Journal entry for October 21, 2001

Today's summary: Back at the Renfair, and my niobium earcuff.

flyingcar and I went back to the Maryland Renaissance Festival today. If you want to read about my previous visit, it's in my September 30 journal entry.

The weather was much warmer this time around, altogether pleasant. We wandered around, commented upon all the different costumes, and so on. flyingcar took some pictures; if I can get copies, I'll post them here.

Then, I made a rather sentimental discovery.

To explain, let me first give a little background: A long time ago, 1993ish, I did my very first craft show at the University of Maryland. At that show, I took some of the jewelry I was selling and swapped it with another jeweler who was at the show, to get a niobium ear cuff. I still have that ear cuff, and it's always meant a lot to me as a souvenir of my first foray into the art-selling world. Also, the brightly colored niobium wire lent inspiration to my much more recent sculptures using niobium wire.

So, I was wearing that cuff to the Renaissance Fair today. One of the jewelers there was selling niobium jewelry, so of course I went to check it out. Just as I noticed that they had an ear cuff very similar to mine there, the lady behind the counter said, "Hey, isn't that our work?".

It turned out that these were the same couple of jewelers who swapped with me way back in 1993. She remembered me, too; she said she still has those square glass earrings I gave her. I was so thrilled, and I told them both that this ear cuff had always meant so much to me, and why.

At any rate, I have their business card now, and their website, http://www.sozra.com. I bought a new cuff similar to my previous one so I'd have a matched set, along with a gold one. Guess I'll keep a lookout for them next time I'm at the Renfair!