One of my favorite parts of jewelry designing is shopping for new treasures to incorporate into my jewelry. Month after month I'm inspired by the artwork, architecture, and activity bustling around me in downtown Chicago. Inspiration can come from anywhere - the stained glass exhibit at Navy Pier, new spring flowers at my local flower shop, the funny way Violet (a two-year-old I babysit) chooses to layer my necklaces on herself as she plays dress-up.
Month after month, I fine-tune my ideas into styles I want to incorporate into my jewelry... then I finally get to shop. Every few months, massive wholesale gem and jewelry shows come to Chicago and neighboring cities selling all things jewelry related. They have a fabulous selection of fine jewelry (where I've splurged on a ring I love), but they also have booth after booth of wholesale strands of gemstones, pearls, gold and silver treasures, cheap plastic beads, vintage rings and broaches, thousands of styles of chains... I could go on forever. If you've seen it in Nordstrom, they have a way for you to make it. I thank God every time I go for my wholesale tax license! There are some shows open to the general public, but the really good ones need a tax ID.
I was recently spoiled with two weekends back-to-back of jewelry shows: Intergalactic Bead Show (one I've been going to for 12 years that also travels up and down the East Coast), and the Jewelry Fashion and Accessory Show. I'm blessed to have two good friends - Nicole and Anna - who live in my building and are unconditionally supportive of my growing jewelry business. They tagged along to both shows, which made shopping so much more fun! I feel like I can develop tunnel vision with some of my styles and designs, so it definitely helps to have a couple people to bounce ideas off of. My girlfriends got into the excitement and wound up buying several strands and pieces from both shows so they could put together some pieces of their own. I love inspiring new artists! Here's a bit of information on the shows I've been to since I've been in Chicago:
- Intergalactic Bead Show (www.beadshows.com) is expensive, even for a jewelry supply show. I've been going to this show for 12 years - it was my first introduction to the overwhelming world of touring jewelry supply shows. It used to have a huge presence and a lot of floor space, but it is slowly shrinking. It's definitely worth the trip if it is coming to your area, especially if you don't have any shows coming up and you need to get your hands on some new pieces... but it isn't worth spending a fortune at. I was extremely luck to find a new booth that I loved at this show last weekend which made the trip worth the drive: Adornments by Kathy Dokomos (www.adornments.com). Loved her soft, matte gold pieces! I'll definitely be ordering more - and she was so sweet and easy to work with! You can check out some of the bracelets I made with some of her pieces on my Etsy at: www.etsy.com/shop/landonlacey
- Transworld's Jewelry Fashion and Accessory Show (www.jfashow.com) may be a Chicago thing. It has more than just jewelry - scarves, perfume, shirts, etc. This show is more extensive than IBS as well as more affordable, but still isn't the best. They also have pre-made cash-and-carry jewelry that retail stores can purchase to incorporate immediately into their shop.
- International Gem and Jewelry Show (www.intergem.com) is the best I've found. They have an enormous selection of gemstones at rock-bottom prices, tons of styles of chain, and a beautiful selection of fine jewelry to drool over. They also have a section that is wholesale where you need a tax-ID to enter. I feel like a kid in a candy shop every time I walk in - it is overwhelming and exciting! Definitely takes two days and a glass of wine and slippers at the end of each day! Hopefully we'll road trip to this show when it comes to Columbus Ohio in a couple weeks!
Looking forward to finding some new treasures at the upcoming shows! Check them out as I incorporate them into some lines I'm developing!
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