I hope you all enjoyed my blog from Tucson. I had a great time there and a fun time sharing it with you.

All the flat rate mailing boxes have arrived with nothing broken. I unpacked these boxes and it was just like Christmas. There were a few things I did not remember buying, but in general I was fairly conservative in my purchases. I did, sort of, stick with the shopping list I took out there with me.

A drop-dead gorgeous black opal triplet.

Pietersite with an opall simulant chaser.

Bonnie is delighted with all her new beads and seems to be spending more time in her beading room since we’ve been back. She has lots of new ideas for jewelry inspired by all the new stuff. All our bead fan buddies are going to be happy this year.

I laid everything out on the table and took a few photos for your viewing pleasure.

I can say that second to seeing all the rocks, meeting people at the shows is sometimes real interesting. It pays to chit-chat with people you see as you never know who is standing next to you. I always say something like “Are you from around here?” Most people at the shows are from another state or country. From that point we can talk about rock hunting in their neck of the woods, or any other thing that you are mutually interested in. I am the type of person that soaks up trivia like a sponge. I find it easy to talk to anyone and have found that most people respond in kind.

I loved these Lakers!

I met a guy from California that makes a business of enhancing crystals so they have more powers. This is a little beyond me, but to each his own. Since I’m not really into the metaphysical thing other then selling rocks to those that are, it’s always “interesting” talking to someone like this.

While waiting in line for the main show to open up I talked to a man who turned out to be one of the leading experts in flourescent minerals. I am designing a display for our rock club, and learned a lot about the subject.

I always try to pick the brains of the sellers, especially those that mine the rocks they sell. I think it is important that my customers get a great story with their jewelry. What better way to get a story then to talk to the source. Bonnie often is amazed by the trivia that I spew, and believe it or not, most of it is true. We like to share our stories and information with our customers. Because I cut most of my own gemstones, I can also tell my customers how hard the stone is, what it looks like before cutting, and the reason I cut it like I did.

I love just chatting about rocks, and I have learned a great deal from others as well as occasionally finding someone with “Grandpa’s old collection”, which always peaks my interest. I have obtained a lot of nice rocks over the years following up on old collections.

Check our shop and demonstration schedule from the main page occasionally, as we are getting acceptance letters from juried shows. We are doing a couple new shows this year. Hope to see you there!

Bonnie, Guest Editor

So, you rockhounds can beware, this is an update on other things we did while we were here for the rock shows. We did visit our daughter here and fit in a few different activities. We have been to town before and been to most of the traditional tourist destinations, so these were some new things for us.

The Doubletree Inn had a Carnival of Illusions, a magic show in an intimate setting. Less than 30 people in the audience, we were highly entertained and engaged with the illusionists.

One of the permanent structures at the Arizona Renaissance Festival.

Yesterday we went to the opening of the Renaissance Festival in Apache Junction (up by Phoenix). This is a large and permanent location that they have a festival several weekends a year. Our daughter had been wanting to get an appropriate costume, so early on in our visit there she and a friend visited a dress shop (Unicorn Clothing), and after some

This place was worth the long drive.

help in how to get dressed, they emerged looking very lovely in an historic way. There are a lot of performers juggling, balancing, jousting, dancing, and singing in costume. Most are paid by the “throw a buck in the hat” method, just like back in the day. The strangest thing

The king watches as the joust is about to begin.

A joust to the death!

Anything for a dollar in the hat.

Standing on a ladder, exploding, and having balloons thrown at him. This guy was entertaining.

we saw was a guy that juggled a chainsaw, a knife, and an apple at the same time. He also stood on top of a ladder (not a step ladder, a single ladder), and holding two flaming torches while he exploded fireworks that were duct taped to his chest while three hundred water balloons were thrown at him to douse the fireworks. In a later show Bonnie watched him walk a flaming tight rope. I gave this guy a good donation!

Julie (left) and Holly (our daughter on right) were very fancy!

We also enjoyed an evening out at a local western town and restaurant where they cut off your tie if you’re brave enough to wear one! Don made a special trip to the Salvation Army to get a tie to wear with his sweatshirt, so he could proudly have it trimmed off!

It cost these girls a pitcher of sangria to get bailed out.

Evidence at the restaurant that "NO TIES ALLOWED" is the rule.

Our other family project has been to help Holly plant her bare backyard, Planting season is just a dream in northern Michigan, but the 65-70 degrees here is very inviting. So we transformed some bare brown walls with bushes, flowers and added a couple citrus trees and furniture. The soil here does not making digging easy, but we tried to make good homes for the trees.

At lunch on Friday I noticed a group of barbershoppers come into the coffee shop where we were ordering. Pretty soon it came out that they were looking for Bonnie, and had a rose, a Valentine card and two Valentine songs for me! My brother Rob in Tallahassee takes a day off each year to sing to sweethearts in his town. The card said, “If I were there, I would be singing tenor”. Thanks to the Arizona Barbershop Experience for this surprise!

Valentine’s Day has been a good reason to have a picnic. That’s outside for all our friends back in Michigan. We made another quick look at a couple of the last shows to be open, searching for a last bargain. (You just can’t keep Don down when there’s a chance of a new rock.) Not much going on there, but we did find a couple shiny bright gems.

From Don: I noticed all the big tents being torn down today and most all the shows are closed. I went to a couple still open and bought some rubies and emeralds along with a few two-tone gold and silver chain to re-sell. So this is it for the buying for this year. Today is sunny and a miserable 75. I’m really going to hate going back to 20’s and snow.

Many photo credits go to Matt Bourdeau

We took today off and adventured north to Apache Junction. That’s just a teaser. Bonnie is going to write about the trip tomorrow. Today I’ll just throw you some bonus pictures from the shows.

Today was sunny and 68

Just a really nice quartz crystal.

A few exceptional cabs.

I wish I had a case of gems like these.

Another case I'd like to own.

You've see this little dino before, but I took this photo with a flash so you would more notice the Ammonites. WOW!

I drove out to the Electric Park show today and just roamed around. There is a lot of strange stuff not even related to rocks, as well as strange rock stuff. I took a few photos for your enjoyment.

An Amethyst water feature carved from a geode.

Check out this fossil wine bottle rack!

I saw Marshall Collins at his booth explaining to some kids what was in their grab bags. I had to get a picture of that.

These kids just loved Marshall showing them rocks.

A stack of deer antlers and furs at a rock show?

Even more bizarre were the bison heads.

I went over to the RV show at Electric Park and found some untreated Turquoise that was pretty remarkable. I bought slabs of Laguna Agate that were great pastel colors and showing an optical illusion which is referred to as “Shadow effect”.

Now things are really getting eerie!

Lastly I obtained a few strands of dinosaur beads that can only be found at Tucson.

Hear, speak, and see no evil carved skulls.

I’ll be taking the day off tomorrow, but I may post up some photos.

Boxes of rocks are quite common at Electric Park.

Today was sunny and 67.

The sun was back out today. The main event at the Tucson Convention Center opened today and we were there when the doors opened.

This is an open show and everyone is encouraged to attend. Jewelers abound as many retail customers attend just to buy jewelry.

The show is in two areas, the Convention Center and the arena that connects via a short hallway. What is unique about this show are the displays in lighted cases and the surprising things you might see right out in the open.

Wonderful gem specimens in this case.

Adventurine and Smokey Quartz from Pikes Peak.

I also like to visit at least one vendor that has the best rock slabs anywhere, but if you don’t get there first thing those slabs get picked over fast. I found a couple of Luna Agate that no one recognized and scarfed them up, as well as some nice red dinosaur bone.

I also found a pair of ammonites that were real nice.

One of the amazing things we saw was a marble carving of a woman reclining on a grand piano. This was all carved from one giant block of stone by Francisco and was named “American Woman”. It took him two and a half years and it was for sale on E-Bay for 5 million. This display and his appearance had several major sponsors.

The other neat thing was the Psittacosaurus fossil from China that was only $40,000.

There was no sign as to what this was. I think maybe a Morganite. Other IDs will be accepted.

Pictures are allowed at this show so no problem with the picture police here.

We plan on going back Sunday.

More jewels on display

Center just right of downtown is the Tucson Convention Center. On the left is the GJX or Gem & Jewelry Exchange tent. On the right is the JG&M Expo tent. In the foreground is the Riverpark Inn on the near side of the freeway.

I should subtitle this one “Rocks in the Rain”. I’ll explain later.
We drove up Sentinal Peak or as the locals call it “A” mountain.
The “A”, of course, is for the University of Arizona and this peak sets right in the middle of Tucson. Tucson spreads out over 156 square miles, mostly desert. This place is huge. I’d guess at least 30 miles from one end of town to the other, but I could be in error on that. Bonnie hiked up the treacherous path of loose rock and shear drops, risking being bitten by a snake or a gila monster to get these pictures that kind of show the lay of the land.

La Quinta Inn on the corner and Howard Johnson on the left of the photo.

We parked and walked up and down the strip as we have in the past few days. Prices seemed to be coming down as they usually do the last week. Bonnie found some bargain beads, and I found a vendor selling the most amazing brown, gemmy, Rhodocrosite rough rock. I had to have some to cut at home.

'A" mountain where Bonnie tempted death to get photos.

We

Crinoids!!

again saw our buddy Jeff Anderson selling his agates, said hello and continued on. We checked out shows Bonnie had not been to at the La Quinta and Howard Johnsons, then leisurely re-checked the other motel shows. It rained off and on and the weather was only in the mid fifties.

My buddy Jeff Anderson and his agates.

The second time it rained most of the outside vendors closed up shop. When we left the area, the sun had returned.

During the second rain I knew from experience to look at some of the rough rock at the shows. You can really see what you are getting when it is wet.

The $16,000 dino eggs Gary should get for his office.

For you real rockhounds I bought a parcel of quartz crystals with inclusions including a small quartz crystal containing Edenite, some Epidote included quartz, A crystal of Lepidocrosite, and a large clear quartz crystal with very unusual green phantom crystals inside, and a few beautiful rutilated quartz crystals, some with the rutile needles running in the same direction. These will make spectacular cabs. Bonnie found a wonderful star rose quartz which we’ll add to our booth display.

I took a photo of a dinosaur egg klatch with an orange clearance tag of only $16,000, and also a better view of how the motel rooms are used for vendors. We’re looking forward to the big show at the Tucson Convention Center which starts Thursday. We might take the day off tomorrow to contain the hemorrhaging of my wallet. I gave you guys bonus pictures today. I hope you enjoy them.

Rained out! Check the motel rooms (mini showrooms) to the rear of the tarp.

Is there a shortage of Ocean Jasper?

A gem with a gem! Bonnie obviously liked this one!

You just don’t tell a guy that you are going shopping with your daughter, and “You’re on your own” without expecting the guy to spend some money. So Bonnie and Holly went to buy plants and I went to buy rocks.

Just another million tons of rocks

Imagine the giant orb spinning on water. I can only imagine the water pressure this took.

I drove down to the “strip” and went to a couple of shows.
One was at the La Quinta Inn and one next door at the Travelodge. I found very little of interest to me at each place, except some nice red and green Sunset Chrysocolla (some refer to this as Sonora Sunset). I acquired a two pound chunk to slice up at home.

Dino at the La Quinta show.

There was quite a fossil display in one of the tents with both fossil reproductions and real fossils. I’m not that interested in fossils, but I took a couple pictures for you guys. I went to the Gem Shops’ store down the street from the La Quinta and looked at his nice Mexican agates and rough. I also met the man that owned the old Ocean Jasper mine in Madagascar. This mine played out three years ago. All the material was removed starting in 1999, so the Ocean Jasper was totally collected in an eight year period. He sold me a bit of the remaining material.

Bonnie gave me a mission to go back out to the Gem Mall and buy some jade beads that she saw last time we were there, so being a top-notch husband I did my duty. While I was there I bought a couple of Montana Moss Agate cabs also.

The Gem Mall is a giant hard-sided tent.

I knocked off early today and enjoyed the 65 degree sunny weather.

We had sort of a lazy day today. We took advantage of a couple of seminars that Rio Grande sponsored. Bruce Baker

Rio Grande had a great Catalog in Motion Show. Loads of people trying out tools and equipment and great seminars.

is a marketing expert that specializes in jewelry marketing. He is a great speaker and highly entertaining and informative. We spent about four hours absorbing information that should help the marketing of Snob Appeal Jewelry.

Buckets and buckets of rough turquoise at J.O.G.S.

I had the urge to shop so we went to the J.O.G.S. International show. This one is an average sized wholesale show with lots of variety.

Bonnie found some wonderful gemmy Rhodocrosite beads.
I found some pink/brown Rhodocrosite like I’ve never seen. I had to have some even though the stuff was a bit pricey. I bought some and lusted after more, but made myself be reasonable. I found a guy selling untreated Cripple Creek turquoise. It looks very promising. I can’t wait to cut it.

Seems like these rock chairs would give you a sore butt!

Bonnie and I could not pass up a cute little opal-backed turtle for our booth. I took photos of a couple really weird things. One was a booth selling rock chairs and towers with lights inside, and the other was an Alaskan, Chinese, robot, new age thing that I took a picture of because it was SO hard to explain.

Today was 63 and sunny.

The really weird "whatever ethnic we might sell" booth

We started out early today by going to the Catalog in Motion Show sponsored by Rio Grande. Rio Grande is possibly the largest supplier to the lapidary arts in the world.

This show does not sell anything, but brings in experts in the use of the products they sell in their catalog. We looked at some new wire wrapping tools that make loops, and a tool that makes ear wires. I talked to the inventor of Argentium Silver, which we use in our jewelry. I was even able to speak to the head buyer at Rio and was able to suggest a additional silver wire product that they should carry. This was Bonnie’s favorite morning so far. All in all a worthwhile experience.

My saw just is not big enough to cut these.

We headed to the Gem Mall where G&LW (Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers) has their show. Its a big show with loads of beads. Bonnie found some really nice beads and I located some really unusual Rhodocrosite Cabs (Yes John, I’ll share them). I also bought a star ruby and a large facetted smoky quartz.

Vendors set up their tents where ever they see open ground at Electric Park.

This show is large but beads all look the same after seeing millions of them.

We took the shuttle from the Gem Mall over to the Holiday Inn and checked out this one. The only excitement was as I glanced into one of the rooms as I walked by and what did my wondering eyes behold? Boxes of Cocoxinite rough. I have not seen any of this stuff since the 70’s. I rushed in to the room and the dealer said he had found an old stash of 1000 pounds and bought it all. Most people would not even recognize this stuff as unusual. I probably should tell you that Cocoxinite is a amethyst/quartz mix containing what looks like tigers eye but is actually Rutile. The material is hard to explain but gorgeous when it is cut. The best Cocoxinite came from Brazil, and this was the good stuff. I bought all I could afford.

Electric Park-more stuff than you have money for.

The weather today was rainy/cloudy and only 58 degrees.

After the happy experience at the Holiday Inn we met Holly, our daughter, and went to the shows at the Tucson Electric Park. Electric Park is where the local semi-pro baseball team plays. We just looked around, had lunch, and I bought a couple tools I needed for wire wrapping as well as a new pump kit for my rock grinder.

This was in general a fairly fun day!

Petrified wood at the Electric Park RV Show. This show was mostly closed due to rain.

Rocks all over at Electric Park.

Today we walked the “strip”. This is a group of several shows on the frontage road along I-10. These shows are located in

I bet you wonder why I took a picture of this ugly egg

the lots, courtyards and rooms at the various motels. We went to the Pueblo Gem and Mineral Show at the Riverpark Inn, the Rapa River Gem and Mineral Show and the JG & M Expo. Bonnie found some quality agate beads, some nice pink pearls, and splurged on some ruby beads. Her biggest hunt was for some larimar beads, and was happy to find something she could afford!

I stumbled across a pietersite dealer that I had met in 2008 at the JOGS show. He is the owner of a pietersite mine in South Africa and has what I consider the finest pietersite cabs available. You pay for quality and I was able to lighten my wallet considerably at his room. I also bought a nice piece of blue pietersite rough for our rockhound buddy Debbie. Several unusual cabs were purchased which I will share with my pal John when I get back. There seemed to be a large quantity of imported jewelry and trinkets, along with mineral specimens, jewelry, rough rock, scuptured rock and finished cabs. Lots of shoppers were there, both retailers and hobbyists buying up whatever caught their fancy.

I am always interested in the over-the-top specimens displayed in the front of the various motels which might include huge quartz crystals, geodes, and statues. We ended our day early to rest our tired feet and will hit the pavement

This is the front!!

again tomorrow.

Sunny, 72 degrees.