Cormac & Nails & a Fiber postcard contest

Oh, look who came all the way from County Cork in Ireland to live with me! His name be Cormac, I'm told. I perched him up on my webcam and we had a bit o' conversation, he catching me up on the doings in Cork and me tellin' him what it's like around here.
Next thing I know, he's found himself a pretty ball of green thread and ...what is that? He's snatched the celtic ring I found in the parking garage and crowned himself with it!

I'll have to keep an eye on that one, I will. However, he's forgiven as he also brought with 'im a rainbow brite snowflake and a skein of lovely rainbow brite thread created by his maker. He certainly knows how to get on my good side. (wink)

Thank you Pamela. I am delighted!

And I did find that silver celtic ring in the parking garage a few months ago. I turned it in but no one claimed it so it's mine now. A man's ring but I have a son who loved our visit to Ireland in 2002 and I think it may fit him. I had it on my computer desk since I emailed J to let him know I had it. I'll let Cormac hold it until J claims it.
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I've mentioned before how my fingertips tend to crack and split in the winter's dry arid atmosphere. My nails have never been great either. I had no idea nails could be "chapped". Interesting article here:

The question is: Does eating Jell-O strengthen your nails? Is this a question you might be able to answer?

Eating Jell-O (gelatin is the basic ingredient) or unflavored gelatin does not strengthens nails. Nails are composed of protein with a high sulfur content. All protein you eat is broken down and circulates in your body protein pool (as amino acids) that is used to build and repair muscles, organs and other protein structures like hair and nails. (By the way, excess protein is stored as body fat.)

Nail strength seems to be more affected by environmental damage (i.e. any work that hits the end of the nail like housework, dishwashing or gardening), trauma to the nail (slamming it in a door) or some prescription drugs drugs (steroids). People tend to use nails as tools which increases breakage and can lead to separation of the nail from the bed below which will show up as a white line under the tip of the nail. Nails are ten times more porous than skin and can become chapped (dry) which can increase breakage. Increased exposure to water (dishwashing, cooking and swimming) does increase chapping of nails. So, protect your hands and nails when washing dishes. While nail polish and artificial nails may tend to superficially protect nails, there doesn't seem to be a problem with nail products other than irritation or allergy to some chemicals in polish, polish remover and glue (formaldehyde, acetone and nathacrylate respectively).

Infants tend to have very thin nails that can be torn rather than cut. Finger nails tend to thin with age as nail growth slows in senior populations, but toe nails tend to get thicker in seniors.

Finger nails can reflect some nutrient levels though. If a person's nail bed (skin under exposed nail) is spoon shaped (depressed in the middle like a spoon) or pale rather than pink, it can reflect low iron in the blood (hemoglobin). Nails can develop side to side ridges (bows ridges) because of fever, inflammation in the body or a short term illness (acute). Fine longitudinal ridges from cuticle to nail tip tend to develop with age and are not significant. Protein malnutrition will affect nail growth and health since it is the building material that comprise nails. Biotin deficiency can be seen in nails (also as reddened skin) though it is extremely rare. There is no Recommended Dietary Allowances for biotin as it is present in many foods throughout the food chain. Other than that, once damaged, a nail takes approximately 9 months to grow from the cuticle (growing end) to the tip of a person's finger where it can be trimmed off. Other nail changes like white lines in the nail occur because of damage to the nail base when pushing back the cuticle or an abnormal hardening (keratinization) of the nail during formation.
http://www.dietitian.com/nails.html

Fiber Postcard Contest:http://www.fiberarts.com/back_issues/Nov-Dec-2008/valentine-postcard.asp What a perfect opportunity to use your tatted lace! Submit by January 15th, 2009.