An Interview About My Perfect Vacation on the CIJ Blog

    An interview about my perfect vacation spot was featured on the CIJ (Christmas in July) blog today.   You can read about it here.
     If you're looking for vacation ideas, check it out.  Other members of the team have been featured this week, too.  Super places from around the world are being featured.  
     Great arm chair travels.

African Turquoise

African Turquoise

 

       Last Wednesday I went to the Rings & Things bead show in Mesa and bought some beautiful African Turquoise.    I've never used it before, but I loved the small ovals and the pretty turquoise color.   It looked like the perfect stone to use for wire wrapping.  

 

 

 

    I used copper 20 gauge wire to add wrapped loops onto each bead, linking them together as I went.   Copper looks great with turquoise.   Probably because real turquoise is found with copper when its mined.

 

      I knew African Turquoise wasn't "real" turquoise when I bought it.   For one thing, I could afford it.   More importantly, Rings & Things had a sign that told about it.   I had to smile when I read the sign.    African Turquoise, it turns out, is a type of jasper---my favorite stone---that is found in Africa.      

 

       Before I went to the bead show this year, I had told myself I would not buy any more jasper.   Because I like it so much, I tend to buy it all the time.   I have a lot of it, and I knew I needed to branch out and try different stones.    So I had to smile when, despite my best intentions, I was drawn to the jasper. 

 

       It looks nearly identical to real turquoise, but at a fraction of the cost.   For me, it's a great substitute.  

 



 

 

 



Bead Show Today!

 

 
      We went to Scottsdale today to the Rings &Things Bead Show that was held at the
Chaparral Suites Resort.   Kent was a good sport about driving and looking at all of the stones with me.   I came away with a HUGE assortment of different types of jasper.   Oval ones, round ones, square ones.   Some puffed; some matte.

 

      The Mohave and Kiva rooms were filled with tables of stones, gems, beads, and other goodies.  So many different types of jasper!!!  I would have bought even more but I kept reminding myself that I have one paycheck left until retirement.  Plus I hope to go to the Tucson Gem Show in February.    

 

     The resort looked like a nice place for tourists to stay.  The location was easy to find and very close to the restaurants and shopping in Scottsdale.

 

     We had lunch at the Barrio Queen, a Mexican restaurant in old Scottsdale.   The food was good, but very small portions.   Like teeny tiny for the appetizers.   I ordered Queen's Shrimp Quesadilla, anticipating a new variation of my favorite food, quesadillas.  The price was about $9.00, so I expected a lunch size one.    But the appetizer was two small tortillas with one shrimp on each, lots of cheese, including goat cheese, and an "acitrus margarita sauce". It was delicious, but I was expecting a little (okay, a lot) more to eat.   

 

     Kent ordered a spinach enchilada entree that was much more lunch-sized.   He said it was very good.   My margarita was excellent.  If you try this restaurant, skip the appetizers and tacos.   They were also munchkin size.  The table nearby ordered some of them.

 

I'm sure we won't go back here since there are so many more places to try and much better Mexican restaurants in town.   If you're in the mood for Mexican food, come to the to Rio Mirage restaurant in Surprise.  It's the best!