Re-building from scratch

I have started beading almost exactly 10 years ago. Nine years ago I have opened my Etsy shop. Shortly after that I became a membership moderator of Etsy Beadweavers team and did that task for a bit more than a year. Blogged a lot. Won Fashion Colorworks contest once and became a finalist the year after that. And took home countless Swedish beading contests. Life was good.

Entered international beading teacher community and taught in bead fairs in Germany and Italy. Participated in Battle of Beadsmith for two years and both years lost to the contest winners in one of the earlier rounds.

My tutorials on Etsy were selling like butter and I did my best to stay atop of the game.
Taught beadweaving in Sweden. Really, a lot.

Had five personal exhibitions in art galleries.

And then cancer.

No contests for three years. No teaching. No new tutorials.
New beadweavers in Sweden do not recognize my name anymore. From thousands of views in my blog I am now down to a dozen.

Before the "Big C" I had some mild depressive episodes and anxiety issues. After getting diagnosed I became a mental wreck and all underlying mental issues bloomed up like a meadow in the spring.

Cudos to the Swedish medical care, though: the surgery was radical, my stage was early, and I was proclaimed cancer-free after the three years since my surgery.

Mental bit, though, is still a daily struggle, but I have an excellent doctor.

So, why do I write all this?
I am trying to re-build my beading life again, starting by reviving this blog.

Enough ranting, here come some pictures.
It took me three years to finish this piece.

I got those gorgeous ceramic cabs from a family company in Bulgaria, Skenderovy art. I met this lovely couple and their sweet daughter during my last fair in Hamburg, just a month before I got diagnosed. But the necklace has now been finished. It has no name. I like it and consider keeping for myself.

Let the pictures speak for themselves.

Nave a nice day, folks, and stay tuned - there will be more posts to come and more beadweaving and embroidery to see!

Big Hug,
Olga