I am alive!

Hi BEADERS & READERS!

Yes, I am still alive. And still beading.
Short summary: my old contract as a researcher has expired - they had no money to keep me - (because of this country's idiotic policy of employing scientists) - was at home for two months - got an exciting new job and a permanent position (screw the Swedish scientific employment policy once again) - my baby-boy (oldest) has started school - I AM HAPPY and BEADING. AGAIN. Finally.

Last year was VERY stormy, but I have survived. :) MANY things have happened. I started an education as a silversmith (besides having a house, husband, two kids, daytime job and a company to run). Here are couple of examples of me learning playing with metal:

Then, I got involved into the Battle of Beadsmith, got to the round two (and am very glad about it). 

I will blog about this shoe some time later. I hope :)

Then, I went to Hamburg Bead Fair and met some nice people, couple of my old fans (was great to meet you, guys!) and even couple of beading celebs - Melissa Grakowski, Zoya Gutina and Huib Petersen. 

At the same time, I had yet another personal exhibition,

finished some cool commissioned pieces,

and started collaboration with (read "could not keep away from buying from") Golem Studios. 

Anyhow, I hope to be back soon with more exciting stories and many more pictures!

HUGE hug, I missed your support!

/Olga

P.S. I have not checked my blog-connected e-mail for as long as I was away. Terribly sorry for not answering in time. 

Introducing BeadCrafty.com

Hi guys!

How are you today?

Today I wanted to tell you about BeadCrafty.com, a lovely web-shop located in the UK. As many of you know, having a beading blog pays back. Now and then many of us are getting requests from different companies/shops to review their products, test their service, etc. And we do so, gladly.

This time was no different. BeadCrafty has contacted me already before the Christmas, asking to write about them in exchange for their materials. Surely, I said yes! It was exactly at the time when I was writing a makramé tutorial for my beading class. So, naturally, I have immediately imagined a macramé project and picked beads and cords for it.

The webshop of BeadCrafty is easy to navigate. It is quite funky, refreshingly colorful and straight to the point. All beads are offered in small packs, which is perfect for people like myslef who is using tonns of different kinds of beads in the projects. Sometimes I find it expensive and unnecessary to buy a string of beads when you need just 5 or 10. If you are like me - this shop is for you! The package came just couple of days after ordering, safely and beautifully wrapped.

There were beads for two projects in my order. Both inspired by tropics: one was fuschsia-pink, and the other was aqua-teal. First was supposed to have this cool polymer bead as the focal, and the second would evolve around this paua-cab.

I got to work as soon as the beads have arrived, but blimey... The cord that I ordered did not fit the holes of the beads that I have ordered. This happens, right? It would only fit 8 mm agates and Swarovski crystals! Back to the drawing board. I thought I'd make a strung necklace. Soon I've realised that it was going to be boring. And not me. Then exhibition came, then Christmas orderes, then an "urgent" cooperation with the BeadSmith (which I will blog about a bit later), my camera went on strike... And the project was left behind. Until two days ago, when I got a very kind e-mail from BeadCrafty asking if I was still going to write the review.
OUPS! SORRY GUYS!!! :blushing:

So, I picked up the beads yesterday.
And from now on there will be just a very few words and many pictures.


I cut the necklace embryo and put it onto the foundation. Mind though - colour of the focal is WRONG in this light.


Totally unglamourously fixed it with scotch while stitching it to the foundation. Then scotch got removed.

After that, I added larger beads: agates, faux pearls, shell pearls and Swarovski, 3-12 mm in diameter (95% of beads are still from BeadCrafty!). At this point, I had to stop and go get kids from the daycare.

Now, these are fresh pictures of today's progress:

Yes, I cannot really live without seed beads. These are from my own stash (Jablonex).

Filling gaps between large beads with freeform peyote.

Adding texture and 3D-feel.


Well, there is circa 1/3 of the necklace left to be finished. Hope to get back to it next week - my weekend is going to be quite hectic.

All pictures were taken with my iPhone. MUCH better picks are promised: upon finishing the necklace will be taken for a real photo-session at my sister-in-law's.

Thank you BeadCrafty for patience. And wonderful beads. And this cool opportunity.

Disclamer: yes, I got beads in exchange for writing this review. No, I am not lying - their webshop IS good, at least in my humble opinion.

January back-log

Without too much talking, here are close-ups for some of my exhibition pieces.
Most of the pictures made by my sister in law, Margarita Judina.

First, the two with polymer clay focals:




And here the beaded ones:

Freshwater pearls, Swarovski, two different kind of agates and an Indian ruby (chunky, non-transparent, full of inclusions, but still a corundum ;) ). And 24K plated beads. Called this one Patricia.



"... I went down to the nut garden to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine had blossomed, the pomegranates were in bloom." ("Song of Songs")





HUGS, everyone!