Essential equipment for my jewelry making business

As I'm in my art studio the other day, I was looking around at the jewelry making equipment I have that isn't technically jewelry making equipment.  I say that because they are not items you would find in any of my jewelry supply catalogs, but I absolutely find them essential to my business.


These are my top 5 items, that if they went away, I would seriously miss:

Assorted colors of fine point Sharpies

1.  Sharpies  These are great to use to write on metal.  I also use them to mark storage bags and storage containers.  I have them in almost every color possible.  Yes, I love my Sharpies.  (My jewelry making class participants also hear me sing my praises for Sharpies a lot.)

Bembo mini trekker tripod

2.  Bembo mini trekker tripod.  This is the tripod I set my camera up on to take pictures.  It is a "mini" tripod, approximately 24 inches high, that allows me to get super close to get great detail on my jewelry.  It is almost like "Gumby" in that I can contort it into almost angle or height possible.  Once I get my camera set up and the jewelry positioned, I set a timer on the camera to take the picture.  I wouldn't be able to get clear pictures otherwise since my shaky hands make blurry pictures.

The high speed internet router in my office

3.  The internet  This might sound very cliche, but the internet has opened a lot of doors for me.  I have made sales to people I would not have ordinarily met living here in Florida.  I also have been fortunate to have met others in the art business that have been invaluable in guiding me in my jewelry making career .

DYMO label writer for printing postage

4.  Endicia  This is an internet based postage company that allows me to purchase postage online and print directly to labels on my printer.  This allows me to weigh my packages in my studio, enter that information into the program, and print out the shipping label with the appropriate postage.  I can then hand the packages to hubby as he's heading out the door to drop in a blue mailbox.  Standing in line at the post office happens no more!

Assorted templates and ruler on my soldering bench

5.  Templates and rulers  While you might think, what's the big deal about these, I have a very special collection of office supplies.  I have certain rulers with specific marks (and the same goes for my templates).  I also have a collection of templates used by architecture gurus that allow me to make precise sketches and/or drawings on metal (using Sharpies of course).  The right piece of equipment definitely makes things more efficient.


What do you have in your office that is just "must have" for what you do?