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Well, the Gem and Mineral Show is winding down.  We closed at the Best Bead Show today and Whole Bead closes tomorrow.  Everyone is just about ready to be stuck with a fork, both customers and vendors.  Working or viewing this show requires that one be made of strong stuff.  It is grueling!  You feel like you need to unscrew your feet and put them on the shelf.  But, if you love beads, it is the best "tired" you can experience.

The weather is much warmer today, so more people are out and about.  However, some of Tucson"s citizens are still without water or heat.  Everyone is still in good humor.

The Goddess in Training, my daughter Nicole, who worked the Best Bead Show booth, is leaving me tomorrow morning to return to LA so that she can get back to her "day job".  I'll have to make it on my own for the last day of the show and for packing up.  Is it really wrong for a mother to pull out the "labor pains" card?

I'd like to give a big thank you to Danielle, Editor of Stringing magazine for giving us some great press about our yarns at the show, including a photo, and to our customer, Carol Huntington, for bringing the article to our attention.  Check it out: 

http://e1.interweave.com/dm?id=800A3E34DFE7A4508525BD1BC029405AC30092B14F2F2183

Until tomorrow!

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Happy New Year Folks,

It's been a V-E-R-Y long time since my last post.  One of my few New Year's resolutions, which I rarely every make, was to post more frequently.  I decided that today needed to be THE day. I'm in Tucson vending at the Gem and Mineral Show and the 4th day has ended. I have been sitting in my bed reading blog posts and I kinda' got the bug to start posting again. So we'll see how long this will last.  I make no promises!

This has been a most interesting show.  Everyone knows about the Blizzard of 2011 and all of the havoc it caused.  Many of our customers and some vendors were unable to get here because of the storm.  In addition, it's been reported that these have been the coldest few days in Tucson since the 1920's. It was 21 degrees on Wednesday morning. The city's underground water pipes froze and many people were without water.  Some of the locals are finally starting to come out and make it to the shows.

For those of you who have never been to the International Gem and Mineral Show, it is the largest show of its kind in the world.  People come from all over the world (I had a customer from Hungary yesterday) to view gems (diamonds, sapphires, etc), minerals (all kinds of stones), fossils, and beads (glass, seed, etc.).   There are 39 shows going on all over Tucson.  The show began and will end at various times (January 28 - February 11). 

I am vending at the Best Bead Show and at the Whole Bead Show which began on February 2 and will end on February 7.  Both of my show venues contain primarily glass bead artists, which are some of the best in the country. The work is amazing and one can just imagine how much work and dedication that it takes for them to prepare enough stock a shows of this magnitude.  I wish I could show you some of their work, but being the organized creature that I am, I forgot to pack my camera.  So, I promise to have pictures next year.

It's times like these that I love my job!  I get to meet wonderful, talented people, who are all in a good mood because they are in "hog heaven" touching all things BEAD.  They are shopping until the literally drop or stop for "potty" or food breaks.  Everyone goes home or to their hotels to look at their treasures and come back for more.  Let's see what happens tomorrow.

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My Goddess-in-Training reminded me today that I did not take the photos of Bead Dreams 2009 that I introduced yesterday.  She accused me of photography copyright infringement  since I had only decided which pieces I wanted photographed and she actually took the photographs.  I swear I was not stealing her thunder; I'm just elderly and I honestly did not remember.  However, I quickly acknowledged my error and thought I'd surprise her by admitting my error in print.  At any rate, here is today's installment of the Bead Dreams 2009 photos taken by my lovely and talented daughter Nicole:

Sorry, we could not get a better photo, without the pole, and still give you the total necklace design.

Come back for Part 3 tomorrow.

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I found some photos from the 2009 Bead and Button Show Bead Dreams exhibit.  These fabulous pieces were displayed in the front lobby and represent some of the most beautiful hand beaded art I’ve every seen.  For some of these pieces, it is very difficult for me to imagine a “human” sitting down, picking up each bead, and placing it in just the right spot to make these one of a kind masterpieces.  I always wonder just what inspired the piece.  Are all of these ideas just dancing around in the heads of the artists and that’s why the exhibit is called Bead Dreams?  I tried to take the photos and move along so that others could get close enough to enjoy the “jewels” but I really wanted to just stand there and spend some quality time with each piece.  The 2010 Bead and Button Show is currently underway and I cannot attend this year.  I can only imagine what the Bead Dreams exhibit looks like.  Looking at my photos from last year allows me to pretend that I am there, chatting with all of my friends, and being immersed in B E A D S!!!!!!!!  I will show a few photos each day, please enjoy.

Aren't they amazing?  Stop by tomorrow to see more!  Until ...........

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I just returned from spring Quilt Market in Minneapolis.  The weather was at a record high and beautiful, although it did rain for a brief time on Friday.  Market, as Quilt Market is fondly called, is always a great time to see old friends and to catch up on everyone's news.  Lots of hugs and love!  
Unfortunately, my daughter, Nicole, was unable to attend the show with me to help out in the booth.  It seems that she has her own customer fan club now and they were all asking about her.  I may be losing my place on the throne as the Fiber Goddess, now that there seems to be a younger up and coming Goddess-In -Training. 

I spent all of my time in my booth demonstrating my Diva Cord Maker and selling tons of my Ribbonry boxes.  I was so pleased that the ribbons were such a big hit.  I displayed a beautiful scarf made by Anna Stuart, a customer of The City Quilter in New York City, which uses silk fabric strips, Ribbonry, and water soluble stabilizer. (See the photo below) However, I was very disappointed that I was unable to "walk the show" to see all of the new goodies brought to the show by the other vendors.  It's always fun to see the beautifully and artistically decorated booths.  Moda Fabrics won the Best Booth award.

Sample Spree, the two-hour sale held the night before the official opening of Market, was a "hoot".  Those sedate shop owners were like kids let loose in Toys”R”Us as they were, literally, RUNNING, to try to be one of the first 50 people in line at the Moda booth.  I never got a clear understanding of just what the prize was, but these ladies could give NFL running backs a run for their money!  Lots of fun was had by all.  I'm sure there were many sore shoulders, arms, and hands on Friday morning as a result of carrying around all of the heavy bags of fabric.  Moda gave away a really pretty fabric shopping bag to hold all of their goodies.  Most of the customers were carrying them packed to the brim.

On Saturday night, I went to dinner with my pal Dianne Springer and her daughter, Brandy.  You will remember Diane from my first blog post.  She's the brains behind Quilt-in-a-Cup. As usual, she kept us in stitches as she regaled us with her exploits involving her hometown police department.  She drives a Corvette convertible with a lead foot!  Somehow, she never seems to actually receive the ticket.  Some people just naturally have the gift of gab.  Diane is currently working on some fabulous designs for quilting fabric and stationery items.  I can't wait to see them in production.  I'll keep you posted on her progress.  She is one talented and funny lady!  Check out her blog at threadsfrommyhead.blogspot.

Stephanie Brandenburg, the Design and Marketing Director for Camelot Cottons, came by the booth with her mom and picked up packets of Ribbonry to embellish her quilts. Her floral and architectural fabrics are wonderful.  She is one of the young designers that is working hard to design fabrics and quilts that appeal to the young quilter.  We need the young quilters to keep quilting marching along; after all, many of us baby boomers are now suffering from cataracts and/or arthritis and we may be slowing down a bit.  Just speaking for myself, of course!

I, also enjoyed meeting quilt artist and designer, Scott Hansen, from BlueNickleStudios.com.  We met while waiting in a ridiculously long line for the hotel elevator. Of course, the situation was perfect for striking up a conversation about quilting. .  His name seemed quite familiar to me and I asked him if I had seen his work in any magazines.  He said I probably would not have seen his work since he worked for various fabric companies.  When I arrived home, the latest issue of Quilter's Home magazine had arrived.  What do I find inside, on page 27, but a beautiful quilt designed and made by Scott!  Seems he's modest, too!  Anyway, he came by the booth the next day and introduced me to designer Kaye Prince, from Miss Prince Designs, and long arm quilter John Q. Adams from Quiltdad.com.  It was very refreshing talking to these young, excited quilters.  Please check out their blogs and websites.

 As usual, there were some beautiful quilts on display from Quilt Festival 2009.  We have some talented and innovative quilters out there.

Well, I think I've about covered everything.  Until next time………..

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