Flowers for Friendship Wreath

I wrote my last post more than a month ago, and so many things have happened in the meantime... Contemporary Geometric Beadwork Vol. II is in the process of being printed and bundled right now, and it is very beautiful. I am so proud of my participation as a beader as well as a member of the Edit Team - I'm not of English mother tongue and haven't attended University, so this says a lot.

It is not that I could not go to university, it is just that I didn't know what I wanted, didn't know what to do... My mother died at that very crucial moment in my life where I had to make decisions and I decided to not make any decision. I simply started working as a telephonist - my English was good enough to get hired by an import-export office in Geneva and I wanted to leave my family's (father and brother's) appartment asap to have my own life. I regret not having decided to to go to France and learn to make perfume, which was something I had in mind before the world became upside down... Loosing your mother at 18 is ... indescribable.

But life goes how it has to go: on. I went on too, became a secretary - learned eveything on the job, and later, much later, I became an administrative assistant for the IUCN. My dream! to work to protect nature! I'm an animal lover and of course Terra lover.

In the meantime, the Internet had grown, and I became ill...But I had started beading. Beading helped me to not let illness bring me down and ... now I am part of the Edit Team of this amazing book! Wow!

I am now dedicating my time to get the book Diamond Weave out to the world. Writing, illustrating, beading and photography are what I'm most busy with. It's a huge job and I know nothing about editorial work except what I learned at the IUCN and from Kate and what I learned from her might not even be the 'correct' way to write a book, because she is not following specific rules either, but that's fine. In fact, it helps me because I somehow am the same. I follow my nose like I've always done and somehow things will work out right. I love what I'm doing.

Beading and the Internet are two things which impacted my life tremendously. In particular as a human being, psychologically and creatively. I am grateful for what I've learned and received. Planet Bead is my world, and I meet beaders from everywhere thanks to Facebook. Maybe one day my photophobia will heal and I will travel the world to meet them in reel.

Yesterday I learned that beaders in Kiev, Ukrain, are planning to make a Friendship's Wreath. This is to commemorate the victims of the Ukrainian conflict and of the Boeing777 desaster. The wreath will be exhibited in Kiev on exhibition "Golden hands of masters" 15-17 October 2014. Anna Bystrik is coordinating the project. I love this!

You too can participate and send (a) flower(s); here are the "rules", also posted on the Facebook Page of this Event:

1. Flower from beads can be any shape, any color and made in any technique. The only limitation - the diameter of not more than 7 cm
2. Finished flowers should be mailed to Anna (you can contact her via Facebook for her address, simply send her a personal message)
3. Finished pieces should be sent in such a way that before September 20, they are at her place for the assembling of the wreath.
4. The final destination of the wrath is to either be sold by auction. In this case, the money will be used for charitable purposes, or to be exposed in a museum.

What Ukrain needs most is peace, so I made Peace Lillies. They need the positive vibes.
The entire world needs more love. Love from the heart. Kindness.

BTW I created a Facebook page for Diamond Weave. I hope that you'll like it! There is not much to see there, but if you ask for updates from the page, you will receive the important info when it's posted.


I also finished a tutorial for a very lovely little pendant with exchangeable crystal stone, Trapezino, and it is in the hands of my wonderful proofreader.