Bead Show Road Trip!

Every year, the International Gem and Jewelry Show, Inc. holds expositions all around the country. For many years, we made an annual trip to the exposition center in Rosemont, near Chicago’s O’Hare airport, braving the “terrifying Tri-State” highway traffic, excitedly purchasing numerous strands of beads of all kinds, and driving the three or four hours back home late at night, happy but exhausted.

On two occasions, we went all the way to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, staying over at a downtown hotel, to attend the Bead and Button Show. It was more than a “business trip” for Beaded Jewelry by Susan. It was a fun vacation as well and a chance to visit the fantastic new wing of the art museum there, not to mention the Italian restaurants.

The big shows were terrific. There are tons of beads from all over the world, lots of special artisan glass at Bead and Button, and cut gems, giant geodes, and finished jewelry at the Rosemont show. But the energy required for getting there and seeing everything at a huge show has been in short supply the past few years for us older folks. And yet the lust for new beads continues unabated, and mail-order helps, but it’s not the same as seeing and handling the beads you choose up close. So we’ve found a smaller show in the southwestern part of Illinois in the St. Louis area. It’s a three and half hour drive, but it’s pleasant and fairly easy compared to big city traffic.

This past weekend, the Gateway Center at Collinsville, Illinois was host to the gem show, and we were lucky enough to get a chance to attend. Our good friend Bob, who is interested in historical architecture in the old river towns near the Mississippi, drove us down for the day. He dropped us off at the exposition center, went exploring, and then picked us up at the end of the show, in time for a tasty dinner before heading back home to Champaign-Urbana. The road trip to the bead show took the whole of a beautiful, sunny spring day, and a great time was had by all.

We started off about nine o’clock, which is early for retired folks like us. Bob came by in his little red Toyota (non-recalled), and we headed first to downtown Urbana to fuel up for the trip.

The human energy fueling was accomplished at the Courier Café, a local restaurant that took up quarters in the building that used to house the Courier, the morning newspaper, back when this town had two papers.

After a hearty breakfast for husband David, friend Bob, and myself, we were ready to leave town and head south and then west.

The day was bright and cheerful, not too warm and not too cool. We watched for hawks at the tops of branches along the interstate and sighted several. The soybean fields and cornfields (major landscape features in Illinois) weren’t planted yet, of course, but the grass at the side of the pavement was already greening up, and some trees were starting to show some buds with color.

We arrived by one o’clock or so at the Gateway Center, where the exposition was being held. Bob went off to check out some of the local interest south and west of Collinsville, returning for us at six o’clock.

We had free admissions tickets as a result of being on a mailing list from last year’s show, and we showed our resale tax number so that we could buy from the “trade room” as well as the other booths. You get your hand stamped so you can go in and out as much as you want.

We headed first for the trade room, where wholesale beads are offered, and found some great deals on strands of sparkling colored crystal rondels and bags of silver-plated copper accent beads that make for great trim.

There’s a sort of inner lobby where many of the bead sellers display their wares.

It’s interesting to see the different ways that beads are displayed in these booths.

Sometimes the strands are hanging on racks of various sorts, draped over wave-like supports, piled in a big mass on tables, or arranged in boxes.

Inside the large main room, the center area was mostly taken up with glass cases of conventional finished jewelry, with bead sellers around the periphery of the room.

Each year there seems to be a slightly different emphasis in terms of what is available. Last year, for example, there were many booths devoted entirely to pearls. This year, we saw pearls mainly at booths that also were selling stone beads.

Previously, I had found a lot of foil glass and lampwork beads, but this time the cloisonne was on close-out and represented a great opportunity.

Crystal is even more popular than before. In stone beads, I saw a lot more big, chunky, irregular nuggets and not as many small rounds or faceted stone as I had last year.

There weren’t as many vendors for ornate silver beads, almost no vermeil, and not so many findings.

Of course, I buy lots of beads by mail-order, taking advantage of good photos on websites and detailed descriptions.

But the great thing about buying beads at shows is that you can check the beads on a strand pretty carefully, if you are patient and take the time, to make sure that there aren’t any damaged or imperfect beads. And you can see the colors and feel the weights.

Plus it’s fun to look at beads you probably aren’t going to buy (too expensive, not the style you usually design with, too large for earrings, etc.).

We always bring along a water bottle, even though there are vending machines and a snack bar at the show. It’s thirsty work choosing beads! Another necessity is the large, sturdy, wheeled bead shopping bag.

David takes breaks often and “guards” the goodies in the bag while I hunt for more. Checking out all the bead booths, spending your hard-earned bucks, and finding luscious and unique new beads is fabulous fun. But it is exhausting after a number of hours, so it’s good to take rest periods.

There are usually couches in the lobby for that purpose, but they may not always be available. That’s why it’s great if you can go on the Friday, as we did, rather than the busier Saturday or Sunday.

Besides, the earlier you go, the less the bead choices are picked over :)

At the end of the show, a tasty meal at a nearby Mexican restaurant is our reward.

Those high-back chairs are really comfortable!

And a rich creamy flan is a nice ending to an enchilada extravaganza!

The trip back in the dark always seems a bit longer and quieter than the trip out — with all of its scenery, energy for conversation (we solved several major domestic and international problems), and anticipation of the bead finds ahead. But it was pleasant and easy enough, despite a lot of trucks on the road Friday night.

Even though it was late when we got back in town, after we had fed the six cats (who really complained about two feedings instead of three today!), we had to look over the new beads.

I was delighted to have found some really interesting glass beads that are opaque with multicolor patterned markings.
I didn’t buy much stone this time because I already have so many stone beads! But I couldn’t resist a few of the new agates.

I really did stock up on cloisonne, both the traditional gold raised and the Chinese silver enamel in a variety of shapes – even fans and butterflies.

Maybe the most unusual beads I found this time were something that only one vendor was selling: glass beads, with rose designs embedded in them, that had been faceted like crystal.

I had a wonderful time! I think my husband and friend enjoyed themselves as well, but, of course, they aren’t bead maniacs like me … I had to order a new plastic storage unit (see my earlier articles about organizing and storing a bead collection) for the new purchases. And it took some time to cut the beads off the strands (or put crystals in small plastic bags) and store the new beads in their compartments.

But now I’m really looking forward to designing new jewelry with these beads! Watch for it on my etsy shop at http://www.beadedjewelrybysusan.etsy.com.

Hope you enjoyed reading about the bead show road trip. If you’ve been to bead shows yourself, drop me a comment and share your experiences and suggestions! Thanks!