A Little Bit of Pearl Heaven!

Despite having pneumonia I recently went on a buying trip to the east coast. On my last trip I heard about a warehouse with a large but incredibly messy room filled with old jewelry findings, stones, glass pearls and assorted weirdness. Of course I made this my first stop.  It was a hundred degrees and I considered not going because I felt awful. I just could not stay away. 

I am so glad I went. I spent five hours digging through piles and boxes of untold treasure. The picture above is part of my haul. The pearls are all glass made in Japan during the 1930's and '40's (all pre WII). I grabbed creams and blush strands in many sizes and lengths and cannot wait to use some. They are the best glass pearls ever made and nothing of their quality is currently produced.

The paper packets are filed with foil backed rhinestones from the 1930's. The story behind these chatons and navettes is quite interesting. As the Nazi party in Germany was becoming stronger and it looked like invasions into other parts of Europe were imminent, one glass stone maker fled Czechoslovakia. He landed in Austria and founded a new company there. His name was Swarovski! So these are all Swarovski stones made at his factory in Czechoslovakia and I have a huge supply. In the trade these are referred to as Czecho Swarovski.  I also purchased many faceted glass beads in crystal and jet from the same factory. These beads are destined for Glitterfest fall. 

I spent several days hunting through warehouse after warehouse and found some amazing things. I hope you will come to Glitterfest October 3rd to see all the treasures I will use in my jewelry!

For now I have to rest. The heat and hunting did not help my pneumonia and I am back where I started. I do not like being sick and resist resting. My body now requires rest so I will listen and give myself a few weeks to recover. I will gaze at my table of pearls and quietly think to myself that it was worth it.

Tara