If you ever get a chance to go to a gem and mineral show, you need to go. I have heard about them from my in-laws, because they are both jewelry crafters. My father-in-love even went to a school to learn silver smithing. They both make some really nice jewelry, and they are the ones who inspired me to give it a try. They used to go to Quartzsite in the winter and go to the gem shows to buy supplies for their craft.
Last week I got my chance to go to my first gem show. There was everything imaginable: rocks, gems, pearls, wire, jewelry findings. There were also other crafts such as quilters, metal work, leather handbags, and stuff like that, but we were there for the jewelry stuff.
On Thursday, my friend Gaelyn from Geogypsy called to ask if I was planning to go to the show. I said I was, so she came and spent the night on my sofa so we could head out early and get a good parking spot. We met Gaelyn at the North Rim this summer, where she worked as an Interpretive Ranger and lived across the road from us in the employee campground. Our paths didn’t cross much because she had a weird schedule and our days off weren’t the same. But about a week or so before we left, she came over for dinner one night and we really enjoyed her company. We were delighted to have her as a guest.
On Friday morning, Gaelyn, Lynda, Charlie, and I got up before dawn, and took off for “Q”. We got a primo parking spot and started looking at all the stuff. This show is huge. As in blocks and blocks of vendors, on both sides of the road.
One vendor had these awesome fossils.
Another had gigantic crystals. These are quartz. I love these but really have no where to put them so I only took pictures.
This is called desert rose. It is gorgeous!
The show was out in the desert at Tyson Wells. Look at that big ol saguaro cactus:
Oh My God! Look at all those beads! How do you chose just a few????
Then of course you have to have wire to make things with. We got silver and copper.
Another bead store. I got some nice Swarovsky crystals here, and some copper beads.
We walked around that show in the desert for 6 hours! We were all tired and dusty, and hungry. Here we are at lunch: Me in the pink sweatshirt, Lynda next to me, Charlie across the table, and Gaelyn beside Charlie. FabGrandpa had a cold and didn’t feel good, so he stayed at home. (better for me, to be able to buy what I wanted, hahahaha.)
And I was so excited when I got home that I made this necklace first. Yes, I got the idea from a magazine, but I did intrepret in a different way.
It was a great day. I had a lot of fun with my friends, and bought a lot of supplies to be able to make some pretty things. And we are going to another one next week. I can hardly wait!
i am so jealous. those shows are the best and that one sounds huge!!
My sister likes to make jewelry so I know she’d give almost anything to attend a show like that. I bet it’s easy to spend tons of money there!
Watch that weekly budget!
Devi: Yes, HUGE!
Jacki: yeah, like 2 tons of money, but I needed it all….
Sandra: This money came from my jewelry and crafts sales account so it was not part of the weekly budget.
I loved the cheese curds. You must have gone to the Main Event. You certainly took more photos than I, thank you. Great post.
Ooo how fun! I love going to things like that. And yes Desert Rose is amazingly pretty huh?
I had to laugh when I saw the comment from Sandra, as that was the first thought I had, I wonder if that will blow the weekly budget! Sounds fantastic!
That looked like fun! Arizona would be lovely as well. The snow is piling up here and I have not finished shoveling out from the last storm yet.
My great Uncle collected rocks and minerals. He built a rock museum for his collection. It is Parshall North Dakota. If you are ever up that way stop in. It is an amazing collection.
great photos! thanks for posting! it’s always nice to go to a blog that is rich in photos – helps transport me to a whole other world!
Glad you got to go. I went last weekend, couldn’t resist, what with visiting here and all. Can’t really see everything in one day it’s so big and so much going on there. I went twice this time and still didn’t get to all the places I wanted to look. I did go to Desert Gems and the QIA show, well worth it if looking for mineral specimens and quantities of specimens. Next time you might visit the QIA show there, think it runs mid January. It has more rocks there, some bead and jewelry makers, but less food (only one place to buy food). It is great for collectors and rock/mineral buyers alike and close to the Quartzsite Gem and Mineral Club headquarters there. Main event is great too as well as Tyson Wells although I thought main event was more flea market than rocks, IMHO.
BTW, I’d be wary of the fossil specimens, a lot of them are “made” from several fossil specimens glued to matrix rock, ie faked specimens although real fossils separately, guess they sell better in matrix rock. Also the citrine sold in most places is actually heated amethyst because citrine is more rare and amethyst is more abundant in Brazil right now. Real citrine is light yellow in color and way more expensive. Just a little FYI, maybe too much 😉
Can you say, “I’m addicted to rockhounding”…lol.
Nice pics too, glad you posted.