Tucson Gem Showa - day 2

Today's impression was... Large, chunky & iridescent. I saw lots of large, freeform faceted beads that had various forms of an iridescent coating. Not my style at all. On the good side, the stones that are dyed shocking colors seem to have disappeared.

Got to visit with lots of old friends at the Best Bead Show. It has been quite a few years since I've had a chance to catch up with Jane at Jane's Fiber & Beads. Four of us NH snow birds met up and joked about having a Western meeting of the Bead Society of NH. It was good to see everybody.

Cameras aren't allowed in these shows so I couldn't take general photos of things that caught my eye. I almost got thrown out of the Gem Mall as I for got and whipped out my camera to take a photo of a sign.... Next thing I know this little Chinaman comes whirling at me yelling in Chinese & some English, "No Camera, No camera! You photo and policeman chop-chop you!" Anyway, the sign I wanted a picture of said, "Chinaworski - $1.50/strand." Chinese rendition of Swarovski crystals. The quality was very good and the colors were amazing. This photo just doesn't do the crisp sparkle and deep rich color any good. These are mine.... well I may share a strand or two of the deep plum with Bev over at No Easy Beads.
They are so her colors.




Found vaseline green leaves.

and a
Funky cross between a paddle and a leaf beads in pink & green.




Then some
great lentils in a matte turquoise and mottled purple/blue/pink


I wanted some 10/0 delicas, but refused to pay for 2.5 gram vials as I need a lot more than that. I also wanted to look at the permanent finish Miyuki galvanized seeds but nobody had more than a couple of colors.

Tomorrow the Holidome for some power shopping with my Sister. I'll look at more Chinese crystals and get needed supplies. Seeing as there is lots of blingy sparkle around I just may treat my younger female family members to some bling for their wrists.

2/5 addendum: These finds were all at the GL&W Gem Mall. Don't remember the name of the Czech pressed glass places, but it's one of 3 somewhere in one of the 2 tents. *sorry* They had a lot of lentils/drops, etc. by the mass. Should say that wholesale credentials are needed to get in and minimum purchases do apply.