A Bead Studio to Make You Green with Envy: Regina Payne’s Fantastic Beading Space

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Regina’s bead studio will make you green with envy. So much storage! So much work space! And SO MANY BEADS! We interviewed Regina to learn more about how her beading space helps her generate such a prolific collection of finished designs.

Regina’s Bead Studio

Q: Where is your current workspace located?

A: My workroom is a small bedroom on the ground level of our two-story house. It looks messy, but I can always find what I need. I’m very visual, so I tend to set out a lot of materials.

Once I have all my supplies gathered for a project, I put everything on a Bead On It Board and take it to my bedroom. I have a large TV, good lighting, and a big comfy bed where I work. Pure bliss!

When I’m in design mode and need extra space, I often set out trays of all my stones, cabochons, and components all over the dining room table and just play with the possibilities. Luckily we have another area where we can eat!

A Place for Everything

Q: How is your bead studio/workspace organized?

A: My workroom has two tables, two chairs, and great lighting. The closet shelves are full of beading books, magazines, and patterns.

I have some cabinets that hold seed beads, organized by size and color. Another tall cabinet has several flat, labeled drawers that hold all the newer bead types that are difficult to categorize — multi-hole and special finishes, etc.

One wall houses several white storage units with a variety of trays and containers. And on top of all the furniture are props displaying my finished jewelry.

People are usually overwhelmed when they see my bead studio for the first time. But then I show them my huge bathroom, where all my really good stuff is displayed!

Bead Studio Pluses and Minuses

Q: What do you love about your beading space?

A: I love that my workroom looks out onto the forest that surrounds our house. All year long we have deer, turkeys, squirrels, fox, and a variety of birds.

Q: What’s the ONE thing you would change about your bead studio if you could?

A: The only thing I’d change is for me to be less messy.

You Can Never Have Too Much Thread!

Q: What’s your favorite beading tool?

A: My favorite beading tool is a large variety of thread. I love FireLine, but I use every kind of thread, depending on the type of beadwork and whether I need to match colors. I also like small, sharp scissors.

To learn more about Regina, see “Find Beading Inspiration from Prolific Bead Weaving Artist Regina Payne.” To see more of Regina’s work, visit her Etsy site, Night Owl Studio Jewels.

Lavon Peters
Former Managing Editor, Beadwork

Regina Payne’s projects have been published in Beadwork magazine. This Royal Countess Cuff is in the October/November 2017 issue.

Originally published September 2017. Updated March 2022.