The ecstasy (and the agony) of bead shows…

I went to the Costa Mesa Bead & Gem show last weekend and had a great time. Every time I think I’ve seen all they have to offer and don’t need to go any more, I find a new vendor or product to spend all my money on and get my creative juices flowing.

Like these beautiful boro glass dolphin beads:


Here they are in pairs just PERFECT for earrings and they were quite reasonably priced, too. Of course, they weren’t so reasonable that I didn’t have to leave 3 pairs that I really, really, really wanted behind at the show, but there’s always next time LOL!

Or, these fun enamel earring disks:

Or beautiful new porcelain artist beads:

Sometimes, I find myself needing to buy stuff that I had always previously turned my nose up at.

Like strands of vintage Czech glass glass beads in different shapes (including flowers and faceted rondelles) and colors. They will make perfect dangles for the lush, wire-wrapped bracelets I’ve been creating lately (more about those in an upcoming entry).

Of course, it’s always good to find new and exciting stuff at some of my favorite vendors like new sterling silver components:






Or, beautiful new shapes and colors from Swarovski:








Or, yummy-like-candy cane glass…oh, wait. Here’s where the whole agony part comes in. I bought some of Glasscapes stunningly beautiful cane glass (enough to make at least 3 bracelets) and somehow managed to come home without the beads! I have looked EVERYWHERE for them with no luck. I’ve contacted the vendor to ask if I accidentally left them behind at the booth (no) and I’ve visited the restaurant where I had dinner after the show to see if I might’ve left them behind there when my fellow bead addict and I were doing “show & tell” at our table (answer: also no).

I loved, loved, loved those beads. I miss them and want them back. Not to mention the $$ I dropped on them.

I would say I could just replace them at the next show, but this vendor almost never comes to Costa Mesa – this is the first time they’ve done the show in a couple of years and I don’t know if they’ll be coming back or not.

Sigh. I’m just sad now. I think I need to go home and play with the rest of my new stuff from the show.

Have a good weekend…and hold onto your beads!