Missha BB Cream in Honey Beige

As an African American, I have a hard time locating good cosmetics that match my skin tone.  Most cosmetics are too dark, too red, too yellow, or very chalky.  And BB creams?  Forget about it.

Most of the time, they don't come in a shade darker than light tan.  Which, would be fine, if all people came in some shade of bland taupe.  I would greatly appreciate a tinted moisturizer that I can throw on before going out to help protect my skin and conceal some of its imperfections without looking like a bad Walking Dead extra.  Instead, with most BB creams, I have to add more foundation, creams and powders to balance out the colors.  Since receiving a few memeboxes and various products from memebox, I've taken to exploring their selection of K-products.

Enter Missha's BB cream.  I'm totally hooked on Korean cosmetics and skincare.  I gave everyone baskets of products for Christmas.  All should know the joy of K-beauty.

Korean powders and tinted primers have worked well for me so far, so, I thought that since there was a sale and I had extra scratch from working doubles, I would splurge on a $15 face cream from Missha.  Yes.  Splurge.  I'm one of those people who feels like buying makeup is frivolous....except nail polish.  I love nail polish.

I picked honey beige because for most brands, I fall into the honey category.

Initial Impression:
The product comes in a tube with a dark golden flexible plastic and silvery lettering.  It reminds me of the packaging of Fashion Fair makeups.  It dispenses via a pump action push top.  The product is creamy and thick...and it smells.  Not bad, just really perfumey.  My boyfriend thought I was trying out a new fragrance. 

Results:
I only used the product a few times so far.  I found that it works well as a tinted moisturizer for me, but it adds a subtle, pink undertone to my skin.  It is also difficult to spread evenly, and absolute HELL to wash off your hands and face later.  I didn't have any skin reactions to it, though. 

Recommendations: I'd be reluctant to recommend this product to everyone who's anyone.  It gets the job done, for sure, but there are a couple major turn offs for me.

1.  The smell.  It shouldn't have such a strong smell.  It's like perfume ALL OVER YOUR FACE.  To other people you just smell like you've got a really nice perfume on, but unfortunately for me, it's like I rammed perfumed tissues up my nose.  It would be different if Missha offered whatever fragrance they used as an actual perfume that you mist on your body... but no.  It's in the makeup.

2.  The texture and difficulties associated with removing it.  I used two makeup wipes and washed my face twice and I was still getting brown stuff off my face the next morning.  The only thing that takes it completely off is BABY OIL.  Slathering an acne prone face with mineral oil is a great way to induce a collage of zits.  I did like that the BB cream had staying power, but my face didn't appreciate being manhandled afterwards.

Overall: This product was a good color match for my face and works well with and without my regular make up.  I'm going to keep experimenting with it until I find a way to keep it from gluing itself to my face.

Note: Since using the BB cream a few more times, I've found that layering a moisturizer underneath it helps keep it from adhering as strongly to your skin- but...that was the point of having the BB cream.  It's supposed to replace moisturizers.

Secret Key: Sweet Glam Tint Glow

This beauty arrived in the memebox K-style box.  I need a new lipstick ike I need a bullet in my head, but the description on the obligatory box insert peaked my curiosity.  I popped open the cute, white and pink box to see what color Puscia or Purple+Fuscia was. 

Initial Impression:

I nicked this image from Google

I didn't expect to see such a high 80's fashion looking lipstick tube.  The outer packaging was simple and sweet, but the tube itself looks like a runway prop.  A slick chrome nub marks the base of the lipstick itself while a semi-opaque bubble gum pink squarish tube forms the top.  I like it. 

The lipstick is described as being a purple fuscia.  To be honest, it looks too purple for me or anyone to wear.  I was scared to put it on.  I already have fat lips.  The last thing I need is to color them purple and start looking like a muppet.

Results: 
This lipstick looked like a giant wand of purple that would instantly turn me into a big-haired, neon-lipped 80's vixen.  It fooled me.  The lipstick is just as semi-sheer as the tube!  One swipe gives your lips a healthy burst of soft mauve pink with purple undertones.  The color is buildable.  It's a semi-glossy too, with a soft, shimmery matte look.  It's not very creamy, but has a smooth glide and leaves your lips feeling hydrated. 

Right to Left: 1 Swipe, 2 Swipes, 4 Swipes

My record with this lipstick is a good 5 hours before needing to touch up.  A bonus with this lipstick is that it leaves a subtle tint to your lips, so unlike normal lipsticks, your touch up doesn't look streaky or like you scraped a half melted crayon over your face.

Recommendations:
I would recommend this shade to folks with a cool color palette- like mine.  It will bring out the warmth of your skin.  However, I would caution against building the color to its fullest.  After about 4 swipes, it starts looking a bit chalky and a little too close to Nicki Minaj's lipcolor choices.  Using it as a tinted lip balm or with a dab of gloss to amp up the shine works best.  If you're interested in it, you can find it on eBay pretty easily.  Memebox seems to have run out.

Unrelated:
I should start tagging these posts with the words "African American" because lots of Chocolate Children like K-beauty, but there isn't an abundance of reviews for our skin colors...

Berry Body Lotion

I'm very picky about my body lotion.  I suffer from both dry skin and extremely sensitive skin.  Furthermore, my skin is prone to hyper-pigmentation.  I got a papercut on my hand two weeks ago and when it healed, it developed eczema and turned as black as a dog's nose.  I need a lotion with some serious UMPH!

To be honest, I wasn't even going to use this one.  However, one day, like the idiot I am, I found that I had forgotten to buy body lotion, so I had no choice.

Initial Impression:
Well, it's in a flexible red and white tube.  The product is thin, but creamy.  The smell is like a berry medley with some floral undertones.  It's not overpowering.  I don't expect it to moisturize my skin very well, but it bears trying.

Results: 
Well, this product gives you a long lasting, light berry and floral scent, just as I expected.  It did next to nothing for my super dry skin, also, as I expected.  It's moisturizing effects lasted for four hours at the most.

Recommendations:
If your skin is relatively moist and only needs a little hydration, this lotion is great.  If you need all day moisture, good luck.  You'll have to mix this one with a dollop of Vaseline or coconut oil to get the skin nourishment you want and need.  At least it smells great. 

Note: Apparently, there's a whole line of skin care with this scent.  I would be intrigued because I love the scent, but the lotion did nothing for me so... no.

Holy Tony Moly

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away...Apparently that applies for your dermatologist as well.  I got a wonderful surprise in Memebox's My Cute Wishlist 4.  Tony Moly Appletox.

I heard good things about the Tonymoly Appletox cream and was anxious to try it out.  I wanted to give it a longer treatment than most beauty blogs do and actually spend a week using the product to see how it worked with my current skincare routine and observe any long term benefits or problems it might cause.  Though I am rather artsy fartsy, I have always been a scientist at heart.

Initial examination:

It comes in a jar shaped like a shiny, red apple.  It's also about the size of an actual apple.  I was expecting the amount of product inside to be tiny, but no... this thing is full and better yet, the majority of the jar is actually used to house the cream instead of just being pretty, but ultimately useless packaging.   

The “cream” is actually semi-transluscent and has a consistency like honey.  Its texture is smooth and gel-like, almost similar to thinned out jam.  It smells like fresh cut apples- and not a chemical version of apples, like, for real for real, legit apples.

Instructions:

After washing face, apply a thin, even layer to skin.  Pat away excess cream to help absorption.  Wait at least 5 minutes before applying make up or other face products.

Results:

I applied the cream at night.  My rationale was, “If I apply this at night and it ruins my face, I'll have the whole day to try to fix it with my other masks and creams”.   

Day 1 

I have a very greasy, comedone-ridden face, so I applied just a dab of it to my face.  Good thing too.  A little goes a long way with this stuff.  I applied it right after washing my face and you know what happened?  It moisturized my skin.  Big whoop. 

But the next mornin' let me tell ya... My complexion was glowing.  My skin was smooth, supple and radiant.  My pores were minimized and the little, “I'm going to be a zit in about 2 days” specks I had on my cheeks had come to a head.  With my morning face wash, they were scrubbed away.

Day 2

Once again, I applied the cream at night.  I wasn't so worried about the results or what it might do to my face this time, so it was all good.  When I woke the next day, my skin was smooth, the red spots were gone and the places where I had little mini-zits working their way to the surface were flaking and peeling.

Day 3

I tried using the cream in the morning and at night.  I mean, you can never have too much of a good thing.  My skin felt moist.  My make up glided on.  I had that healthy glow thing going.

Day 4

Day three was a mistake.  My skin was flaking and peeling kind of badly.  What was worse, it was sore and red in spots.  I'm pretty sure the fruit extracts they add to this cream were giving me a mild chemical peel when I used them, so using them twice in one day might have been a mistake.  I'll take a break from it for today.

Day 5

I let my skin rest today as well.  It's still peeling.

Day 6

I forgot to apply it today.  I can see the spots where I usually get whitehead and blackheads starting to raise up like the world's most ill-conceived skin-themed version of jiffy pop- unfortunately, whatever's under my skin isn't going to be pleasant.

Day 7

Hello cystic acne, my constant companion.  I applied the cream today in the evening.  I hope it works as well as it did before.  I really, really do.

Day 8

Already the zits are calming down, some of the smaller ones have come to a head, the deeper ones have started to be less painful.

Day 9

My face is still kind of rough, but it's hydrated and the zits are starting to either slough off or come to a head.

Day 10

I am once again mostly zit free.  I noticed something else too... my dark spots and acne scars have faded a fair bit.  That's a bonus.  I'm going to see if this stuff works just as well on my backne.  It would be great if I could clear up those breakouts for the summer. 

Recommendations:

I would totally recommend this cream.  It smooths your skin, soothes your acne, and helps to clear up your dark marks.  Furthermore, it smells great and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy.  The added bonus is the price tag.  You can find it online ranging from $5- $20 dollars, depending on where you go.   

Memebox and eBay are your price leaders.  Memebox has it on special for $5, but with shipping, it comes to about $13.  eBay had some listings of $12 with free shipping.  Grab yourself an apple...or 5.  I stocked up.

My final recommendation for those of you who try this product, use only a little bit of it.  You really only need to poke it with one finger and you have enough for your entire face.  It does have fruit extracts and honey in it.  They have a mild peeling effect.  Don't use it if you're allergic.  If your skin gets irritated because you've used it too often, take a break, but not too long of a break because whatever skin problems you were having before will come back with a vengeance.

Holika Holika Pig Nose Steam Starter

That is one heck of a product name.  I actually laughed at it when I first read it after opening “My Cute Wishlist 4” from Memebox.  Pig Nose Steam Starter?  Just what in the world does it do?  After checking out the Holika Holika description, I found that it's supposed to make your nose as smooth and blackhead free as a pig's.

Cool

Initial impression:

It comes in a pink and brown polka dotted tube with an aqua green top.  The product inside has a mild, sweet and fruity scent, is clear, and has a sticky, thick consistency.  Upon application, it's supposed to have a warming sensation and open the pores to melt out the So far, I like it a fair bit. 

Instructions:

Apply a small amount to areas with excessive blackheads and whiteheads.  Massage gently for 3 minutes.  Rinse with lukewarm water.  Pat dry.

Results:

I'm not going to lie.  I was skeptical about this one.  It seemed too good to be true.  However, I decided that I would try it out for a few days.  You can't just try skincare products for one day and know for sure that they work well. 

Day 1

I noticed that it DID have an effect.  It heats gently for a few seconds, but after a while, the massaging action turns it into a slippery liquid.  I wondered what the purpose of this was.  After the first use, I noticed that my blackheads and whiteheads were strangely more...eh... pronounced.  Wiping my face down with warm water pulled the majority of them out of my pores and left my skin smooth and... kinda uncomfortably dry.

Day 2

After the second use, I noted that some of the skin surrounding the whiteheads and blackheads sloughed off and even more of the offending blemishes were sucked out of my pores.  I was starting to like this treatment. 

Day 3

By the third use nearly all of my pores were gunk free and starting to appear smaller.  I decided to use the product in the morning and night, hoping to full rid myself of the icky acne blobs hiding in my pores.  Bad idea.  My skin was red and peeling the next day.  It seems this product has some sort of chemical peel-like properties...

Day 4

I skipped using the product today.

Day 5

Today I used the product prior to steaming my face.  The effect was incredible.  After just 5 minutes of steam and then massaging my face, all my problem areas were relatively clear.  My pores were cleaned out and looked smaller.  No more raised lumps showing me where the next white or black head would pop out.  It was awesome.  However, I still had a few small ones lingering.

Recommendations:

I think that in the future, I may try Holika Holika's entire Pig Nose line.  They have a scrub, mask, and pore strips.  Adding those to my acne care routine might have a greater benefit than scrubbing the crap out of my face and manually squeezing out nasty pore gunk.   

Although this product isn't PERFECT, for those of you who have extreme problems with blackheads and whiteheads and have yet to find something to loosen them up without hurting your face, this is good to try and at an average price of about $5-6 dollars for 30ml tube, your risk is fairly minimal.  I mean, it's not like buying one of those $200 dollar facial brushes that only irritates your face...

My final recommendation is that if you choose to try this product, try using it once every other day with actual steam.  Steam is one of the most common blackhead remedies and I saw that combining it with this product improved both's effectiveness.  Also, don't use it more than once in a day and use a MOISTURIZER after you apply it.  It dries your face out a bit and you do not want to deal with irritated skin.

Abandoned Commissions

At first, receiving a commission is like an honor.  Someone has bestowed upon you a position of complete authority over the execution and beautification of a paltry handful of beads.  You enter into a covenant with someone to produce a vision because they like your work, trust your skill, and want something unique.  It validates your hobbies and interests in a way that selling to a boutique doesn't.  Plus you get paid for it.  Receiving a commission is awesome on all accounts, unless one specific thing happens: The commissioner doesn't pay for or doesn't want to pay for your work.

It's happened to me a number of times, more times than I like to think about.  Sometimes, it's understandable.  Sometimes it can be devastating.  I am, despite my bluntness and inability to sugar coat anything, kinda sensitive, especially about things I've worked hard on.  Having my work nitpicked or devalued hurts.  Being stuck with a product of efforts someone completely snubbed is like a reminder that I didn't perform as well as expected or that I wasted, time and limited resources on something that didn't meet expectations.

I HATE when things don't go according to plan.  I hate redundancy.  I like doing things right the first, or at worst, the second time.  Errors, repeats, and complete rehashing of a project irks me to no end, stifles my creative juices and leaves me feeling more wrung out than I have any right to be.  I have been that way since I was a child.  Decisive action is the way to go.

That is why abandoned commissions irk me so.

I'll share a few of the stories with you, starting with the first.

I had made my mother a bracelet.  It had a bit of an old Hollywood feel with lots of swarovski crystals, antiqued brass, and vermeil components.  It had been a labor of love.  Painstakingly, I wove together beads, components, and crystals with golden tiger tail wire to make something reminiscent of a a diamond tennis bracelet.  It took a lot of planning to properly execute it and when it came together, it was beautiful.

One Sunday, the Mahogany Stylist wore it to church.  While it was good for me because I received a great deal of commissions as a result, the bracelet's popularity was a double edged sword.  People who never had a kind word for me suddenly wanted my attention, wanted to know everything I was doing and began hounding me for a copy of the bracelet.  Many were content with just that, a copy.  Others wanted a slight variation with silver accents instead of gold.  Some of them wanted COLORS instead of the simple golden and crystalline clear design my mother had.

That meant buying more materials...  I was excited at first, so I obliged to make the bracelets.  I bought materials, crystals, and components in a variety of metallic finishes.  I was planning how I'd spend the remainder of my meager paycheck on supplies that would help me to make more money than I could at the job I was currently working.  My enthusiasm, however, was wholly unwarranted. 

In hindsight, a great deal of the first few commissioners were spot on with their understanding of the expectations for a requested item worked, even if mine wasn't.  They paid gladly, left tips, and chastised me when they found my prices too low.  $25 for a tennis bracelet carefully woven to look like the real thing.  That was cheap even if it was costume jewelry. 

However, it was the ones who had so many requests, so many variations, the "the fancy clasp, not the plain clasp you've been using on everyone else's.  I want mine to REALLY stand out" folks who posed the most trouble.  These self-absorbed, delusional misers seemed to have some bizarre notion that when you ask a person you see regularly at church to make you something, it should be free.  One woman went as far as to claim, "Well, since we're sisters in Christ..." as if Jesus himself would condone her propositioning me under false pretenses and weaseling out of paying for her bracelet.

If I remember correctly, he trashed the temple for robbing the people by soliciting the purchase of sickly, unwanted sacrificial animals they claimed were up to higher standard.  Essentially, he condemned them for taking advantage of the people's naive trust in things related to their place of worship.  Which was what this woman TRIED to do.  By pleading 'sister in Christ' she attempted to absolve herself from something honorable like paying for requested goods.

I will admit that at that age, 19, I was still very naive, but I was not stupid.  I offered to hold the goods until she was able to pay because I needed to try to recoup my costs.  In response, she began telling other churchgoers that I charged 'top dollar', as if my efforts weren't worth the small price I was asking.  In the end, people eventually saw the truth, but she still clamors for attention every now and then by loudly exclaiming 'When Can I Get My Bracelet??'.  Thankfully, no one pays much attention to her any more.

She wasn't the only one to try to worm out of paying for one of those bracelets..and for a long time, I had quite a lot of them on my hands.  I eventually sold them off at a slightly reduced price and recieved quite a few rave reviews for my efforts.  Here are some pictures.  I apologize for the quality.  I was still learning to photograph jewelry back then.  haha. 

More Jack

Another little Jack Skellington charm bracelet I made.  This is the first time I've done a design with just black and a neutral color.  In my charm bracelets, I've always combined black with a bright or rich color like red, green, or purple.  Sometimes blue.  You don't want the bracelet to look too dark, you know?  

Anyway, here are the photos. 

Filigree Pendant

Some time ago, I did a post on Spring Cleaning.  WELL, I did not even show you a fraction of the treasure I uncovered because as I was sifting through everything, I got so mad at myself that I could have screamed.  I had been spending time lamenting not being able to buy the cool, new findings and pendant make supplies that I'd seen recently, not knowing that I had A HEAP of already lovely items  hiding out waiting for me to work with them.

This, as upsetting as it was, had nothing on the amount of pendants I had ALREADY put together and customized.  Oh, by then, I was ready to bludgeon myself with a shovel.  I mean, it was ridiculous.  Recently, I've been focusing on getting these OLD pendants used up.  You've already seen a few in previous posts, however,

Yeaaaah... It's that bad.

SO.  I hope you get the picture, so to speak.  But in case you don't, I will be posting my rediscovered darlings.

It's a simple and sultry necklace design.

The pendant falls at the center of the chest, just below the first couple of inches of cleavage.

This was a pendant bought from Michael's.  The bail and other features of the pendant itself were changed around a bit to make it easier for me to adhere a much prettier focal to the front of it. The original pendant was a sort of weak colored red.  It looked cheap- even though it wasn't.

You can see that chintzy red better from the side.

So I felt it needed more depth.  I 'helped' it by trimming and sanding the scrollwork they'd slapped on it off and giving it a fresh coat of enamel.  Once it was simplified, I cut up another pendant that was fairly simple itself and adhered it directly to the top of the red one.  Separate, the two pendants were kind of bland and lacked...something.  Together, they look like, as my friend says, "an amulet forged by an Eldritch horror to drive the plot of a fantasy novel". 

That's extreme, though.  Right?

Ok.  Maybe it does look a little ominous...

Things That Look Like Other Things

You all know that I like things that look like other things.  If you don't know what I mean, here's some examples:  I used to have a flash drive that looked like a purple monkey.  I have a ton of erasers that look like realistic food.  I have a pin cushion that looks like a hat when you look at it from one angle and like sushi rolls from another.  I have a candle that looks like a spool of thread... And I like visually ambiguous patterns.

You can see where this is going.  Yup.  Jewelry making.  Did you know, that they have all kinds of dolamite and other stones that are artificially enhanced to look brighter and richer?  Did you KNOW that they have a whole host of beads and charms that look like cakes, fruit, and other things?  No?  You'd better hit up eBay and Etsy, then.  Just type in something ridiculous and attach 'beads' as a suffix.  You'll see some things. 

About a year ago, I started searching for and acquiring all sorts of these 'strange' beads.  The results were bright, flashy and candy inspired jewelry pieces that are positively adorable... and ridiculously HARD TO SELL!  It seems like I'm the only adult who likes this sort of stuff.  Ah well.  I did get some good photos of these things before I got rid of them or packed them away.

Let There Be CAKE! 

Just a Cherry Key Fob.

I love these things.  I ended up keeping them for selfish reasons.

These used to be shank buttons.

Such Sparkle.

Each strawberry is a locket.  I wish I still had this one.

I love how you can get polyclay slices of fruit these days.  Super easy to use!

This one reminds me of Tang. 

Bookoo

About a week ago, I received a message from a Bookoo representative, Kellin Smith.  Apparently, they are looking to promote their new Chicago branch.  I was quite surprised, of course, but I opted to reply to the message with some questions.  I'd never heard of Bookoo before.  Naturally, being a curious little ferret, I asked Mr. Smith lots of questions.

First off, Bookoo is a garage sale style listing site for artisan crafts and other goods.  Unlike craigslist, it primarily trades goods and services.  There's no job listings and very few ponzi scheme listings that tell you how you can make up to $400 dollars per day selling widgets and policies to other people.  It's easy to navigate and you don't have to filter as much because there's less spam. 

Here's how the short interview went down. 

How long has Bookoo been active as an organization?
     About seven years. The owners started Bookoo in Texas. As it kept expanding, they moved to Illinois to be closer to family.

What sorts of transactions does it support, besides online 'garage sales'?

     You can post about online yard sales, you can also list items of service, items to trade, and wanted ads.

Does Bookoo have any special features for crafters or artisans?

    You are able to offer the service of "$5 painting of whatever" or something like it.

Are local artisans benefiting from Bookoo now that it has come to Chicago?

     It is a site where they can go to showcase their work. If someone is interested in one of their items, they can see more items from that seller.

Will Bookoo ever host any offline special interest fairs or outdoor events that local artisans can participate in?

    Occasionally we do a Bookoo summer picnic. 2013 we did one for Aurora, Oswego, and Naperville. Last year we did just a big Bookoo picnic and invited all the nearby sites.

Are there any other reasons to be excited about Bookoo besides the ability to list items for sale?

    It's free! We don't charge members to post items. Also, we keep it family friendly by blocking profanity and deleting inappropriate items.

Does it support applications like paypal?

    No, the members interact with each other and usually pay cash.

What's your role in it?

    I am a marketing intern. I work full time doing whatever Adam and Austin need me to do. Most of the time it's spreading the word about Bookoo to our newer sites!



So there you have it.  Bookoo allows you to list FOR FREE.  You can offer goods and services.  You can rest assured that you won't have to deal with people seeking sexual favors after seeing you post photos of a fabulous scarf you made, and, there's the possibility of you being able to go to a picnic in the summer.  I know a lot of artists trade services and such between each other.  Bookoo could be another way for us to all network.  Check it out, try it out and send me a message about what you think.

Heaven's to Betsey!

Do you like Betsey Johnson?  She used to design patterns for the Vogue Pattern company.  Now her name's featured on a line of ultra-bright, eclectic and glam-heavy high-end fashion including fragrances, jewelry and clothing.  Her fashion line always features the hottest colors of the season in some really interesting designs.

Photo Courtesy of davidlpm021 on Ebay

Courtesy of Google search

Courtesy of Google Search

Since I like eclectic jewelry and eye-catching statement pieces, I've always admired the construction and designs of many of her collections.  Working at Carson's jewelry counter over the holidays gave me a first hand look at Betsey's stuff.  I got to handle what I, previously, could only ogle online.  Unlike most costume jewelry, Betsey's stuff is well-made, durable and features high-quality materials for extended wearing.

Photo Courtesy of ebay

The only thing that stopped me from buying any of her costume jewelry was the price tag.  On average, a pair of 'simple' (really, Betsey Johnson has no concept of simple in her jewelry designs) earrings would cost $35-40 dollars. Can you say, sticker shock?   A little problematic if you're on a tight budget.  Little did I know, I could find the discontinued styles online at discounted prices on eBay.   A $60 bracelet, can be acquired for a sixth of the price thanks to stores clearing out leftover stock. 
But even better is the ability to Do It Yourself.  There were elements to all of Betsey Johnson's pieces that I enjoyed, but also plenty that I despised.  There is such a thing as 'too much of a good thing'.

Case in point

With the abundance of quirky jewelry making elements, I can make my OWN Betsey Johnson style jewelry.  And so I went on a hunt for elements I could use to make my own Betsey Earrings.  After a little work and a lot of tweaking, I got it to work for me.

Simple Pink Polka Dots

Black and White Polka Dots

Gray Plaid with Bows

Pink Plaid with Bows

I started small because I just wanted to try it out, but I'm fairly certain that I will experiment with adding more elements to my jewelry works in the future.  It was an enlightening experience.  Now I'm looking to expose some of my necklaces to the same treatment...but I'm sure I'll need to purchase more stuff...a lot more.