Tucson Bead Show Update & More

     It was great to be in Tucson again for the bead and gem show.  I only went to two shows this year, but found enough treasurers to last me well beyond this year.  

     I started at "To Bead True Blue" and "Colors of the Stone", held at Casino Del Sol.  The two shows must be made separate for their own accounting reasons.  For us shoppers, it is a seamless transition between the two.  

     The show was smaller this year but still fun and filled with lots of great items.  I shopped at "Filigree & Me", which is one of my favorite shops.  Then went to the Parawire store and bought a huge (for me) amount of bare copper wire.  I'm into wire these days, and this will keep me busy for quite a while.  Found some great jasper beads at Colors of the Stone, and a few more cabs and beads that were just too good to pass up at other shops.

      The next day I visited the shops at Kino.  This venue is totally different.  Lots of tents and outside booths filled with huge slab and uncut stones.  You buy these big boys by the pound.  Since we don't have a place to cut and polish stone, I didn't buy any of the slabs.  However, many of the places have a few cut into cabochons.  Lots of other booths have row after row of cabs.  It's great.  I bought  some lapis, more jasper, a composite called "Mohave Turquoise", Goldstone, and more.  One of my favorite finds is a Cherry Quartz heart that I hope to wire wrap soon.   

      This venue also has lots of other items - unusual tables and furniture, rugs, baskets and other items from around the world.  It's like going into a foreign bazaar without having the hassle of passports and long airplane rides.  I love Kino!

      A final quick stop at the nearby Tandy shop wrapped up this day.  They had left over small cuts of great red and purple leather.  They will be the perfect weight and amount for bracelets and trim.

       On Saturday I participated in the Grand Boutique, the first one I've done in a long time.  It was really cold in the morning, but that didn't stop people from coming out to the newly renovated community square at Sun City Grand.  There was great live music to add to the festival atmosphere.

Cold but fun day at the Boutique!

 Now for a reward for reading this Blog!!! Here's the coupon code for my Etsy shop for the month of February.  The code is FEBRUARYBLOG.  It's good for 20% off on 79 items in my shop from now until February 28, 2022.  Thanks for reading and looking!  

     Click here or on the Etsy square on the right.  

  

Tucson Gem Show Returns

     At the end of the month, the Tucson Gem Show is returning after Covid caused its cancellation last year.  I can't wait to go!  Even though I don't really NEED more beads or gems, the show is too much fun to skip. My first stop is always "To Bead True Blue" and "Colors of the Stone". Then I plan to head to Kino and 22nd Street on the following days.  I'm looking forward to seeing lots of new items and many old favorites.

     The show in 2020 just made it before everything shut down.  Most of us weren't aware of the danger that was heading our way.  My own trip was a short one because we had just gotten our Pomsky, Tikaan, a few months before.  The gem show was one of his first public outings.  He did great, but we didn't want to over do it.  Plus the hotel that we normally stayed at wasn't pet friendly.  It was too late to try to switch hotels, so we cancelled our reservation and limited our visit to a day trip.  

      I noticed that a few sellers that I usually saw weren't there, but many reasons could have caused their absence.  But by 2021 everyone knew about Covid and its dangers.  Many countries wouldn't allow, or made it very difficult, for their citizens to travel to the U.S.   Some of those problems still exist, of course, but not as totally.  I'm especially hoping that the Australians will be able to come. I love their Moukite Jasper. 

     I'm not going to put my Etsy show on vacation mode.  But any purchases made after January 30 will be shipped at the end of the week, on Friday, February 4.  This includes the pendant that is the January special.  If you use the coupon code "JanuaryBlog" at checkout, you'll receive 20% off of the purchase price. 

    You can see it in my Etsy shop here.  But hurry - the offer ends January 31.  

          Tucson Gem Show Treasures

       For rock and gem lovers, February means the Tucson Gem Show.    At the beginning of the month, I spent two days there and visited four shows.    The Tucson Gem Show is actually a lot (many, many in fact) of individual shows set up in hotels, convention centers, parks, and pretty much any flat, open space in Tucson.  To help you navigate the event, there are shuttle buses between many of the locations.    The Tucson Show Guide, which you can pick up at many of the shows, lists the location of the shows and how to get there.  Advertisers can buy space to let you know what you can find at their show.

           Since this was my third time there I was a bit more prepared and experienced.   I went to a few of my favorites and added a new show.  I ran out of time and energy (not to mention money) before I got to all of the places I wanted to see.    

         My first stop was at the Doubletree Reid Park Hotel where the To Bead True Blue show is held.   This is always my first stop not only for the great shops there, but also because the hotel has a great patio cantina.   After a little shopping Kent and I always go there for lunch.   From the patio you can watch the A-10s and other military aircraft that fly in and out of a nearby base.    I skipped the Margarita since I had bead business to do, but I hear they are great.

        I was first attracted to the To Bead True Blue show because of its beautiful brochure.  At a different hotel they hold a sister show, The Tucson Bead Show, which has an even more beautiful brochure.   I went to that show last year, but decided to skip it this year.   I had found my best beads at To Bead True Blue, and I needed to spend my time wisely.

          My best finds at To Bead True Blue came from Dakota Stones, Holy & Pure Gemstones, and Clover Needlecraft.   Lately I’ve been working on bead embroidery projects, and I had bought some great cabochons from Dakota Stones online.  I had hoped to pick up a few more cabs in Tucson, but they didn’t bring any.  However, I found some great stone beads, including Red Tiger Eye.  When I purchased my finds, I received a coupon that I can use later online, where I know I’ll find some great cabs. 

           Another of my favorite shops is Holy & Pure Gemstones.  They are based in Georgia.   Lapis, apatite, azurite, and onyx were my best finds here.   They also had some great metal beads and chain.   The quality of everything is great.    

The mini loom in its package.

          My most unusual buy was a mini beading loom from Clover.  I’ve been wanting to make some native inspired beaded bracelets and earrings, which I’ve seen done on looms.  I’m excited about learning this new technique.  I bought some seed beads and Tulip needles from Beyond Beadery, which will go with the cabs and the loom.    

          After a few hours here we went to the Best Bead Show at the Kino Community Center.    My favorite shops there Whimbeads, which has a huge supply of seed beads, and Scottsdale Bead Supply, which has great hand cast bronze.    I’ve never been to their brick and mortar shop in Scottsdale, but I always shop at their booth in Tucson.   Go figure.   But no matter where it comes from, I love their bronze.    I've made earrings as well as necklaces with their bronze pieces.  

A few of the bronze pieces. 

This necklace has two pieces of bronze.  I kept it for myself and wear it often.

      The new show for me this year was the J.O.G.S. Tucson Gem & Jewelry Show, located at the Tucson Expo Center.   I went their specifically to see the cabochons from Colorwright, a Tucson online shop that I knew was going to be there.   As soon as I signed in, I went directly to their shop.   It was wonderful!    Colorwright had fantastic cabochons, and the two women who were working that morning were friendly and knowledgeable.   I wanted one of everything!    I restrained myself a little, but I admit I bought enough to keep me busy for months.   The picture doesn't do them justice, but here are a few of my finds:

    

      J.O.G.S. is H.U.G.E.   We spent a few hours looking through the other shops, but I only saw a fraction of what was there.   I bought some great turquoise mined in Mexico and Colorado from Cowboy Trading.   I found silver charms and beads from other shops.   We saw a lot of international dealers here. Many of the shops sell high end gems and diamonds, which were wonderful to look at but out of my price range.   They even had a booth selling whomp-um jewelry, which is very unusual and beautiful.   The artist was Cherokee.    I’ll definitely return here next year.

      The last show we stopped at was the Miner's Co-op Rock Show on Travel Center Drive.    We found them last year and wanted to go there again.   This show has more real rock hounds, many living and working out of their RVs and trucks.   You can find everything for sale here:   finished jewelry, strings of beads, polished cabs, chunks of rock and used lapidary equipment.  

The dealers are set up in an open lot.   The weather was beautiful, and the open air venue was a nice change from being inside hotels and expo centers.   We had a great time looking at their items and talking to many of the dealers.  And, yes, I bought more cabs here.              

       Look for my finds to start showing up in my Etsy shop soon.  I’ve already made a few things.  In fact, I sold a pair of dragonfly earrings that I made as soon as I returned from Tucson.   They sold at the craft fair held in February.    The next craft fair for me will held on April 4 here in Surprise.   I hope to have some new items made from my Tucson treasures there.   

Tucson Gem Show

      For a couple of weeks every February, Tucson becomes the gem, bead and mineral capital of the world.   I've heard about it for years, and this year I was lucky enough to visit.  
       As we drove into Tucson on I-10, we began to see white tents, huge signs, even tethered hot air balloons, in parking lots that lined the interstate.  All of them advertising their bead and gem show.    The Tucson show is really a lot of different "shows" located in hotels, warehouses, community centers, and sports arenas.   Nearly anywhere you can pitch a tent and set up a food court can become part of the show.   One directory listed 43 different shows.
       The Kino Community Center and the Kino Sports Complex across the street were two of my favorite locations.   Inside the Center were rows and rows of vendors.

      We started our adventure at the Doubletree Reid Park Hotel where "To Bead True Blue" had its main location.  They were also at the Windmill Inn.   The beautiful graphics on their website had captivated me back in November, and I had promptly pre-registered.  

      The "To Bead True Blue" website said they had over 500 booths, galleries, and displays.  I didn't count them, but I believe it.   They were everywhere!   Inside the hotel lobby and ballrooms, of course, but also outside in the Sunrise Tent, the Sunset Tent, and the Grand Pavilion.   

     My first stop was at the Christi Friesen booth.  I've been wanting to try polymer clay, and she had some very affordable kits.  She makes the cutest woodland animals, too.   I bought one of her books and a small kit.    I missed getting to meet her or take one of her classes, but there's always next year. 

      I found other treasures at lots of booths here--Green Girl Studio, The Beading Place, Cherry Tree Beads, Clay River Designs, and more.   By the end of the afternoon I was exhausted and had spent more than half of the money I had budgeted to spend. 

    Ceramics were lovely at Clay River.

In addition to the maple leaves from Clay River, I found silver beads from Nepal and art from Lumina Inspirations.   I made them into earrings.

 

      
     
       The next day we went to the Holiday Inn for breakfast,  They also had a huge show located in their Holidome.  Unfortunately they were only open to business people.   Desert Dabbler didn't qualify this year, but watch out next year.    My documents are already submitted; they just didn't arrive in time for our trip.
      Since we couldn't get into any of the booths here we drove to the Best Bead Show at the Kino Community Center.   I don't know if it really is the "best", but it was great.  
      We watched the vendors set up outside until they opened the doors.   Again there were rows and rows of booths.   I found more goodies here, including the beads from Nepal and some beautiful award winning ceramics from Golem Design Studio in Bulgaria.   I found out later that they are also located in the U.S. near Tonopah, which is close to Surprise.   At least closer than Bulgaria.  
       Here is a picture of Vladislav Ivanov with his blue ribbon from a Bead and Button competition.

      
      He and his wife are the artists.   He had a beautiful selection of beads and pendants, and I was having a hard time deciding which one to buy.   When he told me about winning the competition, I knew I had found my treasure. 
      After we made the rounds here, we went to the Kino Sports Complex for the show there.   They also had large tents, but even more interesting were the RV's with outside displays.   We met a lot of nice artists here and saw great stones.    Many of them were still in the raw stage for people who cut and polish their own.      

 The most unusual, as well as the biggest, were the huge geodes.

This one sells for $8000.00!!!!

It was huge, though one of the smaller ones that were outside.

 

     I had to limit myself to the small stuff.   But since this is only a fraction of my treasure trove, I came home very happy and satisfied with my finds.     It will probably take quite a while to turn it all into jewelry.   But I intend to finish within the year--just in time for Tucson 2014.