Tucson Treasures! My Purchases at the Bead Shows...

 Well, FINALLY!  You have all been waiting with bated breath to see what I lugged (quite literally) home from my first visit to Tucson!  So here they are!

Okay, technically I purchased these before I left.  THEY ARE PAPER!  I have NO idea how she does it, and I don't particularly care, I think they are gorgeous, more than reasonably priced, and can't wait to figure out a project for them.
They are made by Anna Fearer and you can find her Etsy shop/blog/website :
Anna's website
Anna's Blog
Anna's Etsy Store

Metal working tools from PJ Tools, Inking kit from Bello Modo, and Guilder's paste from Kabela Designs.   All for altering metal pieces, I have been wanting to add the altered pieces to my jewelry for a while now, but hadn't had the courage to jump in.  Now I have!

 Lovely large amounts of chain (my supply was sadly low) from Rings & Things (spools) and Whimbeads (loose).  Great prices and selection.  These are base metal chains, but nice quality. 

This is possibly my favorite chain purchase from Hip Chick Beads!  Love the mixed shapes and it is a really lovely design.

WOW!  It looks like the 80's exploded on my table!  I predict that the bold, fun colors of the 80's will be back with a vengeance in jewelry designs this year, judging by the amounts of these beads we saw in Tucson.  There are also lovely natural stones, turquoise, and dyed candy jade (an automatic sale from past experience) that I can't get enough of!  Loved all the faceted varieties of the fire agates/fired agates we saw in Tucson.  There are several strands of different varieties that followed me home!

 The sadly small amount of seed beads purchased.  Mostly from Whimbeads, I am working on a project using the tiny cubes so I bought them in my favorite colors.

 GORGEOUS Druzy nuggets (actually not sure what the stones are) that I bought from two teenage gals running their family booth!  I couldn't resist the colors or the sparkle!  And they were very helpful in getting me through the gram pricing haze!

Crystals!  I focused on the tiniest ones I could find and colors I didn't have.  I am a big fan of Swarovski crystals, but the prices and varieties of these Chinese crystals can't be beat!

 LUCITE!  One of my very favorite things to work with!  These all came from my friends Kelli & Michael Burns from The Hole Bead Shop in Oklahoma.  Years ago, Michael wondered across me talking about their products/company on my blog and we have been internet friends since!  It was wonderful to meet them in person and shop all of their beautiful varieties.  I also bought fun, vintage metal pieces from them!

It was a good thing I found these Czech glass leaves the LAST day of the show instead of the FIRST day of the show or I wouldn't have all of the other stuff!  WHAT a gorgeous booth Aloha Bead had!  So much Czech glass leaves, flowers, and shapes!  I could have spent a lot of time and money wading through all of the choices!

Pearls!  I focused on brights for spring, tinies for bead embroidery, and the bright red is a strand of coral rondelles that called LOUDLY to me!

 Artist beads!  The woman face is by Lewis Wilson.  The Nautical Heart is from polymer clay Goddess, Christi Friesen, whom I also purchased a book from (which she graciously signed).  The wire piece is from Lillian Chen, whom we had the pleasure of watching do demos at the Parawire booth.  (I couldn't find a website for her to link to!)

 Wire from the Parawire booth!  Gorgeous colors and lots of gauges to work with!  We brought tons of this home for Julie's shop.

 Vintage Swarovski rivolis and others from Bead Bistro at the The Whole Bead Show.  Gorgeous! 

 Czech glass button found at To Bead True Blue.

 A gorgeous rhodochrysite heart and tiny floral cabs from Dolly Ahles (Flamedancer Beads).
Won't they be lovely in a piece of bead embroidery?!!! 

Swarovski cupchain!  I bought some of each of the custom ordered gorgeous color combinations created by Alacarte Clasps,

Both of these pics are items purchased from Beyond Beadery completely amazing cabs and rivolis!  What did I say about the 80's colors?!  The lime green rivolis and the HUGE orange one are definitely 80's neon colors and the cabs above feel like gummy bears!  Very interesting texture, but you have to be careful with the foil backs that they don't get scratched.

So what do you think of my selections?  I had a terrific time and the amount of beads was MIND BOGGLING!