Last day cleaning?

This morning I received 2 unexpected mails while cooking for tonight.
One was from Preciosa Ornela...amazing neon seed beads!

The other one was, well, one thing I didn't thought I would receive.
Remember my necklace beeh chosen by Nina Design as one of the Bead Soup winners?
Seems like after so many months my little price arrived...

So much generosity from our amazing hostess Lori Anderson, who provided basically everything except the silver Nina Design pendant. Thank you!
The post label says it was sent on april 1st...seriously! Do post office make last day of the year cleaning???! If so, I would love to have my necklace back!

In the meanwhile, here are some better shots of the necklace been published on Jewelry Affaire.
I am so proud!

First shot of the article!

The before shots

I guess we can close this year properly now.
I wish a sparkling new year to everybody!

A leopard cannot change its spots

Came back a few days ago to Italy, and imagine what was the first thing I did...
Of course. I bought beads.
I saw some amazing prices over at Laserbeads shop and decide to buy some stash.
It might be a boost for my creativity and an invitation to my fingers to get back at work after such a long pause.

I also bought a cd from ebay this morning, one which was impossible to find around and reminds me of happy moments in my past. I was so excited and happy to find it - and it was cheap as well.

I might receive them both around my birthday, so I thought it was a plausible excuse for me to spend some money. Not too much.
After all, a leopard cannot change its spots.

EBW Christmas

Christmas is almost there, but there is still plenty of time to make new decorations for your tree - and for yourself.
I'd like to show you what my fellow beadweavers (and myself) have to offer!
From me, you know I have a fixation with stars, so maybe you'll like my little penguin tutorial

you can have it on your tree or on your keys, it will bring a happy atmosphere! Also check his "friend" Santa here!

You can't miss this snowflake decoration tutorial from Crystalstargems

white, sparkly, and a bit edgy with its spike pendant.

Then let's have some gold with these cute bells and a pudding from Beadflowers,

who offers an amazing ebook to make these cuties.

Let's move to packaging with this gorgeous beaded box from Amethyst Ravenstar

I think the box alone is a wonderful present, perfect  to put your preciouses in a special place, or can be used as central piece on your Christmas table.

Let's talk about outfits. You should really wear something red on Christmas, especially if it is as festive as this amazing piece from Maewa

or this from Beauty Glamour Luba

Complete the look with some easy but beautiful earrings from Olga Terranova's tut

which you could also make as gift for your besties.
Did you get any good idea???
I hope so!
Check all the amazing items under EBW on Etsy to see more beauties!

Published and lost

This will be long and boring, but I had patience enough and deserve to steam off a little.
Let me start by saying how deeply I respect the work of anybody and that I am always extremely polite when addressing people, no matter what. I know what it means to work in customers care, and I would never be a nasty, angry, rude customer.

Last June I was contacted by a magazine to publish my Red Lady necklace in an article related to the amazing Bead Soup.

I was so happy! Couldn't believe it!
I didn't want to part from my necklace, but I was going to leave in a couple of days and didn't have time to take proper pictures as they wanted. So I sent it.
I didn't receive any news from them for almost 2 months, as they went on vacation in august. I was kind of resigned that my necklace was lost, but nope: it had arrived safely!
The magazine was due on 5th october and I couldn't wait to receive my copy.
I was sent an e-mail that I had actually been published (yeah!!!) and I was going to receive a copy and my necklace in my hands within a couple of weeks.

Weeks passed by and no sign of any package behind my door.
I wrote to the magazine and was answered, after 6 days, that the necklace had been sent to my address...I look at it and it says n.16 instead of 14...
What? SERIOUSLY??!?!?

Rules are you need to write down your address almost everywhere, on the box, envelope, on a card tied to the piece of jewelry. No way I could have written 16 in any of these places.

Also, it was too late to go nextdoor (that's where n.16 was) and ask to people if they could pay attention to any mail they would receive with my name on. It was already lost or going back to the magazine.
Well, after one more month I can say it never went back to the magazine.

The nasty thing is, the mail wasn't trackable since day one, when it still was in the USA. Tracking number didn't work - I don't know why, they didn't know why.
They left me with promises of sorting things out for me, but they obviously didn't.

How should I feel now???
Devastated. Especially because the raw materials were a precious gift from what has become a dear friend.
So I only have 2 pics of the magazine, my BF took them yesterday night with his phone so you need quite a lot of imagination....

Looks gorgeous and can't wait to have in my hands.
It's a bittersweet triumph for me.
I am thankful for being published but I am so sad now. And I miss my beads so much.

EBW december challenge: "Out of this World"

This month we have a very sci-fi challenge from the Etsy Beadweavers Team.

Out of this World:
"In this theme, I ask you to be inspired by things that are “out of this world”. Whether you choose to explore elements of science fiction/fantasy or real world celestial bodies, the only requirement is that you let your imagination run wild and “aim for the stars”.

Extremely cool, right?!!
Go on our team blog and cast your vote, you have time to think about it and spread the word until the 16th as usual!

Hi from Austria

Just a super quick hello from Innsbruck, Austria.
I am so happy to be here, I am already working as au-pair and will start German school the 16th.
They say school never ends, and it is so true, school has indeed started so many times for me again and again!
It's nice to have a new challenge to face but also a bit scary.

The view from where I live now is breathtaking, you can see the whole city and you have white mountains behind you, and the wood on the other side.

So different.

I am taking a sabbatic period from beads, I wouldn't have the time anyway, but I did bring some of my pieces with me so the shop is still running, and who knows - maybe I'll sell something.
Wish me luck guys!!!