The elegance of times past is captured in the Rococo necklace, whose tutorial I found in an old Russian beading book (published in 1999), written by Sergey Kalmykov.
He wrote he had seen the necklace in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg, and made later the tutorial for it.
I fell in love with the necklace at the first sight and decided to bead it.
It was made with some small changes, but the general design is the same.
It is great!
Only one "BUT"!
It doesn't match the clothes I wear :=((
I have to put on something like that :=)).....I have not!!!!!
In XVI-XVII centuries almost EVERY Russian woman, including tsarinas could bead and embroider with freshwater pearls!
Royal workshops created a wide range of luxurious pearl objects, often adding pearl embroidery to rich textiles. On many of the pieces, the designers used pearls to create floral designs and scroll-like patterns, with the pearls serving as borders.
I researched the ancient Russian pearlwork at the time of tsarina Irina Godunova (1557–1603), who was the wife of Tsar Feodor I Ivanovich (r. 1584-1589) and the sister of Tsar Boris Godunov (r. 1589-1605).
A lot of interesting things I found in historical documents, in particular in Ivan Zabelin's classic 1904 study "The History of the City of Moscow" and Fletcher’s treatise” Of the Russe Common Wealth” (1591).
Giles Fletcher, the Elderwas an ambassador to Russia to reestablish the treaty with tsar Feodor I in 1588.
The results of my investigation were summarized and E-published for the Russian beadworkers on one of the beading forums.
I think, it might be interesting for my blog readers and visitors, as well.
That’s why I have posted my E-publication here in order you could have a look at the beautiful pearlwork made 400 years ago.
Hutsuls inhabit areas situated between the south-east of those inhabited by the Boykos, down to the northern part of the Romanian segment of the Carpathians.
Traditional Hutsul culture is often represented by the colorful and intricate craftsmanship of their clothing, sculpture, architecture, woodworking, metalworking (especially in brass), rug weaving, pottery, and egg decorating (see pysanka).
But Hutsul embroidery and bead embroidery is something special, I’d like to focus on at the moment.
Anna Kibich, Cheboksary, Ukraine, posted some nice photos about Kosiv annual folk crafts festival the other day.
I am so impressed, that want everybody to have a look at the beauty made by talented people.
Earlier, a year ago, I saw photos taken in Sheshory village ....also Hutsul beadembroidered clothes
Gerdans or gardans are still very popular and they are getting even more popular, as every year on Ukraine's Independence day everybody puts emboidered clothes on including President Viktor Yuschenko.
First Lady of Ukraine, Kateryna Yushchenko is fond of ethnic style clothes and often wears them.
On April 28, 2009 I was in Orimattila, 26 km from Lahti, where I live, meeting talented textile crafts people and textile designers.
Marjut Piispanen on the photo above invited me to show them my beadwork and tell a bit more about my hobby.
I’d like to thank all of them for sooooo many questions they asked me about beading.
That kind of meetings are very important for developing beadwork craft in Finland.
I want to believe, that I'll see some of those nice women below again ..., shall we say in autumn, when I start teaching the basic beading techniques course in Lahti.
A cross pattée is also known as a "cross patty", "cross formée" or "cross formy" or in German "Tatzenkreuz".
It is a type of cross, that has arms which are narrow at the center, and broader at the perimeter. The name comes from the fact that the shape of each arm of the cross was thought to resemble a paw (French patte).
Finnish largest beading and jewelry making suppliers, Sinooperi, Helmiq and Helmimeri, made beaded jewelry makers more than happy offering them a huge selection of exotic bone, wood, seed, glass and semiprecious gemstone beads.
Nice lampwork beads handmade by glass artist Lea Swantz were in great favour.
The fair also allowed me to meet the general public and promote awareness of my beadwork.
It was a wonderful opportunity to encourage us, beadworkers, to get involved and recruit new craft people to our “family”.
I’d like to say a special “Thank You” to Marita Lempinen, who has done her best to attract peoples’ attention to beaded jewelry and excite interest in beading.
PS
The poster for the First Finnish Pearls & Beads Fair was designed by Liisa Tervinen.
Many thanks to Leena Salminen and Birgitta Lepistö, who shared pictures taken at the fair with me!!!!
I want to believe, that the second Finnish Bead Fair will turn into the First Finnish BeadShow :=))
I’d like you to initiate into creative beadwork of the “Freelance Artisans”, a group of talented Russian jewelry designers working with seed beads and gemstones, Galina Grebenschikova, Svetlana Serebryakova, Galina Borovaya, Olga Vetrova, Natalia Berezovskaya and Galina Barel, who have recently started a non-profit partnership to promote haute couture beaded jewelry, form delicate taste, style and fashion trend at Russian beaded jewelry market.
The second important goal of their partnership is to create a collection of exclusive jewelry for the customers of all sorts and ages, as well.
“Freelance Artisans” make jewelry using different beading techniques and stitches, but free form is dominating. If there is no known suitable method to reach the goal, they just invent something new on their own.
Why did they call themselves “Freelance Artisans”? Svetlana Serebryakova, an executive secretary of the fellowship answers this question as follows: “Because creativeness is always meant to be free and independent. If you stop the outflow of a stream, soon the last turns into a musty –muddy pond. When yoke turns down other work to make an artist available.
Seed beads are wonderful material nicely matching stones, leather, metal, shells ….we can put much more items into the list.
Beadwork doesn’t know limits and allows any forms and shapes. That’s why, we are creating experimenting and perpetrating. :-))”
We all met at the first international fashion accessories, home décor and beaded jewelry exhibition fair “GlassBeadExpo-2008” last December in Moscow.
I am looking forward for my next trip to Moscow to visit my friends, enjoy their latest creations and get a piece ofinspiration. The "Freelance Artisans" dynamically reply to shift of jewelry fashion enlarging their assortment with new items, it means, that I can learn about the top trends in jewelry and beading, as well.
You, my dear readers, don’t need to go to Moscow at all!
By courtesy of the "Freelance Artisans" we have an opportunity to visit their virtual gallery on website MyLovelyBeads.com right now.
I am full of hope, you‘ll get a bang out of their beaded jewelry!
Seeing is believing!
Nice photos taken by Ilia Ivanushkin will double your positive emotions! :=))
Vika, for short, holds a Certificate with Distinction from Nizhny NovgorodUniversity, where she obtained a Computer Programming Degree in 1988.
Having nurtured a passion for beading since 2000, after her ABC –pupil daughter had announced mum about a school beading course for children she was so eager to do and, which Vika had to participate in, my friend sustained that passion for over eight years.
Nowadays she is a very skilful beadworker teaching beading workshops to other intending beaders.
Victoria joined the Association of Nizhny Novgorod’s Applied and Decorative Arts and the Craft Gallery in 2004.
Her beadwork is exhibited at many regional and federal beaded jewelry shows.
I am looking forward for Zoya’s March newsletter issue, where there will be much more about Victoria Katamashvili and where we can see nice latest creations of hers.
The House of Boucheron, known worldwide as embodiment of luxury, style, prestige and class, celebrated its 150 -th anniversary last year.
Boucheron celebrated 150th anniversary with an exclusive worldwide travelling exhibition of the High Jewelry collection "Enchanting Boucheron" inspired by the seven muses of the House; each represents a fundamental characteristic of Boucheron: Audacious, Magic, Voluptuous, Mysterious, Dangerous, Curious and Gourmand.
Boucheron has become famous for taking inspiration from the natural world. You can find snakes, frogs, chameleons, dragonflies, owls, birds and cats, delicate flowers, shimmering raindrops, crashing waves and trembling leaves, ...
Ultra cool Brit Shaun Leane is the jeweler behind an important one-of-a-kind necklace for Boucheron, the latest collaboration in a succession of high profile partnerships sought by the luxury label to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Leane created a grand organic wrap around neckpiece—composed of white and caramel brown diamonds, sapphires, and rubies set in 18k gold—that took Boucheron artisans 1,600 hours to hand craft. The inspiration for his piece was the Countess of Castiglione, an aristocrat who secretly lived above the present Boucheron premises on Place Vendome during the 17th century. Known for her divine beauty, the Countess sadly shuttered her beauty from the world, becoming a recluse, only revealing her splendor under the blackness of night. Leane translated this poignant figure through the fleeting flower “Queen of the Night” whose buds only bloom at night. Hidden buttons open delicate black gold flowers, while 11 dark blue sapphire buds open to unleash dazzling white diamond and ruby flowers within. The Countess was said to have eyes that changed color from blue to violet, which Leane interpreted in a rare 15-carat pear-shaped color change sapphire (from lilac to midnight blue) concealed among the vines of the necklace. This special sapphire also can be worn separately as a single pendant. An inspiring wearable piece of art, this necklace effortlessly melds Leane’s darkly romantic style with the savior faire and heritage of Boucheron.
The symbol that represents the House of Boucheron over the years can be found in the archives since 1878. It is one of nature’s most provocative and perfect creatures - the serpent.
P S
Frederic Boucheron , who was born in the early 1800s, is the founder of the French jewelry house that shares his surname and is known only as Boucheron.
Since being founded in 1858, Boucheron has been responsible for the creation of a number of various jewelry and watch pieces. During his lifetime, Frederick Boucheron was considered to be a pioneer in the industry as he experimented with various metals and gems in order to create new and innovatively exquisite pieces. Among his most notable achievements were the experiments he performed on diamond engraving, which was the groundwork that led to the "nature" style of Art Nouveu in the 19th century that featured snake, dragonfly, and butterfly images as well as other animal figures of a symbolic nature. Boucheron has also been credited as being the first person to design the wristwatch, as it is known today.
Frederic Boucheron was also the first jeweler to open at the prestigious Parissquare of Place Vendome, which he did 25 years after founding Boucheron. Boucheron remains one of the most famous and respected French jewelry enterprises in the world. In addition, the jewelry house continues to be renown for its creativity and know-how.
By 1920, Boucheron had introduced the dangling earring to the world as well as the concept of white jewelry, which involved setting diamonds in platinum. He also designed crowns and other jewels for a number of queens and princesses.
In 1988, the jewelry house expanded to offer its own perfume. The perfume, which is recognized as being the first parfum bijou, was created in an attempt to capture the same craft and spirit that is used in each of the jewelry pieces the house creates. The perfume was such as success that the line was expanded in 2005 to include additional scents. Some of their most well known fragrances include Jaipur, Jaipur Saphir, Boucheron Pour Homme, Trouble, and Initial.
In 2000, the Gucci Group acquired Boucheron. Some of the more recent perfume releases that have taken place since this acquisition have included Trouble Eau Legere and Jaipur Homme Fraicheur in 2006 and Miss Boucheron in 2007. All of these scents are available through major department stores and online fragrance distributors.
I had a garden, which I kept With busy hands and tender care; And once, while carelessly I slept, Fanned softly by the drowsy air, A wild rose to my garden crept, And blossomed there.
O, sweet surprise. It seemed to me, Some fair hand, my heart to bless, Had brought it there, from wood or lee. It came unsought 'twas loved no less; I stooped and touched it tenderly, With soft caress.
I grew to love it passing well; While strange exotics, rich and rare, With heart of gold and crimson bell, Paid grudgingly for constant care, My wild rose, as in a woodland dell, Bloomed fresh and fair.
I watered not, I did not prune, I tied it not with cord or thong; Yet, morn by morn and noon by noon, Through days of summer, hot and long, And underneath the midnight moon, From branches strong
Hung clustered blossoms sweet and red; And day by day and week by week, I trod the path which toward it lead. Whate'er my mood. I did not speak, But close against bowed my head And pressed my cheek.
I think of it with sudden thrill. Now wide lands lie, deep water flows, Smiles many a vale, looms many a hill Between me and the garden-close; Yet fondly I remember still My sweet wild rose.
“Some of the most stylish jewelry is not to be taken or worn lightly,” Synthia Sliwa, the co-author of Jewelry Savvy writes in her article “Trend Watch: Statement Necklaces -The Weight of the Matter”
She is a certified image professional and the visionary who created Apprecia Fine Jewelry for full-figured women. She is also an avid collector of vintage costume jewelry. So, she knows the issue very well.
The July 2008 issue of In Style magazine features a representative sample of statement necklaces, from princess length, to a bib, to something resembling a full breast plate. In Style urges its readers to “keep the dress simple” when wearing these “walnut-size stones, windshield-wide sprays and enough gilded rope to tow in a tug.” I would add that earrings and all other jewelry needs to play a minor supporting role when there is so much emphasis on the torso.
For 2008 the statement necklace is oversized in all its proportions. It’s long and wide sometimes hung with huge dangling paste stones and charms. The necklace fills in the front of garment being worn, in some cases extending to the waistline and beyond. The statement necklace can be just one necklace or many different but complimentary ones combined.
Technically, it's costume jewelry as the metal is normally plated rather than precious metal and the gemstones are paste or crystal. Although this is costume jewelry that can come with a fine jewelry price tag.
This year's necklaces are also seen using feathers, leather and other non-tradtional jewelry components.
Bigger is definitely better, when it comes to your neck jewelry. New shapes, gorgeous colors, and complicated hardware have been pulled together to create powerhouse pieces.
The “Butterfly” earrings made of pearls, seed beads, mother-of- pearl chips and metal, were the most popular type of earrings women wore in the 18-th- 19-th centuries.
They were put on together with the best clothes based on the “sarafan” (a kind of a sleeveless dress) ensemble comprising an embroidered shirt, “sarafan”, belt, apron and jacket. This costume was especially typical of the northern and central regions penetrating with time into other parts of Russia where it ousted the local traditional dress. In the 18-th century it was already associated with the Russian national costume. The “sarafan” was a daily attribute of peasant womenfolk and urban women belonging to the merchant, petty-bourgeois and other sections of the populations.
As for the size of the earrings and the material they were made of (pearls or seed beads), so they were of dependence on the standard of living of the person who wore them.
Actually 2 pictures...one because of Sofia Loren herself and another one because of her necklace .
Italian actress, Sofia Loren was wearing very attractive jewels, $1.83 million worth white gold and diamond necklace, at the opening of Italian jewelry shop Damiani Jewelers' flagship store in Tokyo On March 6, 2008 .
Some time later my attention was attracted by silver crocheted necklace around Sharon Stone’s neck, she put on at the premiere of “I am because we are” , the material mom’s documentary on Malawi in Cannes this year.
The design of the both necklaces is almost the same, or ....
Are they really the twins? :=))
Recently I visited the beading blog of the Italian beader, Claudia, whose jewelry design I just adore and bumped into the photo of the beaded neck piece Paola Romanò, a Claudia's student, created after having been inspired by Sharon Stone’s silver crocheted necklaces.
It’s really SUPER!
I like it a lot!
It is neither from gold, no silver, but as beautiful and noble as those we can see around the necks of film stars!!!!!!
Why do the beaders, at least, in Europe know Mylene Farmer?
Of course she is, probably, the most famous and successful female singer in France right now. She has sold millions of records, thanks to hits like “Maman A Tort”, “On Est Tous Des Imbeciles”…and so on.
The answer is ... below :=))
Sarah Melyne has designed a wonderful necklace and called it after Mylene Farmer.
The necklace became very popular after Sarah had shared her tutorial with some French beaders, that from time to time I can see it on the covers of thick magazines.
Sarah's original necklaces
Now it seems to be difficult to find Sarah's tutorial on-line, but Corinne Muller gives a link to "Schwarzer Traum"necklace instruction
Another one is "Collares Ani", similar , but not the same.
My warmest congratulations to Josephine!
“Some of the most stylish jewelry is not to be taken or worn lightly,” Synthia Sliwa, the co-author of Jewelry Savvy writes in her article 
