BeadWitched, BeadDazzled & BeadWildered

Tucson is an assault on one's senses. Everywhere you look tents, tents and more tents, buildings, motels and hotels all filled with the treasures of our earth and some not of this earth. The largest metorite in the world was there looking mostly like a giagantic potato...it was not pretty but could be filled with peridot crystals but who will open it? Too valuable...so it sits like a giant spud inspiring awe, I guess, I only saw a picture on their local news and a magazine.

Not for me for you see, I have a chronic and fatal disease (you will die with it)...BEADiTis. Once you have it, there is no cure. I like the rocks (I still gather them occasionally, like eggs) and the fossils fascinate me but BEADS...that is another story. When you catch BEADiTis it tends to take over your life, not to mention every nook and cranny of your abode. They roll around the floor, fill tables and sometimes end up in the most oddly of places.

In the mass of the shows (mostly wholesale for artists, rockshops, collectors and designers) there are 6 shows just for beads and I don't mean little shows either. And now, years since I started coming to Tucson to do my buying, most all the vendors in the others shows sell beads. It is like a giant BEAD flea market, gallery, nonstop shop. There is an area just for the Africans and their arts and crafts but mostly...BEADS!


I must say that I had a very good time for I was not really looking forward to the show this year what with the arthritis/fibro thingee. I had fun, fun, fun and felt pretty fair for most of the time. Took plenty of breaks, drank my water, ate reasonably and watched the people...a ton of people.

You could tell the northerners, they basked in the sun like gila monsters while I sought out the shade for relief. Those self same people ooohed and ahhhed over the sunsets and the sunrises for there is nothing like those colors and skies of the southwest, or so I have been told and I truly believe it. I took one of my breaks to watch a beautiful sunset show and Richard (master beadmaker from Phar Lepht and one of the tribe) joined me outside and wistfully said, "I wish I could capture those colors in a bead..." When I noted that I had one of his that I likened to the colors..."not like that, but I am still trying..."


Janice and Robyn are great traveling companions. They both make me laugh, a lot. Poor Jan went at a gallup the whole time and worried me a bit. She refused to slow down and suffered some but I know she had a good time. Rob is a soul mate of mine and we can get on the same wavelength easily. She was BEADazzeled too and keep noting that she really didn't NEED all these beads but alas, she has BEADiTis too.

While in Tucson, I had a lovely visit with long-time friend Charlene and her sisters, Helen and Carol. (Notice, I said 'long-time' and not 'old' Char! Hah!) She came and picked me up at our hotel, wined and dined me and shared much love and laughter. I had a wonderful evening at their home. It was a wonderful break from the BEADiTis but of course we talked about jewelry too!

About the images, they are large and will take some time to load, excuse me but I wanted to give you a good sample of what jumped in my bag. The only pieces I purchased just for myself was the small turquoise and ivory colored lampworked boot in the first picture and a painted horse from the same artist, Whim Wham beads which is on order. It cost me a pretty penny but it was irrestible for after all I have a bad case of BEADiTis and my reserve was admirable.

That's it in a beadshell...as friend Jam said, It must be like Bead Mecca and I did go and circle the stones.

Peace