Organizing Legos and Beads –

It’s been two years that our grand boys have been living with us, and I willingly share my in-home studio with them as a play room. They have many toys and even a foosball table, but more than anything, they have collected thousands and thousands, maybe millions of Lego pieces. Have you ever stepped on one of those? Ouch! Hop, hop, hop.

Early in their stay, I decided to get plastic organizing drawers for the multitude of Legos, and luckily, they fit conveniently under the long tables in my studio. The boys also have a couple of drum-like clothes hampers that we found at Ikea that work perfectly for the bigger pieces. When the Lego building urge hits, the kids excitedly dump them all on the floor, and start to build their cities and cars, or army barracks and airports - all those itsy-bitsy “fit-togethers” to choose from. It’s fun to see what they master, but oh wow, when they’re in school, I step gingerly between each of their projects, to get to mine.

Okay now, writing this, I realize my beads are treated almost like Legos.  While deciding on a new design, those colorful gems are out and loose. I don’t work down on the floor, mind you, like my cuties do, but every bead has to have a place like the boy’s Legos. You don’t want them to get away from you, so I found antique wooden printer trays that work fantastically, and hold many loose gems. The trays lay flat so it’s easy to see just what you have. It sounds piecemeal, but they work.

Who knows, my next design might have a Lego or two! How fun would that be?

Jan Maitland

Lava Glow Jewelry

www.lavaglowjewelry.com