In the heart-buzzing, cloud-tickling state of Illinois, where skyscrapers play hide and seek with the sun and cornfields whisper secrets to the wind, hundreds of brilliant, fun-loving kiddos gather in their creative corners. With sparkling eyes and mischievous smiles, these little artisans, known as the Jolly Jewelers of Illinois, dive into the exciting world of jewelry making. Now, meet our zany, imaginary friend, Glitterguts McGee, a bubbly, one-eyed alien with sixteen purple tentacles and a belly full of laughter, who guides these kids on their magical journey of creativity. McGee hails from the planet Bling-a-Ding, where rain showers are of tiny diamonds and rivers of liquid gold flow. He's the best jewelry maker in the galaxy, and has swooshed down to Illinois in his bedazzled spaceship to spread the joy. As the Jolly Jewelers of Illinois gather round McGee, he waves his tentacles, tossing shiny beads and glittering threads into the air. They laugh, as beads of every color rain down upon them, bouncing and rolling in every direction. Each kid picks up a handful, their eyes gleaming with excitement as they imagine what they might become. Under the twinkling eyes of the one-eyed, sixteen-tentacled Glitterguts McGee, these Illinois kids thread beads, twist wires, and loop chains. They create necklaces that sparkle like the Chicago skyline at night, bracelets as colorful as the murals of Pilsen, and earrings that dangle delightfully like the first snowflakes of an Illinois winter. And as they tie the final knots on their creations, their laughter is as bright as the jewelry they've made, echoing throughout the Land of Lincoln.