Is Rock a Textile Too?

Last weekend my friend and I went to the Rock Hound show and sale. We do this every couple of years and always come home with some kind of beads, rocks or trinkets that we can use in our artistic pursuits.  There are also some other friends of mine that I invariably run into at this event.  This year was no different. We walked in and the first thing we saw was this incredibly colorful display of strung beads. This picture hardly does it justice since my focus is unfortunately more than a little off!  But you get the idea!

From there we walked to each display and admired the work of the rock artists. These photos were a banquet table set up with each plate looking like food being served. My favorite were the cookies (no surprise there), and the steak.

This photo shows a rock that is found in this area, on the beach mostly, and is commonly known as Oyster River Flower stone, used. It can be stunningly beautiful when sliced open, and equally as beautiful just as it’s found. I’ve got some in my own collection!  This rock is a beautiful example of nature's art.....in fact ALL the rocks were!  Polished pebbles, polished slices, carved shapes, jewelery, beads.....all a testament to the beauty inside something that usually doesn't look too exciting at first glance......sort of like a lot of people!

This is one I found somewhat intriguing, although I can’t say beautiful. I just think it’s one of those formations that everyone would see a different shape or subject in when they view it. Interesting isn’t it?

And yes, I did come home with a couple of pieces I'm going to try tying into my textile art.  More on that later. 
You should know that my friend and I are rock and stone "hounds" too. We don’t slice or carve the rocks, but we have our collections of pet rocks that are placed in strategic locations in our gardens. Yesterday my husband and I went to his brother’s home where we had “stashed’ all my pet rocks before we listed our house for sale. I didn’t even want to take the chance of someone asking for any of my collection to stay with the house! They were found in local rivers, on the local beaches, and even two that I hauled all the way home from a trip to Alberta! They will show up in future pictures when they get strategically placed in my garden!