My Bead Show Finds

My head is still spinning from my day at The Down the Street Bead Show at the Cobb Galleria. I got there at 10 am when the doors opened and was walking from booth to booth for the next four hours. The show was equal parts fun and exhausting.

The only picture I was allowed to take was of the sign outside.

The bead show does not allow pictures inside the show, so I had to take some photos of my finds once I returned home. Everyone at the show- both vendors and attendees were extremely nice and outgoing. I managed to make a few friends while there.

One is Michelle McCarthy, who handcrafts beautiful ceramic beads and pendants in her Etsy shop, Firefly Design Studio. She lives in Florida, my old stomping ground! Since we are visiting there all the time, maybe I can get together with her on one of our trips. I purchased a few of her items, including these great faces:

Firefly Design Studio's ceramic pendants.

If you follow my blog, or are familiar with my jewelry, you know my love of box clasps! I am always on the lookout for them and in need of more. So, I discovered some very pretty ones from Bead a Bead. 

Clasps from Bead a Bead. 

I used to tell myself I was not really into lampworked beads. However, in recent weeks, I have been very drawn to them! This type of thing happens to me all the time, so I have learned I should probably avoid swearing off a particular bead style since then I end up being obsessed with it. I discovered a Georgia lampwork artist named Marci Rheinschild from Love to Spin.

Some of Marci Rheinschild's lampworked beads.

I also discovered some drool worthy vintage findings at the Bennett and Son table. This shop is from Boca Raton, FL- they probably live next door to my mother! I have a long-term, continuing love of anything vintage and Czech, which they have a lot of. I also found these wonderful red, orbit beads- which are believed to be vintage German. 

Vintage German Beads from Bennett and Son.

Finally, I was also excited to meet members of the Atlanta Bead Society. They are beaders who meet once a month very close to where I live. I will definitely be looking into joining once my budget recovers from my day of shopping!