Mouna Marini

Imperial Garden
Meet the Designer-Artist


Where do you live?
I live and travel in several countries, actually I live in Cayenne, French Guiana--near the Amazonia Forest--such an inspirational source...

Describe your artistic style.
I am an embroidered jewellery maniac--A beader who found her creative voice in bead embroidery, I have been focused on fashion for several years, and have tried to combine the 2 arts and techniques in one. I design jewellery with a fashion code.

What inspires you as a designer-artist?
My inspiration comes from everything: nature, history, art painting , colors, shine, people, cultures, multi-ethnic styles, and more...

What materials do you most enjoy working with?
I really love to work with crystal combined with natural gemstone beads and cabochons.

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

What inspired this design?
The historical gardens of the Bonaparte Empire and his elegant wife, the Princess Joséphine.

How did it come together? For example, did you plan it out or did it define itself once you began working?
For this design there was no plan, I just followed my inspiration and intuition.

Share Your Background


When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
About 9 years ago, my family and I were living in Conakry Guinea, West Africa, and I made a fashion collection where I included African fabrics with African beads, made with woods and cow bones. Since this artistic experience I started to think about the idea to create a unique jewellery design.

Who introduced you to beading?
My curiosity, many searches on the internet and many books of talented bead artists with several techniques.

Do you have an artistic background?
I have loved to design since I was a small child, painting, quilting, but embroidered jewelry has become my passion! And took me a lot of time. Designing gives me such happiness and serenity.

How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®?
In some blogs, Bead and Button magazines, Facebook, I really like the variety, and the high quality of the materials.

What other hobbies do you have?
Quilting and painting.

Beading Success


What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
Designing, for me it's a second nature, it gives me a such positive feeling and instinctual energies, harmony with beautiful things around me and good vibes, beading made part of meditation moments.

If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
I made many exhibitions in several countries for good causes, then I started my blog, and now I open my first shop on Etsy, www.etsy.com/shop/beadsofaquarius.

Do you participate in any charity fundraisers?
Yes! Many good causes in Africa and in the Indian Ocean Islands, all the proceeds of my jewellery design sales goes to the children charity programs.

Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
Always keep learning, open your eyes to the world and the beautiful things, and keep trying.