Tucson Gem Show 2011 -- or Bust!


After many many years of making my own handmade jewelry, I am finally committed to making the journey to the Shangri-la of beads and stones... the (almost mythical) Tucson Gem Show!

This mass meeting of gem and lapidary shows from around the globe converges on Tucson Arizona every year in late January, early February. I'd love to hear stories and TIPS PLEASE from any beaders/jewelers out there who have gone to the show. How to get around? Where to stay? Which shows are not to be missed?

I'm looking forward to meeting fellow designers, meeting new supply vendors, and visiting the massive spreads of my current vendor friends.

Tips I've gathered so far:

1) Book lodging in advance. Well in advance. Many of the shows happen in local hotels and there is shuttle service between many of them.
2) Register as a wholesale seller in advance of the shows.
3) Have plenty of copies of your wholesale paperwork to show to vendors
4) Watch your belongings carefully! It's a big crowd with a lot of cash floating around -- and when there's cash, there's theft.
5) Bring a wheelie bag or other means of carrying your goodies around. There's lots of walking!
6) Remember the basics of visiting a gem show.

I'll keep posting on any updates or cool resources as I research more into the journey (can you say ROAD TRIP???). It's a *little* early to start planning, but I am determined to get there this time. Won't you join me?

best,
peggy

FAQ: Did you make the necklaces Rachel wears on Glee?


The girls on Glee have such signature style! Rachel Berry, played by Lea Michele, is preppy and pretty with dainty jewelry. Rachel recently wore a tiny gold star charm (she is sure she'll be a star someday). I did not make Rachel's delicate star charm necklace, but I do have a version of my own that you can wear and dream of stardom for yourself!

Star Charm Necklace, available in sterling silver and 14k gold-filled. It features a small puffed star charm (so cute!) suspended between fine chain.

Star Charm Necklace

I've added a new Tiny Star Charm Necklace for you to choose from! This delicate charm necklace is available in sterling silver or a gold-plated silver. It's also cute to stack more than one on a chain, if you'd like this option simply send me a message and I can set that up for you.

Tiny Star Charm


On the season premiere of Glee, Rachel wore a pretty initial charm "R". I have a teeny tiny initial necklace that has the same feel!

Looking for even more Glee-inspired jewelry? How about this simple Music Note Necklace? A perfect gift for a musician or music lover or Glee fan!

Once Rachel moved to the Big Apple, she started having a New York state of mind. Here is a cute Apple Charm like the one Rachel wears!
Tiny Apple Charm

I hope you enjoy these Rachel inspired necklaces. They are fun light charms that you can wear everyday.

xoxo
Peggy
Handmade Jewelry by Peggy Li

New Look for the Peggyli.com Website!


Hi all,

I'm so excited to announce a big changes to the Peggyli.com handmade jewelry website! I hope these changes make your shopping experience even better than before.

Here's what is different:

* A wider, more roomy page.
* Now you can "like" individual items, which will be posted to your Facebook feed!
* Item description and details are higher up on the page for easy reading.
* Bigger images to show you more detail of the jewelry.
* An accordian menu that opens on a click to make your browsing less overwhelming.

Let me know what you think and if there are any other new things you'd like to see. I'll be continuing to tweak the site to make shopping for handmade jewelry easier for you.

peggy

Should I Get My Ears Pierced?


As I've mentioned before, I don't have pierced ears. This year, however, I'm thinking of taking the plunge and getting them pierced. In some ways, I prefer earrings over necklaces -- they can be so much more expressive, since they can move with your body! (And who wouldn't want to wear some sparklers like Angie does, above?).

What are your memories of getting your ears pierced for the first time? Where did you go (should I go to Claire's)?

Peggy