2015 Bead Fest Santa Fe

Heaven on Earth!

What a fantabulous trip! This past weekend I drove down to visit a Dear friend, Janice, and attend the 2015 Santa Fe Bead Fest. To say it was a totally awesome trip would be an understatement~ I had the greatest time! There's nothing like staying up all hours of the night talking about embroidery and stitching! Friday I took my flat top casket in to Better Music Boxes (also in Santa Fe) to have the tempo adjusted~ Rick played the organ for me~ he is such a gifted musician~ what a treat!  Also got a first hand look at the machine Steve engineered that Rick uses to tune the combs, I regret not taking in my camera with me to share it all with you all~ after my appointment there I was off to see Janice before going to the Bead Fest Saturday.  Above is a view of the famed St Francis Cathedral just off the Plaza that was only a block from  Bead Fest. The plaza has been in use since 1601.....so I was right at home in the center of so much history!

 We were one of the first ones in on Saturday morning, which was nice to be able to navigate around before the crowds of people filed in~ in less than an hour, I can honestly say there were so many people, it was like being crammed in a jar of sardines.

 It was really a great show~ there were vendors from all over the world attending. Tables and tables of pearls~ glorious pearls~ with every bead you could imagine someplace amongst them

There were items for all budgets~  from dollar tables to tables like this one, crammed with piles and piles of rare and precious gems. The tray here in the foreground was filled with Laramar~ the large round strands were going for 600.00 each. They were really really gorgeous!

 My most favorite vendor was by far the Kabba Brothers~ based out of Hollywood, they are from Africa and import rare antique beads~ anything from Venetian glass, Baltic amber to African snake vertebrae (my sons favortie~ he brought home a strand!)  Just look at these gorgeous beads~ I could have stayed at his table the entire show

 Speaking of antique Venetian glass~ these are a gift from Janice ~ arent they the most glorious things! Soooo special, weensie little striped Venetian trade beads~ they will hold a special place on my flat top!

 I did pick up a few wonderful, tiny antique beads with my flat top casket and perhaps another beaded basket in mind~ all from the Kabba Brothers.  The tiny green stripe trade beads are so hard to find, I bought all he brought!

 Soo Yummy, here are some blues. He had mostly blues to choose from, which was really a treat, since blues are the hardest colors to come by now days

I cant wait to use these for something wonderful!  I had such a great time on Saturday, got back home around 10 pm that night, totally wiped out....and then got up Sunday morning, packed up the children and went back for another round~ just wait until you see the Chocolate Shop!