Stash...

No Bead and Button show would be complete without the STASH!!!  Beads, tools, and what-not that you don't necessarily need but can't resist.

This show is the one time a year Cris and I get to see Abe from Afghan Tribal Arts.

Abe is such a charmer!!  I lifted this picture from his Afghan Tribal Arts FB page.

He has some of the most beautiful beads.  Lapis, onyx, jasper...the list goes on and on.  This year Abe showed Cris and I some of his collection of extremely rare beads.  Ones that dated back to Alexander the Great and before.  It was a treat.  I only wish I had taken a few photos.

Jaspser carved into these great melon shapes

Gorgeous lapis

Roman Glass....I love these shapes.  They go so well in necklaces. 

Faceted green aquamarine.  These are stunners!!

I think this is jade.  I love the dark green.  A great complement to the bronze.

The other people we can't wait to see is Ebrima Sillah and Ruth Aschaffenburg from Bead Paradise in Oberlin, Ohio.  

Ruth and Ebrima....I took this picture from the amazing website!!

Ruth wasnt' there this year.....we REALLY missed you Ruth!!  But Cris and I will be coming to visit the store in October!!

I got this truly amazing strand of Nigerian Amazonite from Ebrima this year.  The hard part is deciding if I use them or just hang them in the studio

A few other bits and pieces to round the shopping.  There is so much to see in the vendors you could never see it all.  There is always some treasure hiding in the next booth just waiting for you to discover it. 

Nepalese mala or mantra counters. 

Molds

There great glass bead from The Bead Goes On