Early Spring in Tucson

We're having great spring weather in Arizona - early this year.  This means yardwork needs to be done, weeds to be pulled.  All I really want to do is spend time developing my Etsy shop and adding new items - beautiful beads, findings, etc. 

These are some of the beautiful desert scenes I see everyday when I ride my bike!  I love the desert!

Tucson Gem Show 2012

I've had such fun going to the Tucson Gem Show several times in the last few weeks.  Great vendors, wonderful beads and lots of shopping for my Etsy shop.

The Gem Show pretty much takes over this city for two weeks in early February.  It generates an amazing amount of income for the city.  There are around 40 different shows spread out over the city, some wholesale only and some wholesale and retail.  It is a little overwhelming but so much fun to discover new beads and lots more.  It is addicting too.
Here's a sample of some of the beautiful gemstones I found:

Mentioned on a blog --

I had the pleasure of being mentioned on the blog of one of my great customers today.  Jean A. Wells creates amazing designs and has beautiful jewelry in her Etsy shop.  Just love to see her new designs and how she uses the beads she purchases from my Etsy shop.

Check it out when you have a chance:

http://jeanawells.blogspot.com/2012/02/earrings-and-bracelet-southwest-flavor.html#links

Jean has used my beads to make several amazing designs.  In this beautiful set, she used my czech leaf beads:

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/72087764

Jean is so talented.  In these, she used some of my turquoise magnesite beads (teardrop and heart):

http://www.etsy.com/listing/58221825/handmade-southwest-lampwork-turquoise

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/72087765