I had to drive through wind and rain and construction, but it was all worth it! Last Friday I went to the Puget Sound Bead Festival in Tacoma and here are the goodies I couldn't pass up.
I don't normally work with such large beads, but the black and white resin round beads and the oval striped horn beads said they had plans for me. While waiting in line I spotted a lovely tray of labradorite and I selected one strand as a treat. I love this stone for its flashes of blue on a foggy background. All of these I found at Wild Things Beads who were up from California. They also had a lot of Czech glass button cabs, but I turned away since I have a lot of buttons and cabs already.
You could find Sonoran Beads at a couple of booths. They're American made and made from Borosilicate glass. I fell in love with a selection of mini-drops and a couple of shells.
There were a group of lampwork artisans that call themselves the Rain City Artisans manning (womanning?) a booth. Their work is quite good and their prices incredible. They are not selling online as of yet, but I encouraged them to go for it. I fell in love with the key and lampwork from one. The bottom lampwork bead is by Kari Carrigan of Wee Gems and was made on a sewing bobbin! I know it will make it into one of my story necklaces some day.
I spent the majority of my time at Filigree and Me selecting some fine and wonderful filigree that Cathy has in some cases put on one of her unique patinas. Her previous career in handpainted clothing shows in her artful placement of patina and polishing. I hope to design some unique jewelry using these in combination with other techniques to make it different than maybe what you've already seen.
