I made these ages ago (about 4 years ago actually) and I think i may have posted them, but I finally just yesterday turned them into necklaces.

I am no polymer pro and have only use the stuff a handfull of times, but I think I did pretty well.

Before I forget here is the tutorial for the african style headwrap many have messaged me for. You can use two fabric pieces or one folded lenght-wise (this way you only have 2 sides to sew).


I've always wanted one and after I saw one in a local shop I went home and made my own.

I just did a quick search to try and find something similar to give you all an example of what it looks like and came up with this site where you can purchase them. Coincidentally I know this lady! She is really really nice! She is from knottylocks.tk and she also has an Etsy shop! Great minds think a like I guess! If you don't want to make it yourself, I strongly suggest purchasing from her. She is just so nice.
http://www.phunkybrewster.com/AfricanWraps.html
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5254028

Interesting, except it has ben said MANY times that if you do not allow your dreads to dry COMPLETELY between each washing, and you have used wax, that got trapped in your dreads coar, it CAN cause mold. Wax holds moisture, so if it is constantly wet, mold happens... so no you have not contradicted the "dreadlock myth".

I was actually refering to rot not mold which is different completely. There was a myth about wax rotting your dreads from the core and rendering the inside to mush... Then again this is a myth I've seen spread on a non-related forum years ago which was spread by the pro-natural people to scare newbies into going natural. They were just being dinks. If this myth is in fact true, these thousand year old wigs would be no more. If wax is used properly it will not hinder the locking process. That is myth.

Here are my locks at about 7 months I think - clearly they are locking nicely and wax did not hinder anything:



I've never had waxy clothes, beds, stuff stuck to my hair... because I used wax properly. It of course is not necessary and no one should feel obligated to use it or not to. This thread is frequented by many people who are new to locks and I think it's wrong to tell them that wax is bad and horrible because it isn't. That is a very pro-natural way of thinking which works for many, but not all and there is nothing wrong with wanting nice looking locks from the begining. Not everyone goes into it for a naturalist-type journey. Some just want locks for the sake of having them.

There is no sense in bashing one method over the other unless it is as unvalid as spreading peanut butter mixed with toothpaste onto your locks for six days after the first full moon of the year. 

As for mold, dreads will produce mold even without the wax - i.e. in frequent swimmers who don't let their dreads dry, when going to sleep with wet hair, and even if you live in a humid environment. Dreads are also like natural air filters and if you smoke you can expect goopy yellow stuff when you wash. This is not wax related either.

As for the Egyptians, they didn't have hair... they wore wigs and shaved themselves bald. Well the well-to-do ones did. They used the beeswax cones mostly as a perfume but according to archeologists it somehow played a role in their wonderous preservation.

Wax if used properly can help hold the knots you have till shower time. I used wax and after each wash my knots where much tighter. BUT that is an individual choice that no one should make for you. I also, as previously mentioned, tied off my ends which prevented the knots from slipping out. Wax or no wax. Natural or backcombed. Maintained or not. -> That's YOUR choice.

I have an old picture of my locks at about the 1 year mark and I did everything people told me not to as far as maintenance goes -> but I did use the proper shampoo. That's the only rule I say needs to be followed to the 100%, especially with new knots. I also didn't dip my dreads in wax which is important. If wax is involved, make sure it is not pure beeswax because that stuff will need to be melted out with scolding hot water where as a wax mixture containing some beeswax will melt out during a normal shower and the rest will wash out. When I was using wax I only used about 1/2 an M&M sized ball per dread which didn't make my dreads all greasy or cakey.

Egyptians used beeswax mixtures on their hair and so do many traditional rastafarians. It isn't the devil. The Egyptians for example used to make a little cone of beexwax mixed with scented oils that they would place at the top of their head for it to melt in the sun and spread over their coiffure and some of these wigs have been found still in perfect condition which they believe is attributed to these little beeswax cones they used. I guess that contradicts the dreadlock myth about wax rotting your hair... oh my.


I think I posted this before... Way back when my dreads were about 1 year in the making.


This is at about the 2 year mark:



This is at the 3 year mark:


In September I will have had my dreads for 5 years.

They certainly aren't for the faint of heart! My poor fiance wanted to have my ring hand-made and he went to Etsy with horrid results -> two sellers flaked on him! So he gave up doing the online thing and remembered this jeweler we had both met at a folk festival that I always set up for and this time things went really well. He designed the ring himself and I was really impressed and surprised when he proposed.

My ring is definately unique - It is a silver and copper mokume gane curved band, silver lined, with a polished sphere ruby set bezel style. The wedding band is also mokume in the same style. I wish I had a picture to show...
It looks exactly like this, but with a blood red ruby:


And it is mokume patterned kind of like this:


The greatest thing about is is that when he gave it to me he explained that as time passes the copper will darken and look stronger which he said to him symbolized our relationship getting stronger and more beautiful as time passes... awww.


Anyway hearing about how hard it was for him to deal with someone online, I don't suggest getting something as important as a wedding/engagement ring through an online source, unless you know of someone who has had great success using this vendor. It was extremely stressful for him to have two sellers just flake off on him after weeks of back and forth conversations and price quotes and design planning. The lady who did my ring was someone we met at a craft fair -> hit up local art/crafts/festivals and check out the vendors. I would also check local colleges and see if they offer jeweler classes, there may be a student who is skilled enough to make you what you want! Etsy also has a "shop local" feature which can give you a list of the artisans near you -> you never know, there may be a jeweler in there!

I love spiders. I also love ice cream. So I decided to put the two together! =) One scoop of Spiders and Cream please!

Enjoy.

I acquired this vintage fabric from one of my elderly neighbors who no longer sews because of her vision and when I first saw it, I knew exactly what it was to become! So here it is -> My Chinese Fortune Take-Out Purse!











The fortune on the inside of the flap says:
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

This necklace was made for my mother in honor of my brother (Joel) who is in the Canadian Armed Forces. It was made with shrink plastic, is hand-drawn, and I put it on a gunmetal finsihed rolo chain. She loves it!

Here are some of my latest beaded spider necklaces! Enjoy.

I had fun making this one!  
Swarovsky crystals, faux-pearls, metallic colored fabric, and Star Trek... How can anyone resist?