When I was in my teens, platform shoes came into fashion. Remember Elton John on his tall elevator boots? My mother was quick to point out that she’d worn platform shoes all through the '30s and '40s. Of course, I was not in a position to recall the '30s or '40s. But when bell bottoms (or flared, as they’re called today) and hip huggers (or low rise, as they’re called today) came back into style in the '90s, you can bet I had a laugh about how we’d all worn those in the '70s. In fashion, if something is new to you, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s new.

In the forums, folks are discussing their preparations for the upcoming holiday craft fairs. In addition to the questions about packaging, displays, and pricing, there's another question that occasionally pops up in these types of discussions. With more and more beaders and jewelry makers selling their work, how do you make yours stand out from the crowd? One way is to make your own unique pendants, charms, and clasps. This is a strong area of interest of mine. In fact, just over the weekend, I was playing with some "shrink plastic" which is basically a grown-up version of Shrinky-Dinks! (Remember those?) You can draw on the plastic, cut it out, and then bake it in the oven. After you take it out, you'll have a tiny charm or pendant. ...

I help out at one of my local bead shops every so often. As one of the store managers mentioned, it helps sate “Jean’s need for adult conversation.” That pathetic reality aside, I also like to be at the shop to see and hear about what other beaders are making and doing. It’s a great way to learn about beading dilemmas and their solutions.

Macramé was one of my teenage passions. I used soft, cotton string from the hardware store, and my favorite macramé experiences were wall hangings. I learned all my knots from one book, and would simply start knotting, making it up as I went along. I was in it for the journey, not just the destination. One of my pieces still hangs in my parents’ house....

I love combining bits of beadweaving with small bits of stringing or wirework. Check out my Lazy-B Ranch (ladder stitch and stringing) or Love Birds Necklace (daisy chain and wirework) as examples. ...

I've been searching for a delicate way to ask this, but I can't find one, so I'll just be blunt: What's up with beaders and bugs? Does everyone else who beads have the compulsion to make beaded insects? (Take a look at the "Bead a Bug" gallery from the June/July 2006 issue of Beadwork and see what I mean.) Butterflies, I understand and well, ladybugs are cute. But everything else? Well . . . I just don't get it. ...

I was delighted that almost 80% buy beads without knowing exactly how they'll use them. Me too! Now that my stash is getting out of control, I try to have at least a general idea--"those beads would make cute earrings"--but sometimes that's as specific as I get. I also found it fascinating that a few readers confessed that they hated shopping, except for beads. It is thrilling to rush home, unwrap your beads, and admire them. (If I'm not driving, I'll even unwrap mine in the car on the way home.) Some beaders have done things like choose their house or vacation spots accordinging to "bead proximity." One reader even claimed, "I try to live my life so that I am never less than five miles away from a bead store." (Try explaining that to your real estate or travel agents!) ...

Every once in a while it’s good to color outside the lines . . . or at least that’s what I keep telling that uptight little uniformed schoolgirl inside my head! Like many people, I tend to fall into a creative rut pretty easily. Does this happen to you, too? ...