yes let's move the date up!
if you'd like to join the bead swap pm me asap, but no later than
sept 15. i will then give a final count by sept 20th. i would like to give all the mamas who need to really budget this in plenty of breathing room. if we could get all the beads together by the middle of nov, i could hopefully have them all finished and in the mail at the end of nov. or sooner
that way if anyone goes early, she will be sure to have her birth beads.
i'm not sure how to use a yahoo group, but i'll look into that, since it seems that may be required by mdc if some of us can't use the tp?
also, feel free to send different beads. they don't all need to be the same, although if you want to send x amount of the same bead that's fine too. we all have different budgets and needs so it would be nice to have an even more diverse pool of beads to make jewelry from. since there are a few mamas with allerigies and such, it would be kind to send a small variety of beads. this would ensure that every mama gets a bead from you.
some other ideas for those of us on a budget:
apple seeds (these would make a great spacer or if we had a lot we could put 3 in each piece)
any type of hard seed or nut
(you can string these on a a string using a large needle)
playdough beads dyed with tea, beets, or food coloring (spider suggested this one
)
seashells, small polished stones/rocks (someone you know with the equip can drill holes for you)
glass beads are very inexpensive nowadays
i know there are many other ideas out there
i just wany as many mamas to participate as possible, not holding back because of financial concerns, perceived lack of creativity
, or whatever it may be.
one last thing, i plan on using a small diameter material to string the jewelry, so don't worry about beads you choose/make having too small of a hole.
:
It did occur to me that some DDCs also like to send each other Xmas cards, so if people wanted, the option of a central address list exists 
It's 
Go you! 
:
: please?
