but I thought I’d write about one of my favorite studio supplies today: trays. I’ve got 2 distinct favorites, cafeteria trays in full and half size and the half size square jeweler’s trays.
Put a piece of bead mat (or vellux blanket) on one of these trays and you’ve got the perfect portable beading station. When I am working on a project that requires a lot of different beads, such as a freeform peyote bracelet, I use a cafeteria tray as a work surface and one of the small jeweler’s trays to hold the extra tubes of beads. I love how portable the trays are, and how you can stack them out of the way even full of beads.
The small jeweler’s trays are perfect for coralling a collection of bits and bobs:
The cafeteria trays are handy for polymer clay too. I like to use them to hold sheets of clay when I go on a color mixing spree. I wrap a sheet of color in a plastic deli sheet and then toss that onto a tray.
I’ve got trays spread all around the studio. It’s a messy, but effective way to keep a color palette together. The smaller cafeteria trays are also a handy place to stage a selection of canes when I am working on a project.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Linda 06.25.08 at 9:19 pm
Hee! I love cafeteria trays too. And they go so nicely into bakers’ racks. =)
Love your blog, Libby!
Susan 06.25.08 at 9:44 pm
Libby,
I use a few dozen cafeteria trays in my studio - and most are stored in an old baker’s rack that I got from an industrial kitchen. The rack holds two trays on each shelf (40 trays total). The rack/tray combo is a really efficient way to store a lot of materials in plain view - and the footprint is small. My trays are organized in such a way that I can grab a tray from the rack and drop it on my studio table as needed: a tray for paints, one for texture tools, one to store blades, punches and cutters, another that holds rubber stamps…you get the idea.
I also bought several colorful lunch trays at a dollar store for students to use at their workstations when I teach workshops. They absorb all of the tools, materials and supplies needed for each student. Happy organizing!
Libby 06.25.08 at 10:18 pm
Linda, you were the one who got me started with the cafe trays! Now if only I could find a bakers rack that didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Susan, that’s a great idea about supplying trays for workshop students. And a great excuse to pick up more trays.
I really really want a bakers rack!
Shellie 06.26.08 at 6:49 am
Libby, I recognize alot of those canes from Donna’s workshop….what are they going to become??? You are always thinking, I love the idea of the trays, hmmmm, where does one acquire them?
Libby 06.26.08 at 8:44 am
Shellie, no specific plans for those canes right now, although I did use a few in the Purple Shard Pendant I posted last week. I buy the cafeteria trays from a nearby restaurant supply company and the jeweler’s trays from Nile.
Jeanne Rhea 06.26.08 at 9:55 am
I use these jeweler’s trays, too and love them! I keep them for different projects in process. The only thing I don’t like about them is uncured polymer clay will eat mine up! Even using plastic film or deli wraps under the clay will not prevent a problem. Does anyone know if the reformulated Kato clay will not eat up this kind of plastic? I have no idea if what was removed causes the problem or if it is a completely separate thing.
I have learned to just not use the trays for raw clay or at least use a tile if I want to leave uncured clay in them. If they are stacked though, this can be a problem if the clay is too high. I found them in 1″ and 1 1/4″ heights and wish I had bought all of them in 1 1/4″.
Bettina 06.26.08 at 10:17 am
I share your love for trays but I don’t have much of them. where did you get all these? Just take them with you when leaving the cafeteria?…*kidding*…
I use big plates as well (as I do not own many trays:)
Libby 06.26.08 at 11:35 am
Bettina, here in the U.S. you can find them at restaurant supply stores. Around here they run around $1 - $2 each, although sometimes you can find used ones even cheaper.
And Jeanne, I somehow doubt the reformulation of the polymer clays will stop raw clay from attacking certain plastics. The cafeteria trays don’t react with raw clay so I only use those with clay. I save the jeweler’s trays for beading projects or finished pieces or other bits.
Dee Wilder 06.29.08 at 4:37 pm
I, too, work off of trays. It is such a good way to be able to have numerous projects in the works, but out of the way.