We went back 
…in my defense, I had a deficit of heishi in my wardrobe! And the spiny my husband got for himself 
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At first I wasn’t even sure they were turquoise. He seems to work mostly with Kingman and Ithaca Peak. Thanks for asking!
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Love these, and they will work well together. Isn’t Lita a lovely lady?
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I understand; I often feel a bit the same about the Indian Market. But we will have fun hanging out next month!
It really is nice having something out our way, and I think I would be overwhelmed with the crowds. The museum here is the perfect setting.
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What a fabulous weekend! Beautiful weather and wonderful company made it a memorable one! It was an absolute pleasure to finally meet @chicfarmer, @tepowell, and their wonderful husbands! I was able to say hello to @Ziacat, although I’d have liked to have had more time with her. Catching up with @TAH, his lovely family, and spending time with my own that I had in tow, I found it tough to keep up with everyone. 
It’s no surprise that you ladies picked some of the most lovely jewelry available. Lita Atencio’s work is off the charts. My friend loves her multi-strand, and she wears it with pride. Congrats to everyone that brought some of her beautiful work home.
Mary Tafoya won the Helen Cox Kersting Award for Bird of Paradise. I know her work is adored by many here, and it was great seeing her recognized. 
I’d wanted to see a couple Navajo I’d met last year to look at their weavings, but they weren’t in attendance. All I left the market with was a full heart and fond memories. It was sure great to see everyone and I’m wishful all had as enjoyable a time as I did, it was a real treat. 
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Like @Ravenscry stated, it was a wonderful weekend with (finally) beautiful weather. And I’m glad Aaron attached the picture of Mary’s winning necklace since I had forgotten to take one.
So… I’m proud of myself that I didn’t purchase a cuff! Didn’t even try any on, and thank you to the other Turquoise People for not tempting me to break my rule 
I FINALLY got my hummingbird! I made a beeline for Mary’s table to see if she had any. She had 2, and one was a pendant, yay! It came with a nice turquoise heishi necklace, but I actually like it better on this one that I already have (I can’t remember who made it, I got it years ago in the Eiteljorg gift shop).
I was also hoping to find some lightweight longish silver earrings, and I got these from Jimmy Harrison. So I guess now I’ll have to wear them with my Harrison Jim cuff 
One of the things I particularly was on the hunt for was a large ring. Milford Calamity had one I was crazy about, but it was too much money for my budget, and he had another that I really liked, but it didn’t look quite right on my finger. In one of the side rooms I found the booth of Leon and Valerie Martinez (L&V Native Designz). Oh my gosh, their jewelry was amazing, but pretty much out of my price range, until I found this wonderful silver ring. I love the heavy band with stamp work. I wasn’t familiar with them, and Valerie told me it was their first time at the Eiteljorg market. They have done collaboration work with Ralph Lauren (and @chicfarmer, he is a brother of Calvin Martinez).
Lastly, of course I had to buy something from Lita Atencio. This necklace caught my eye immediately, and I love the graduated size of the beads. The color also drew me, and Lita said it is natural Stormy Mountain turquoise. Lita’s daughter said her mom refers to these rounded beads as “Cheerios” It’s even a little longer than the necklace I bought last year from her.
I’m also going to share a couple paintings from the Museum collection. I don’t remember seeing this one before, but I love it.
And I am going to repost this GC one again just because 
@Ravenscry and @TAH did your friends and family find some goodies?
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A great selection of lovelies, @ziacat! What fun was had by all 
on to the southwest!
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@Ziacat Congrats on finding a hummingbird pendant by M Tafoya! It’s one of the prettiest of hers that I’ve seen. I just luv the colors! Very nice contemporary earrings - that twist makes them. Your new concho ring is a big winner in my book. Looks fabulous on your finger. Pretty Stormy Mountain bead necklace, too. An all around treasure trove.
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All these things are gorgeous! Love the hummer! And the earrings and strand are lovely.
But that RING is exceptional!!! 
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Thanks so much y’all!
@tepowell I see what you did with your avatar pic
@Patina, I had a feeling you would love the hummingbird. And I know you’re a ring person too, and I want to find some more, because a lot of mine either are too tight or irritate my fingers now.
@Stracci, the earrings were nice surprise because they’re quite light and they twirl a tiny bit when I wear them so they’re pretty cool looking. But yes, that ring! I almost walked away from their booth because the prices were too high for me, and then I saw it over in the corner. But don’t worry, I gave myself a budget so that I can still do some shopping out in New Mexico
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Oh my gosh, you should have seen the Milford Calamity ring. But it was just too expensive for me.
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Wow, is there any better shopping on the planet than shopping for NA jewelry!?
You got some really fun stuff. That hummingbird is perfect. My fave of all if your goodies is that ring. That a big wowzer piece! So, you actually managed to get out with no cuff! Lol
Glad to hear you all had fun!
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Hi Zia, my wife and daughter found pendants by Andy Marion. Both are set with Australian turquoise. Here is my wife’s pendant…
Our daughter also picked up this necklace from Sunrise Drum…
Of course, I put my money towards more important things…a Navajo Taco and Fry Bread.
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Nope, no better shopping at all, it is most definitely the best
Thank you, after finding the hummingbird the ring was the icing on the cake. And I’m not done with cuffs forever, just temporarily
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Both are beautiful, but I’m especially loving that necklace. And I’ve never heard of Australian turquoise, very interesting, but it makes sense since Australia has a lot of desert. I stopped by his booth a little bit, but it was always so crowded, and then there were too many cuffs to tempt me…
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Beautiful selections, Zia. I remembered you sharing that you were after a hummingbird by Mary, and I was glad to see you get your hands on one. Your new ring has got quite a few elements that remind me of buckles and conchos. 
The Lita “cheerio” necklace is awesome. The graduation and separation of the cheerios is so pleasing. Those Jimmy Harrison earrings are very classy; I bet they’re comfortable and look amazing on.
As always, you managed to select beautiful and unique examples of precisely what you were after. What success!
The GC painting gets me every time, and that Ed Mell is incredible. I went to admire one of my favorite works in the permanent collection, Secrets of the Dark Forest by Robert Griffing…
…and saw that it had been swapped out for the Ed Mell. Later, I wondered if Ed’s painting was a new acquisition for them, but I neglected to take a photo of the info card. 
Thank you for sharing it!
Oh did they ever, but the nieces were the ones who made out like bandits!
I was enthralled with some photography by Navajo Eugene Tapahe, but didn’t pull the trigger on anything.
I don’t think any of the family I was with ended up buying anything for themselves. It was just such a great time seeing and being with everyone.
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@TAH Andy Marion! What a nice guy he is. My husband bought a cuff from him several years ago at SF Indian Market.
And @Ravenscry Robert Griffing! He’s from my neck of the woods where I grew up in PA. His paintings of Eastern Woodland Indians are breathtaking.
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They certainly are! I’ve often thought his portrayals of colonial contact and Woodland Indians is the Eastern equivalent of Ray Swanson’s depictions of Navajo daily life. I just really admire his work.
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Thoroughly love your ring and Lita beads. We all did well!
I have to thank you for showing up with your stellar, memorable, not-foolin’-around Harrison Jim cuff. It wears so gorgeously on you that, after some consideration, I’m permitting it to stay in Indiana.
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Thank you!!
Your new ring has got quite a few elements that remind me of buckles and conchos.
You know I never even noticed that, but it does! You’re welcome to borrow it sometime to wear with your belts When I bought it I was trying to figure out what it was reminding me of, and then I realized it was my Derek Gordon cuff.
Oh, I didn’t remember what the Ed Mell painting replaced, it’s kind of too bad; I also enjoy the one you posted. I just knew I hadn’t seen it before, and I was mesmerized by it. And of course I sat in front of the GC painting for a while, pinching myself that I’m going to be out there for real very soon.
It’s fun that your nieces were there. I used to go there with my mom and one of my nieces (I’m actually closer in age to her than I was her dad, my brother) many years ago, and even though my niece hasn’t come for a while, she had me pick up a necklace for her a couple years ago.
I’ve been reading in the turquoise books that I bought about how the heishi and beads are one of the oldest forms of Native American jewelry, so I’m appreciating those even more.
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