You can use just the stretchy thread to thread the beads and make a bracelet. Put a drop of nailpolish on the knot to help it hold. For necklaces/braclets with wire, it gets a bit more complicated. Need some basic tools (you can get at any craft store)and a few hours to watch videos on the computer. Yup, that is how I learned this fall - there are instructional video clips all over the internet. Mostly it comes down to two things: using what's called "crimp" beads to hold the beads on the wire and also learning how to make "loops" to connect components.

Back in the mid 1970's I was a long haul truck driver and while running eastbound on I-10 about 60 miles west of Tuscon,Ariz I came upon an old pickup truck parked in the breakdown lane of the Interstate with the hood up. There was an Indian woman sitting on the tailgate holding a baby in her arms and a towel over her head to shade herself and the baby. I stopped, grabbed my water cooler and walked up to see what the problem was. Her husband was working on the engine and he said their fuel pump had gone out. I offered them my water, then I said, i don't have any way to fix your fuel pump but I could give you a lift into Tuscon where you can get one, then I can help find a driver heading westbound that would bring your back to your truck. They agreed and climbed into my truck. I had already planned to layover in Tuscon for the night so I told the Indian fellow I could loan him some tools and I would sit with his wife and baby at the truck stop until he could go back and get his truck. I got him a ride and then i sat with his wife and baby for about 4 hours until he returned. He then thanked me and asked me how much he owed for helping him out? I said, knowing that you are all safe is thanks enough for me. He then said something to his wife in their native language and she nodded as she opened a small overnight case she had been carrying. She removed about 6 or 8 trays of turquoise jewelery then she pulled out a small beaded leather bag and took out three or four rings. She then handed one of the rings to her husband, who in turn handed it to me as he said, I want you to have this, wear it well for it shall be good luck for you. About five years later I was delivering a load of school desks to an Indian Reservation school and while unloading an old, old, i mean, really old Indian man saw that ring. He almost broke my arm as he grabbed my hand rather indignantly for a closer look, all the while talking rapidly in the Native American language. The young Indian girl who was the secretary for the Indian School calmed the old man down as she asked me, can you tell me how you come to have that ring? So I told her the story. She says, do you know what that ring signifies? No, I replied. She says, that is a true "Tribal Quality ring" It is the custom of the Native Americans to reserve true tribal quality to Native Americans only. Selling tribal quality jewelry is considered a big time social taboo then she went on to say that based upon the design and how I came to have it, that ring represented that I had been adopted as a member of the first Indian's family and I should be accorded all the courtesy of a Member of his household. Once the old man was satisfied that I had a legitimate right to have that ring he went on to invite me to spend the night in a small motel room on the reservation and to have dinner in his home. That night I had opportunity to discuss Indian jewelry with a couple silversmiths. They told me that every tribe has certain distinctive patterns in their jewelry. When making tribal quality they adhere strictly to the tribal patterns but when making commercial trade jewelry they mix patterns, by example they may use an Apache style stone but put it in a Navajo set. In this manner it is easy for the Native Americans to distinguish the real from the commercial trade goods they make for the white eyes.

Your things are really cute! I love the cats eye, I haven't used it, but I think it's so pretty, soft colors. Love that pink & blue pearl one also. The pacifiers are adorable, but they'd scare the bejeebers out of me, liability issue. I don't know if you use Swarovski flat backs, but you might want to check into the lead content of the crystals on the. I believe it's 32%, but I don't know how/when, it's dangerous. You might also want to add a break point on your children's bracelets. That way if they get their arm caught on something, the bracelet will open at the break point, like a heavy, but open, jump ring at the clasp. That saves the child from breaking a wrist or from the beads on the bracelet going all over the place should it break. All you'd have to replace to fix the bracelet is the jump ring. Also write up a little disclaimer about supervising children with jewelry, etc. And put it in the bag with the item.. Can you tell I'm paranoid???? I sell through my site, eBay & Etsy. Etsy is not so hot, but it's inexpensive. I do craft show, a TON of custom work, word of mouth, neighbors, etc. As for displaying your jewelry, if it's mostly children's stuff, that fun! I'm thinking white Teddy bear props, maybe some pastel wood cubes for risers. I'd use a white table cloth and displays. Nile corp is good for displays. Bring plenty of business cards too. I had a bowl of candy out for the kids also, they liked that Good luck!

Well, this morning was the big taste test and of the four vinegars the white wine had the most interesting flavor (it is also the oldest). The scuppernong tasted kinda ordinary but still had some fruitiness to its aroma. The red wine had no flavor and the apple cider vinegar was nothing special (I had high hopes for it, since it was made from organic apple cider and since I use a lot of apple cider vinegar and like the flavor). Now I have to strain them and bottle them and allow them to finish curing(ageing) and hope for better flavors to develop. bud wi - when I moved here the grapes were just ripening and I could barely control myself. The place I worked had an entire row of about 15 cultivars - each with its own distinct flavor and ripening time. You can actually get a headache from the sugar content if you eat too many of them. I started trying different recipes with them which disgusted the locals. They claimed that the only reason people grow them in their back yards is for home made wine. The local wineries that use them produce wine that is very sweet - kinda like Japanese plum wine.