Bead Fest Philly Part 2 Shopping!

Shopping at Bead Fest was all about finding my favorites in the booths surrounding mine.
Most of my shopping was for creative metal, something I don't have very much of around the studio. I got such a steal from Bianka and Jr from Chubby Chico I ended up with 4 packs of their mixed bags of charms. I have to say, my all time favorite is the cyclops! Closely following are the pirate and all of the face charms.

Look at this bag--my favorites here are the Acorns and Branches.

Birds and Nests

and I just had to have the coffee cups! I am also very impressed with the tea bags.

You will not believe all the different designs they have made! Seriously! there's something like 3000 of them. All designed by Bianka and all metal poured by her as well! If you would like some Uber-cool ghoulish charms for Halloween, you have got to check out CHUBBY CHICO CHARMS I'm telling you! Body parts! Organs! FUN stuff! and a STEAL! There is one shop I did venture away from my booth for. Green Girl Studios had just what I needed for an upcoming project- Sweet links. I hope they add a little shine to my project.

I am super excited to meet and trade with Kim Fox of Handfast Designs
Kim designs wonderful art clasps and I hope to be working with her in the very near future!

Kim was interviewed during Bead Fest for the upcoming PBS show Beads, Baubles and Jewels. I can't wait to see it. Kim traded this sterling clasp for a set of my smaller smokefired donuts. Kim will be using them in a necklace for her upcoming finished jewelry shows.

I was also very lucky to be across from the super friendly ladies of http://www.bellomodo.com/ Pam has a super selection of Vintaj pieces, Heather Powers beads, resin settings..... Tons of great stuff and super people behind the website! I bought some vintaj blanks so that I can try to get back to metal etching.

Last but not least I bought a few strands of faceted glass beads to compliment the crackling of my recycled glass pendants. I am really proud of myself for not going crazy buying stones left and right. I do love stones, but since I just had to buy new furniture to store my current collection, I put myself on restriction. I did well! Just 4 strands of 4mm rounds and a couple of rhondelles.

I also bought some mixed metal stampings from Metaliferous (sp?) and my husband traded my work for an Awesome Acorn bead from Credit River Glass. He's hiding it from me, he somehow got the idea that I might steal it...

Come on Josh! I was just holding it around my neck for a little while. ;-P