Package from across the sea

I've always been envious of other gemstone buyers for one simple reason...they post pictures of the package they get from India! I know it's trivial, but I can't help it. I've always wished for my very own package wrapped in linen, hand stitched shut and a seal in red wax all over the outside. I never thought I would get my very own linen box....



...but I did today!!! Almost missed the mailman! He never comes this early in the morning..ever. After a late night with hubby playing "world of warcraft" getting my level 29 night elf hunter to a level 30 so I can finally have a mount, I was pooped and stayed in bed till 11:30. Hey, I'm a second shifter, what can I say?

I peeked out the window to see who was disturbing my beauty sleep and see the mailman leaving the porch ...with my package from India in tow! OHMYGOD!!!! I sent hubby outside after him...in his pj's hahaha!! This was my reward





It was just like christmas day, I could hear the metal box inside making thunking noises as I pressed my fingers around the package. After taking several momento pictures, I cut into that sucker quicker than you can say "bob's your uncle" (don't know what that mean's, but I've heard people from the UK say it and always wanted an excuse to say it :) )

All wrapped up and nicely packaged





Getting a little closer to the contents...just peeping out...




After all these years of waiting..just a bit more packaging...oh! Like a kid in a candy store I ripped it all out and examined each and every stone *sigh* Only one bead broke from the fancy rock crystal quartz, but that sucker was loaded with stones. One snapped top isn't going to make me sob with grief..now two maybe??

But this is the end result of all my waiting and wishing. The prices were fabulous and it didn't take very long at all to get them. I must say the quality is really good too. I hate not being able to pick and choose, but there were only minor inclusions in just a very few of the pink amethyst (but they sent me two strands instead of only one!)

My very own patron saint!

Seriously ...and her name is Donnamarie! But..I'll get to her later :)

So set up day was Thursday. It all went smoothly and I met my booth partner Michele of Tomboy Tools. I noticed the place smelled kind of funky...it is the Harrisburg Farm Show Complex afterall, so it was a sort of barnyard smell...GREAT! Swine flu...barnyard...pigs...swine flu. It should have been an omen for things to come...

Here I am all set up and ready to go friday morning.You can see how excited hubby is trying to hide in the fake trees of my neighbor.



















This is the view down my isle...and it pretty much looked like this all Friday!It was just vendors walking around buying and taste testing...lucky me I had a casino 2 doors down with a spinning wheel that made a lovely tick tick tick tick sound with each peg that was hit...joy...
















Here enters Donnamarie :) and the heavens opened up *enter angel chorus*
Everyone was so bored that we pretty much left our booths and wondered around. This is when she found my booth..and bought my favorite pair of london blue topaz and ruby earrings! Half way to paying my booth fee YAY!


















Saturday was supposed to be the big drawl, Jon and Kate minus the 8. Where Kate signed copies of their new book. It drew a whopping 1,000 people.
















...but, once again Donnamarie visited and made my day...TWICE!

Sunday, we had to be there early for a vendor meeting. Many vendors were calling the show coordinators and complaining of the poor attendance. I saw so many packing up saturday and leaving. Many more left sunday morning. They were sorry and apologized for the poor attendance, but had no idea why it was so poorly attended. If word got out how awful the farm shows food was, that could be one reason..bleck! The coordinators had no control over the food or the $8 parking fee 0_o
Sunday was the day Andrew Dan-Jumbo showed up..poor guy! He walked down my isle while I was packing up and said "hi" to me! AHHHHHHHH!























We packed up early because I was just exhausted and hubby ended up getting sick sunday morning.But not before Donnamarie visited and bought more and asked me to custom make her a pair of "Let them eat cake" earrings and wire wrap a stone for her :D

I only had one negative experience with a vendor on the other side of the curtain I guess thinking they had a dome of silence curtain...saying to a customer that "They were true artisans and silversmiths unlike the crafter wire wrappers" Not sure who she thought she was.. I left in the black..she was still in the red...guess it pays to be "just a crafter". I did make several sales besides Donnamarie and overall it was a great learning experience and I won't be so freaked out next time.


Thank you from the bottom of my heart Donnamarie for making my first show worthwhile!