Hi there - I hope I'm not too late in contacting you. I just came across your site and saw all of the stunning jewelery items you have made. I had a couple of quick questions for you: 1- can you build custom design jewelry items on request? 2- do you take bulk orders? 3- do you have items for special occasions (like Valentines day) or those made with birthstones. 4- how can I get in touch with you. I don't have much to trade, but would love to do business with you soon. Mona

I'd be interested in your beading supplies, my 9-year-old granddaughter does beading. I have mostly seeds for edibles. My list is not current but could send good amounts of pumpkins, zucchini, mixed gourds, beans, ground cherries, giant gray-striped sunflowers, mixed zinnias, mixed marigolds, mixed hot or sweet peppers, I also have seeds from my silver maple and debra maple trees. In the spring I can dig up some Jerusalem artichoke roots. You can email me at mamahack@hotmail.com, I don't get in here very much anymore, not much time, but I do check my email daily. Thanks very much.

honestly, all my jewelry crafting toolboxes are packed away- there's a dish of beads out on my sewing table from a dreamcatcher I made back in april- but jewelry is very much a winter time thing for me- there's no way I'm spending a hot summer night beading, or worse, working with a torch and a hammer! I'll admit to not having a scanner or a digital camera, either (and we just finished up a roll of film- the first picture was date-stamped june of 2003, which gives you an idea of how often we take pictures ;) but maybe we can get something going anyway, if you girls really want to start a discussion? because Jewelry really encompasses ALL those other areas- they can be painted, worked in any number of materials... my boss just got into a new project- making pins with scraps of old toiles on shank button forms. we're going to edge some of them with grosgrain ribbon, some of them with lace- I think they're going to look pretty dashing, and am thinking about doing the same with some of her tiny little florals (she's working with figurative toiles at the moment) I'm not happy with the pin backs- but I never do pins because I LOATHE every single commercially available pin back. they're ugly, and clunky looking.

I missed this first go round too. I think there is good, classic jewelry that will never go out of style. I also like stylish costume jewelry but not the stuff made to look like the "real thing", like fake diamonds, rubies, etc. I love unique necklaces. I'm talking costume jewelry for necklaces. I wear earrings most days, but not always. Most always wear my wedding ring diamond set - although there are times when I will wear a plain wide wedding band. Always wear one other ring on my right hand. I have an emerald cut 3 stone ring that I most often wear but occasionally will change it up. My dad recently gave me three rings that belonged to my mother and one is a gorgeous london blue topaz that I have worn several times. I never wear a watch and don't wear bracelets that often - other than my charm bracelet. I do like an earring on some men, but it depends on the man. And one earring only. tina