Think Pink

The last weekend of my trip to Hawaii I spent on Oahu, for a 2-day private class with an old friend, Ama Nishi.

When I walked into Ama's studio I just about had a fit of some kind - nothing bad, mind you, but a happy fit of some kind. Ama didn't mind me taking pictures and showing them to you on my blog. I'm sure that each one of you will have a different reaction, anything ranging from "oh, how CUUUUTE" to "wow, that's nuts". But even if you walk more on the "that's-nuts" kind of life, you might want to look beyond the color and see all kinds of ways to organize, store and decorate your own studio.

So, let's take a trip into the pink universe of Ama Nishi:



Some of you might love the idea of having windows with a view in front of you - my personal opinion (based on experience) is: DON'T. Any kind of bright light coming from straight ahead is going to make it more difficult to see your flame. If you can't set your torch up any other way, make sure to get blinds.
As for the TV above, I am jealous - it even swivels depending on where in the studio you sit. But again, miss nagnag would say that it's mounted too high, and if you have to look up that much to watch TV, you might seriously hurt your neck. I am a huge fan of watching TV while making beads, and if the wall/window in front of you is too short for placing a TV without endangering the screen through flying pieces of glass - cover the screen with a pane of glass.



Wow, I am still impressed at the attention to detail in the studio decoration; the bundles of fake cherry blossoms could be very inspirational, I am already itching to light the torch just looking at those. As for the curtains, you better be VERY sure that they are attached properly, floating pieces of fabric are not a good idea anywhere near a flame. In my studio, I actually did the opposite, I removed ALL the different curtains that were on the windows new my workbench. It looks bare and slightly ugly, but it makes me feel much safer. Your choice!



Okay, I admit, I don't quite know what to say about these guys - but Ama made them herself with Polymer Clay. What I like about is the fact that someone can handle multiple hobbies/passions. It's so easy to get carried away with making beads, sometimes I think we all should step back and revisit those things we liked to make BEFORE we got bitten by the beadbug.



The color pink is not only residing in the purely decorational items, but it also infested the lampwork related things, like the lids of a variety of frit jars. Can you tell that Ama is an "ingredient horder"? You should see her collection of PRESSES (which I won't show, for, well, personal reasons...)



Okay, this is hands down the funniest studio outfit I have EVER seen. Do YOU know anyone who took the time to sew a (fuzzy) oxygen tank cover? I'm still speechless. The pink gorilla is just icing on the cake.



The fake pink rose is far away from the flame, and again, very inspirational. Ama bought a tutorial on how to make a rose murrini - but it came without any kind of instructions on how to USE the murrini. Looking at a "real" rose might help her figure it out. In general, it's always better to look at the REAL thing rather than a rendition in/on a bead.



Handknitted wrist warmers in Hawaii? ??????????? At least they are pink...I forgot to check the feet for matching socks.





I admit that I was pretty scared sitting on this chair! So far, I have managed to burn almost any chair I have ever sat on. But Ama just shrugged off my concernes, "don't worry, I can always upholster it again..." I am starting to worry, a beadmaker who knits wrist warmers, sculpts fairy dolls and upholsters chairs. I am getting an inferiority complex.

Oh, but the next one hits the jackpot, handsdown!



She even took the instrucions label off before spray-painting it. I not only don't have a PINK fire extinguisher, I don't have a fire extinguisher period. Maybe I'll go shopping tomorrow. Wonder where they sell them?

Some more miscellaneous items, without  comment. I think I ran out of things to say.

















Oh, did I say the fire extinguisher was the top? I have two more that aren't bad either:



Okay, THIS one is definitely to top of "Things Pink" in Ama's household (I was assured that no animals were harmed and the retro-fitting of this Maltese...)



I hope you got some sort of inspiration/amusement out of this little trip into Pink-country - If Paris Hilton shold ever decide to take up beadmaking, she should take her first lesson in Ama's studio. Aloha and Mahalo!