woo-hooo, I'm back!

After months of mental and emotional recovery from tending to my DMIL, I am ready to blog again....and go to bead shows, apparently!

I had heard that Intergalactic Bead Show was not as good as it used to be, and certainly when I walked in the door at the Asheville, NC Civic Center, the show looked mighty small. But, just as the old saying goes, good things come in small packets.

Then vendors were friendly, willing to share what they knew about their products, take the time to get to know their customers, even though this was the last day of the show.

Here are some of the wonderful finds; 3 cuts in 8o Antique Gold, 14o Green Iris, 11o Raspberry AB, and charlottes in a true red lustre, not to mention the awesome matte daggers with the dots- thanks to Black Wolf and his wife (Henry Rubin and Theresa)

Chain in a hematite finish and vintag brass finish, silver 2mm Czech rounds, a dyed and crackled turquoise colored agate (that is so going onto the Mermaid Hand), 4mm true red and bronze glass pearls for a friend who spent hours searching for exactly that at the Gem Wholesale Show, but never found them, and the way coolest orange coral sticks from BeadAttitudes out of Gaithersburg, MD.

Swarovski 8mm rivolis in Olivine, Topaz AB, Tanzanite, and Padparascha, 6mm Fire Opal Bicones from Beads De Colores out of Columbus, IN, whose owner was so taken with Friend Harry's Montee bracelet that he going to order and sell the 8o silver beads AND the montees! You rock, Eddie Santos!!

Green Iris 6mm Czech rounds like my friend Kassie used for her bracelet awhile back....now I can make one too, instead of drooling over hers...LOL! from Blue Iris Designs, Joanne Morash of Anderson, SC- an accomplished lampworker, silversmith and bead crocheter who does not mind sharing her tips and carries all sorts of wondrouse items I no longer had money for, but will do mail order!

last but not least, BC Beads of Cambay, where I found beautiful Tigereye, labradorite, bronze pearls, and amethyst diamonds, all for $4 a strand!! This booth had a couple of Ashevilleites, both sweet as can be and willing to learn all the beady things they can....oh, they know not what they ask for! LOL!

What a way to come back, eh??

Good going, Intergalactic- my first bead show folks years back, and still worth the money to go in!