Last day of shows, tomorrow we come home.

Keith is out shipping the boxes of treasures home, and I have a few minutes before we go to the Best Bead Show. We had a great time at the Holidome yesterday, plus stopped in at Tucson Store Fixture and grabbed some stuff for Brooke’s shows and for the shop. It was fun to see the display stuff in person.

So here are some pics I got at Holidome:

This is a pile of Keishi pearls, I love Keishi! They work especially well with seedbead designs.

This is a partial shot of Benny of Majestic Pearls… he is a great guy and we love to see him each year, he remembers us each time, and all customers love that, don’t we? Right after I took these two shots the PHOTO NAZI came up to me and yelled at me that there were no photos allowed. This guy was just working at the booth across the aisle from Benny. He had all his extra crates in the aisle, and I was parked in my wheelchair, which we rented because my joints are so bad right now.  I explained to him (only since I turned 50 was I empowered enough to do this) that I was taking simple photos of the show, for the folks back home who couldn’t attend but were in the biz. He was a jerk, he got really surly and I put the camera away. I understand about design protection but these were pearls in bags and Benny was ok with it.

Right after that he started re-arranging his crates and hit the wheelchair several times. I called to Keith and he moved me. I was pretty upset, it just felt bad, you know? So we finished up and went out for air and I was ok after that. I took the following outside, they’re not great photos but they give you an idea of the surroundings.

S

So after we had a bite we went back in and found these gemstone briolettes. Keith and I were looking for briolettes and found some nice Indian guys who worked with us on the prices. From  the top they are Green Amethyst, Pink Topaz, Citrine (2 strands), Blue Topaz, Amethyst and Garnet.

They are so much better in person, I am using Picasa to edit until I get home to load Photo Elements or something better. Hey it was free and I’m doing down and dirty photos on the nightstand!

Now I’d better get my face on before Keith gets back and then we’re off to Best Bead! I am taking photos there, so our little photojournalism stint will go out with a bang!

More later….

Mari

Thursday in Tucson…

Had a great day.. it was 55degrees and sunny. {Ducking}

We went to the Quality Inn Show, (formerly the Rodeway Inn), which is also a Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers Show. If you’ve never been to the Gem shows in Tucson, the G&LW is a wholesale only show, and not open to the public. You must have proof you’re a business but this includes designers. Basically you need a tax i.d.

So in case you haven’t been to a large show, the exhibitors are from all over the world, and you will hear many languages going at once. Some of the tents are like semi-permanent buildings, and some are quiet warm from all the halogen lighting. Shuttles carry the many thousands of people from parking lots all over. I have a handicapped sticker so we lucked out today and got a spot up front.

Some of the vendors have their stuff meticulously laid out and organized…

And some of them… not so much.

As you can see it was pretty slow at this show!

So we bought lots of goodies!

Hill Tribe and Bali Silver, Fimo and Furnace Glass, it was so much fun. It will take a couple of weeks to merchandise all the stuff! I also got some kewl fabric for Brooke’s show table. I almost got these awesome abalone shells for displays but I was too pooped, so I will get some at Holidome tomorrow if I can find them, or else go back and get em on Saturday.

Miss you all!

Mari

More pics.. Swarovski and Pansies

We had a wonderful day today… we went out to the Omni Golf Resort (stunningly beautiful resort), where the Swarovski Create Your Style show was. Well, we hooked up with a great wholesaler, one of their 5 star companies, and explored new ideas for us to merchandise, and of course, get better prices and selection. Sometimes we can’t get the colors we need or the newest shapes, etc., so we’re going to try this new company.

Here are some pics from their main exhibit… they were all in large vertical cases and I suppose they made them eye level, but I’m short, so eye level for me is somewhat lower.. I did my best to photo them.

This last one is a lobster! Amazing work there, this was only half of what was on display. There were also classes available, but I didn’t know, so next year I will register. The classes were affordable.. $50 and up including materials. There were a few rings, necklaces and bracelets I’d love to learn.

By now you’re wondering what the ? What about the pansies? Well, I went outside to sit, my back and knees are just killing me from all the walking, and Keith went to get the car. The weather is beautiful.. 50’s and sunny. Ya, I’m sorry Chicagoans, it’s gorgeous here, but I’m sharing these pansies which were in the planters outside.

I’ll post again soon. After the Create Your Own Style show, we went to the Whole Bead Show and I saw Karen Ovington, we had a nice visit… she was sharing a booth/room with Cindy McEwen but I missed Cindy, darnit! Love to all!

Mari

First pics from Tucson…

Well, thanks to Jason Jones, I found a pic resizer to use… by the time I got it loaded last nite I was too tired, so here are the first pics from your Tucson correspondent.

Hover over these thumbnails.. or double click. 

The condo, with the mountains in the background.

These are all turquoise, in cabs, some large chunky round discs that have a hole in them, for easy stringing, and the last one is something a customer requested, some large slices of turquoise.

Last is a stone that we got that is hard to describe… the pic doesn’t do it justice.. it’s unbelievably gorgeous, polished and just…. cool! Colors are black veining on opal grey.

So that’s it for yesterday… I didn’t have time/energy last nite to take pics of the pearls and other stones we got. At least 50 lbs in the three bags.

More to come… with people and shows…

Mari

We’re here!

Well, no pics yet… yesterday was pure vacation… relax, look around, etc. This morning we are doing Gem Mall and Holidome. Yikes. Lots of walking, I’m rested up, ready to go! On my list are turquoise, kyanite and pearls. Yay!

I will post later, if I can otherwise it’s tomorrow… with pics I promise!

Mari