I would like it to be my full-time career, but I take one day at time. It effects me a lot because I'm always thinking what I want to make next. I'm constantly looking for new ideas, materials.

Explore the differences between Victorian jewelry and Art Deco, Modern and Art Nouveau. Set the way-back-machine, because we're traveling through time for this one.

Q: I love doing shows! The problem I have is when there are several people standing at the booth. I'm afraid if I focus on one person, the others will leave because I am not paying attention to them. What do you recommend I do?

Q: I have made and sold over 50 beaded lanyards since November. Now all of a sudden people are coming back because they have broken. I used Accu-Flex® beading wire 7 strand 0.019 clear for stringing. Do you have any suggestions for something stronger? I have a large order coming up and really don't want to restring.

Q: Can you mix the different Art Clays, the slow drying and the regular? Or do they need to be used seperately because of different working times?

Q: How do I use ribbon ends on my loomworked bracelets? Every time I attach one I crush some of the beads because the clamp doesn't seem large enough to cover the beads. I've seen other examples of loom and off-loom bracelets with these ends attached, but I don't know how to properly attach them. Do you have any bar clasps that are made specifically for stitched bracelets and necklaces or some kind of instructional resource on how to use the ribbon clasp on beadwork?

Q: I have silver tone fashion jewelry that with only a few times of wearing it, the silver tone begins to rub off. I know they will not last a lifetime, but I can only wear them a few times before they look old and faded. I know this happens because of the oils on my skin and products I use. My question is the following, is there any type of silver tone or even sterling silver finish liquid or spray or even paint that you can brush on to "refinish" these pieces and make them look new again? Thank you!

Q: Hello, I am having a hard time getting my earrings to hang straight. They want to turn either to the right or left. Is it because I'm hand drilling the center of my brass? Thank you.

Q: A friend of mine is a jewelry maker whose style is very different from mine. We both want to sell at the same local arts event, and she suggested we split a booth and sell together to save money. I'm not sure if I should take her up on this offer because of any hard feelings if one of us sells more than the other.

Q: Thank you so much for providing answers to my many questions. I hadn't realized this was an option. I've been fascinated with Argentium, but I can't find much in the way of instructional materials. I have several questions for you, and I thank you in advance for taking time to answer.

Q: A customer wrote me a very nice thank-you note recently. When I asked her if I could use it as a testimonial on my website, she said I could, but she only wanted me to use her initials. When I see a testimonial without a full name, it looks fake, but I'd like to post hers with just her initials because it's so positive. What do you suggest?

Q: I use Devcon's two part epoxy 30-min. for my metal jewelry projects. I have had a few customers contact me because their jewelry came apart--esp. during the winter. Does it become brittle? How do I fix this problem?

Coral is a highly prized substance believed to be endowed with mysterious sacred properties. Coral has been called the "garden of the sea" because it was once believed to be a plant.

Just because rhodonite is a pink stone, doesn't mean it's off limits for men's jewelry. The warm hue still has a masculine appearance, especially with its black dendritic inclusions.

Apatite was named from the Greek word apate, meaning "to deceive" because people were confusing it with more expensive gemstones. But it's not the gemstone's fault!

Hemimorphite gets its name from the Greek words hemi ("half") and morph ("shape") because each end has a different shape--a quite unusual behavior in crystal formation.

Because of the perceived similarities between dumortierite and sodalite or lapis lazuli, it is often used as a cost-saving substitute for lapis, which can cost two to three times as much.

A silver-white metal popular for plating because it is malleable and resists oxidation. The most common of metal allergies.

You'll love the range of sterling silver jump rings available at Fire Mountain Gems and Beads, especially because jewelry-making expert Tammy Honaman showcases the various sizes, gauges and shapes in this product feature.

Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you can't be blue with Celestial Crystal®. These Christmas tree style earrings are stunningly blue, but not in a bad way.

Just because something is basic doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful. Rhonda Chase proves this point elegantly with her fashionable "Rudimentary Wrap Pendant" necklace.

I became obsessed with the Viking Knit weave because the basic technique, so far as design, was virtually unexplored. I believed there was more to it

I work with copper and silver wire and semiprecious stones and beads. I prefer working mostly with copper lately because it gives so much freedom to experiment and create different designs without being too costly

I consider myself a versatile creator, because I wanted to explore many options while expressing my love for colors, shapes and sizes.