Beads Glorious Beads!

In addition to vintage glass and collectibles, I love beads! Could it be the glass connection? Maybe, but whatever the reason its fun to spend the day at a bead show. The International Gem and Jewelry Show was in Columbus this weekend so of course I was there.

On Friday I bought these cool skull beads and these awesome naked ladies from J & K Trade Inc.


Deciding that wooden beads would make a masculine skull choker I picked up this bunch.

Janet Wolery of Contemporary Glassworks Gallery J Inc. has beautiful Swarovski Crystals, I bought some vintage crystals last year. However, this year I snatched up some of these gorgeous silver spiral tubes – she actually makes these herself! She also makes dichroic glass, so far I’ve resisted but maybe if I go back tomorrow…

Treasured Glass was the only Czech glass dealer at the show – everyone else had beads from China. It’s cheaper but Czech glass is sooo much nicer! Great prices and I finally discovered Vaseline glass beads. I’m a glass dealer so I know about vintage Vaseline and (unfortunately) new Vaseline reproductions and fantasy glass, but beads? I had no idea! If only I would have had these back in my hippie days, lol! I think they will be fabulous in a skull necklace.


I spent 3 hours at the show on Friday at which point all the dealers started to run together in my head. I was feeling good because I had shown some remarkable self-control and put down strings and strings of beads that I didn’t ‘need’ even though they were really pretty! I was gosh darn proud of myself but just when I was about to leave a lady at the exit gave me a free pass to come back Saturday and Sunday just in case I didn’t spend ALL my money. So I was there again today and maybe tomorrow.

I don’t want to waste the free pass after all! ;)