I didn't go to the Tucson bead shows this year. I feel sad that I didn't get to meet up with any of my beading friends, but I'm lucky that my local bead shop (Bead Cache) hosts an annual sale featuring the beads they bought in Tucson. So I got a little taste of the show without all the hassles of travel.
This year my purchases were fairly modest, in part because I'm going to Bead Fest Santa Fe in two weeks. (If you're going and want to shop with me for a little bit, just send me an email. I'd love to meet up with readers!)
The Usual Suspects
Like many beaders, there are certain beads I always seem to buy. For me, some of the "always buy" beads include black beads (especially unusual shapes), copper beads, and pendants with words on them. I bought two wordy pendants: the round, wooden French pendant (which I cannot read) and the "grow strong" leaf bead from Green Girl Studios.
I also bought two items that were somewhat unusual for me:
Faceted Agate Rounds
I buy a lot of green and blue stones, so the teal color of these gemstones is not a surprise. However, I almost never buy stones this large (14mm), since my designs veer towards dainty rather than dramatic. Lately I've been buying a lot of faceted beads, rather than smooth ones. I recently bought another strand of beads (green, of course) with a similar crackle-like appearance. I'm thinking that I may use these in a bracelet, but they also might be fun widely spaced out in a long chain necklace.
German Silver
Don't these look like Bali silver? They're much lighter and much cheaper. With the price of sterling silver going up, I'm looking more carefully at the alternatives. German silver is not actually silver at all. It's usually made from a combination of copper, nickel, and zinc. I thought these might make great earrings since they're so lightweight.
To be honest, I have mixed feelings about these. I think they're great for making inexpensive jewelry, but I have a feeling that I'll still be buying some real silver, just in much smaller quantities. The weight of real silver, not just the pretty decoration, is part of the attraction for me. These beads remind me of popcorn-flavored Jelly Belly jelly beads: they have a buttery flavor, but I still prefer real popcorn for its texture and crunch!