delicious acquistions

So I'm still on this blue thing.  I just cannot get enough blue.  Case in point ... my trip to the gem show in Franklin, NC last week.  Notice a trend?

ghana glass, blue labradorite, iolite, mystic blue topaz, moss aquamarine, blue flourite, more moss aquamarine, 2 regular labradorite and 2 pyrite cubes.

And the other thing is, I want BIG stuff.  I've been buying teen-Intsie gems for the last two years and now I'm obsessed with this big chunky stuff.  Go figure.  Here's a closeup of some of the new treasure.

If I haven't blown my budget at the gem show, I like to get a little treat.  Well this time I went into my 'secret stash' and bought these ancient Indian coins.

They're quite small, about the size of one of our dimes.  The one in the package is about 1500 years old and the other one is 2500 years old.  I saw these at the last show in May and I couldn't get them out of my head.  I went online and researched them a bit, downloaded pics and have not stopped thinking about them since May.  Of course, the one I really wanted was $600 - minted by the Buddha's father - not going to happen, but this little one I could do.  It's the shape that gets me mostly, but the patterns in both coins are pretty compelling as well.

 And one day last week I popped into one of my favorite stores - the Screen Door - to look for display props.  I've been wanting something body-like to hang necklaces on for photographing.  I'd love to have a dress form, but I don't really have any room and the only cool, inexpensive one I let Nina buy - it was just too perfect for her.  Seems all the interesting ones I see these days are in the $300 - $400 range ... not a chance.  So what I found instead was an old grain scoop - for $24 ... much more better.  What do you think?

Then there was that little parcel of blue tourmaline I found on Ebay - very inexpensive, so I didn't feel too guilty.  I have no idea what I want to do with these, if anything.  They may just sit on my worktable in a nice little pinchpot.

And then somewhere along the line, I got obsessed with vintage French textiles - mainly homespun grain sack yardage.  I got a 2 1/2 yard piece from here.  I cut a yard and a half for a kitchen table runner.  I pulled several rows of thread for a fringe and then zig-zagged the edge.  Just beautiful!  Here's the one yard piece that's left.

 And then doesn't everything look ever so beautiful all together?

This would be me, such a happy little camper!
And even more amazing than all of this gorgeous treasure, I'm giving myself the day off!  I'm not working AT ALL ... and even better, I don't feel guilty about it one bit.  I might even read my no-redeeming-value novel.

bountiful blessings to all!
l i g a - kvk