Trees just stand around all day
and sun themselves and rest.
They never walk or run away
and surely that is best.
For otherwise how would a
squirrel or robin find its nest?

Aileen Fisher

Minerals and gemstones may be interchangeable terms for most of us, but both have a very specific definition. Minerals are naturally occurring substances that form through geological processes and have a specific chemical and physical composition, and gemstones are attractive or valuable pieces of cut and polished organic materials that are used in jewelry or other ornamentation. To make things a little more complicated, not all minerals are gemstones and not all gemstones are minerals. Amber, for instance, is classified as a gemstone, but is solidified tree resin, and not a mineral at all. Humans make the decisions regarding what is and is not a gemstone, where Mother Nature had all the say when it came to minerals.

Ingredients:
•  5 cups ripe mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced, or mixture of sliced mangoes and apples
•  1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
•  ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
•  1 tablespoon lemon juice
•  ¼ cup softened butter
•  ½ cup packed brown sugar
•  ½ cup flour

Preparation:
Mix sliced mangoes with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, the nutmeg, and lemon juice. Place in a buttered 10 x 6 x 2 inch glass baking dish. Set aside. Combine butter and brown sugar until well blended. Cut in flour and remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping evenly over mango slices. Cook in microwave oven 9-11 minutes on HIGH power, rotating a half turn after 5 minutes. Serve warm or cold, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

1. When you need to make many identical lengths of chain, I like to use a paper clip. Straighten out one end of the paper clip. Hang the correct length of chain from the paper clip. Now just hang another length on it and use the original as a template to cut more. I also like to put a small bend on the end of the paper clip so my chain does not fall off as I cut.

2. If you spill beads, stretch a knee high nylon across the opening of a vacuum hose and secure the nylon with a rubber band so that there is a little bit hanging loose that will suck up into the vacuum hose end. Vacuum up the beads. Hold the vacuum over a dish when you turn it off and all the beads that were sucked up into the nylon will fall into the dish.

3. Don’t have flush wire cutters? A pair of fingernail clippers does just as well and can get in really close to the beads.

Do you have 3 beading tips you’d like to share? Email them to: tips@happymangobeads.com and if we choose your tips for one of our weekly blog posts you’ll receive a $10 gift certificate to Happy Mango Beads!

1.  For longer, heavier necklaces use two crimps at each end as well as wire guards for added security.

2.  Create a chunky bracelet or necklace using an asymmetrical pattern.

3.  Don’t be afraid to start over!

Do you have 3 beading tips you’d like to share?  Email them to: tips@happymangobeads.com and if we choose your tips for one of our weekly blog posts you’ll receive a $10 gift certificate to Happy Mango Beads!