introduction, and a question

Hi -

My name is Carol, aka FurPaw, my online alias. I've been lurking in
this group for a couple of months, and I have to say that this is a
great group of people - kind, supportive, and Talented!

I'm a newbie to beading - I've just finished my first two pieces, really
done to give me some focus while I'm learning some techniques. I'm
really enthusiastic about learning more, and already y'all have given me
some good pointers.

I'm semi-retired (a positive way of saying I was laid off after 22 years
at Bell Labs and Lucent Labs and I don't have a job), 56, married 21
years, and have four dogs. Gordo and Chile are littermate Chihuahuas,
age 13; Dylan is a GSD, nearly 11, and Oppie is a yellow Lab, age 8.5.
We moved from NJ to NM last summer - a move I've been eager to make for
a very long time, since I grew up in NM. Hubster and I are taking basic
Spanish at a local community college, we're volunteer tutors there (him
in math, me in psych, stats and basic skills) and we're working on
fixing up our house. And I'm trying to learn beading.

So here's my question. I have a choker made from turquoise and shell
disks (flat beads with holes in the center, ranging from about 1/2" to
1/8" in diameter, about 1/8" - 3/16" thick). The necklace pinches my
neck when I wear it, and so I want to restring it with small beads
between the disks. The edges of the disks are sharp (not polished), and
before I restring it, I'd like to polish and smooth the edges so that
they're just a bit rounded. How might I do this? I'm thinking about
using a Dremel, but I haven't experimented yet, and before I try it I'm
wondering if anybody has a different suggestion.

Thanks in advance!

Carol
--
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,
and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples,
promising liberty and justice for all.

Feel free to use the above variant pledge in your own postings.

To reply, unleash the dog.

So here's my question. I have a choker made from turquoise and shell
disks (flat beads with holes in the center, ranging from about 1/2" to
1/8" in diameter, about 1/8" - 3/16" thick

First - welcome --!

second - your problem...
You have a graduated heishi necklace... I have one too... that I wore back in
the 70's... and it's too small for my neck now too.... (I was younger and much
smaller! LOL)
I would NOT recommend stringing it with small beads between the disks -- that
would kind of ruin the necklace

How about just restringing it - at at the BACK of the necklace -- add an inch
or however much length is needed with
either some DARK Heishi -- close in color
or some turquoise heishi.

This would lengthen the necklace, preserve its intended appearance -- and solve
your problem.

Both can be found readily online at many bead sources -- or ebay....
and - since you are in NM -- you can probably find it locally - are you near
Alberquque (I know I spelled that wrong!)
if so - I can recommend
New Mexico Bead and Fetish - which is in the Old Town area...
this is their website

http://www.nmbeadandfetish.com/

click Heishi and then the pink SHELL Heishi Icon --
(they have many colors and sizes)
there are three pages of Heishi -- I'm sure you can find something that would
work....
Cheryl
DRAGON BEADS
Flameworked beads and glass
http://www.dragonbeads.com/

Hi Carol,
If you want to use a Dremel you might want to practice on something else
first to see how well you can control it and how you would hold the shell
bead. Also wear a dust mask. You could also try wet/dry sand paper.

--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio

"FurPaw" wrote in message
...
Hi -

My name is Carol, aka FurPaw, my online alias. I've been lurking in this
group for a couple of months, and I have to say that this is a great group
of people - kind, supportive, and Talented!

I'm a newbie to beading - I've just finished my first two pieces, really
done to give me some focus while I'm learning some techniques. I'm really
enthusiastic about learning more, and already y'all have given me some
good pointers.

I'm semi-retired (a positive way of saying I was laid off after 22 years
at Bell Labs and Lucent Labs and I don't have a job), 56, married 21
years, and have four dogs. Gordo and Chile are littermate Chihuahuas, age
13; Dylan is a GSD, nearly 11, and Oppie is a yellow Lab, age 8.5. We
moved from NJ to NM last summer - a move I've been eager to make for a
very long time, since I grew up in NM. Hubster and I are taking basic
Spanish at a local community college, we're volunteer tutors there (him in
math, me in psych, stats and basic skills) and we're working on fixing up
our house. And I'm trying to learn beading.

So here's my question. I have a choker made from turquoise and shell
disks (flat beads with holes in the center, ranging from about 1/2" to
1/8" in diameter, about 1/8" - 3/16" thick). The necklace pinches my neck
when I wear it, and so I want to restring it with small beads between the
disks. The edges of the disks are sharp (not polished), and before I
restring it, I'd like to polish and smooth the edges so that they're just
a bit rounded. How might I do this? I'm thinking about using a Dremel,
but I haven't experimented yet, and before I try it I'm wondering if
anybody has a different suggestion.

Thanks in advance!

Carol
--
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,
and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples,
promising liberty and justice for all.

Feel free to use the above variant pledge in your own postings.

To reply, unleash the dog.

Hi Carol. Welcome.

The solution that comes to mind for those discs is to tumble them. But I
haven't worked much with shell, and turquoise is rather soft, so I'm not
sure it would do the trick. I also suspect you might have even more
pinching with the added beads. Give lever action to the pinching.

Tina


"FurPaw" wrote in message
...
Hi -

My name is Carol, aka FurPaw, my online alias. I've been lurking in
this group for a couple of months, and I have to say that this is a
great group of people - kind, supportive, and Talented!

I'm a newbie to beading - I've just finished my first two pieces, really
done to give me some focus while I'm learning some techniques. I'm
really enthusiastic about learning more, and already y'all have given me
some good pointers.

I'm semi-retired (a positive way of saying I was laid off after 22 years
at Bell Labs and Lucent Labs and I don't have a job), 56, married 21
years, and have four dogs. Gordo and Chile are littermate Chihuahuas,
age 13; Dylan is a GSD, nearly 11, and Oppie is a yellow Lab, age 8.5.
We moved from NJ to NM last summer - a move I've been eager to make for
a very long time, since I grew up in NM. Hubster and I are taking basic
Spanish at a local community college, we're volunteer tutors there (him
in math, me in psych, stats and basic skills) and we're working on
fixing up our house. And I'm trying to learn beading.

So here's my question. I have a choker made from turquoise and shell
disks (flat beads with holes in the center, ranging from about 1/2" to
1/8" in diameter, about 1/8" - 3/16" thick). The necklace pinches my
neck when I wear it, and so I want to restring it with small beads
between the disks. The edges of the disks are sharp (not polished), and
before I restring it, I'd like to polish and smooth the edges so that
they're just a bit rounded. How might I do this? I'm thinking about
using a Dremel, but I haven't experimented yet, and before I try it I'm
wondering if anybody has a different suggestion.

Thanks in advance!

Carol
--
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,
and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples,
promising liberty and justice for all.

Feel free to use the above variant pledge in your own postings.

To reply, unleash the dog.

Hi, Carol. Welcome!! Sorry I don't know the answer to your question.
Please keep us posted. I'd be interested to learn what works for you.


"FurPaw" wrote in message
...
Hi -

My name is Carol, aka FurPaw, my online alias. I've been lurking in this
group for a couple of months, and I have to say that this is a great group
of people - kind, supportive, and Talented!

I'm a newbie to beading - I've just finished my first two pieces, really
done to give me some focus while I'm learning some techniques. I'm really
enthusiastic about learning more, and already y'all have given me some
good pointers.

I'm semi-retired (a positive way of saying I was laid off after 22 years
at Bell Labs and Lucent Labs and I don't have a job), 56, married 21
years, and have four dogs. Gordo and Chile are littermate Chihuahuas, age
13; Dylan is a GSD, nearly 11, and Oppie is a yellow Lab, age 8.5. We
moved from NJ to NM last summer - a move I've been eager to make for a
very long time, since I grew up in NM. Hubster and I are taking basic
Spanish at a local community college, we're volunteer tutors there (him in
math, me in psych, stats and basic skills) and we're working on fixing up
our house. And I'm trying to learn beading.

So here's my question. I have a choker made from turquoise and shell
disks (flat beads with holes in the center, ranging from about 1/2" to
1/8" in diameter, about 1/8" - 3/16" thick). The necklace pinches my neck
when I wear it, and so I want to restring it with small beads between the
disks. The edges of the disks are sharp (not polished), and before I
restring it, I'd like to polish and smooth the edges so that they're just
a bit rounded. How might I do this? I'm thinking about using a Dremel,
but I haven't experimented yet, and before I try it I'm wondering if
anybody has a different suggestion.

Thanks in advance!

Carol
--
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,
and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples,
promising liberty and justice for all.

Feel free to use the above variant pledge in your own postings.

To reply, unleash the dog.

Or extend the back with "liquid silver" beads...I had that exact same necklace
about 20-cough-cough-cough-ish years ago!

The Blessed Fiddy, Patroness Saint of the Disorganized
LC in Sunny So Cal
Personality Development Specialist (Full-Time Mom!)

How cool you are, Carol! Welcome to RCB. Here are some links you will
definitely need if you bead:

Dr. Sooz's Links List
http://www.lampwork.net/soozlinkslist.html
Be sure to pee before you go there, and take a snack.

Bead Notes -- the Encyclopedia Beadtannica
http://www.lampwork.net/beadnotes.html
~~
Sooz
The things that will destroy us a politics without principle; pleasure
without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business
without morality; science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. - M.
Ghandi

To avoid the pinching, it's rather easy -- pearl-knot the choker. It's the
beads together like that that creates the pinch.
~~
Sooz
The things that will destroy us a politics without principle; pleasure
without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business
without morality; science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. - M.
Ghandi

Welome, Carol!

I can't help you with your question, but it's nice to meet you. We're a
bunch of animal people, too, so we love hearing about your furbabies. I
have two part labs and the amazing guinea pig, Butterbean.

--
Jerri
www.beadbimbo.com

And Butterbean IS amazing. So it Spike. And Romeo, because he's brave
considering what he's been through, and that he's blind. (the sweet boy)

Welcome. I am the sponsor of a Siberian husky named Mercury (can't say I own
him, because he'd be upset and could wreak revenge).

I
have two part labs and the amazing guinea pig, Butterbean.


~~
Sooz
The things that will destroy us a politics without principle; pleasure
without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business
without morality; science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. - M.
Ghandi