Crafty Tool Spotlight: A Funnel Tray

Crafting is my all time favorite hobby which is why I'm always on the lookout for tools that help me do things efficiently.

Here is one that blew my mind:

This is called a bead funnel tray.

It looks like a flask with a window.

It has a hole that can be opened or sealed with a screw-on cap.

For jewelry makers, simply put the beads on the tray to keep them from rolling off your table. Whether you use needle and thread, wire, elastic cord, leather or ribbon to assemble your jewelry, the tray neatly corrals your beads.  

Once done with this set of beads, unscrew the cap...

And transfer the beads to a storage container. The flask works as a funnel...TADA!

No mess, no stress! I love that! 

For paper crafters, use the tray for glitter, embossing powder, and small confetti. 

Once you're done, the left-over glitter easily falls back into its jar...TADA! No sweeping or dusting involved!

This nifty tool is not easily available in most craft stores. There are similar ones here and here. But why buy when we can D.I.Y.?

We can easily replicate a funnel tray using an empty lotion bottle. 

The best bottle to use is the one that's rectangular and can lie flat.

Rinse the inside with warm sudsy water, let it dry, and remove all the labels.

With a sharp pair of scissors, cut a window on one side of the bottle (you may need to make an initial cut with a blade especially if the plastic is thick...be very careful).

. 

Try to make neat cuts and trim off any not-so-smooth edges. 

Detach the part of the lotion pump that looks like a straw...we no longer need this.

Screw the cap back on the bottle.

Now we can use it as a funnel tray...TADA!

I like to use it for bigger beads...

Because they can easily fit through the hole and back into the container...TADA!

Isn't it wonderful that we get to do some recycling and also add a new tool to our craft arsenal?