Thanks for replying. That idea was suggested before when I was initially hunting for pearls and although it’d solve the weight problem, it’s just not a solution that appeals to me much. ^_^;;; I cosplay and do crafts mainly because I enjoy making things. I can spend hours embroidering or embellishing but I hate excessive preparation work and individually painting the hundreds of beads I would need for the strands is just not my idea of fun. :-/