Taking the Day Off.....

It has become a tradition. The first day of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is usually right around my birthday. This year it was on my birthday! We use that as an excuse to celebrate.

Walter always lets me pick something out. That way he is sure to get what I like. Smart Walter.

This year I split it 7 ways....Yes. I said 7. Sounds extravagant? Nope. He got off for $25.00 in all.

First I picked out a pendant that I thought was a very cute mouse. It is carved bone and hand painted. It was not terribly expensive. It is amazing what the prices are on things at this show. I turned it over to see the back.....Carved into the bone was "Year of the Rat"! It was one of the Chinese characters for the year that you were born. I am not a rat. I am a horse. I don't care. There were no horses and anyway, I liked the rat.

I wandered around some more and found a table where another Chinese lady was selling pulled glass pendants for 2.00 each or 6 for 10.00 Yup that was the other six pieces.

When I got them home, Tessie immediately adopted the red glass lizard. He is supposed to hang by his tail on a chain....She is now trying to figure out how to animate him. The other five pendants didn't appeal to her, so I guess I can have those. Very generous of her.

I did buy a couple of other things. The triangular cabochon that Tessie is holding in this photo is, believe it or not, dinosaur bone! It is beautifully polished and the color is much prettier than the photo. I am going to do some bead work around that....If I can get it away from Tessie.

Problem easily solved. I am smarter than I look. I bought two miniature, hand painted Mexican pots. She is under the impression that I am trading those for the dinosaur bone. Ha! Don't tell her that I bought those with her in mind anyway. Chalk one up for my side!

I am going to go plan some beading now.

See you tomorrow.