Some SERIOUS Treasures......

Yesterday I was helping out the woman that is the head of the Maine Poodle Resuce Organization - we were working on some computer things and during one of our breaks, she showed me her "treasure chest" of pieces she acquired while in Africa. She lived and worked there for a dozen or so years and loved to go to the markets - where she bought items made, most of the time, by the artists right there at the market. Her treasure chest is one to be envied......and I had a great time looking at everything and hearing the stories behind the pieces. I was overjoyed and humbled when she offered me some pieces.........I could hardly believe my great fortune.

This is a necklace of some stone - perhaps white quartz, with an amber bead, brass wire and brass clasp.

This is a string of small copper beads and a necklace which is made entirely of silver jump rings.
Some really gorgeous malachite beads.

A necklace of clay beads.

Two stamped brass leaves, some brass bells and a brass spiral.

Some really interesting blue beads - they are really lightweight - I am not sure what they are made of.

A beaded choker.

An amazing multi-strand necklace - looks like seed pods, some wooden animal charms, what appear to be wooden tubes and some brass beads - that was made, then dipped to tint it green.

Some amazingly HUGE amber beads - I am not sure if it's what is called Moroccan amber or copal amber, but it's really beautiful.