Thread the sinker onto your line and pull it down until you have an ample amount of room to tie on your other tackle. Once you’ve got your sinker in place, slide on a glass, metal, or plastic bead. Don’t place any kind of buffer between the sinker and the bead. When the two pieces butt up against each other, they’ll create an audible clacking noise, which will help draw fish in from a distance. Tie the end of your main line to one eye of the swivel and a 14–18 in (36–46 cm) leader to the other, using an improved clinch knot for both lines. Your leader line will then be able to spin as your hook or lure moves, minimizing the chance of a tangle or break.  Swivels are jointed connector pieces that allow a leader line to rotate freely on the main line, which will reduce its risk of snapping.  For your leader line, you can either use a standard monofilament line or a special fluorocarbon line, which is designed to be practically invisible underwater. Steel leaders are also available for wrangling particular large or aggressive types of catch. Most anglers go with an offset shank wide gap hook when setting up a Carolina rig, though you could opt for an extra wide gap hook, if you prefer. Use an improved clinch knot to secure the hook to your line. As always, select a hook size that’s appropriate for the type of bait you’ll be fishing. Leech, lizard, creature, and tube lures are all popular choices for Carolina rig setups. Insert the point of the hook through the small hole at the end of the lure, then arrange the lure so that it conceal as much of the hook as possible. You also have the option of fishing a Carolina rig with a plug or live bait, as well.  One of the biggest advantages of the Carolina rig is that it gives you more of a feel for the terrain at the bottom of the water you’re fishing, helping you detect rocks, brush, drop-offs, and other irregularities.  Carolina rig variations are most commonly used for deep-water fishing, but can also be drifted or slow-trolled.

Summary: Slip a heavy sinker weight onto your line, followed by a bead. Add a barrel swivel between the end of your line and a short leader line. Tie a worm hook onto the end of the leader. Bait your hook with any type of soft plastic lure.


Try not to straighten the wire too much as you unwind it, but don't worry if you do because you can always use a pen or marker to reshape the wire into ring shapes. Ideally, the two ends should overlap slightly so that you will have room to bend the wires back. Try to make sure that the rings are roughly the same size and shape, but don’t worry if they are not identical. Grip one of the rings using the pliers and use the other pair of pliers to help shape the ring so that it is more circular. If you are having trouble getting the wire into a nice round shape, wrap the wire around a pen or marker and use the pliers to tighten the wire. Use the pliers to bend back about 1/4" of wire on each end and fold it so that it is aligned with the ring wire. Bending back the wire will redirect the pointed ends of the wire so that they are not pressing against your inner and outer lip. When you bend back the wires, make sure that the ring opening is wide enough to easily slide over your lip. This space should be about 1/4" wide, but you may want it narrower or wider depending on the thickness of your lower lip. Use the pliers and a pen or marker to reshape the rings after you have bent back the ends. Make sure that they look exactly how you want them to look. Simply slide each of the rings onto your lower lip and adjust their placement so that they are spaced equally on your lower lip. The two rings should be closely aligned with your canine teeth. If they are too loose or too tight, gently squeeze or pull on the rings to adjust the fit.

Summary: Unwind a bit of the wire spiral binding from the notebook. Cut two rings from the exposed wire. Shape the rings. Bend back the ends of each ring with the pliers. Reshape the rings. Try on your snake bites to see how they fit!


The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association recommend that a baby get her first visit to the dentist after the first tooth emerges, no later than her first birthday. The dentist will check for signs of tooth decay or other oral problems.  Additionally, the dentist can teach you how to better care for your baby's teeth.  Try to take your child to the dentist every six months. If your infant has no teeth, use a clean, damp cloth to wipe her gums down after a bottle. This process will remove the damaging bacteria and help prevent the sugar from formula or breast milk from getting trapped in between your baby's lips and gums. Even if your baby does have a few teeth, wiping out her mouth after each feeding can help prevent tooth decay. If your infant has any emerged teeth, use a child-size toothbrush and kid-friendly toothpaste to clean her mouth twice each day, particularly prior to bedtime. Only use a little bit of toothpaste, about as much as a grain of rice, until she is about 3.  Be sure to be gentle with young teeth. Brush both the teeth and gums and then rinse out your baby's mouth. Once a child has reached three, you can use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.  Make sure the toothpaste you use has fluoride, as that will help protect your child's teeth.

Summary: Take your baby to the dentist. Wipe your baby's gums after feeding. Brush your baby's teeth.


White is the most popular color for togas, but if you don't like to wear white, you could try an off-white color, such as ivory or pale gold. If you want something more striking, then maroon or green are good options too. Make sure that your bra is strapless too, otherwise you'll spoil the whole strapless look! This is only if your shorts and tube top are white. If they are a different color, match the bed sheet to them instead.  Make sure that the narrow edges of the bed sheet match up. If you are very tall, then you may want to fold it askew so that 1 edge is longer than the other. If the bedsheet is too narrow to wrap around your torso, fold it lengthwise. A leather belt would work just fine here, but you can also use a thin leather or gold cord. If you choose the latter, consider wrapping it a few times around your waist so that it makes an X. This style is very simple and elegant. You can make it look fancier by wearing a gold necklace or collar. The lack of shoulder straps will help make it stand out!
Summary: Put on a white tube top and a pair of matching white shorts. Fold a white, solid-colored bed sheet in half widthwise. Tie a belt or cord around your waist to cinch and secure the toga.