Bonjour, Bead Bazaar!

Hello, friendly readers!

Are there any special craft-related events that you try to attend?  A favorite of mine is the twice-yearly Twin Cities Bead Bazaar.  The fall bazaar just took place this past weekend in suburban Minneapolis, and I was able to find a little time to stop by and hunt for new treasures.  That's what the bead bazaar feels like to me: a treasure hunt!  At the event you'll find stall after stall of vendors, each selling different kinds of beads, buttons, and charms.  The three photos below, which are from the spring 2011 bazaar, should give you and idea of the fabulous crowds, colors, and delights that you find at these events.

 

I have not yet had a chance to "play" with my newest purchases, but I thought I'd show you a card I made with a charm from a previous bead bazaar.  It's a "hello" card with an elegant French vibe.

Supplies: all papers and rub ons by My Mind's Eye; alphabet stickers by Echo Park; tulle ribbon by Wyla; roses by Marianne Design; rhinestones by Petaloo; jump rings by Vintaj; charm by Trinket Foundry.

The fleur-de-lis pendant on this card comes from a Minnesota company called Trinket Foundry.  I try to buy a few items from Trinket Foundry (sold via the Glass Garden Beads booth) at each bead bazaar.  Cathy Collison, the force behind Trinket Foundry, is the ultimate green artist.  All her beads and charms are made from recycled materials.  This fleur-de-lis charm, for example, is punched from an old metal file cabinet!

Trinket Foundry baubles are a bit pricey, but to me they are worth every penny.  For the price of one charm, I could probably buy a whole pack of charms at a scrapbooking store.  But the mass-produced charms at big box stores are made overseas in factories.  Trinket Foundry goods, on the other hand, are made right here in Minnesota, so I know that the shipping costs involved are minimal, and the artist is earning a fair wage.  So, this fleur-de-lis is truly a treasure, and I'm so glad that I found it at the Bead Bazaar.