Gun Case = Portable Art

In 2000 I took a weekend workshop in downtown Chicago at The Whole Bead Show where Elizabeth Knodle was teaching. I took her Jewelry Design and Construction and her fabulous Free Form Peyote class and one more that I can't remember the name of.  She showed us how to travel light with our beading by converting a gun case into a beading case.  I adapted the same concept to my painting and converted a second gun case to a watercolor field box.

Below is my bead case. I keep a crimper, knot picker, small scissors, tweezers, thread, needles and a bead scooper on the left side under the foam insert. I cut a bead mat to fit the shape of the left side sponge.

Above and below is Jean Campbells' button kit I have been working on and putting my own twist on.

Beads are kept in pill holders purchased at Walgreens for $.99 each. The gun cases work out great.