Monday, March 30, 2009


Twice a year there's a Bead, Gem, and Mineral Show at the State Fairgrounds. For the past several months I've been looking forward to it. And it was finally here this weekend. I got to endulge in some major new bead porn!

Entry for this show is $5, but it's good for all three days. What I always do is scope the show out on the first day and make a few minor purchases - usually things that catch my eye but are not too expensive. Then I go home and think about 1) what I really need for making jewelry 2) what I really lust after but are more expensive than I should spend.

In the category of "things that caught my eye on the first day", were some amazing matched pairs of Red Creek Jasper cabachons. I fell in love with the rich colors and bought the following pair as soon as I saw them. They just had to be mine.



Aren't they wonderful! They natural stone is so vibrant and the pair are amazingly well matched! Each is about 1 inch high and, of course, they would be perfect for earrings. In fact, I couldn't delay gratification - I stayed up till 1 AM that night making settings for them. (When the earrings are finished, I promise to post them here.)

I like these cabachons so much that the earrings may end up being MINE. Because of this, on the 2nd day, I bought some more!

Quite different than the first pair, aren't they? The top pair are delicate shades of pinks and golds and they bring to mind butterfly wings. The bottom pair are the painted colors of the desert....or, maybe prehistoric eyes. (I think they'd look great separated, and made into rings.)

This isn't all I got. Of course I bought more wonderful things at the gemshow. (Especially on that second day!) But since I had to wait so long for it, I thought that I would do the same to you.

Therefore, over the next several days, I'm going to s-l-o-w-l-y show you my new purchases.

Tomorrow: new turquoise for my shop.



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11 Comments:

  1. kellyssima said...
    they are beautiful!!!!
    Contrariwise said...
    They are, aren't they! It's not hard to see why I couldn't resist them.
    KayzKreationz said...
    That second set with the pinks is really nice. But that first set is absolutely gorgeous. Even if you decide you keep them or yourself, please post photos. I'd love to see them made up. I absolutely love jasper. I can almost guarantee if I find a stone I like, it will be some kind of jasper.
    http://KayzKreationz.blogspot.com
    http://KayzKreationz.etsy.com
    Contrariwise said...
    KayzKreationz,
    I know what you mean, I am really falling in love with jasper and bought quite a few pieces this weekend.
    And the earrings are just about finished! They just need some final polishing. I will definitely post them on my blog - in the near future.
    elsie said...
    ah the gen and mineral show, best porn in town isn't it, no matter what town! just discovered your blog on and etsy forum thread and I'm so glad I did, can't wait to see your other purchases!! So guess that makes me your latest follower!! come on over and visit me sometime:

    http://namaste-elsiee.blogspot.com/
    Unknown said...
    Wow you make some really beautiful jewelry! Let me know if you ever want to be featured.
    Anonymous said...
    Beautiful stones...I love the Red Creek Jasper cabs and the pink and gold pair. Can't wait to see your other goodies.
    Contrariwise said...
    Tomorrow I'm featuring turquoise, but the really amazing purchases were some labrodorite stones I scarfed up. AND I've got a couple jewelry pieces completed already. ("Soon to be featured.")
    Baroness Bijoutery said...
    Beautiful stones..really can't wait to see the finished earrings. And of course the rest of the stones you purchased..
    AnvilArtshop said...
    Those are beautiful stones! I just bought my first set of jasper freeform cabs, so I'll be looking to your blog for tips on setting them properly. :)
    Contrariwise said...
    AnvilArtshop,
    I finished the earrings and I'll be posting them later this week. I tried a new way of setting them and I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out.

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