About me

My story is a little …..

I was born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia and graduated from the University of Economic sciences with a master’s degree in Marketing Management and PR. Beside that “official working part” of my life, my hands have always been busy. I was sewing, weaving, knitting… even made some pieces of furniture for my apartment.

After 15 years of permanent stress and working more than 10 hours a day I left my fancy environment and I chose to live on a 45-feet sail boat to sail around the World with the Man-I-Love. I was in my mid 40’s and making that decision wasn’t easy, but I never regret. I could write much more about this subject, but then we would call it ‘a book’ not a short introduction of me and my work.
We left Europe crossed the Atlantic Ocean, sailed in the Caribbean for a few years, passed the Panama canal along the west coast of North America, stayed a little bit longer in Mexico, crossed the Pacific ocean and at this moment we are in French Polynesia.

How did I start?

On the Canary Islands I met a woman from Germany who showed me her own beaded jewelry. I was in love!! She showed me in two hours a basic stitch – peyote. After that I dragged my husband to all kind of craft stores, bought plastic beads and started. I spent weeks on the internet learning and made an enormous amount of pieces, destroyed them and made other ones. And then it was a time for real beads – glass beads! I was unstoppable :)

For me, it felt like a hidden creative button, what was waiting for a long time, was pressed again.
And my new passion, profession and a way to make my living were born!

About my creative process:

I don’t make drawings and most of the time I don’t know what I am going to make.

Beading - My creative explosion

The beginning is the most difficult part… I just start beading and then my brain and hands take over.
Shapes appears and disappears, a mix of techniques, all kind of beads and huge mess around me (my husband calls that “the creative explosion”) and suddenly in that process, it is clear to me what I am going to make. It is not only the result what I like but also the journey to it. When my new design is born, I have to make the tutorial. So I do it again and sometimes I ask myself the question: “Hee Woman, how did you do that?” :)

Inspiration?

I would say that most of the time the colors and shape of the beads are the source of my inspiration.

Inspiration I also get from the nature of, in our daily life we are very connected to the nature

It always surprise me when I see my finished piece of jewelry, how did I do that? I have so many ideas and definitely I don’t have enough time to make everything. That is especially frustrated in time when we are sailing, moving from one place/country to another… And that can last sometimes a few months. During the sailing I cannot bead. The movements of the boat are just too much :)

About my designs:

I don’t have a specific style. My designs are all different. You can find Victorian, modern and contemporary in my work and you can find all of them in just a one piece. I use a lot of purple and blue colors/shades. Of course, gold, silver and bronze go with it.

Favorite color/s:

Color matters. Everyone who knows my work noticed that all shades of purple are my colors. Purple is very rare in nature and maybe because of that I involve it in my creations. It is or my sub-conscious try to make some kind of balance in my mind. And yes, I like all shades of blue too, you know all that water around us did its job :)

Lately, pastel colors became interesting for me. The only problem I have with them is – how to take a good photo :)

Favorite beads or bead shapes:

They are all favorite and I love them deeply :) Only some beads I use more than others.

Favorite beading stitch:

I don’t have favorite beading stitch. I love them all especially when they “work for me” in creative moments.

The most popular design/pattern to date?

Maroon bracelet, Morning Glory pendant, Eau de Source pendant, Annelies bracelet and Super square earrings.

What next:

Well, beside new sailing adventures I have a lot of ideas about new designs. But, first I have to find out how to find time for all my triggers. And I gave up planning many years ago. I found out it’s not matching our cruising life :) Even on our boat card is written: “Plans are only guidelines to do something else” I prefer to live every day as a special day with a lot of beading in it.

What keeps me going?

My greatest incentives are coming from you, my customers. I love to see the photos of the jewelry you made using my tutorials. The best feedback I can get. That is something what tells me that I did a good job, my heart is full and I get the energy to continue. The way I make you happy, you make me happy. It’s a two-way road.

What beading has brought to my life?

It brought me an amazing group of beading friends all over the world, my creativity got a chance and it’s growing every day. Beading makes me calmer, it fulfills me and it gives me the possibility to sail around the world. Also, beading brought me pain in my neck and back and a couple of kilograms more :)