diff --git a/src/main/java/com/obsilab/mcsc/MCSC.java b/src/main/java/com/obsilab/mcsc/MCSC.java
index fee0895..e6edd62 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/obsilab/mcsc/MCSC.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/obsilab/mcsc/MCSC.java
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 import com.mojang.logging.LogUtils;
 import com.obsilab.mcsc.block.ModBlocks;
 import com.obsilab.mcsc.block.custom.CrystalIngotBlock;
+import com.obsilab.mcsc.event.CreativeTabEvents;
 import com.obsilab.mcsc.item.ModItems;
+import com.obsilab.mcsc.networking.ModMessages;
 import com.obsilab.mcsc.world.feature.ModConfiguredFeatures;
 import com.obsilab.mcsc.world.feature.ModPlacedFeatures;
 import net.minecraft.client.Minecraft;
@@ -91,8 +93,12 @@ public MCSC()
 
         // Register the commonSetup method for modloading
         modEventBus.addListener(this::commonSetup);
+        // Register the custom creative tab ("MCSC") event
+        modEventBus.addListener(CreativeTabEvents::onCreativeTabEvent);
+        // old: Register the item to a creative tab
+        //      modEventBus.addListener(this::addCreative);
 
-        /*
+        /* see ModBlocks.java and ModItems.java
         // Register the Deferred Register to the mod event bus so blocks get registered
         BLOCKS.register(modEventBus);
         // Register the Deferred Register to the mod event bus so items get registered
@@ -102,8 +108,6 @@ public MCSC()
         // Register ourselves for server and other game events we are interested in
         MinecraftForge.EVENT_BUS.register(this);
 
-        // Register the item to a creative tab
-        modEventBus.addListener(this::addCreative);
 
         /*
         CreativeModeTabs.tabs().add(new CreativeModeTabs("mcsc") {
@@ -120,10 +124,19 @@ private void commonSetup(final FMLCommonSetupEvent event)
         // Some common setup code
         LOGGER.info("HELLO FROM COMMON SETUP");
         LOGGER.info("DIRT BLOCK >> {}", ForgeRegistries.BLOCKS.getKey(Blocks.DIRT));
+
+        event.enqueueWork(() -> {
+            ModMessages.register();
+            // ModVillagers.registerPOIs(); // to be implemented?
+        });
+
     }
 
+    /* replaced by CreativeTabEvents.java (custom tab)
     private void addCreative(CreativeModeTabEvent.BuildContents event) {
 
+
+
         Collection<RegistryObject<Item>> ModItemsList = ModItems.ITEMS.getEntries();
         Collection<RegistryObject<Block>> ModBlocksList = ModBlocks.BLOCKS.getEntries();
         if (event.getTab() == CreativeModeTabs.SEARCH) {
@@ -144,14 +157,17 @@ private void addCreative(CreativeModeTabEvent.BuildContents event) {
 
             //event.accept(ModItems.EMPTY_WAFER_ITEM.get());
         }
-        /*
-        if (event.getTab() == CreativeModeTabs.MCSC) {
-            event.accept(ModItems.EMPTY_WAFER_ITEM.get());
-        }
-        */
+
+        //if (event.getTab() == CreativeModeTabs.MCSC) {
+        //    event.accept(ModItems.EMPTY_WAFER_ITEM.get());
+        //}
+        //
+
     }
 
-    //! BELOW NOT WORKING RN
+    */
+
+    /*
     @SubscribeEvent
     public void buildContents(CreativeModeTabEvent.Register event) {
         event.registerCreativeModeTab(new ResourceLocation(MOD_ID, "mcsc"), builder ->
@@ -167,6 +183,8 @@ public void buildContents(CreativeModeTabEvent.Register event) {
         );
     }
 
+    */
+
     // You can use SubscribeEvent and let the Event Bus discover methods to call
     @SubscribeEvent
     public void onServerStarting(ServerStartingEvent event)
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/obsilab/mcsc/event/CreativeTabEvents.java b/src/main/java/com/obsilab/mcsc/event/CreativeTabEvents.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f53c61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/obsilab/mcsc/event/CreativeTabEvents.java
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package com.obsilab.mcsc.event;
+
+import com.obsilab.mcsc.MCSC;
+import com.obsilab.mcsc.block.ModBlocks;
+import com.obsilab.mcsc.block.custom.CrystalIngotBlock;
+import com.obsilab.mcsc.item.ModItems;
+import net.minecraft.network.chat.Component;
+import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
+import net.minecraft.world.item.CreativeModeTab;
+import net.minecraft.world.item.Item;
+import net.minecraft.world.item.ItemStack;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.block.Block;
+import net.minecraftforge.event.CreativeModeTabEvent;
+import net.minecraftforge.eventbus.api.SubscribeEvent;
+import net.minecraftforge.registries.RegistryObject;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+
+public class CreativeTabEvents {
+
+    public static CreativeModeTab MCSC_TAB;
+
+    @SubscribeEvent
+    public static void onCreativeTabEvent(CreativeModeTabEvent.Register event) {
+        MCSC_TAB = event.registerCreativeModeTab(new ResourceLocation(MCSC.MOD_ID, "mcsc_tab"),
+                builder -> builder
+                        .icon(() -> new ItemStack(ModItems.ETCHED_WAFER_ITEM.get()))
+                        .title(Component.literal("item_group." + MCSC.MOD_ID + ".tab"))
+                        .displayItems((enabledFlags, populator, hasPermissions) -> {
+                            Collection<RegistryObject<Item>> ModItemsList = ModItems.ITEMS.getEntries();
+                            Collection<RegistryObject<Block>> ModBlocksList = ModBlocks.BLOCKS.getEntries();
+                            for (RegistryObject<Item> mod_item : ModItemsList) {
+                                populator.accept(new ItemStack(mod_item.get()));
+                            }
+                            for (RegistryObject<Block> mod_block : ModBlocksList) {
+                                //check if the block is a crop block
+                                if (mod_block.get() instanceof CrystalIngotBlock) { // if(mod_block.get().getName().equals("crystal_ingot"))
+                                    //continue; // remove crop block, prevents crashing
+                                } else {
+                                    populator.accept(new ItemStack(mod_block.get()));
+                                }
+
+                                //event.accept(mod_block.get());
+                            }
+                        })
+                        .build()
+        );
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/resources/assets/mcsc/lang/en_us.json b/src/main/resources/assets/mcsc/lang/en_us.json
index 4d304f1..5fdafa9 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/assets/mcsc/lang/en_us.json
+++ b/src/main/resources/assets/mcsc/lang/en_us.json
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@
   "block.mcsc.borax_ore": "Borax Ore",
   "block.mcsc.phosphate_ore": "Phosphate Ore",
 
-  "item_group.mcsc": "MCSC"
+  "item_group.mcsc.tab": "MCSC"
 }
\ No newline at end of file