This year’s gem show held a lot of the same predicable beads. A lot of boring round gemstones. But I always enjoy hunting for really unique items and boy did I find some goodies! The first find was at the Casino del Sol show. I really love this show, because it’s filled with one of a kind makers and designers. There are a lot of fellow glass artists, along with porcelain, raku, weaving, metal work, you name it! So I found this tiny section of these vintage hand painted porcelain beads that literally just screamed SOUTHWEST! They were handmade in Peru and I’m just absolutely stoked to have gotten my hands on these.
My next score was also at the same show, and I was talking to a very established glass maker, that has been in the industry forever! I was sharing my beadable products and he said, look what I have. Well, he pulls out a small box of these really cool 100% vintage beadable products made in Japan. They are very cool hair sticks as well as other little sticks you could use for garden sticks. I have to admit, I didn’t realize some of them are a little risky.. take a look for yourself!
Finally my second place favorite find was an etched agate that is being treated to look like antique DZ beads and I am just obsessed with the look. They look so incredible on the large beadable products and are effortless to design with. You spend 7-9 dollars on supplies and your finished product can easily be sold 25 dollars or more!
