Iryna Shlapakova

Where do you live?

I am originally from Belarus. Now I live in New Jersey.

What inspires you as a designer-artist?

Some of the inspirations are nature, semi-precious stones, art.

What medium do you work with mostly?

Mostly I do bead embroidery. I use seed beads, crystals, sequins, and semi-precious stones.

Why did you become enchanted with this style of jewelry-making?

I started beading 8 years ago when I saw a beaded bracelet on the Internet. Beading helps me to relax after busy hours in the operating room. I am a full time operating room nurse. I like that I can use different kind of beads and other materials in creating bead embroidered jewelry.

Where and how do you sell your jewelry?

I started to sell on Etsy 7 years ago, but also I created my own website 3 years ago.

What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?

Rose Romance

What inspired this design?

The inspiration for this necklace was a rose cross stitch pattern. I wanted to try and use it as a bead embroidery technique.

How did it come together?

I usually start with a center stone and pull out different beads and materials. As I work, I eliminate some materials. Mostly the center piece stone leads my design.