Tag Archives: Humor

Categorizing Rocks (aka Bucket Diving)

I Wonder if I already Sorted This?

This is typical of rock sorting at Snob Appeal Jewelry.

It’s the time of the year where we weed out, clean out, categorize, and attempt to neaten the barn/shop area up. The procedure is, Bonnie will notice I have a slack few minutes and say “Would you like to sort rocks?”.

This means one of two things; 1. I really am slacking, 2. She has found some random buckets of rocks that she believes need to be catagorized, in some way, OR 3. She needs more rocks for grab bags that we sell at our upcoming Art Shows.

From the red agate on the left: Yellow Cat Petrified Wood, Patricianite Seam, Petoskey Stone, Azurite seam in Matrix, Rainbow Casilica (man made), Ocean Jasper, Petoskey Stone, and Fairborn Agate from Tepee Canyon.

Sorting Rocks

This is how the “Sort” is operated; First, Bonnie sets several 5 gallon buckets of rocks outside of one of the garage doors on the barn. These buckets are of two categories. The first (and my favorite) are buckets that she’s found under, around, behind, and hiding from normal view. These buckets commonly hold the good stuff; the ACME stuff. They could contain rocks I acquired, years ago, and have forgotten about over the years. I refer to these particular buckets as “Money Makers”. The good stuff, and surprises, are in these buckets. I sometimes even recall the names of these good rocks, where and whence they came from. No wait, there is a third type of bucket. This is too heavy for her to lift. We call these rocks “Cutters”. I don’t have to worry too much about Cutters.

From top left; Texas Agate, Datolite/Prehnite, Variscite, Not sure, but there’s a nice bright red agate in this one, Brenda Agate, Variscite rough, Monte Lake Eye Agate, Fairborn Agate from Tepee Canyon

Also she’ll set out my mechanic’s stool. This fine, sturdy, metal stool is probably one of the best garage sale finds ever. She may also demonstrate her love, by having a cold beverage for me. IF I get a cold drink, it’s a dead giveaway that sorting is important at this particular day and time.

From top left: Seam Azurite/Chrysocolla/Gem Silica, Copper included slab, Agate Creek area Agate from Australia, Not sure (but could be Condor Agate), Variscite, Amethyst Nodule.

The second category of buckets may contain material I’ve already sorted (sometimes have already sorted several times). In this case, because we are old, and in our “Wonder Years”, one of both of us are wondering if we have already sorted these. I may ask Bonnie some probing question like, “Didn’t I already sort these last week?”. We are not really sure, and sometimes I get deja vous; like I’ve done this before? Maybe, could be; it’s possible. When you get old and senile, it’s all new. We have now started marking buckets so we do not “wonder”, if we have previously sorted them.

Bonnie always insists that I have NOT sorted these before. I do have lots of rock that looks like other rock! LOL.

From the top left: Luna Agate, Azurite in Matrix, Next three are Australian Mookaite (especially nice material) and Wonderstone with a great scene!

I don’t mean to interrupt this blog. I just randomly remember things and get really excited.

Bonnie will also lay out empty buckets and containers of various sizes and shapes to categorize the “sorted” rocks. Today, the empty buckets had paper labels taped to them. The labels were “Cut NOW”, “Cut LATER”, Grab Bags (these may require breaking into smaller pieces), Garden Rocks, and “Really good stuff”, to be cut immediately. Immediately means they may be lost again before I get to them. IMMEDIATE buckets are top priority, and contain many things that are awesome and “I forgot I had that” stuff. Today, some of this “Acme” stuff was very impressive.

The Cut Soon bucket

Now “Cut Soon” is kind of misleading. Because you can put a lot of chunks in a 5 gallon bucket. And the saw cuts slowly and methodically. And it requires the person to load the stone, adjust things, check the oil, take it off and start it again. I get busy at my grinding machines, and the Cut Soon bucket stays about as full as it was. The pictures above are small pieces we found and could work with. The “Cut Soon” bucket has lots of big pieces that need to be made smaller before they can ever get their turn at the grinder.

The Pictures are from from my sorted “Acme” bucket today.

I usually get so enthusiastic, after sorting, I have to start cutting immediately. The tray pictured is an example of the random things I was so excited about I DiD cut them “soon”! Aren’t they pretty?

A tray of Cabochons’ I am eager to make into Jewelry. Do you recognize any of these?

It’s a rare day when I do not have a project, custom work, or slabbing rocks and/or cutting cabochons. When you’ve been doing Lapidary and Wire Wrapping for so many years; purchasing old collections, trading, and buying what you did not know you needed, there’s lots to do, and treasures to work with.

As long as I’m still having fun, and wake up not dead, I’m still good to go. Sometimes the names of rocks do not pop out of my head, like they used to, but that’s OK. Keeping busy and happy (as long as I don’t have a deadline).

Re-making Jewelry- Sometimes it happens

It’s not often I remake a piece of my jewelry

I pride myself in being careful and meticulous when it comes to making jewelry. Also, while making jewelry I try to put myself into a Happy Place. I try not to watch TV as the abused animal commercial may come on; this tends to depress me no end, The happy place is where I need to be.

Even though my design may seem good; sometimes after looking at the design the next day, I think “You can do better” or on rare occasions “Man, that’s butt ugly”. In the case of “Butt Ugly”, I usually cut the pendant up and start anew. I really do not want to make a Butt Ugly, because the price of precious metal is way high right now. I make very few Butt Uglies anymore,

Last week I wrapped a beautiful Agua Nueva Agate from Mexico. My initial thought was it looks good, but the more I looked at it, the more I thought something was wrong with it. It was not “Butt Ugly”, just something my senses did not like.

I slept on it, and around 2:30 am, I woke up with the solution. The top of the pendant was too big, and the pendant looked top heavy. Design wise, if you have a pendant that is skinny at the top, you just can’t get away with a big amount of wire at the top. I see many wire wrappers make a design mistake doing this.

I wrapped the Agua Nueva and capped it with a nice decorative, beaded top. I could have been satisfied and sold this as it it was. The top looked like some alien bug- My designer brain said “this is not as good as it could be”. SO………

Allow me to show you what I did, and how it was corrected.

I removed two beads; one on each side. This made a much more balanced pendant, don’t you think? I am aware that some prefer the larger top, but you’ll have to get over it. Even though this is a small Tweak, it made a difference to me.

Since I made this change, I’ve been sleeping better, waking up more rested, refreshed, and ready for whatever the day brings. The pendant now brings Smooth Jazz into my head, instead of hearing that sad melancholy music from the abused dog commercial.

I have also made pendants so over-the-top, that I was not able to sell them (Yet). One, from a decade ago (2011) was an attempt to make a Squash Blossom from Turquoise. I saw many old Squash Bloom pendants made by Native American Silversmiths out on Arizone, and was inspired to make one in wire. As I recall, this one took about 30 hours, scattered over a week’s time. I used rare Western all-American Turquoise in this pendant.

This wire-wrapped Turquoise Blossom needs a home. As of this posting, it is still available on our website. Are you bold enough to wear it?

I received many compliments on the piece, but no takers. This could be your brag-about statement piece of jewelry. It has a wonderful array of rare Southwest Turquoise. I’m not sure why it has not sold, though it is $889, so it’s not for everyone. Consider the time and components in it. This pendant my just be the best bargain on our website. The pendant was very large, and I think too bold for the average person to wear. Lastly our business is not located in an area where there is high demand for Turquoise jewelry.

As I was looking for the above Turquoise Blossom picture, I re-discovered many pendants I forgot about, from the past, that I really liked. Here’s one.

I really like this wrap on a dark blue Victoria Stone,and I wanted to show you what good design is. It has an asymmetrical top and a pair of facetted Apatites’ and one handsome Citrine. Colors, design, and wire wrapping made this Pendant makes it a winner.

I may seem a bit particular about my pendants, but there are few wire wrap artist that do what I do; and you know what? That’s just perfect for me.

If you wear one of our pendants, it will wash way the “abused dog” music in your head…..Forever.

Michipicoten Agates

Michipicoten Island in Lake Superior is the 6th largest Island in the Great Lakes, way out west of WaWa (Now you’re asking where the heck is Wawa?) Ontario. Travellers tip: Visit Wawa and see the giant Canadian Goose. OK, break out your Canada map. I have a feeling by the time I’m done typing this blog, I’ll be sick and tired of typing “Michipicoten”. I think Michipicoten is an old Indian name meaning “fairly remote place with no satellite TVs”. . My middle name is “Sarcasm”, so the winter residents of Michipecoten Island (Mostly Reindeer, and the wolves that eat them) must forgive me in advance for anything I say in this blog; also I tend to make stuff up, or factiously write things. Since I have never been to Michipecoten Island, I have to use the Internet for research. I always trust the Internet to be honest…NOT!

The word Michipicoten is an Anglicization of the original Ojibwe word Mishipikwadina, meaning “big bluffs” in Ojibwe, and is a reference to the geography of the nearby Michipicoten River.

Try as I may, I just can’t work the word “Michipicoten” into my daily vocabulary. I’d like to, just because it is so much fun to say. Even though Michipicoten Island is the second largest Island within the Great Lakes, it’s a wild and remote place. I understand that there is a healthy population of Woodland Caribou (introduced to Michipicoten Island in 1980); and Beavers seem to be thriving there. I believe that the Duluth Trading Company’s Logo Beaver may have come from there. Santa’s vacation home is located there also.

I’ve never been to Michipicoten Island, and may never go there. No, let’s get real; I will NEVER visit Michipicoten Island. I live vicariously through Agates I have purchased from a friend in Sault St. Marie, Canada. I now occasionally find one of these Michipicoten Agates in the barn, and make jewelry from it.

An example of Carrot Agate from Michipicoten Island.

Michipicoten Agates tend to be either oval shaped or ‘Carrot shaped”; like stalactites. These are shockingly refered to as “Carrot Agates”. Most of these carrots I have are pretty much Quartz Crystal, while a few are pretty nice agates, and can be sliced like bread. Agates on Michipicoten Island are very common in the local bedrock, but they are just for looking at, and are illegal to collect.

The inside of a Michipicoten Agate can be Common Quartz or beautiful agate.

Michipicoten Island became a Provincial Park in 1985. A Provincial Park, in Canada, is like National Park in America. Provincial Parks are protected areas, and like our National Parks, any “Natural Objects” cannot be removed. Michipicoten Agates, I’ve learned, are classified as “Natural Objects”.

You could book a hotel room on Michipicoten Island, except there are no Hotels. I could take our RV, except there is no RV Campground, 40 mile long bridge, or ferry. There are a few privately owned camps and cabins, that have grandfathered in, or you could simply take a boat to the Island, and camp on the beach. Not my cup of tea. We don’t tent camp anymore, and “Rough camping”, for us, is the satellite Antenna is not working on the RV. I hate it when a tree is in the way of the Dish. My understanding is that Kayaking is a popular Island activity (there are tour companies that sponsor Kayak tours to Michipicoten Island), as well as enjoying the Black Flies that live there. Actually Kayaking around Michipicoten island is on many Kayaker’s bucket lists (Sea Kayaks recommended). I use the word “around” as circumnavigating this Island.

I checked Tripadvisor for lodging and food on Michipicoten Island. Nothing available. I guess you have to book years in advance.

My wife and editor suggests that I keep on the subject; That being Michipicoten Agates.

OK, I enjoy all Lake Superior Agates, but I especially like unusual and rare types. Michipicoten Agates fall into that group. Unless I’m 100% sure a Laker is from Michipicoten Island, I do not refer to it as such. The few Michipicoten Agates I possess, or the jewelry I make from Michipicoten Agates, is guaranteed to be from Michipicoten Island, and was removed from this island decades ago.

I’m sure, if Michipicoten Island was not so remote, more agates would be available. I covet the few I have, and will continue to make some jewelry available in the future. By the way I am tired of typing Michipicoten.

Footnote: No agate jewelry can be delivered to Michipicoten Island. The closest thing to a post office is a lighthouse. Agates, as mentioned before, cannot be removed from Michipicoten Island. My wife (Bonnie) strives for a certain number of steps on her FitBit each day. Why can’t I strive for typing “Michipicoten” a couple dozen times? My editor (Bonnie) later suggested I spell Michipicoten Island correctly one time, then copy and paste it wherever I needed it. Hits self in head; Why did I not think of this? Possible answers: 1. It’s 3am 2. I’ve had no coffee 3. I should not risk awakening my Editor.

Turkish Stick Agate: One Stone-Different Looks

My next cab is ready to be cut.

Turkish Stick Agate is an interesting pseudomorph agate, from Turkey with a variety of intriguing patterns and colors. The Turkish Stick Agates come in different types. A distinguishing characteristic of Turkish Stick Agates is needle-like tubes, forming what looks like pointy, sharp sticks within the stone, so it can be referred to as Needle Agate.

Experienced rock collectors will have in their mind what a certain agate looks like or what represents a body of agates with that name. When I say Lake Superior Agate for most people a red and white banded agate might appear in their mind, but we know that there are many types of Lakers.

When we say Stick Agate you might expect needlelike structures in a clear quartz agate, but there are many types of Turkish Stick Agate even from the same mines. I thought you would enjoy seeing these samples which are quite different. You can see another very nice piece at mindat.org.

Just a little aside folks.This brings up an important question; Can you poke your eye out with a Stick Agate? My mother had four boys and unlike kids today, we played OUTSIDE a lot. It was not uncommon for her to yell at us for doing dumb things. ” Don’t run with that stick; you could poke your eye out”. As I have grown up (maybe) I came to realize it was impossible to “poke your eye out” while running with a stick. You can only poke your eye IN. The only way you can poke your eye OUT is to stick the stick up your nose and then you could theoretically “poke your eye out”. Now back to our regular program…

The most characteristic form of Turkish Stick Agate shows needle-like patterns.

Turkish Stick Agate with banding and shadow effect

This one sports fortification banding showing some Parallax (shadow effect) and tubes.

Turkish Stick Agate with tubes and banding

Tubes and banding as well as beautiful colors make this a Turkish Stick Agate with no sticks!

High quality Turkish Stick Agate is quite expensive in the rough, and every time I’ve tried to get a break on it, Turkish miners, at the Tucson shows, decline to give much, claiming how difficult it is to find and mine. Much of this material comes from mines near Ankara, Turkey. Actually the good stuff comes from Cubuk, Turkey; but who knows where Cubuk is? (Central Turkey: I looked on a map)

Quality depends on how solid a particular Stick Agate is. Most Turkish Stick Agate has geodes with gaps, or vugs, and also can vary in hardness within a stone.

I find it intriguing that such variety can come from the one source. I am not an expert on Turkish Stick Agate, but I do know it is very beautiful. I guess that’s why I make jewelry from it.

I lied; When I did a search on Turkish Stick Agate, I came up as one of the experts. This has often happen. Bonnie (wife) says it’s because I’ve written so many blogs over the past 10 years. I guess I could say I’m a pseudomorph of knowledge on many subjects.

This agate has only become known in the United States within the last 20 years, and is not commonly available. Usually there is a Youtube video on everything, but there seems to be no video of actual mining Turkish Stick Agate.

In this blog I show three pieces of jewelry I made from expensive rough I bought a couple years ago in Tucson from the Non-negotiable (price) dealer.

Can you poke your eye out with a Turkish Stick Agate? Like a stick, the answer is probably “NO”, unless you take a small, sharp shard and shove it way up your nose. If you ever try this experiment, make sure your camera is recording it. I’m betting you could go viral; until Youtube pulls it off.

*pseudomorph

1: a mineral having the characteristic outward form of another species:

Good examples in the mineral world happen quite often in replacement fossils, where minerals replace, for example, wood; they often look like wood, with patterns, bark, and even knot holes. Another good example is petrified dinosaur bone where you can see every cell (each cell is actually an individual agate).

2: a deceptive or irregular form

In. The “sticks” in Turkish Stick Agates were originally Aragonite Crystals but they were replaced by Silica. The sticks still look like Aragonite, but they are not. Pseudomorphs are common in many Agates, but that is a whole other subject.

3: Don Reed

Don Reed, according to the Internet (and we should always believe the Internet), is one of THE experts on Turkish Stick Agates. Don Reed appears to be something he is really not. This may not be true, or perhaps it is…..Like the Internet; Don Reed would never intentionally deceive you.

Pseudomorph of Don Reed in Crystal Quartz from Brazil.

If this craziness is of interest to you, you should also read our embarrassing story about a missing chunk of this Turkish Stick Agate.

Visit our Turkish Stick Agate jewelry page for currently available pieces.

Where’s my Turkish Stick Agate?

I’ve built a custom tumbling unit that will handle three 12# barrels at one time. You might ask, what has has that to do with Turkish Stick Agate? I also bought a Diamond Pacific Cab Machine in Tucson last February. So how do these things connect?

Turkish Stick Agate Rough was purchased in Tucson

I found some absolutely fantastic Turkish (Pseudomorph) Stick Agate rough rock at the Keno Show in Tucson. It was very pricey old stock, but the best material of it’s kind I’ve seen in many years. I actually spent almost an hour searching through buckets of this stuff to find the cream of the old stock crop. Finding this Stick Agate happened after I bought a used Titan from a dealer at the 28th Street Show. The deal with the Titan included spare parts, wheels and several containers of tumbling grit (which had nothing to do with the Titan) that the dealer also threw in as he was getting out of the lapidary business.

(A pseudomorph is when the original crystal form of one mineral is occupied by another, chemically or structurally different species. I love pseudomorphs (from the Greek “false form”). Here’s a tip: If you see triangular shapes occupying a rock you possess, it is most likely a pseudomorph of Aragonite. When someone asks what those triangular shapes are in a rock it also makes you look smart when you say “Oh that’s a pseudomorph of Aragonite” (Better if you practice saying “Pseudomorph” so it just flows easily off your tongue.)

Move ahead to April: I got back home and unloaded all the stuff, started cutting and polishing new rock. I ask Bonnie about the stick agate; she looks and can’t find it. A picture of this Turkish Stick Agate had appeared in the February blog, so I had proof that this was a genuine purchase, not just something I thought about buying. I searched and searched for the Stick Agate and I cannot find it anywhere. A note is posted on the refrigerator “FIND STICK AGATE”. When notes are posted on the refrigerator they become points of stress until acted upon (I know you guys know this).

What wonderful lapidary material.

I named this pendant “Bugs”. Notice the fully-banded agate bug on the left.

I wear this pendant. The auburn background is unusual.

Move ahead to October: I’m tumbling some Lakers for drilling and reach the 600 grit stage. While looking for 600 grit in one of the boxes I got with the Titan, I FIND THE STICK AGATE. I do know there are Desert Gnomes in Arizona, and I think those little bastards intentionally hid that Stick Agate bag (It could never have been Bonnie or I that did this). That’s my story……..

ALL my stress is lifted from my shoulders, I can quit my anxiety counseling, take less drugs, and REMOVE THAT DAMN MEMO FROM THE FRIDGE!!! I will always remember October 9th, 2017 as one of the highlight days of my entire life!!

Here’s the really great thing: the Stick Agate is even more beautiful than I remembered it! The saws and Titan are simultaneously humming with Stick Agate Bliss. I think I’ll make myself a new pendant in celebration of my stress relief.

Now that our Missing Rock Saga is explained, let’s talk about Turkish Stick Agate shall we? From Cubuk, Northern Ankara, Turkey. TSA (Not Airport security) comes in various forms of Pseudomorphic Aragonite in Chalcedony. The Aragonite needles are hollow tubes that formed in the shape of church steeples. Long needles forming fans are considered the best, but these agates can also contain sagenite or fortification areas. Some TSA has tubes and not the normal Pseudomorphic Sticks.

(Aragonite and Calcite are the same composition. The only differences are that the Calcite has form differently and under different conditions. Aragonite is Orthorhombic while Calcite forms in a rhombohedral crystal. Both Calcite and Aragonite become pseuddomorphs in other minerals because of their sensitivity to acids.)

One Stick Agate I re-found had a rare reddish background color. This was the one I grabbed for my personal pendant.

Hard to believe that this too is Stick Agate from the same mine.

Another piece had beautiful dark pink banding, and looked nothing like the other Stick Agate in the piles I sorted. One cab showed white botrioildal Quartz under clear Quartz with random reddish-brown tubes throughout the gemstone.

To add to the fun I saw one large bug or a couple bugs on a stick in one cabochon. Really extraordinary stuff. We’ve been celebrating the prodigal TSA for two weeks now. May you find your missing rocks.

You can find our current selection of these pendants at our Turkish Stick Agate Pendant page!

Crystal included Lake Superior Agates, and an Amazing Garden Rock

Some things found inside a crystal Laker are really amazing!

A classic “Floater”.

Lovely little Island.

A Big, Bold, red “Floater” on a crystal lake.

Dark Smoky Quartz Lakers. These will be fun.

I love Lake Superior Agates that are on the unusual side. Many of my agate jewelry pieces are made from agates other than the banded fortification variety. I love tube agates, moss agates, sagenite agates, painted–you know really I like all Lake Superior Agates. The Candy Stripers with their beautiful reds and whites are well liked. I also like “Floaters”, those banded Lake Superior Agates that float in a sea of crystal. A special variety I have really enjoyed working with are the banded Lake Superior Agates that surround amethyst crystal pockets. When that crystal happens to be amethyst–wow! I am always in search of amethyst floaters, but finding one makes me really excited. I want to cut, polish and wrap that agate right now!

This is the end cut of Janet’s “Garden Rock”

Amazing Crystally Lakers

Janets “Garden Rock” is a spectacular and amazing Laker.

Last summer we were vendors at the Agate Expo 2016 in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. We had previously participated at the Celebration of Agates and the Wonderful World of Agates which had been held in some prior years. In each of these shows we have always been next to Scott Wolter’s booth, and have joked and chatted with Scott and Janet at these events, as neighbors do. I was talking with Janet about my love for amethyst floaters and I asked her if she would be my eyes and try to find some for me at the Moose Lake agate event. Janet took this as a challenge and told me later that she had fun looking for them. She sent me a box and included a few Lake Superior Agates from her garden. I cut some of these that she sent including one of those garden rocks. What I found inside this crystal beauty was extraordinary, as you can see by the picture. I named it Orange Mountain, but nicknamed it Janet’s Garden Rock.

I sent her a picture of her rock after it became a pendant. From Janet: “Yes, I did give Scott a big hint that it would be a perfect gift me for Christmas. A very big hint! And as any smart husband knows, happy wife, happy life! I think Scott is just pleased as punch that one of his “cast off” agates he tossed in our rock garden, became a big hit with me.” Scott bought the pendant and it became a Christmas present for Janet. I was told Scott had a big grin on his face as he presented it to Janet, and her ordinary garden rock is now a piece she can wear and treasure.

Tubes and Amethyst? The possibilities are amazing. This is a larger Laker, so lots of jewelry if it’s a good one.

Citrine in a Laker is quite stunning.

An Amethyst/Quartz pocket inside of a Lake Superior Agate.

My retail outlet Copper World sold one of these one day. I was doing demos there and in 4 days 4 pendants made from adjacent slabs were sold.

Gorgeous; what more can be said?

No clue as to what awaits inside this one. That’s the fun of it, isn’t it?

Since the Agate Expo I have been able to locate some further Lake Superior Agates that show a lot of promise. I look forward to exposing the insides of these stones and I have taken some pictures so you can also predict what the inside will look like. Some of the Lake Superior Agates I have indicate Smokey Quartz instead of amethyst or clear quartz. I am also intrigued to see what they will look like. During this coming year, watch for some unusual crystal Lake Superior Agates turned into pendants at Snob Appeal Jewelry. Be sure to follow us on Facebook for the latest posts. And if you see Janet Wolter, ask her to show you her “Garden Rock”.

Gem Mineral and Fossil Showcase-New Shows

AGTA

AGTA inside (No photos allowed on the floor)

To get you in the mood for this year’s Tucson blogs, I thought you would like a preview. The showcase has five added shows this year. Some small and at least one large. One new show is the International Gem & Jewelry Show (Intergem) where you should have 80-100 vendors, inside and outside the Clarion Hotel-Tucson Airport. I recall this show from several years ago at another locale. A big draw at Intergem will be jewelry owed by the Stars, featuring Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Elton John, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and the Duke of Windsor.

The hotels on the Stip will not look like this next week.

The Stip Shows always have a few of these.

Another new show will be mineral dealers at the Elks Lodge. I have little information on this, but have heard 6-8 dealers are involved. Sorry, details on this are sparse until the Showguides come out.

The three largest show in Tucson are the American Gem Trade Association’s (AGTA) show at the Tucson Convention Center (Business ID required for this show), and runs the first weekend of the Showcase the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show at the Convention Center (Fee charged for this show, but open to the public). This show is also referred to as the Main Event and features jewelry retailers, random wonders, and wonderful Displays. This show originally started the Tucson Showcase got, sponsored by the Tucson Rock & Mineral Club. It runs the last weekend of the Showcase and should not be missed. The third very large show is the Gem and Lapidary Wholesalers Show out near Kino (G&LW). This show also requires business ID.

Typical hotel courtyard on the Strip

Fish swimming at 22nd Street

Always seen on the Strip

Typical Hotel on the Strip.

Hotal Tucson City Center

The majority of the shows are open to the public, and careful negotiation will yield better bargains than most of the Wholesale Shows offer. We have enjoyed the 22nd Street Show, and it is bigger and better this year. From that show, you can walk under US10 and on the other side, explore the many shows in the Hotels there. Over the years, many of my best finds and bargains have come for these shows along the “Strip”.(Notice I did not say “Strip Shows”, but it is OK for you to call them that.

Kino Sports Complex

There are also many hidden treasures at the Kino Sports Complex, a mostly outside Flea Market type Show. there are several large “treasure tents” also at that location where you can get imported goods of all sorts, and not all rocks. I seldom buy this cheap buy/sell junk, but to each there own. I try to support American Businesses when I can, but often they are difficult to find in Tucson.

JOGS (at the Tucson Expo Center), used to be a more Wholesale show with ID required, but this year I’ve heard that it will be a Wholesale/Retail show with different ID for various classes of shoppers. I have also heard that if you are not a dealer, there will be an entry charge. Don’t hold me to this. I enjoy the JOGS show except it IS crowded, and maybe even more so if more people are let in. CAUTION: Watch for “Bead Laidies” at this show and others. They will tie up the aisles with large luggage in tow. I dislike this and am sometimes rude to them for blocking the narrow aisles. My wife has come to an acceptance that I will always insult “Bead Ladies”. How about carry on luggage and not giant trailers girls? So if you are a bead lady (you know who you are) and a grumpy guy insults you, just deal with it.

I hope you have lodging already or you may have to commute from way out, but sometimes I do see “vacancy signs” around town, so good luck. If you see us, say hello,; if you are a Bead lady, just get out of the way.

Quartzstite-Day 3 ( The Weirdness Factor)

Totems

I really was not sure what this was??? A long wig and horns on a walking stick. Now that has the weirdness factor for sure.

My off-center sense of humor is at its’ peak when we go to Quartzsite, Arizona. The rock shows are great, but the flea market areas are where the real strange things appear.

1950 Dode Wayfarer with a 440 at a hot dog stand

We saw a row of vendors where you could buy a box of bananas and get your concealed weapons permit in the next tent, and a strange beer drinking tent, tools, water filters for the RV, LED lights, knife, Bushnell binoculars, a 1950 Dodge Wayfarer parked next to a hot dog stand. By the way, the old rusty Dodge had a 440, and the owner assured me it would get up and go! Enjoy my pictures.

A truck seat would look nice in the waiting room at Paul’s RV.

Good Ground Trading, the most eclectic, unusual store in town.

Around the corner is a flea-market type area which we explored. The end of the street had an eccentric eclectic treasure shop called Good Ground Trading Company, motto, “Where the Far East meets the Old West”. Buddha, a large Incredible Hulk model, old signs, glass fishing floats from Japan, oxen yokes, pickup trucks converted into benches, large metal buckets with holes in them, and lots of stuff. Nearby was a stop for custom-made advertising flags, Vermont maple syrup and jelly, old-style metal signs, an old cooking stove, you name it. True to form, Bonnie bought a couple of used books–you can never have too many of those. That vendor was from Paradise, Michigan, so we had to all have a chat.

Quilts made by real Chinese Amish

The Moroccans have a sense of humor

You can get any rusty, artificially old sign here. The owner is nearby decorating cowskulls with rocks.

Bins full of rusty items

Bone Yard

Quartzsite 2016-Day 1

Quartzsite Exit is a welcome sight-250 mi from Tucson.

RVs in the desert

Quartzsite is our favorite venue to buy rocks and minerals, shop for slabs, and talk to fellow rockhounds. Quartzsite is a quirky little town about as far west as you can go in Arizona. There is really no Quartz in Quartzsite, but there are an an unbeleavable hoard of RV’s parked in RV parks, and what seems like every available open spot in the BLM Land surrounding Quartzsite. The normal 2000 resident town explodes to , some say, a million visitors in January and February each year. This year we saw very few RV’s as compared to past year.

Desert Gardens Show

The famous fake water tower

Malachite galore

We love driving the back roads from our RV park in Tucson to Quarzsite, cresting that last hill, as we travel west on I-10, and seeing a virtual sea of RVs. It’s a mind-blowing vision. When we see all these RVs, we know that the rocks are also there.

January – Quartzsite, AZ. Desert Gardens and Prospectors Panorama areas are open from January 1 till 28 Feb. Mainly outside. The Tyson Wells Show (there are no wells in Tyson Wells) closes Jan 10th, and QIA PowWow Show, mostly inside. January 20-24. Quartzsite, AZ.

Rows of dealers

Gembone-I bought the three on the corner

A great yellow Dino Bone

The Desert Gardens Show is always our first stop. There are no gardens at Desert Gardens. It is actually a big, flat, dusty flat spot in the desert, covered with RVs, show tents, people, and rocks–a Rock Pickers paradise. Parking is easy here, unlike down the road near the flea market. We have, over the years, found so many hidden treasures at this show it’s just amazing. You never know what may be found here. This show is the largest in area and is located on the frontage road running parallel and south of I-10. Exit as if you are going to Love’s Travel Stop. We did not drive the RV over to Quartzsite, but opted to drive our car and spend a couple overnights at the casino in Parker.

Look; A slightly used Pixie now in my possession.

Zebra Agate. How could you ever use this much?

Lemon Chrysoprase (Magnesite). Wait until you see it cut. What’s inside?

Here is what was inside

Prehnite–African

Can’t keep the woman away from the beads.

Bags of Denim Lapis

Big Ruby in there

We have stayed in Blythe, California (Known as Blight by the natives), but are always afraid our car will be broken into there. You can always get a cheap, seedy room in Blythe if you are the risky type that might participate in the TV show Fear Factor. Blythe is a one-street town (everything is on th US10 business route). Go for it; chances are at least 50-50 you’ll come out OK. Sorry Blythe people, I’ve been wrong before, and did not really mean to get Ricky Gervais on you.

Today I will cover our adventures at Desert Gardens, and tomorrow Prospector’s Paradise. I’ll also show you some of the flea market fun. We have, in the past, bought spatulas that had an unconditional guarantee to melt; saw, and purchased from a place that sold only RV water filters, witnessed piles of third-world manufactured clothing (perhaps even tainted with nuclear dust), and bought mystery meat from the jerky shop. We have seen musical instruments made from mailboxes and license plates, hippie buses, dried vegetables, and weird people galore. We have eaten “Fair Food” and drank cold beer. We have even seen the “naked guy”. Is he still alive? (Go ahead and search “naked guy in Quartzsite”,if you don’t believe me) I did hear from a local that his book store closed. This is so much fun….Anyway here is our first-hand report from Quartzsite. Trust me, these Quartzsite blogs could be real quirky.

We Love Rock Shows

Don’t you just love a good rock show? It is a whole lot easier just to visit a rock show than to actually participate in one, but we love doing them.

Whether it be a major show like Tucson or Quartzsite, or just a small local rock club show; we love them all.

Our local club is the Grand Traverse Area Rock and Mineral Club (GTARMC) and serves a really large area. Recently we participated in our club’s rock show. We always enjoy the camaraderie of fellow rockhounds, but this year it was a bit different. In the past we have had our shows at the Traverse City History Center where we had been meeting. Recent events challenged our club when the History Center was taken over by the Crooked Tree Arts Council and we were pretty much restricted to one small space in the building’s basement where our Club’s shop is located. Meetings are now at the Traverse City District Library.

We were also excluded from having our annual club show at that venue and moved it to the Travserse City Civic Center. Though this caused some anxiety for various club members (my wife for example) it turned out to be one of the best moves we ever made. The History Center is substantially off the beaten path, while the Civic Center is right on a main thoroughfare. People driving by saw the signs and just dropped in. Consequently we saw uncounted newcomers as well as the normal rock geeks. It was a great opportunity to talk up our hobby and love.

I can only assume that attendance doubled or tripled. There was no slack all weekend as the crowds packed in. The vendor sales, including ours, were all up, the children’s area was busy, and the people were excited. Sometimes changes are good, and sometimes, like this move, the changes were great.

Our neighbor, and fellow club member, Jeff Anderson kept busy “cracking eggs” for kids and adults alike. It’s always a mystery what might be lurking inside those geodes. We got the chance to watch the excitement. Whenever a good one would “pop” open, six more people wanted to try their own geode. Fun, fun, fun!

We are used to what we call “slobbering” over our jewelry. I make a joke of saying I wipe the drool off the top of the cases all day. I do have to keep the fingerprints off them, and little fingerprints and nose prints off the fronts of the cases from small excited kids. They love the shiny jewelry, and I see future customers as their parents shop and gush over our stuff.

I looked down on one occasion and saw a young girl and her brother with their lips and fingers all over the cases. This is one of the reasons, besides security and lighting, we have our stuff under glass! I snatched up my camera and took a couple of pictures of these kids as they did actually did drool on the cases. I did not realize just what great and funny shots I had until I got home and downloaded them. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. The nearly 200 views, likes, and comments were priceless when I posted the pictures up on the Rockhound Group I belong to.

Comments like “Snot Funny”, “Nosy Kids”, “he’s digging something petrified”, and something about “easier to pick one out” made me, and others, crack up. Someone accused me of staging this picture–until I proved it was no set-up by posting the second picture.

Fortunately you cannot tell who these kids are. I can only imagine how much fun it would be later in life it would be when they got married, and showed this picture in one of those wedding slide shows.

As soon as they left, believe me folks, I was on cleaning detail.

There was no rhyme or reason, and no theme for what we sold at this show. Everything from Greenstones to Druzy‘s were making people happy. As a special thanks for my Snob Blog readers, I am posting up a few new show pieces that did not sell. If you are interested, you can call right away. These pieces are not on line and are shown not only at Art Shows, and when I do Jewelry making demos. Remember, Christmas is coming. Get your gifts early for best selections.

Here are a couple Thomsonite’s and a new Greenstone for your viewing pleasure.

Just because you don’t see something on out Website, does not mean we do not have it. The depth and variety of our products is amazing. Please call and ask. If I have the time I can custom make the jewelry dream you have.