A review of what you will find at the Gem Faire Show in Costa Mesa

A review of What You Will Find at the Gem Faire in Costa Mesa

If you are looking for a great selection of Czech Fire Polished Glass Beads or natural stone beads, then you will enjoy a visit to the Gem Faire.  Personally, I love it when the Gem Faire comes to town because it gives me a chance to view a really large selection of beads and compare the quality from a variety of vendors.  Additionally, this particular show has an interesting variety of booths.  You can purchase anything from raw stones to finished high-quality jewelry at an amazing price.  The first thing you need to do before you go to the show is to visit the official Gemfaire website and sign up for a discount ticket. The price for parking at the different Gemfaire locations can vary so having a discount coupon to enter the show can offset the parking fees.  I attended the Gem Faire show in Costa Mesa, California which was held at the OC Fair site this weekend, where I had to pay $8 to park.  I personally think that was a rather high fee since the average person is only at this particular show for two or fewer hours.  I had a coupon for a discounted pass to attend the show so it worked out well.

This is a smaller show that only utilizes one of the buildings and only part of the patio area.  However, they do seem to pack in a lot of booths in that small space.  There are booths that sell pearls, unfinished stones, crystals, findings, finished jewelry and so much more.  I am really happy that they also have a few booths that sell imported items like scarves, purses, and other odd items.  This year there was a really cool booth that sold tongue drums.   The prices were a bit higher than you could get them on eBay but the quality was really good.  When it comes to musical instruments, I prefer to purchase an item in person so that I know I will like the sound quality.  They had them in a large variety of sizes and styles. I did make a purchase at this booth but it was not a drum. They were also selling all types of cosplay, Renaissance costume, and other accessories.

Including this really cute hip pouch.  We use these a lot at the Renaissance Faire because you can not carry a purse while on stage with the public.  These are a convenient way to carry personal items with us and they tend to blend into the costume better than a purse would. The handy zippers are great for keeping items secure and in their place.

Additionally, the pouches have two hidden zippered pockets that can hold an id and some money.  

They are also easily adjustable with these well-placed fasteners.  At the Renaissance Faire, these tend to sell for $45 and up.  I was able to purchase this pouch at the Gem Show for $20.

  

Now I did come to the show to purchase Czech Fire Polished Glass beads.  So I started looking around for booths that had a good selection of 4mm, 6mm and 8mm beads.  There were a lot of them.  I did not purchase anything right away because I wanted to compare quality and price.  I found two booths that had exactly what I wanted at the price I wanted to pay.

One of the booths also had the 8mm elastic in red and pink that I was trying to find to use in my Travelers Notebook. The red 8mm elastic cord is sold on Amazon but the shipping was the deal breaker for me because I needed it right away.  So it was wonderful to find both the red and pink 8mm elastic cord at this show for a reasonable price.

From this booth I also purchased the following (and the two 8mm elastic cords spools) for under $30:

Czech Fire Polished Glass 4mm Transparent Bicone Bead Strands (these were $1 each Strand):

• Dark Green
• Light Blue
• Purple AB
• Clear
• Turquoise

Czech Fire Polished Glass Opaque Bicone Bead Strand a ($2 a strand):

• Turquoise with Gold

Czech Fire Polished Glass 4-8mm Metallic Opaque Bicone Bead Strands:($2 to $3 each strand)

• Dark Metallic Blue
• silver metallic
• gold metallic
• bronze metallic
• peacock purple metallic

Extra Items Purchased:

• two heart shaped beads with crystal accents embedded into the clay ($1 each).

The next booth I that I liked had some beautiful 8mm Czech Fire Polished Glass Transparent Beads to choose from.  These were on a special sale. The special deal for the strands was if you purchased ten strands then you would get two additional strands free.  The prices on these were really good and the selection of colors was great.  These Czech Fire Polished Glass are beautifully faceted and really shine when taken out to the sunlight. 

Czech Fire Polished Glass 8mm Faceted Round Transparent Bead Strands - 

• Fuchsia
• Turquoise
• Dusty Rose
• Iris Purple
• Clear Vitral AB 
• Peridot
• Light Blue

Czech Fire Polished Glass Faceted Round Opaque  Metallic Beads:

• Gold
• Green Metallic

The other booth that caught my eye was selling some wonderful Pashima Style Scarfs in turquoise with gold thread pattern accents.  The fabric is really soft and the color is beautiful (the photo really does not do the scarf justice).

I was also searching for some lava stone beads to repair a lava stone bracelet I have that broke.  I was able to find a strand for $8 that worked perfectly.  I will have a lot of extra beads that I can use to make a necklace to match my favorite bracelet.

I also saw a booth that was selling handmade and hand painted cowboy boots.  They were very colorful and priced accordingly. I think a person could get easily carried away at one of these shows.  You should also know that some of the vendors are from other countries so that can affect the use of credit cards.  The charges will be foreign charges subject to fees. So check in advance with your bank to make sure you won't be charged.  I personally control my spending by carrying only the amount of cash that I have budgeted for.  Since I am taking college courses and working part time, my budget is pretty small but I can get quite a lot for it at this show.  Paying with cash also ensures that I won't have to pay any weird credit card charges or foreign transaction fees.

The show does have signs that ask you not to photograph or record any booth or jewelry display without the express permission of each vendor.  So if you go, remember to check with each vendor before you start to take pictures. Personally, I think it is easier to just photograph what I purchased rather than some of the booths. It can get pretty crowded at the show and difficult to get a good picture.


Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. I am not in any way associated with the GemFaire.  Also, I paid for my purchases, ticket, and parking with my own money.  P.S. I really feel that $5 to $6 for parking is far more reasonable than the $8 to $12 dollars that the Orange County Fair Grounds site charges for events held at their location.



Check out some of my other event reviews on this site like shopping at the Renaissance Faire, Labyrinth of Jareth, Art Supply Warehouse Art Event  and more.

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JoAnn's Blue Moon Bead Grab Bag Contents

I really enjoy visiting the Joann's store in Irvine (California) and searching for their cool deals like the above Bead Grab Bag.  Each bag has 12 items in it that can be used for beading, bracelet making and pendant making.  The bags retail at $10 but Joann's often has sales on jewelry making supplies and those discounts often apply to their grab bags.  I purchased two of the Blue Moon Bead Grab Bags and they were on sale for around $7 each.  Since the packaging is clear, I was able to sort through all the bags and pick two that I felt would be the most applicable to the projects I was planing.

The first grab bag was mostly filled with items for making necklaces and bracelets.  In the photo above, you can see the cool selection of chains and Polyester Cording that this particular bag held. I like using the pollster cording for hanging focal pendants.  The colors are so pretty but the material is strong enough to hold a heavy pendant. I got sets in this bag which is fabulous.

The bag also had a great assortment of chains which I will use to make necklaces and for hanging planner charms off my various planners.  This bag had two packages of the dark metallic chain, 1 silver chain and 1 gold chain.    The silver chain is actually a bracelet and I am giving that one to my daughter who wanted for a project she is planning on making.

The gold chain is also a bracelet and will work well for hanging some new planner charms on my planner.  Below you can see how I cut apart a silver chain to make a long hanging chain for the beads and charms for my Prima Planner.

Additionally, this same package had these three necklace kits that included

the snap closures so I could cut them to whatever size I want them to be. Plus, I can use the extra closures for other projects.

The last item in this bag is this 6.5 inch bracelet extender/connector.  I am not sure what I will make with this but the chain is pretty strong which makes it versatile for a number of potential projects.

The second grab bag was full of pendants.  Again each bag comes with 12 items in them which if you look at this selection is an amazing deal.

When you see these spread out you can really appreciate the fun shapes and colors that I got in this bag.

I chose the second grab bag for this beautiful hummingbird nest pendant that the grab bag had in it.

The next two pendants were from their Amulet collection. These are pretty fun. I especially liked the owl pendant.

The packaging also described the meaning behind the pendants.

Here are some of the other pendants that were in the grab bag.

And these particular focal bead is great for using with the polyester cording I got in the other bag.

The selection of craft supplies at this particular Joann's is excellent.  Additionally, the Irvine Joann's store is well organized and they have a knowledgeable and helpful staff there.  I have one closer to my home but it is not as big and therefore has a significantly smaller selection of product to choose from.  Although if you want a really great selection of products to choose from just check out their website.  I think if you sign up for their mailing list, you get coupons that can be used at the store and online each week.  Which can be helpful if you are trying to purchase some of their higher priced items.

If your Joann store is sold out of these grab bags then keep an eye on Tuesday Morning stores. I have seen them show up on their shelves too.

Note: I do not sell beads or anything else.  Additionally, I do not work for the Joann stores nor for Blue Moon Beads.  I paid for these grab bags myself.  Thanks for stopping by.

Pebeo Fantasy Paints on a Cabochon Tutorial by Kathy Davis

The wonderful effects that Pebeo Fantasy Paints make are truly inspiring! The colors create amazing combinations after you lay them down.  You never know how it's going look when you're done. And that's part of the fun!

I've been painting glass cabochons for the past year.  It's a simple technique and lots of fun!  But when I saw the Prisme Effect paints by Pebeo, I wanted to use them on the glass. The only problem is, the effects are on the top-side of the paint and that's the underside of the cabochon!

My solution was fairly simple, just use the paint on plain index cards and when the paint is set, drop the cab onto the tacky surface.  This tutorial is to share with you how I made the paints work for me.

Supplies Used for Tutorial:
Pebeo Fantasy Prisme Paint- the Discovery sets are a nice way to start
Toothpicks- strong ones! or small stir sticks
Glass Cabochons and matching bezels or trays
Small sharp scissors
E6000 glue

Step 1:
I stir the paint according to the directions from Pebeo.  I like to use large toothpicks.

Step 2: 

Then I drip the paint onto the index card. It is fun to mix colors and see what happens!

Drip

Step 3:

Wait patiently.  The paint starts to do its' molecular effect after just a few minutes.  

Note: I make sure the paint splotch is large enough for the cabochons I have.

Step 4:

I let the paint sit undisturbed for about 2 hours. I touch the edge of the paint to see if it's dry enough. I don't want the paint to move, but it should still be tacky to connect to the cabochon. If it's just right, I carefully press the cabochon firmly into the paint. You don't have second chances with this move. Press firmly from the backside of the paper to remove any air bubbles. And let it sit overnight to fully dry

Step 5:
With small sharp scissors, I cut out each cabochon close to the glass.  If the paper pops off of the cabochon as you cut, the paint was too dry.

Cut Out Excess Material

That's okay, just glue the cabochon to the paper with E6000 glue.  This glue also works to connect the cabochon to a bezel setting.

I'm looking forward to playing more with Pebeo paints! Next time I'm going to make glass eyes for my sculpted characters!

What types of projects do you think you would use this type of paint technique for? Leave a comment below and let me know.

Note: This post is not sponsored. I paid for all the items used myself.


Editor's Note:

Although artistic exploration has been a lifelong endeavor, Kathy has been working with polymer clay for the past 12 years. She is both a wonderful artist and a giving instructor. Her students have been both novice beginners and experienced dollmakers.

Kathy is also a senior teacher for Art Clay Silver. She has enjoyed both adding silver to her dolls and adding character to her silver.

Kathy has displayed in many national-level doll shows and has received several awards for her creations. Collectors across the nation and around the world enjoy her work.

Whether it's animal or human form, Kathy Davis gives her sculptured dolls and figures a wonderful sense of character. Each of her dolls seems to have a life of its own and a secret to share. Her characters may or may not look like they are of this world, but she hopes to represent common emotions and experiences in each one.  

Check out Kathy's Work at: http://www.kathndolls.com

Quick & Easy Owl Watch Pendant Tutorial Project

Attach this functional watch to a heavy chain to create a fun and easy to wear watch pendant just in time for Mother’s Day.

Materials needed:

Owl Watch

Heavy Chain

4 Jump Rings

1 Lobster clasp

Needle Nose Pliers

Step 1:

Since the Owl Watch is rather heavy, it needs to be connected with two jump rings to secure it to the chain.  Find the center of the chain, then use the needle nose pliers to connect two of the jump rings to the owl pendant and to the chain. 

Step 2:

Using the needle nose pliers and round nose, connect the lobster clasp to one end of the chain.  Then using a wire Cutter cut the flowers off the main stems.  Cut each stem at an angle but keep them as long as possible.

Step 3:

To finish the piece, attach a jump ring to the opposite end of the chain

 Total time to complete project: 5 minutes.  The project itself was less than $30 to make. However, you could probably make it for a lot less by using a different brand than I choose to use.

Technique Tutorial - How to do Wire Forming With Beadalon's German Style Wire to Create Funky Jewelry

At a trade show, I got to watch one of the demonstrators for Beadalon show how to do some simple wire forming using Beadalon’s 18 gauge silver plated pattern German style wire.

The demonstrator kindly gave me permission to shoot these pictures for my readers so they can see how easy it is to use this wire to do some simple wire forming to create some fun jewelry.  

Supplies Needed: 
Beadalon’s 18 gauge silver plated pattern German style wire
Round Nose Pliers

Flat Nose Pliers

Wire Cutters

Step 1: Cut the wire (length depends on your project)
Step 2: Using the flat nose pliers, gently straighten out the cut piece of wire.
Step 3:  Use the flat nose pliers you will begin to bend the wire. 

Step 4: The first bend is a right angle bend.

Step 5: Using the flat nose pliers create another bend that is 1/4" from the first bend.

You can see the bend in the picture below.

Step 6:  Make another bend as demonstrated below. Note the direction of the wire.

Step 7: Using the flat nose pliers to hold the wire and allow you to make the next bend with out losing the square shape that is important to this design.

Step 8: Make the next bend in the wire.  

Step 9:  Keep repeating the pattern until you reach the desired 

length (depending on what type of project you are making).

To finish the project, use the round nose pliers to make a loop on each end of the wire.  If you are making a bracelet, you may need to gently bend the wire to fit the curve of your wrist.  

As you can see in the examples below, the designer combined beads, and the fun Artistic Wire mesh to create a great bracelet.

For more projects or ideas, just check out the Beadalon or Artistic Wire websites for tutorials from your favorite Beadalon Designers.  I also found a great tutorial by Lilian Chen for a pair of cool looking earrings using the Beadalon German wire and some Swarovski Elements crystals at her blog.

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