Well folks..today is the day!
July 30th, 2018…and my first designed bead is launched.
Almost a year ago I sat in my living room reading the post John Bead had posted
about a contest to create a new bead. I remember thinking..ha! I know nothing
about designing a bead. I remember closing that post and walking away thinking
it’s not something I can do and yet right days before the deadline I thought
why not just try…you have nothing to lose.
Sitting with my sketchbook I thought about all the new shapes and sizes…and I
thought…hmmm why can’t there be a bead with a simple shape…that shows off its
color and design in a perfect piece of jewelry.
I thought about all the shapes I’ve enjoyed working with. I wanted a curvy sexy
bead…one that makes a piece some together quickly. One that could be used by
anyone to give their designs a splash of color.
I sat with my sketchbook all day….then circled the ones I liked.
I took to the computer to look up the shapes…and many had been done before…but
one shape stuck out.
I took foam core from the Dollar Store and cut out the shape…I wanted to see
how the beads would go together in a design. Where the holes would go. Would it
work.
I looked at the Questions asked of me on the entry form.
Size?
How do I pick a size knowing nothing about designing a bead?
I’m a designer…I know what I like…a slightly bigger bead.
Why not make a slightly bigger bead than everyone else and show of the shape
and color.
So that’s what I did.
Fast forward to almost a year later…I have nearly 15 designs that have come
together quickly with my new bead.
It’s a pretty bead…full of color…gorgeous shape..looks great in designs…full of
endless possibilities.
I’m pretty darn proud…of myself…of my bead….of the fact that a year ago I
didn’t give up because I had nothing to lose.
The feedback has been great!
Especially when it comes from Executives from a world famous bead company who
take photos of your designs and tells you that you have a great eye for design
and color. I think I glowed all day after that!
My designs are a hit with everyone who sees them.
You might say I’m in love with my very first bead.
I hope you love working with them…and designing beautiful things.
This bead was made for you.
Well here it is June 21st 2017 and I
just resigned.
I know what your thinking….because I was
thinking the same thing. WHAT!
26 years..Corporate Media
Receptionist Extraordinaire….the past 5 years having been in the same
position but outsourced to a miserable company who’s management team had no
clue how to treat their staff or how to cope with a First Generation
Outsourcing.
It was the worst 5 years of my life.
It’s been 5 years, 8 managers, lies,
threats, under managed, micromanaged Hell!
But the real reason I quit was because my
health was suffering and I knew in my heart I could not return to Hell!
My symptoms started by surprise one Friday
afternoon, middle of summer. I got up from my desk and felt like I was going to
pass out right there.
This started 3 medical leaves, numerous
Dr’s, MRI’s, CT scans, Blood work..Neurologist’s, Anxiety meds ( which I only
took a few times because I felt worse taking them) Hospital Emergency Visits
and so much more!
All this and not one test or person could
tell me what was happening to me.
There were days I felt like someone was going
to commit me…..because unless its a visible black and white symptom..no one
takes you seriously.
I couldn’t walk or go anywhere because I was
so dizzy all the time. I was so scared I was going to pass out at any
minute.
A tiny bit of relief came in the form of a
very wonderful Chiropractor Dr. Ayla Azad. She
knew it had something to do with my neck muscles but we could not pin point it.
Nor did anyone believe her diagnose. Which
became so frustrating because I knew how I felt and after every visit I felt a
tiny bit better.
On a 6 month dental check up with a New
Dentist she asked if there were any health concerns. I broke down crying as I
told her what was going on with me on the inside. Because on the outside I held
it together every day! No one really knew what I was going through and how I
felt off balance and nauseous from the time I woke up until I went to bed.
My dentist told me to tell my Dr…that I need
to see a Maxillofacial Specialist. That took 8 months to get in to see
him.
It took him less than 1 hour to have me
diagnosed. And as he told me what was going on I sat with tears and
tissue…almost 4 years of worrying every day and wondering what was really wrong
with me. And he knew.
So it appears that my 26 years of doing a
job I loved everyday had taken its toll.
I was diagnosed…no real name for it but it
can fall under SCM Syndrome. It appears that the repetitive motion that I had
done for 26 years had enlarged the muscles on the left side of my head so much
that they were pressing against my arteries and nerves causing the dizziness
and passing out feelings. No joke…I really could have passed out. The nature of
my job…many and often complaint calls for the Telecommunications Company I worked
for combined kept me in a high level of tension and stress daily. His
words to me that day were…young lady you need to seriously think about quitting
this job. He told me if he could put me on a beach for 6 months stress
free I would be so much better. And he was right. As the months went by on my
medical leave with the help of the great team at Total
Rehab in Ajax I was starting to feel more
and more like myself.
Then came the end of my Short Term Medical
leave. Still not 100% better…thinking I might have to go back to work I met
with my specialist and asked “so where do we go from here”. He said
“Ideally” you should quit because the fight for Long Term and seeing
their Dr will probably send you right back to work and undo everything you have
just done to feel better.
So that meeting left me with alot to think
about. I talked to my husband…looked at the numbers and decided I really did
not want to take a step back and go through what I had already gone through. I was
done! Done with non believing Health Insurance Reps…done with the bullying at
work and a job where no one cared about me…done with the 3 hours of
commuting a day.
I had to break the pattern for me. I
had to get off the Hamster Wheel.
So here we are coming up to a year
later…feeling better than I have felt in ages. Doing more…going places.
Leaning to live with the small set backs of pain and dizziness. I even have a
new part time job. I spend my free time creating beautiful pieces of jewelry. Designing
makes me happy…having people love it and wear it makes my soul smile…and most
of all it makes me forget the 5 years of Hell that I’ve been though.
Does the dizziness go away…for the most part
it does.
I’ve learned how to deal with the flare ups.
Will I live with it forever….probably but
I’ve learned that relaxation and creativity take my mind off of it and I
get lost in the beauty of beads.
A
few months ago I noticed a facebook post from John Bead
Corp Inc. about a Creative contest they were
having to design a new bead.
This
would be a first for Canada’s Largest Bead Wholesale Company, to have their
very own bead.
I
read it.. absorbed it and sort of went Meh!…I really don’t know anything about
designing a bead.
I
walked away from the computer.
It
sort of bothered me for weeks. Nagged away at me a little. Then suddenly
my voice of reason (usually my husband) said what do you have to lose Lena?
And
really what did I have to lose…not a darn thing.
So
I sat with my sketchbook doodling ideas for the entire day…when I came across a
pattern I sort of liked.
I
drew it out…loved the shape and then took to the internet to see if that shape
existed anywhere in the great big World of bead shapes. While there were some
similar…none stood out the way I knew this one would.
Being
a crazy visual person I cut the shape much larger than it would be out of foam
core and began to play with the pieces to see just how the pieces could come
together…where the holes could be and the best way to fit the beads together.
I
drew finished pieces in my sketchbook and was pleased with the design..simple
but elegant.
I
read the rules… Followed the instructions……took the photos …took a deep breath
and hit SEND!. I had submitted all the photos and info they required. It was
done. I took my chance!
A
few months later I received an email asking me to come to the John
Bead Corp Inc. Head Office to meet with the VP
and their new Director of Marketing to discuss my vision for the bead I
created.
Was
I nervous?…surprisingly not at all…. I had faith in my simple but elegant bead
design.
The
Presentation went well and I left with a really good feeling.
On
November 6th 2017 nearly 5 months after I had submitted my design, I
received the email Congratulating me. John Bead Corp Inc. had chosen my design over the many entries and their Next
Great Bead was picked!
I
can’t even begin to explain the feeling or excitement I felt. I wanted to yell
it from the roof tops.
Instead
I messaged friends and family and once John
Bead made it official I told the world on
social Media
What’s
next…the fun of course.
I
get to see and follow the process of my design of a bead on paper coming to
life and in a multitude of colors..
While
I won a prize pack by finishing in first place which will include plenty of
hard work and a bit of travel on my part, just knowing I have designed a bead
that will be used around the world by other fabulous Artisans and
Designers to create works of beauty and adornment that will make your soul sing
is …………..priceless.
Oh
the thrill of being asked to design my Beaded Flowers and Butterflies for a
John Bead Corp Inc. Magazine advertisement appearing in the June issues of many
Bead Magazines
The
creative director at John Bead Fernando DaSilva has commissioned me to design
several Beaded Butterflies and Flowers using Preciosa Czech seed beads for a
John Bead Corp Inc. advertisement in some of the major Beading Magazines around
the world.
Fernando
has a vision using real tree branches to feature the Butterflies and Flowers I
created.
The
Advertisement turned out fabulous and was featured in the June 2016 issues of
Bead and Button and Beadworks Magazines.
It
was also featured in 2 UK Beading Magazines as well as the Canadian Magazine
Perles et Cetera.
The Advertisement looks fabulous and features
my pieces beautifully.
