It has been exactly 3 years ago that my bead store was transferred to its new owners. It closed a 6-years long chapter in my life, and it wasn’t a simple decision. It wasn’t easy to see clear while fighting depression, and I couldn’t see the solution for a long time… I was working with a coach, and I still remember her warning: be prepared, that sometime in the future you will regret your decision. You will start to think “what, if”, and you will question the path you chose.
Did that moment come? I have to say, that this battle is still waiting for me in the future. Today I still think, that it was the right choice, made at the right time. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t miss anything from that part of my life! Besides of the feeling of finally having enough beads it’s the community I miss the most. My colleagues and our customers, too.
Getting together, inspiring each other and creating side-by-side is
something I miss very much!
Unfortunately there is no really good bead store with an active beading group here in Amsterdam. My friends often joke and say I should open one if I miss it so much, but even if the business was successful, on a personal level it would mean a step back towards never ending administration, studying laws and regulations and no time for actually creating.
Fortunately I have some ideas (more about it a bit later), and luckily the bead-world is also visiting me sometimes in Amsterdam! Living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world definitely has its advantages 😀
Steven, next time we are riding a bicycle!
Last March Steven Weiss from the Beadsmith visited me in Amsterdam. (And brought me some of the new goodies to play with 😀 The results are the designs with GemDuo beads and many more.) We strolled the narrow streets of Amsterdam, took pictures of the canals and talked everything bead-related.
Terka Drabkova in Amsterdam
I can’t believe the only picture about the two of us together was made when Terka was teaching me how to smoke a cigar 😀 (She has a surprisingly vast knowledge about the topic :D) Our friendship is the proof that Internet and social media can truly bring people together. We’ve met only twice in real life, however, she quickly became one of my closest bead-friends!
Lenka and her cabochons
If you are a regular visitor here, then probably you are familiar with my obsession with L2Studio cabochons. They are perfect for beading, and every one of them is a piece of art! Last year Lenka made several new collections (including Avocado, Holland and Crystal Turquoise). She flew to Amsterdam to discover its creative places and communities, and brought her cabochons, too. You can read about the weekend she spent in the city here.
Lenka was one of my customers in the bead shop. Besides her I got to spend some time with another beadshop-friend, Majka, too, but unfortunately we didn’t make any pictures 🙁 Majka, you have to come again!
A fellow Squaddie in Amsterdam!
The meeting with Susan Sassoon of ‘So Sassy‘ was definitely one of the loveliest. She had a half-day stopover in Amsterdam while travelling to a wedding abroad, and I got to spend some very nice time with her and her family. We met in front of the Anne Frank house, took a walk through Jordaan (my favourite neighbourhood) and had a slice of apple cake in a traditional ‘brown cafe’.
Masters of jewellery visiting
One of my favourite places in Amsterdam is the ‘Westergasfabriek’ and the Westerpark next to it. Originally it was a factory taking care of the gas supply of the city, but several years ago it was transformed into a creative place with artist shops, a cinema and some cafes and restaurants. One of the buildings is perfect for exhibitions. Every year it hosts the art jewellery fair ‘Sieraad‘, with jewellery makers showcasing their latest collections. Last year Cleopatra Cosulet was among the participants, too!
Cleopatra started to make jewellery from beads several years ago, and in the meanwhile she learnt traditional silversmithing techniques, which dominate her art now.
Isn’t it amazing, how thanks to beading we get to meet and make friends with so many talented, inspiring people?! Do you have a favourite memory of a meeting with a bead-friend? Share it with us in a comment 🙂
I enjoyed reading this post. I think you made the right decision at the time and should congratulate yourself for having the courage to do it. You have a huge following and people who admire your work. Keep it up.
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement, Phyllis! I don’t regret making the decision of leaving the shop, but sometimes (or often :D) it’s not easy to live the life I chose. However, any time I see a kind comment like yours, or see a finished jewel from a tutorial I made, I know that this is the right thing to do 🙂
I read with great pleasure this new entry. It brings to life past visits from the bead world, some of the visitors I already know, some others I am going to know through your story. Thank you for the very helpful Links!
I also found out more about you. I did not know you were the owner of a bead shop, I only knew that you are a great beader, a “connaisseur” and an artist with words as well. As I told you on a different occasion you are a WONDERFUL person inside and out and I admire you!
Dear Ileana, I am sorry for the late reply! I wrote you back last week, but somehow my answer disappeared 🙁 I would like to thank you for your kind words and for being here. This is the best part of being a member of the beading community!