Beads, exciting and new...

I am back from one of my last buying trips of the year. On one hand, I am absolutely delighted because I bought an amazement of beads (that is the proper term for a set of beads, of course). On the other hand, I am sick with some sort of yucky sinus infection, probably triggered by allergies. I seem to get one every time this year!

I have to share pictures of the new amazement. I found the very last of the Buddha cabochons I was sad about in a previous entry, and I also bought more of the lovely German-made glass reproductions of vintage beads:

I swear, these are some of my favorite beads ever. (I know, I know, I say that about all of my beads.) But they really are gorgeous! The colors of the glass are stunning.

I also bought more semiprecious stone beads, of course. Some old favorites, and some new beauties:

From left to right: rutilated quartz, sunstone, faceted lodalite quartz, ammonites, lodalite quartz, ocean jasper, red creek jasper, laguna agate, turitella agate, Norwegian moonstone, fossil coral

Look at these glorious headpins! They are made from the most GORGEOUS glass, so clear and luscious and swirly and decadent that they shine. I adore them. They colors are amazing.

And lastly...ocean jasper. It's mined only in one place, Madagascar, and from what I hear, the main deposits are tapped out. I would believe that, because the new ocean jasper beads I see on the market don't have the same strong colors and distinctive look as the material I was seeing in past years. I found these, however, and they were awesome, from about six years ago:

I am working like mad to get these new yums into the Etsy shop and eBay store soon! Watch my Laurel Moon Twitter feed for links to new listings.