We do hereby certify that this pendant was hand crafted with high-tech precision tools and state-of-the-art equipment by Martha Harriet Patterson Aurell and Roberta Jean Miller Lepage from genuine Kauai Pointy and Niihau Shells taken from Anini Beach on the North Shore of the Island of Kauai in the State of Hawaii out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The Niihau Shells are very rare. They are found on the little privately owned island of Niihau known as the "Forbidden Island." It is the only island where the Hawaiian language is spoken exclusively. It is said that the people there have retained their Hawaiian culture and lifestyle. Niihau can be seen from the West Side of Kauai. Occasionally some of the Niihau Shells wash up on Kauai beaches.

The process and procedures for fashioning this priceless object d'art are as follows:

Beach towels, Safeway plastic bags, flour sifter, tweezers, sunscreen and lunch were assembled.

The first attempt at transportation to the beach was thwarted by a crummy brake repair job that caused same to smoke and smell, (the brakes, not us.)

Second attempt - successful with Paul as chauffeur, although his enthusiasm for this endeavor was less than overwhelming.

Using the towels as kneepads, the Safeway plastic bags were filled by scooping sifters of wet sand, coral pieces, rocks, seaweed, shells and unidentified marine organisms. Having been told by a highly reliable source, Paul believed implicitly that it is illegal to remove above items from this specific sand bar. (Not true we later learned.)  However, it is legal to remove individual shells by use of tweezers; resulting in sore knees, sore backs and third degree sunburns. So the purloined contraband was surreptitiously hidden under the beach towels and spirited back to the jeep, thus eluding the dreaded "Sand Patrol".

Upon arrival at Shell Headquarters (in the shade and comfort of the deck) a portion of said material were spread out on the table on a cookie sheet and paper plates for the drying process. The individual shells are about the size of a grain of rice.

Material was then sifted to remove sand. Subsequently the pointy and Niihau shells were laboriously picked from the remaining debris, including unidentified marine organisms, by use of a magnifying glass and tweezers.

To comply with the Environmental Protection Agency Law (?) and the "Sand Patrol" who enforce it; the debris, including unidentified marine organisms, was bagged, surreptitiously returned and carefully sprinkled on the sand bar.

Several runs to the craft store were made to purchase Forster's Woodsies TM Too(200), Aileene's Tacky Glue, Krazy Glue and a spray can of Shellac. The glitter used was left over from Christmas Eggs. Toothpicks, tweezers, magnifying glass and little pink-lemonade-mix-plastic cups were household items already on hand.

One unholy scream reverberated off the mountains when the wind lifted a paper plate filled with picked shells and scattered them all over the deck and the patio below. On hands and knees with many unladylike expletives, the participants retrieved most of the shells.

The mosquitoes were chewing the participant of the second part alive! They never bite Paul nor the participant of the first part but prefer to zero in on the second participant. She must be their Bodhisattva, that compassionate being who takes all the bites in order to save others from suffering the misery of itching and scratching. How noble can she get! Only up to a point. The participant of the second part reached for the insect repellant. (Household item on hand.)

The shells were washed to remove residual sand, salt water and unidentified marine organisms. Once again, they were spread out to dry.

One participant continued to separate, pick, wash and dry. Then the shells were sorted by size, shape and color and placed into little pink-lemonade-mix-plastic cups.

The second participant proceeded to begin the task of gluing one little brass ring onto a corner of each of the Woodsie TM Too(200) squares with Krazy Glue. (A gold chain would be passed through the brass ring of the future pendant.) This resulted in the fingers being glued together, requiring numerous scrubbings of acetone (nail polish remover) with cotton balls, (also household items on hand). Once the fingers were again usable, the creative and artistic vision for the pattern of the pendant began to unfold and emerge. (The genius stuck the shells on the wooden squares with glue.) Using toothpicks and Aleene's Tacky Glue, the front, back and sides of the Woodsie TM squares were completely covered with teensy shells. Each step required drying between applications.

The first participant continued to pick, wash, sort, dry and pick again according to size, shape and color and remove unidentified marine organisms.

All of this was accomplished with much discussion and admiration of the brilliant, inspired, imaginative, original, poetically divine and inventive idiocy. Further, philosophical discussions ensued, as well as gossip and giggles during the activity, with breaks to watch waterfalls and rainbows in the mountains. The cat provided uncritical approval of the work in progress, as long as he was fed.

Scotch tape, (another household item on hand) was applied to cover the little brass ring which was subsequently scotched taped a to wooden shish kebab skewer, (also household item on hand.)

After donning mask and latex gloves, (household items on hand) the participant of the second part, proceeded to spray a thin coat of shellac on the pendant to prevent shells from dropping off and also to protect from breakage. The tiny shells are very fragile! The added effect was a lustrous sheen to the pendant.

The first participant continued to pick, wash, sort, dry and pick again according to size, shape and color and remove unidentified marine organisms.

Participant of the second part failed to cover head with a bandana, (household item on hand) before spraying shellac on the pendant and a gust of wind forevermore set the hairstyle.

The first participant continued to pick, wash, sort, dry and pick again according to size, shape, and color and remove unidentified marine organisms.

The wooden shish kebob skewer was then place catty-cornered over the Little House sink so the pendant could dry. Voila! A genuine Kauai Pointy and Niihau Shell Pendant!

Attested and sworn to this date 15 October, 1998.

Signed:

________________________

Martha Harriet Patterson Aurell

________________________

Roberta Jean Miller Lepage

Revised, re-organized, re-adapted, re-adjusted, re-affirmed, re-applied, re-assembled, re-composed, re-consecrated, re-constituted, re-emphasized, re-established, re-fashioned, re-shuffled, re-evaluated, re-vitalized, re-vamped, re-created, re-activated and re-calibrated on this date, 10 November 2002.

Signed,

___________________________________

Martha Harriet Patterson Aurell

___________________________________

Roberta Jean Miller Lepage

(We made some more.)