Oooooh, Shiney!

Janet & I went together to the Pasadena (CA) Bead Show together yesterday.  It was a far better show than I had anticipated, and included classes as well as vendors for both beads and finished goods.

I wish I had more money and time.

This is a Dragonfly Bead hand made by a woman in New Mexico.  I was lucky enough to meet her only California representative at the show.  It's especially interesting because the metal is shibuichi, a combination of silver and copper.  It gives the piece an antique or more substantial look in my eyes.  The wings move, and the belly where you see the string pass through?  Beads will be inserted and either strung or wire wrapped in
place.  I'm thinking some kind of crystal although I might change my mind.

This may end up being the most significant purchase of the day.  It's a stand meant for stringing chain and then attaching charms, but it's also a perfect piece for me to suspend my work on while taking photographs.









This is a Wig Jig.  It's for wire wrap.  There are a lot of things within wire wrapping that I do very poorly.  A lot of jewelry making is about having the right tools to achieve what you are looking for.  I'm really looking forward to seeing if the Wig Jig makes the difference I hope that it will in my work.







SCORE!  I now have instructions how to make chain mail bracelets!














OK, so I know this is cliche, but these are glass crescent moon beads out of which which I am making up some very quick necklaces.  They will be an adjunct to my Valentine Shop in my Etsy store.  I'm going to have a whole section of very cost effective pieces for hopefully what will prove to be a fast turn-around at retail. 








And here are some of the glass hearts which I am also making the "great value" retail pieces out of.  You can see that I am almost done.












More of the glass hearts.  All I need to do is finish the knots, trim them, then glue them again to be ready to take the official pictures for my Etsy Store.





More of the glass hearts.  I hope I get better pictures in the morning.  These don't do the colors justice.  It's going to be difficult because I rely on natural lighting (aka indirect sunlight) to get the best exposure and we're having rain storms here all week.  Have I mentioned lately that taking pictures of glass is not an easy thing to do?











More glass hearts and a seashell.























... and one rose pendant.  I love that particular piece and although it will be for sale, it will hurt when that one is taken.  But I can't keep everything I make.









Glass Donut, very large, unusual shape.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but the colors are luscious.  Again, the lighting and photography don't show it piece off to an advantage.












These may be glass hearts, but they are not the cost efficient versions like above.  I plan to use them in some of the jewelry line I am developing in hopes of being placed in a retail store.









These are amazing lamp-work glass beads.  I really caught my breath when I found this particular vendor who hales from Oakland, CA.  Sadly, right after I took this picture, I dropped them and broke the one on top.  The good news is, though, that the break was very clean.  That means I can glue it back together and although I will never be able to use it in a piece that I can sell, if I ever get time to make something for myself, I can use it for me.






Bead end caps in various metals.  They look like flying saucers right now, but insert a round bead between them and they lend an elegance to the bead that you can't get from just the bead alone.










Snake Eye Jasper.  I have no idea what I am going to use this for; I just thought it was really cool and at the show special price, I could take three strands, each in a different shape.







Finally, some glass "coins" which I again will incorporate into some of the jewelry that I hope to sell at retail stores.