Sunday, February 20, 2011

Tucson Gem and Mineral Show

My parents have told me about the Tucson Gem and Mineral show, and I have witnessed my mother's growing collection of turquoise, pearls, and other shiny and wonderful beads and stones (not to mention dad's balafon, the growing drum collection, the recycled African and Indian fabric stamps), but we were able to go to the show ourselves this year and wow! I was blown away. There is just so much. Miles and miles. Tents the size of football fields. Conference room-sized booths with tables piled 2-3 feet deep with strands of pearls. Acres of ammonite fossils, crates of prehistoric bones still buried in sand and dirt, amethyst geodes 10 feet tall, shelves of crystal balls in all sizes... It was overwhelming, actually.

I didn't take all that many photos, partly because my mom took enough and together we just felt like gemstone paparazzi. But here are a smattering:

Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
Geode
The first thing I thought upon seeing these baskets: what fabulous wedding favours! oh wedding-brain.
Baskets of geodes
African beads

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Saturday, February 5, 2011

A Bad Case of Save the Dates

I love our Save the Dates. They are very simple, basic postcards, but seeing them stuck on other people's refrigerators makes me so happy.

Save the Date!


We went through several designs before ending up with this one. Since the wedding will be on the lake, I started out with strong inclinations toward fish imagery. I actually wanted Swedish Fish, which I was imagining as simple clean lined, colorful creatures swimming with stylized bubbles and line-waves (I know, but I grew up in an organic family. We ate natural raspberry liquorice). I even spent a lovely afternoon painting poster-board tempera fish. It was a theme*!

But then C. complained that they looked childish. And it was true. And then I was directed to the Graphics Fairy, which is a fabulous site, and I found this great illustration from something-or-other, and it has musicians! and art supplies! and something else along the left that might be leather-work tools(?) which who knows, I will probably be interested in at some point!

Anyway, as with so many who have gone before, I am infatuated with our postcards. And the one currently hanging on my parents fridge is a great daily reminder to get going on the dress!


*I wanted to link to one of those ridiculous sites that promotes the absolute need to start with a theme unless you want your wedding to be an ultimate failure, but I just found a whole bunch of things that I now want (fairytale coach placecard holders! registering at the MOMA Giftshop?)

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