It’s that time of year again! Tucson is inundated with bead people, gem lovers, sellers and buyers, for the Tucson Gem and Bead and Fossil Show. There are at least 50 different shows going on over a two week period in the beginning of February. I used to sell my handmade beads at the Best Bead Show, which is the show most of the lampwork bead makers show at. If you go to Tucson to buy supplies I’d go to the Best Bead Show first. The scope of the whole Tucson experience can be very overwhelming so take your time, map your destinations out, and most importantly, have a good time. Some shows are wholesale only so be aware of that too. Happy Bead Shopping!!
Have you read?
Book Review: The Festival of Lights
As if Diwali weren’t colorful and fun enough, The Festival of Lights: A Lift-the-flap Diwali Celebration by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Darshika Varm, makes it even more fun to read about with flaps and things to lift and pull to see more information or details in the illustrations.
The book is a story about a family getting ready for Diwali and what happens on the different days of the five-day celebration. There’s cleaning, shopping, crafting, food preparation and getting the home altar ready for the big day.
It covers decorating the outside of the house with rangoli, diyas and lanterns, buying sweets to share with family and friends, the sights and scents of the mandir (home temple), getting dressed up in new fancy clothes, the story of Diwali and celebrations with relatives.
Flaps (there are more than 140 in all) give you vocabulary words for different foods and definitions, as well as fun things like what’s inside the shopping basket or where the cat is hanging out. They also help illuminate the story of Diwali, which is the triumph of good over evil as Lord Ram defeated the demon Ravana to save his wife, Sita.
This pretty and colorful book helps kids understand what Diwali is and how it is celebrated, regardless of whether they practice it at home. This would be a nice book to keep in a classroom (it’s rated for kids ages 3-7) or to have at home to teach kids about Diwali even if it’s not something you celebrate. Where I live there are a lot of people from India so we are probably exposed to Diwali more than some other regions of America, but it’s a nice holiday to know about wherever you live.
Combine with the book Diwali and check out some fun lantern crafts and printables for kids to round out your experience.
About the book: 24 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail prices $22.99.