CPL 2.0 April 5 re Wikipedia

I was easily able to access Wikipedia and to edit an article on the Sunshine Coast of B.C., which is where I am from. (There was an omission to the inclusion of Powell River as part of the Sunshine Coast so I added in the information).
However, the ease with which one can change an article in this way makes me a bit uneasy about using Wikipedia as a definitive source for information. I tend to agree with other bloggers that it can be a good starting point for research, but not much more than that.

Bead Project 2: Spring Flowers

Though I've broken it down visually into nine parts, making bead flowers is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. To get started you will need some seed beads, and I recommend a fairly large size to start with. Also, some .5 mm stretchy twine if you are making a bracelet, or fine fishing line or thread for a necklace. If you decide to use thread, a beading needle is also needed.
First, thread 8 beads onto your line. Make a loop by threading back through the first two beads (fig.2) Add a contrasting bead for the centre of your flower (fig.3), then thread through bead number 5 as illustrated, so both ends of your thread are now facing the same direction (fig.4) Gently pull the thread tight and you have your first flower (fig.5).
To add another flower, string 8 more beads and make a loop (fig.6) Before adding your centre bead, thread through beads 5 and 6 on the first flower (fig.7), then up through bead 1 in the second flower, adding a contrast bead (fig.8). Thread through bead 5 and gently pull it tight. Keep going until your bracelet or necklace is the length you want, then weave the ends together and tie off.

CPL 2.0 March 29 assignment

One advantage to using Delicious would be that it is easily accessible from the CPL homepage (helpful to point out to customers); and another, that the content can be updated quickly.
On the other hand, it appears to be more a method of showing what sites are popular, rather than pointing one directly to a web page for information in a hurry. I'm not yet convinced that there is any good reason to "join" Delicious in favor of using search engines to find information on the Web.

Back to beading:
Here is an easy bracelet you can make that doesn't cost an arm and a leg but looks good on your arm (if not your leg). All you need are safety pins - I used about 75 one-inch pins - and plenty of seed beads that are just large enough to slide onto the pins. You can either slide the beads on in a specific pattern or use random splashes of color as I did. So, slide beads on all the pins and close them. Then thread the pins top and bottom with any kind of elastic cord. I use a brand called Stretch Magic in either the .5 mm or 1 mm size. Once you have enough beaded pins to make a bracelet, tie each piece of the cord securely and dot with glue to prevent it from unravelling. Voila! You have a beautiful bracelet. You want it to fit snugly around your wrist but not too tight, so experiment until you have a comfortable fit. And remember that beading shouldn't cost a lot. You can find safety pins at any dollar store and beads at several different shops in Calgary. Many of the bead stores sell their leftover mixed beads for about a dollar per vial, which is an excellent way to start collecting beads for your projects. Happy beading!

Ready to bead and blog with CPL 2.0

Welcome to my new blog, in which I will be talking about beads and beading as well as commenting on the cpl2.0 assignment from Katie and Heather.
I hope to learn how to be a competent and interesting blogger and to figure out how to post links to library catalogue materials and other sites on the Web.
My first photo (if you can see it!) was taken about half an hour ago and it shows a few of the pieces I've made. I hope to describe some bead projects and to let readers know which books in the Calgary Public Library can help them get creative with beadwork.
Happy beading!