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My name was my grandmother's idea. She wanted something special for me, so this is the reason why I'm walking through life as Cleopatra. My grandma is also a person who lit my love to crafts. Thanks to her I learned sewing, knitting and crocheting when I was a little girl. Over the years, my inclination towards things made with my own hands has taken various forms: I knitted pieces of clothes, created decorations, mainly made items based on needle- and threadwork.

Although college and high school years were the years of learning subjects like mathematics, economics, statistics, etc., the artistic part of me continued to wait for the right time to get activated. After many years I met my "One and Only" and got married in August 2004. Since then, my way in life (not alone any more) has kept going as Cleopatra Cosulet; we live in Bucharest, Romania.

After another few years (in July 2009), a little and beloved Maya came to this world and into our lives. Our family grew up, and we have discovered and experienced ways to be the parents our daughter needs. At this stage of my life, about three years ago something happened. My little sweetie broke her wooden bead necklace and all that colorful rounds ended up in the welcoming sand. Well, it was a catastrophe! Therefore, that was the moment I thought for the very first time to try making more durable accessories for her by myself.

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This was the beginning. The first step. Followed by others. And others. And many, many others... I started "thinking crafty" about almost everything. I've discovered different materials that can be used: beads, gems, wire, cotton thread, leather, buttons, and even plastic bottles. And I learned different techniques: stitching, embroidering, wirewrapping, crocheting.

I've been doing that slowly, with curiosity and patience. Looking for my own way, trying to be myself every time. I love working with colors. And beadweaving. And embroidery. And crochet. And recycle. And also wirework. And I also love to express myself freely and without being stopped by rules. Maybe that's the reason why you may like my work or you may not.

I've enrolled into several Romanian craft groups, where people like me could exchange their opinion about each others work. I liked this personal creative environment. I've participated in challenges because they allow to develop my skills. There were contests organized in Romania which encouraged the participants to create their beadworks using a specific technique. They helped me find the courage to approach fearlessly many things.

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I learned to combine materials and techniques making one item. And someday, a contest jury found my work worth to get a prize: the Silver Flow Purse - March, 2012. It was the fuel I needed to move forward. I realized then that I might have something special to share with other beadweavers, and my hobby turned into a great and growing passion.

Other challenges has come, and I entered them all. Some of the creations that submitted were awarded: Silver Romance (detachable collar/necklace) - April, 2012; Crystal Flight (beadwoven necklace and ring) - April, 2012; Leatherish (bracelet and necklace for man) - January, 2013; Silver Dance (beadwoven bracelet and earrings) - February, 2013 ; Fall's falling parts (bead embroidery necklace - my first item in this technique) - February, 2013; Playin' Chess (necklace) - March, 2013. Between all these contests, my other jewelry related passion, recycling was a part of a telecast. The "Plastic Ballad" bracelet was filmed during its entire making process and appeared in a television broadcast in January, 2013.

Then a great event began... Battle of the BeadSmith 2013! It was that specific point in my life when I realized that EVERYTHING is possible. And I discovered new ways to express myself. And I realized for the first time that what I do can overcome geographical boundaries. It was my first contact with the outer bead world. "NeverLand", the almost flying necklace was born...

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My first attempt to enter the great and beautiful family of artists brought another challenge into my creativity: 3D beadworks. I try to move things from flat into three-dimensional and reach the feeling of movement if possible. I also love strange shapes and free-form. And the symmetry. In my case, everything I bring to the real world is a statement - about something I think of or something I have already seen and about my feelings. About the world seen with my eyes.

In general, the Battle was such a great experience; the most important thing I have learned is to believe in myself. That's the reason why I decided to continue participating in other challenges, and I entered the monthly challenge of the Etsy Beadweavers Team (I'm a proud member of it).

The UniversAll Necklace was created especially for the EBWT December 2013 challenge, "Out of this World." The Alive Bracelet was made for the Etsy Beadweavers November 2013 challenge, "Picture Postcard Palette." The NightFlight Necklace was one of the finalists in the Swarovski Jewelry Contest 2014 organized by Fire Mountain Gems; the BloomIN Necklace was juried into the final of the Bead Dreams 2014. And now I'm again one of the Battle of the BeadSmith team members.

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In the meantime, small pieces come out from my hands, and fugitive ideas become real. Monthly, people come to my classes and some of them fell in love with this beautiful bead world as much as I used to do. Plans for future? So many! But they're going to be revealed at the right time! Promise! I'm always ready to play because I know I'm getting more aware about my strength with each step I take. I'm always ready to try new things. Because I know that's the way to improve my artistic language.

And I have my favorites, too! So many talented people surround me! And so many beautiful creations! I think it's the right time and place to confess that your special way to tell us stories about nature is the great example of perfection to which I tend with my everyday struggle. Hope to get there someday... (Thank you, Cleopatra! - Zoya Gutina)

I'm always looking for that specific way to tell something suggestive and significant. This goal requires many, many trials and experiments. And appropriate moments. And almost always - improvisation. Then, the creation begins living its own life... And when you finally get to the end after weeks or months, when you put aside the thread and needle, it's a great feeling to say, "It's me. It's a piece of me."

My gallery on MyLovelyBeads.com

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