Friday, April 10, 2015







Take your hobby to a new level by exploring more ways on how to sell your handmade crafts. As an expatriate full time mom, I happened to realize that my beading passion is not just a way of getting my woes at bay. Living overseas away from relatives and friends I used to have , having a hobby handy inorder to achieve positive energies was my biggest discovery in life. Beading took me out of my depression and healed the loneliness I had felt over the years.

As a fulltime mom, I solely cared for my 2 small children several years ago. Being at home didn't stop me to pursue my hobby of creating jewelries in my free time . Beading was and even until now very therapeutic to my constantly troubled mind. As a self taught artist , creation of my jewelries done with great patience and self confidence yielded a good source of income and dragged me out of my hiding shell . I had built my self confidence to the extent that I started teaching people how to do the craft . In so doing, I also gained more knowledge from people I had met and  further exposed my designs to a broader audience .



I didn't realize at first that by wearing my beaded creations in company & welcome parties here in Singapore , such would be the start of my product display to a small community of people . Unknown clients immediately noticed my creations that they convinced me to make more so they could buy from me. I had given the idea no second  thoughts thinking I can create and sell at my own pace and time with a small start up capital . In fact,  I have nothing to loose. Given the time and patience to create in between house chores and babysitting. So I gave it a go despite of all the odds.

 My new found friends started to grow in number due to word of mouth regarding my designs spreading like wildfire . They offered to host parties in their homes where I can sell my stuffs during the day while my kids are in nursery school. It was a small venture I had stepped into - selling my stuffs which eventually led me to selling them in fairs, bazaars and later online thru ebay at http://stores.ebay.com.sg/mysecretcorner




 In 2003 a year after I started selling my creations in Singapore, I expanded  online by getting a domain and created my own website ~ WWW.MY-SECRET-CORNER.COM . A Facebook page where I link the blogs about my work , projects I did , design competitions I had won and up coming charity events involving the sale of my own designed handmade beaded jewelries.



Looking back to my once simple house bound full time mom life , I 'm now far more than happy to see for myself what I had become .. I was able to create a name for myself and my work . Not only here in Singapore but internationally as well.

 My final words I share to all of you ...

Never be afraid to pursue your passion ...
through thick and thin ...
 it would be your stepping stone ,
to the point where you can live your dream !



This Article Was Written By :



Florewela Dela Cruz Cornelis
Designer - Owner
https://www.facebook.com/MySECRETCorner
 Blog : http://taszel14.blogspot.com/
Shop : http://stores.ebay.com.sg/mysecretcorner

Wednesday, April 08, 2015




April 8, 2015 ~  It's now been a year since I last touched my paints and canvas . I miss painting but my arm gets stiff after a while and triggers the pain on my back. I just don't wanna force my damn back pain to appear suddenly again coz it's also had been quite a while since I had a major pain and how I am so relieved about it. Since last year, I had lessened the use of my computer as well to give more rest to my hand  all the way to my right arm suffering from the pins and needles from time to time. It's been a year since I had been away from my upper right back , right shoulder, right arm and neck pain and how I wish to stay this way from now on. How it feels so good to be Pain Free !

But, of course getting something sometimes means ... giving away something in return as well. My health is the one at risk everytime I paint coz I always put a lot of tension on my right hand when I concentrate hard as I move the brush. But I love painting as much as beading . For me, it's not just a hobby but a way of life . My hobby is always one of my life's biggest challenge. It always pushes me to do my best. On the other hand, it's my source of inner strenght that helps to entertain me during my downtimes and a kind of amulet keeping me away from stress and other mental problems by transforming my energies into positive things.

An old rusting kettle being given a new look in a painting class I had attended .
 The painting class was conducted by Ms. Orna Shachar in Perth, WA
I had just done the background color  for my project.
I had put some strawberries design on the side of the kettle.

The kettle with its new look after I had painted  it with Acrylic !

Oh well, I better decide what to do with this urge to paint again... I don't want my paints to dry for nothing and kept in the drawers for years. They should be used for what they are for ...

Below is a set of pictures of a painting I had done in Perth, Australia. I was given a picture to paint and being a new painter with no experience in painting at all, it was a big challenge I willingly accepted the challege to push myself more to draw and color. The painting was a success and I was so amazed by my ability to paint from a picture !













I have quite a number of  tubed paints  in stock as well as brushes. I even made sure our move from Perth to Singapore in 2013 was a good opportunity to fill up the boxes not only with my beads but with canvasses and brushes of various sizes as well.








For now, I 'm thinkin of what to paint. I need a theme on my paintings at least and what's going around in my head right now involves a " Masquerade ". I guess I need to push myself again for a bigger challenge. Painting some humans ! I never tried painting a face so far and the only body part I had painted was that of my legs by the beach in Perth .  This was the pic below :


Oh dear ... me painting a face is something new again. But, if I don't do the challenge, I could tell myself that I'm a weakling. and I strongly object on that ! I don't back out on alot of things. I'm so hard headed ... I never give up ...

A mask I had painted last Dec 2014 where  I had glued on some cabochon beads to give it a more striking look !
 So,  now let's see if the " Masquerade " challenge could finally defeat me ....
Do you think I would be able to paint something similar to this ?


Let's wait n see ...let me give it a try first LOL !
Geeezzz.. I would need a lot of warming up on this one .... agghhhhhhhhhh !



Wednesday, April 01, 2015

Ooopppss... I did it again !




April 1st 2015 ~  Waking up in the morning with a brand new day but not knowing what's there waiting for you as time passes by makes me wonder sometimes and wish as well that I may please be given the chance to have something better than yesterday.

Today is the 1st of April and April Fools day. Oh no ..... time to do pranks on unsuspecting people again. Please spare me LOL!  But today I knew in advance what's waiting for me. A Box from Fedex containing my entry to the Swarovski 2014 Contest hosted by Fire Mountain Gems. I had received several emails from them regarding my entry being returned about a week ago but they never mentioned anything else about the contest , neither the outcome or winners. So I have no idea if I had made it to the list of winners or just ended up as a finalist which is for me already a great honor knowing the so many beautiful intricate designs submitted from all over the world. This is my 2nd entry for 2014 for an international / overseas contest. After winning a bronze medal last year for my " The Red Angel " entry on the Seed Beads 2014 contest, I got more inspired to compete which I never did before after so many years of beading and creating my own designs.

The Red Angel 
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Jewelry-Making Contest 2014 featuring Seed Beads 
Bronze Medal Prize Winner 
Category: Bracelet

The Red Angel design above took the Bronze medal for the Bracelet category .
I was so happy !


Now, here I go again with my 2nd entry below I had named " Down The Aisle " that luckily made it to the finals again . I wouldn't know I had won if not for the Gift voucher and the Certificate included in the delivered Fedex Box.



OMG ... I won again ! I just couldn't believe my fate ! I was so excited and rejoicing with my sister who was visiting in Singapore as I browsed the contents of the Fedex box .




 It's true .. it's not a prank .. I really won and again , a Bronze medalist not for just the bracelet alone but for the whole set in the Wedding & Holiday category. Yeeehheeeyyyyyyy ....

~ Down The Aisle ~
Bronze Medalist Winner
Wedding and Holiday Category
Now I have to say not just a million thanks but a billion thanks again to all the Fire Mountain Gems judges and staffs for giving me this honor. I am so overwhelmed and again so inspired to bead and create more .

I'm so proud of myself knowing I got included in the list of talented winners. View the works of the grand winners of this contest here :

2014 Swarovski Crystal Contest
View All Winning Designs



I am  also very grateful and blessed with beautiful friends who can model my jewelries in their events.

Mrs. Zeenat  B. Ho ~ Mrs. Asia - World 2014
wearing my winning " Down The Aisle " Set


I can't believe myself  that  I did it again  to the grand winners !


Thank You , 
Thank You, 
Thank You to all !



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