My spoils from Artisan

I didn't buy quite as much from Artisan as I thought I might, mainly as I was demoing more than shopping - but that is what I was really there for! I did get some lovely goodies though.

 This lovely pile of sparkling stones is from Precious Sparkle Beads - rough cut nuggets of iolite and amethyst. The photo definintely doesn't do them justice, especially the iolite as that appears to be different colours depending on the direction you look at it from, which makes it rather difficult to photograph.

I bought the iolite specifically for a project for Beads and Beyond. Sometimes the beads will dictate the project, but this time I'd already made the silver components for the pieces of jewellery and wanted some good sized nuggets to go with them. 

The amethyst is for a project in the New Year.

 I haven't got a specific plan for these beads yet, but I expect the ideas will come soon! 

I just had to buy them as I hadn't seen anything like them before. The lighter beads are picasso jasper, which isn't that unusual, but I hadn't come across beads with a soft matt finish before. 

I bought the onyz beads for their matt finish too - so different from the usual high gloss!

These beads are plastic. I hardly use plastic in my work at all, and never in the work I sell, 

but the colour and sparkle of these really caught my eye. 

I try to use beads across a wide price range in my magazine projects, so these will be used with some antique gold coloured chain and findings for a project in the New Year.

B liked these ones in particular - he kept saying how gorgeous they were! T started muttering about how he must take him climbing and canoeing very soon before I corrupt our son completely. 

I think it might be too late!