Findings Organizer from Heaven

No, I'm not talking about an actual person (wish I was -- my studio has reached critical mass). Today I was at Thomason Stone Supply and noticed these cute little, inexpensive, tres compact organizers from Beadsmith (a wholesaler, you'll have to find this item retail somewhere). I just spent 20 minutes googling them to no avail so I don't know if it's a new product or if most jewelry vendors stock other organizers that are more geared more toward bead storage. Well, I bought 2 today and haven't opened the second one, so heres' a scan:

It's very compact -- only 10" x 8" and 1-7/8" deep, but it has a whopping 52 removable boxes, mostly 1-1/2" x 1-1/2", which are big enough to hold my biggest, long kidney earring wires. They had one open on the counter so I spent a good 5 minutes clicking the plastic boxes open and shut, open and shut, taking them out and putting them back in, to make sure my fingers would fit, LOL.

I'm absolutely done with storage containers that are hard to snap or don't snap securely. Or the hard plastic kind that crack when you drop them, or the screw top kinds that crack when you screw them on too tightly. Grrr! I intend to transfer all my findings from my old grandpa-style nuts and bolts drawers (that have cracked over the years, and allow dust to seep in from the backs), into these tidy little mini-briefcases.

So far, I'm almost done with one set of grandpa-drawers and I've put my earring wires, earring posts, clutch backs, smaller clasps, cones, crimps and crimp covers into one new case, with several boxes to spare. (What did I learn about my findings collection? That I have too many different kinds!)

My longer headpins are too long for the basic boxes, but there are two larger boxes they'll nestle into just fine. Oh! Plus, this package comes with a scooper spoon in one of the larger boxes, and a pair of tweezers in the other.

Don't know the price range around the country (and beyond) on this item, but at Thomason I only paid $12.50 each, well a bit less w/my discount. I think this is a great deal! My only slight complaint is that when you stand the case up, the hinge causes it to tilt slightly to one side. No I'm not OCD ;-) I just worry it will fall over up on my shelf when it's all full of schtuff.