Arizona Part 2

Arizona is a jewelers dream! I should say it is an artsy persons dream too.  I learned so much while being out there and that is why I need to get it all posted on my blog so I don't forget.  My first trip out to AZ I got to see some family out in Mesa which was cool.  I never thought in a million years that I would ever get the chance to go to the biggest gem and lapidary wholesalers,Inc show.  I heard other jewelry vendors at the shows I do talk about it.  This show is hard to explain to anyone that has never been, but it is like the Atlanta America's Mart on crack!  It is huge! I am talking thousands of wholesale vendors come together under huge tents or even in the hotel to sell their beading supplies at wholesale price.  They even had diamonds there.  Notice I said wholesale price...the only way to get into this show is if you have a business license or come as a guest.  I can't remember the budget Devin gave me, but I think it was like $2,000.  He told me to not worry about the money so I could get wanted I wanted, since this was a once in a lifetime experience.  You know you have a good husband when he takes the day off work to go to a bead show with you.  Come to find out later that this show does actually take place on the East coast I believe in North Carlina.  Some of my favorite beads are from the Czech republic as well as pearls. I found some beautiful pearls with cz crystals wrapped around them...below are some photos.  If you go into the restaurants in the Miami or Globe AZ area, you will notice copper on the walls as art work.  Copper can be so pretty because when you put a torch to it, it will change colors. I actually bought some tiny copper pieces and turned it into jewelry.  The copper is cool because it came from the copper mine.  You can read more about copper in a previous post.  Ok, so I have never been a real fan of turquoise until now.  Everyone that knows me, knows that pearls are my thing.  Almost all of my jewelry has pearls in it.  I grew fond of turquoise because of AZ.  Since Globe, AZ is the turquoise capital of the world, I got the chance to buy some really unique turq.  I stumbled across a whole in the wall store and found what's called "Arizona Sleeping Beauty Turquoise."  I will post some pictures of the jewelry I made with turq. below. It's called sleeping beauty because it came from a nearby mountain called "Sleeping Beauty," which looks like a woman laying down.  You can drive anywhere in town and see this mountain.  It's just so cool that I was there to actually take pictures of the mountain that my turquoise was mined from!  AZ is so pretty because of the mountains, the cactus and the sandstone. We actually bought coasters made out of sandstone.  Randy would tell us the name of a mountain if we were driving by it.  There is one mountain in the Tonto National Forest, or it might have been after the forest full of cactus, but either way it is called "Appachi Leap." It is called this because way back when we forced the Indians on the reservation, the Appachi's were the last to go and most wild.  The Appachi's would actually rather commit suicide by jumping off this mountain than going to the reservation.  In the local stores you can get little black rocks called appachi tears that came from the mountain.  I believe Geronimo was an Appachi Indian.  Lorraine's Mom actually remembers her Mother talking about Geronimo.  We got to meet Lorraine's Mom out on the reservation.  I shook her hand and to my surprise this little old lady had the strongest hands ever.  I think this is because she makes all of her quilts by hand.  The Navajo's are known for their metal work and the Appachi's are known for making baskets and quilts etc. 

Arizona Part 1

Where do I even begin? I will need to make several posts to even cover all the cool things that happened out in Arizona over a period of 5 months.  I guess I will start with how we ended up going to AZ.  Devin, my husband, got a contract to paint 15 locomotives in a little town called Globe, AZ. Globe, by the way is the turquoise capital of the world.  I will be posting tons of photos throughout my entries.  He rented a house while out there and I came to visit the 1st weekend of every month because I work full time.  He hired several employees while out there, but Randy (his painter) still works/travels with him.  The people we met that Devin worked with were super nice and it looks like we will get to see them again real soon. Devin was always invited over for dinner or to go to the casino etc.  It made me happy to know that he wasn't always by himself and that if he wanted to hang out with someone that he had friends their.  He did have a roommate, but I won't go into detail about him.  Let's just say he was interesting and loved to go mining for copper out there.  One specific person/couple I would like to tell you more about is Randy and his wife Lorraine.  Randy is a Navajo Indian and his wife is Appachi and interesting enough, they are also Mormon. Ha!  Those two tribes usually don't like each other.  Randy used to be an alcoholic, but gave drinking up when his son died a few years ago.  He realized that life is too short and that he needed to be there for his family.  He has a daughter and some grand kids.  Randy comes from a big family of 13 sisters and 2 brothers and his wife comes from a family of 12 brothers and 1 sister.  Lorraine is so sweet and passionate about her heritage.  If enough time, she would sit down and tell us stories about her growing up.  Her Mother is a strong woman.  When Lorraine was about 9, she moved to California to be in a school placement program and would just come home for the Summer.  Her Mom decided it was better for education to be out in California than AZ because the kids in AZ were mean to the Indian kids.  When Lorraine was little the Government actually came and took one over her siblings away.  The Government was so mean to the Indians.  After California, Lorraine got her Bachelors degree in Utah and that's where her and Randy met.  Now Lorraine is Randy's 2nd wife actually.  His first wife died from being an alcoholic.    Randy and his wife live in a little trailer and don't have much, but at some point they will have a house built either by Lorraine's tribe or Randy's tribe.  Before building the house Randy's tribe would have to approve the location and it will have to be a bran new house.  If they have a house built by Lorraine's tribe, then it will have to be on the Indian reservation only. 

New Summer Jewelry

Love Love Love these! Send me an email and place an order today!

Love Love Love pearls! Send me an email and place an order today!

Can't make it to the beach? Bring the beach to you! Send me an e-mail  and place an order today!

Can't make it to the beach? Bring the beach to you! Send me an e-mail and place an order today!

  

                                         lfjewelrydesigns@gmail.com

Arizona Copper Jewelry

 These copper pieces came from the copper mines in Arizona.  Some of the miners would take the copper they found and melt it down in a smelter.  They would then apply heat through a torch to get the beautiful colors.  The colors appear through the chemical reaction between heat and copper. Then they dip the copper in water to stop the reaction once reaching the color they liked.  In my travels I found these pieces and thought I would turn them into jewelry just for you! I have found that they go pretty with the popular coral color everyone is wearing this season as well as the blues.

Summer Craft Shows!

It's that time of year...so get your sunblock on because the shows I have lined up this Summer are going to be HOT HOT HOT!

Shady Days in Gay Arts & Crafts Festival

Admission is FREE

May 5th & 6th

Sat. 9am-6pm  Sunday 9am-5pm

Located at 18785 Georgia Hwy 85 in the city limits of Gay, Georgia. Approximately 45 miles south of Atlanta. For more info call 706-977-8548

For more info go to www.shadydaysingay.com

Downtown Newnan Market Days ( on the square)

Admission is FREE

Every 1st Sat. of the month from April - December

10am-2pm

For more info go to www.mainstreetnewnan.com

25th Annual Shakerag Ats & Crafts Festival

Admission is FREE

September 15th & 16th

Sat. 10am-6pm  Sun. 12 noon -5pm

 

Picnik

So sad....My favorite photo editing website www.picnik.com will no longer be available come April 19th. If anyone knows of another great FREE photo editing website please let me know. you can send an email to lfjewelrydesigns@gmail.com

Show Schedule

2nd Annual Buy Design Jewelry 
Sat. March 12, 2011
10a-5p
Kedron Fieldhouse Aquatic Center
202 Kedron drive
Peachtree City, GA 30269
Very excited about this show as I am featured on the front cover!

Newnan Market Days!

These shows are the 1st Saturday of every month.
First one will be in April

Keith's Korner

Labor Day weekend
 8am-5pm sat. sun. and mon.
On the corner of Franklin rd. and 34 Bypass

34th Annual Shakerag Arts & Crafts Festival

Sat, Sept. 17 10a-6p
Sun, Sept. 18 12 noon - 5p
191 McIntosh Trail, Peachtree City, GA 30269

Humming Bird Festival
Third weekend in October
http://www.hummingbirdfestival.com/