The BLBB spends the first day of Spring in NC!

It was a gorgeous spring Saturday in central North Carolina.  My best friend Linda and I were headed 90 miles East to Raleigh for the Bead Mercantile Show.   We were looking forward to the drive since the recent warm weather had urged the trees into bloom about a week early.   All along I-40 I felt like I was looking into an impressionist watercolor of fluffy white Bradford Pears, frilly palest pink Cherry blossoms, hot pink/purple Redbuds, the first green tinged blooms of dogwoods, the deep red of the maples and the soft greens of the newest leaves.  And at the end of all this vernal glory…BEAD SHOW!!  It doesn’t get much better than that. 

Returning home again to Greensboro by mid-afternoon, I was blissed out with beads and blooms and was considering taking a nap, when what to my wondering eyes did appear but two boxes of beads and my husband’s wry sneer.  “Now whadja buy?” was the greeting.  I didn’t expect the Best Little Bead Box(es) for another couple days, so I didn’t prepare him, and he and our postal carrier shared some amusement at what could possibly be in those crazy heavy boxes.

My nap forgotten, my husband and two cats (Harry & Amelie) all gathered around the boxes and spilled the contents onto the kitchen table.  Oh, yeah…I was experiencing bead nirvana now!  Bead-topia, bead-tacular, bead-zinga, bead-gasm (can you say that on a blog? ;~).   And there was my husband in the middle of the loot acting like a kid in a candy shop (a wrestler in a folding-chair factory maybe?).  How awesome is it to have a husband (30 years!!) that is so genuinely happy for you and what you love?!  So he helped me gently unpack and open up all the packages.  Here Amelie meets Courage.

What I took...

Urged by the BLBB goddesses Carol Dean and Jennifer not to be shy about taking, I started my keep pile.  Seed beads are my weakness so I made a beeline for those (several strands of size 8 mixes, a tube of pink 11s, a bag of transparent green that I had just about run out of, beautiful rainbow crystal cut charlottes and a tube of very cute pink peanut beads!).  One can never have enough Czech glass anything, so I got some leaves, flowers, ladybugs, faces and crystals.  I grabbed a couple cuff blanks, a knot of gorgeous pink/red silk strands, and that cool color wheel (THANKS Sharon!!), as well as lots of gemstone cabs, pendants, chips and rounds.  I chose some really droolworthy lampwork glass, a vitrail rivoli, a gorgeous porcelain face, some charms, a sweet Czech button, some clay and glass pieces and two yummy pendants and beads by Golem.

What went in...

In anticipation of the BLBB, I began a “donate” box a couple weeks ago and started filling it with goodies from my stash and as instructed, I gave gooder than I got.  I have to tell you that my face started to hurt from the giddy smile I got while bagging and tagging my contributions, I think that was my favorite part!!  Again, I started with seed beads: 5 hanks of assorted 11/0 Czech seed beads, two hanks each of burgundy and dark navy Czech charlottes, a couple size 6 bead mixes, some big bags O’ beads in matte rainbow amber and purple, 9 tubes of assorted Delicas, some green rainbow triangle beads, and some assorted tubes of size 11 seed beads and one tube of fabulous size 15 Miyuki hex beads in antique bronze (oh the sparkle on those babies!).

 
 In the odds and ends category, I included a bag of assorted shell coin beads, some nylon gift bags, earring cards, wooden balls (for beaded beads), assorted glass, goldstone, hematite and metal pendants, assorted findings and threads, a few pieces of vintage glass and acrylic cabochons, some gold charms and puffed hearts, and some kicky clay bananas, budgies and hibiscus flowers that came off some old necklaces.  I’ve added an assortment of Czech glass leaves, hearts, flowers, crystals, pearls, fish, cubes and rounds and four lovely gold 14mm rivolis.  Three beadweaving books are also included.   Are we having fun yet?!!

In the naturals category, I’ve added lots of rocks: cabs, pendants, donuts and rounds in assorted agates and jaspers including some paua shells, picture jasper, and an amazing pietersite cab.  Cat’s eye (optic) glass rounds in several colors, a bag of olive green fresh water pearls, amethyst chips and several strands of shell








 
 The Grand Finale includes pieces from some of my favorite artists: two Golem Pendants, a bunch of lampwork glass beads from Gail Hanley, clay tiles from FiredandFused, several bits from Lisa Peters Art, two polymer clay pieces from TrinityDJ, a polymer clay sun/moon cab by CreationsbyAna, two Kenyan porcelain beads, a raku pendant from a local NC potter, a couple gorgeous dichroic glass pieces, and two fabulous porcelain slides by Marsha Hedrick.   



Harry and Courage supervise loading the boxes
Before I packed up the boxes and tucked in the Tiger for the next destination, the Courage Tiger and I took a little stroll to celebrate the first day of Spring in North Carolina!  He’s a frisky little guy and enjoyed frolicking through the flowers.  I’d turn my back for just a second and he’d scramble up a tree!  I think he was happy to be out in the fresh air after being cooped up on his long travels.  He even hung out on my deck catching some rays! 

 In the Cherry Tree.

 Catching rays on the deck!

 Scampering up the Redbud tree!

The Best Little Bead Box is now officially two LARGE flat rate boxes weighing at least 25 lbs each.  As I told Carol Dean, it should either be illegal or required to have this much fun!  I’ve enjoyed the entire experience, not the least of which has been getting to share this great cause with so many friends!