Szarka's Life?: Tucson Turquoise

The ol man is playing in Tucson. He likes to go see the friends we have we use to sell with and other people hopelessly involved in the gem trade. He enjoys eating too much smoked barbeque and then supporting a few of the old turquoise dogs that mine their own and make up beads and jewelry to support their addiction. It's nice to see everyone I guess, next year I get to go? Maybe. Here are some beauties he picked up to support "turquoise family" humans. If we can't support each others addictions who can? LOL

Robyn snapped a pic and had it in her blog so the surprize was spoiled. I don't mind.

www.magpiegemstones.com Wholesale Gemstone Beads

Who Am I?

Who am I, good question. Is who I am what I've done, where I have been, what I wear, what I think, how I act? I never know what to say.

I can give you a run down of my past and then you can make your own judgements on who I am and maybe then you can share it with me so I know too?

I was born in Alberta, went to school ........ a lot. Wanted to save the world and tried hard for 13 years. I soon realized I needed to save myself or there would be nothing left for the world. I burnt out mediating between families, teens, Social Services, the Court System, Mental Health and society at large and gave away everything to move into a flaming pink school bus all tricked out with solar panels and a hand built interior with a wonderful man I met on the Internet.

We traveled the Western States while I crocheted cotton halter tops for middle aged drunk women at music festivals. I made jewelry, custom buffalo wool hats, purses and potions. We traveled Barter Fairs, Flea Markets, Art Shows, Festivals, Powwow's, Pig Roasts. We did every venue I can think of. I worked with Galleries and coffee shops, high end restaurants, and little old men in motor homes who then resold my pieces to galleries. It was a lot of work but it was a blast.

I traded wire wrap for truck batteries, essential oils for amber, beads for brain tanned deer hides. I met so many humans and all preconceived notions of any kind were turned upside down. I stayed in Palm Springs to spots on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. I stayed in Vegas to Niland California at the slabs.

Eventually it was time to stop. Becca and Matt who now run "Pink Floyd" to all the festivals. You can follow their journey here http://www.thepinkbus.com/ . They still sell beads at the gem shows in Arizona in the winter. They are good humans.

Now I sell on the Internet. Once Pink Floyd part of my life was over what to do was open and along came eBay. Friends I had in the trade wanted me to buy for them so I started supplying beads stores. I had many contacts in the gem trade and they wanted me to sell for them, or get involved in this partnership or that. I decided against it all and wanted to sell beads, make some jewelry, and home school my daughter. I am grateful this is what I am able to do. I know that working for myself is more like a 16 hour day than a regular 9 to 5 but being able to be home makes it all worth while.
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A lot of people ask me how I learnt to make jewelry. I had a crystal and some wire and just kept twisting for years until now. I am not a master yet, I do not believe, and it has been well over 2 decades. Wire is the ultimate way to discover humility. If I approach it with a feeling of smugness or surety it teaches me quickly that it is in charge. If I cajole, beg and hope it will do what I want it to most times now it will listen. Not always though. It is kind of like life.

If you would like to see some of my Jewelry click here.

Well now that I have bored you to tears, thanks for reading this far and I hope your life is simple, sweet, and filled with the small things that give your heart joy.

Szarka

Szarka's Life?

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Tucson Turquoise

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