craftgrrl | jewelry supplies in bulk (Reply)

i am finally getting into jewelry making (earrings specifically), so i'd like to know please:

1. where can i get jewelry supplies in bulk? not really beads; i mean essentials like eyepins, jump rings, etc. even earring hooks. all at an affordable price, preferably.

2. also - where can i get earring guards in bulk, if not from the same place? (in case you don't know, earring guards are those little rubber tubes you slide on earring hooks to hold dangly earrings in place).

i'd like to order online if i could, because i have very limited means of transportation here at college, and i'm too impatient to wait til i'm home for the holidays. but you can suggest real life stores too, cuz it's still good to know for future reference. thanks in advance! :)

i was hoping to have my first real pair of earrings done by now to post along with this, but i guess that'll have to wait til later...