Bead Show Report...

Whew! Crazy day - have been trying to get this report written and it's just been way too busy. Thanks for checking back and being patient!

So, this weekend was the big semi-annual Pasadena Bead & Design show at the Pasadena Hilton. To give you an idea - this is about 1.5 hours away from where I live. Fortunately, my friend, co-worker, and enabler in all things bead-buying-related, Julie, was able to meet up with me and carpool (using her car since mine has recently become...ummm...suspect in the reliability department).

As is usual for So Cal, we hit some spots of traffic, but not too bad actually, and we arrived at the show at about 11:00 AM.






Such a pretty and formal welcome sign in the lobby for registration.

But this one is much more realistic!

As is this one - from my favorite crystal vendor.

Who had an entire room all to themselves. Yes, that is an ENTIRE room filled with Swarovski crystals AND pearls in every size, shape and color!

This is a view of just ONE hallway. I haven't even made it to the main ballroom yet.

Lorelei - this one is for you, Ms. Button Queen. This vendor was 3 walls of HANKS of buttons in all the colors of the rainbow. This would be the "pink" section ;-)

I haven't done any cab work in more than a year, but that didn't stop me from ogling this incredible cab vendor. Pretty much any stone you could wish for in all different shapes and sizes. I just LOVE variety!

Then there was what I am affectionately calling the "Wall o' Pearls" vendor. Three walls like this, PLUS two tables filled with trays and trays of incredible pearls. I looked at some giant top-drilled keshi pearls that were super high quality, but in the end, they would've sucked up too big a percentage of my show budget so I reluctantly had to pass. That's always a dilemma for me - do I try to buy a LOT of less expensive stuff or do I get just a couple of strands of uber-pricey stuff?

We were excited to see Patricia Healey there with all her gorgeous patinated copper pieces. I used one of those copper crescents with the loops on them in a necklace a while back and it's one of my favorite things I've ever made.

Oh, and lest you think she only has a few things as shown in this picture...

Ummm...that'd be a no. this is only about 1/3 of her booth (which she graciously allowed me to photograph). She doesn't have her own website, but she does sell a portion of her line through ArtBeads. But it's nothing compared to what she has for sale at the shows. If you're in So Cal, she told me she will be at the Costa Mesa Gem Faire in October!

Julie and I couldn't get over the necklace she was wearing so she let me take a picture of it. Sorry about the crappy flash glare - with the overhead lights in the room and the black background in her booth, it was tough to get a good picture. That star pendant with the rivets is one of her newer items and I really liked the way she got the seed bead strands to float around everything - it's very three dimensional in real life (okay, I know that made no sense, but you hopefully get what I mean anyway).

Here's a closeup. The stones are nuggets of rainbow fluorite - and ignore my crappy photography because they look FANTASTIC with the copper in real life.

So, after all that, I had to buy some stuff. These are two new leaf shapes.

And I already had some small heart charms from Patricia in my stash and needed something to go with them. Found this awesome heart and arrow toggle clasp and a couple of puffy hearts, too.

Then I saw this amazing bracelet link with a shell on it that is ALSO a toggle clasp. I picked out a couple of spiral elements to go with it and I have a few more of her sea creatures (she does seahorses, turtles, fish, etc.) already in my stash. This one is going to be killer!

After that, it was off to another favorite: C-Koop Beads.

Again, she was nice enough to let me take photos. These are aluminum patterned bead caps - a new item for her. They will be featured in upcoming magazine issues.

However, she's more known for her enamel work - and these "pinch" style beads are another new item. Aren't the colors delicious?

Donut and oval pendants - some of her more typical work.

I bought this cute set of blue and green enamel heart charms.

And this great set of oval enamel links - they look like ash falling from a night sky. And being that I live in So Cal where we routinely catch on fire...I know what ash looks like!

Then I saw these more brightly colored ovals and had the thought that they might work with some of my butterfly wing resin beads - the pattern sort of reminds me of that.

So I needed more than one set. You know, for experimental purposes. Also...pretty colors!

And my big splurge for the day - this gorgeous enamel pendant set in sterling silver.

But, of course, you know that's not all so stay tuned for this Friday's installment of Bead Porn where I'll share the rest of my purchases.

KJ