Unprofessional Vendors Irk Me

Due to a general sense of being tired, and having a bunch of stuff to catch up on here at home, I didn't make it out to the Gem Mall until today. This was the last day of the show, and it was set to close at 3pm instead of the usual 6pm. So I fully expected that when I got there between 12:30 and 1, some vendors would be in the process of packing things up. After all, it's a two week long show, and I remember from the couple of years that I worked it that we were all pretty eager to leave by the end!

What I did not expect was to find that many of the vendors were mostly, if not completely packed up! This included my usual Swarovski crystal supplier, and the vendor I get my carved bone pendants from. So I completely failed to stock up on those items, as if there was anyone else selling what I wanted, they had also already packed up!

The aisles were full of boxes and packaging materials, and the tents echoed with that irritating sound of tape being pulled from the roll. Many sellers seemed much more focused on packing up than on serving customers!

So my money went to the people who actually had the integrity to stay set-up until the end. I got a few strands of Czech glass and a handful of dyed ribbons from Da Beads, Inc and shared a gripe about people closing shop early. And I got three super gorgeous tribal pendants (one for me, two for business) from a vendor whose name I forgot to get. I wouldn't have splurged on tribal goodies at all, but I had extra money in my budget thanks to not being able to buy what I was there for in the first place!

I'll be looking for new sources for Swarovski crystals and carved pendants now. Anyone who can't stay open for the duration of the show they signed up for does not deserve my patronage in the future.

Speaking of patronage, here's my token mention of my shop! Handmade Jewelry by Erthe Fae Designs! Your home for fantasy jewelry and blog-based griping!

Gem Show Pictures

Many people have been asking me for pictures of my gem show purchases, so here are a few highlights. Above is my steampunk dragon from Christi Friesen. She said that he didn't have a name yet, so it was my responsibility to name him. So I'd like to introduce you to Thaddeus P. Gearsmith, gentleman inventor. Don't let his rakish good looks throw you off -- he's really quite brilliant.
A selection of the strands that I purchased at Gem Mall. Some of them aren't even green!
Christi also had some new molded beads that she's calling amulets. I was going to buy a dragon, but ended up getting a phoenix instead. And then there's this yummy glass cab, but I forgot the artist's name. It's purple, instead of green. I have a purple top that needs a necklace to go with it.
Margaret Zinser now offers miniature versions of several of her bead styles, so I got a miniature talisman (left) and a miniature maze (right). And I met Margaret's new roommate, JC Herrell, who made the yummy mendi-inspired bead in the center.

More pictures, along with stories, coming throughout the week.

Gem Mall Haul

Ok, clearly I need to stop taking lazy pictures on my desk, because they turn out all blah-like. Nonetheless, here are some goodies from my Gem Mall trip. From left to right: A green stone carving of a bug on a leaf; an opalized ammonite, a teardrop of some pretty green and crystal stone, a turquoise carving with a lizard and flowers, a boulder opal, and another turquoise lizard. I picked all of these up from Intrinsic Trading, and they're all drilled to be used as pendants. With the exception of the first two, they're also all flat enough to be used as cabs if I prefer. I love versatile components!

So. Gem Mall. Always a must-shop for me. Has been ever since my friend Schermo snuck Chris and I in because she wanted to go say Hi to her friend Marie (yes, Marie from East of Oz, my favorite vintage supplier!). It's a very nice tent show, with a real floor and solid-ish walls and climate control and good lighting and good parking, and lots of quality vendors whom I frequent year after year.

After waiting in a long line to register, we popped in to the usual entrace, which I always go in because it's right next to Lanshang, where I get my crystal fix. I only needed a dozen colors of crystals this year, and they had them all. Nice. Then it was around the perimeter. Hit Sandy Schor again for more vintage keys. There was someone already digging through the keys when we got there. She proceeded to move on to watch movements. Clearly, a competitor in the steampunk jewelry business. Luckily, she did not take all of the good keys. I found some beauties. Chris helped. We even found a couple big, manly keys.

Next stop, of course, was Raven's Journey, where I chatted and shopped for pretty glass. I got some firepolished, some leaves, and these weird little spade-shaped drops in a weird shimmery green color. Plus gorgeous buttons and a ceramic raven pendant. At that point, I had purchased everything that I went to Gem Mall for, and intended to just browse the rest of the show.

The flaw in this plan is that I had Chris with me, and he is quite the little arm-twister. That's how I ended up with half a dozen stone carvings that I originally had no intention of buying, plus some pyrite, green kyanite, and seraphinite from the same vendor. I don't normally buy a lot of stone beads, but these were very high quality for what struck me as a nice price, and the pyrite and seraphinite match cabs that I already had at home. The kyanite is just something that I've personally wanted for a while, and since it's green, it will get used.

The other impulse stop was Da Beads, where there was lots more Czech glass to be had. Because their beads were by the strand, instead of by the hank, I was able to pick up some weird beads that I will really only use a few of. Plus more nice Czech buttons, and a handful of made-in-the-USA dyed silk ribbons, which are nice to put things like rivoli pendants on (I've wanted some for a while, and the price was right).

After that, I was pretty much done shopping. I looked at some cabs, but ended up deciding that I would rather buy a few very nice cabs (like what I got from Gary Wilson at the September show), than a lot of < $5 cabs that had no real "wow" factor. We didn't even go to the second tent, as it was a lot warmer than I had expected and I was roasting alive in my long-sleeved tee and just wanted to take my heavy bag-o-swag home.

Tomorrow: To Bead True Blue!

I'm tired just thinking about it...

Gem Show starts in the morning! Here's my schedule for the next week and a half:

Saturday: Go to Gem Mall, stand in line, register, buy crystals that I need, Czech glass that I want, other things that I'm inspired by.

Sunday: Take dogs to class. Take dogs home. Go to To Bead True Blue. Get steampunk bead from Christi Friesen, steampunk beads from Green Girl, and look around for other things of interest. Go grocery shopping.

Monday and Tuesday: Get things done around the house, finish planning out what I'll wear, find insulated lunchbox, put away weekend purchases.

Tuesday evening: Crafting time with Mom, if neither one of us is too tired or busy.

Wednesday: Get up at 8am to get into work (Beyond Beadery at Best Bead) at 9am, so I can be prepared for the opening-day rush this time. Work until 8pm. Come home, eat food, game for a bit, probably be snappish at the group because I'm tired. Make sure to apologize beforehand.

Thursday: Work from 10-6, then head out for a nice dinner with my employers, fellow employees, and interesting bead people who I don't already know but am looking forward to meeting. Chris gets to come along, too, as he is marginally beady ;)

Friday: Work from 10-6, then go to the Swarovski party. Oooh! I hear that it is quite swanky there. I don't normally get to go, but my wonderful boss Betcey wrangled an extra invitation, which she extended to me. A chance to dress up and spend the evening making small talk about beads? Who would turn that down?

Saturday: Another 10-6 day, followed by another dinner, this time with people from my on-line bead forum.

Sunday: Working 10-5, with a break for dog class. May get together with my friend Deb of Bead Indulgences, if her schedule allows.

Monday: No work! Taking a dragonfly class from Christi Friesen in the afternoon. Mom is also taking the class. Much fun will be had. Possible get-together with Deb if Sunday doesn't pan out.

Tuesday: I collapse from sheer exhaustion.

I'm going to go get some sleep now while I still can.