Gem Show Goodies!

Every February the local bead store owner goes on her annual buying trip to the hugeamous Tuscon Gem Show. Every year I try to save all I can and go on my own annual buying trip when she returns. At lunchtime yesterday I thought I'd call to see when she may be returning with treasure for me. To my surprise... she was back already. Me... I couldn't get there fast enough.

The poor dear wasn't ready for me yet. Everything was still in bags and she was working on pricing things. Not that that stopped me. Bless her heart, she let me sit down with a bunch of bags and take whatever I wanted. First pick of all the goodies. I was like a kid in a candy shop!

I was so excited! She brought me back lots of cabochons this year. It's the first time she's restocked cabs since I first found her 3 yrs ago. I was spinning like a little top as she just emptied bag after bag in a bucket for me to sort thru. Oh.So.SHINY!

Sadly, lunchtime wasn't long enough for this mission, so I went back after work. More time meant more shinies. She just kept pulling out bag after bag of bead strands and pendant stones for me to look at. Then bags and bags of faceted stones to ... tease me with. Facets weren't ready to come home with me yet, but soon. I did end up with quite the haul of unfaceted goodies. I can't wait to make something with them!

Shiny trip #1 landed me...

Dragonblood, Chrysocolla and Citrine nuggets and a pile of large Ocean Jasper pendant stones. I got a little carried away with those but... couldn't help it. So many colors! and a lot of them have glitter sparkles in them! I mean srsly. How could I restrain myself? 

Cabochons of blue chrysoprase, Green Onyx and... something black and cool. 

Cabochons of Botswana Agate and Labradorite. I see many trees in my future. :D

and the uber shiny...

faceted Ethiopian Fire Opal. Perfect for the 14k gold trees I want to make!

Buying trip #1. I think it was a success. :) After what she teased me with, buying trip #2 should happen next week and be filled with more cabs of Amethyst (I hope!) and strands of beautiful faceted stones of all kinds! Citrine and Iolite and emerald and... oh my!

So much shiny! 

So.Much.SHINY!!!!