February 2, 2010

Tucson Gem Shows - day 1

Monday I went to the African Art Village and where the large mineral specimens are to be seen. This is always my fun trip to just look at the beautiful rocks, minerals and ethnic stuff.



Lots of things to look at, but there really were not that many lookers. It did make for a leisurely day in the sunshine.




With the freeway project finished through downtown Tucson, the city shuttle buses were no longer running. Looks like some young men took up the slack.








I got a good giggle at this line up of painted wooden figures. Wouldn't it be a hoot to have a line of them standing at one end of the living room? You'd always have interesting company who didn't talk your ear off.




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This line up of brass cats were just so regal looking. I have a friend in Memphis that would love a couple of them for her sun room.











There were lots of African beaded objects. I saw clothing, accessories, furniture and these beaded panels. I found the white on white stunning. From a distance you couldn't see the patterns, but up close they were quite beautiful floral designs.







Some of these strands came home with me. They are heshi-like beads made from old vinyl records. Not only would they make a great necklace just as they are, but if you take them apart you have quite different looking sequins. The ones that I chose have stripes on them. The pattern is much more interesting as a flat disk than as a strung necklace. I need to see how they look in a bead embroidered piece.


Fossils, great fossils! They were all interesting to look at, but this specimen was outstanding. I don't know what it was and the vendor didn't speak enough English to tell me much of anything else than the price. Too many zeros for my pocketbook.
It was a great day in the sun, looking at what Mother Nature serves up. I'm glad I had that day for outside wandering as it's suposed to rain for the next 3 days.






2 comments:

  1. Judith I wish I could have been there to walk with you through the show. Thanks for sharing your interesting finds!

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  2. How beautiful, Judith! I'll echo Bev in thanking you for sharing.

    Your fossil appears to be sea lilies! And a lovely example of them, too. If you go to this url:

    http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/fossils/history/carbon11.htm

    you'll see another example.

    I'm fascinated by the vinyl record heishe, too. So clever! I have to wonder where all those multi-colored and patterned records came from.

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