Anna Lisztes
Fiorentina
Let me take you on a special journey into the world of Floral Fantasies. Through the creation of Fiorentina, you’ll awaken your senses and creative spirit—reconnecting with the princess within and brightening your inner smile.
This stunning statement necklace will expand your bead embroidery skills while showing you just how wearable, delicate, and eye-catching this technique can be. Fiorentina is more than a project—it’s a beautiful new stamp in your Bead Embroidery Passport.
Designed for beaders with some experience in embroidery, you should be comfortable with bezeling crystals, working with cabochons, and stitching beaded edges. No experience with French wire is needed.
In class, we’ll walk through every part of the necklace that requires special attention—so there’s no pre-work needed. The focus is on learning the techniques and clever tricks that make this piece look delightfully more complex than it truly is.
And to support you even after class, you'll receive permanent access to video recordings of the key segments.
Let’s bring Fiorentina to life together—one bead at a time.
Additional colorways in the works!
Kits are $145 each
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We're looking forward to Zooming with you!
Kinga Bledsoe (née Nichols)
Creature Feature
Get ready for some beady fun with a twist—at this year’s Virtual Beaders Dream Retreat, we’ll be creating a felted and beaded wrist critter! [
In class, you'll learn how to blend wool felting with bead embroidery—a playful, textural technique that’s as exciting as it is different. The result? A sparkly, soft, and super-comfy wrist lizard, decked out in crystals, seed beads, Czech beads, and gemstones. And if bracelets aren’t your thing, don’t worry—this little critter can easily be adapted into a necklace too!
The colorway shown here is just the beginning—more colors (and critter personalities!) will be available.
And no need to fret if you don’t have felting tools—everything you’ll need is included in your kit.
Additional creatures coming!
Kits will be $125 each
Your 2026 Virtual Beaders Dream Retreat
Bead Embroidery Class Lineup......
Anna Lisztes (Hatvani) is a Hungarian bead artist, born in 1979 in Budapest.
She has always been a crafty person, started to make her own jewelry at the age of 5. As a teenager her dream was to become fashion designer and silversmith, but taking her parents’ advice she studied Law.
After finishing the University, she has worked for many years for multinational companies- supporting the management as HR/Organizational Development/ Lean expert.
After her first son was born, she fell in love again with jewelry design and bead embroidery became a real passion to her.
Shortly after opening her ETSY shop in 2010, custom orders started to flow – so she started making and selling tutorials and kits of her designs to satisfy a wider range of customers.
Although she participated numerous beading contests and challenges, also appeared in beady magazines worldwide, she prefers to stay out of competitions and practice her art as the best way to find her inner peace – and pleasing people whom are interested.
"Designs are flashing in my mind as finished pieces, all I have to do is to take a deep breath and start realizing them. They are coming like callings from deep in my heart and soul, and I just feel the urge to hold them in my hands finally.”
She lives in northern Hungary by the feet of the mountains, close to the wilderness surrounded by her loving children and pets. She gains inspiration from nature, mythology and history of art.
Creating bead embroidered jewelry became a full time profession in 2020, which enables her to focus on her art other than rising up her 3 sons.
Contact: anna_hatvani@yahoo.co.uk
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086914060742
ETSY: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PreciousHeartBeads
Blog: http://annahatvani.blogspot.com/
Sherry Serafini
Renaissance Rhapsody
Inspired by the beauty and symbolism of the 14th to 17th centuries, this pendant pays homage to the rich, vibrant palettes found in Renaissance paintings brought to life through beadwork.
One particular piece at the Walters Art Museum truly sparked my imagination and guided the vision for this design.
In class, we’ll use bead embroidery techniques to build up this stunning pendant—layering beads and components, creating elegant edging, and of course, adding plenty of fringe with duo beads, dainty chains, and dazzling crystals set in metal bezels.
The finished piece hangs from a chain and fastens with a lobster claw clasp. It’s an eye-catching statement, measuring approximately 3” x 8” with the fringe—though you can absolutely simplify the design if you prefer a smaller version.
The fringe and added components are completely optional, so feel free to make it your own.
As always, I’ll encourage you in class to explore your own unique creativity while guiding you through every step of this Renaissance-inspired journey.
Additional colorways in the works!
Kits will be $165 each
Kinga Bledsoe was born in 1980, in Hungary. At 19, she packed up her life in a backpack and moved to the US where she has been residing since, albeit not at the same place. She currently lives in Boulder, Colorado with her boyfriend and furbabies Samantha Regina Nichols and Marley. Samantha Regina is not only her muse but her model as well. Many of Kinga's best known pieces were popularized by the canine model.
One way or another Kinga has been always making things, which started turning into a career when she was painting murals at the time she lived in New York. The murals were fun, but she did not feel like painting was her calling. Eventually she picked up a bead and Button magazine in 2007, found a bead embroidery project, and slowly but surely the obsession took over.
After that first project, she started creating her own designs and quickly found her own distinctive voice that allowed her to translate her imaginings into beadwork. Kinga is always brainstorming, and her imagination provides an endless supply of fanciful ideas that she translates into bead embroidery.
Her work first got noticed in the first Battle of the Beadsmith, quickly followed by her being a BeadDreams finalist in 2013 and getting 3rd place in the same competition in the Swarovski category in 2014, and a book feature in Marcia Decoster Presents, 2014. In 2015 she won first place in the crystal category in BeadDreams. She has done a number of instructional bead embroidery videos for Interweave publishing in 2016 and 2017, and has been featured in magazines in the US and Europe.
In 2013 she started teaching and she hopes to continue this as her chosen profession for a long time to come, not only passing on beady knowledge, but perhaps her unique way of looking at the world as a magical place filled with endless possibilities.
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/crimsonfrog
Blog: http://crimsonfrogdesigns.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kinga.bledsoe
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Unusual objects and shapes become part of a new story as Sherry stitches beads and gemstones, one at a time, to a felt like base. Most pieces are born spontaneously as the beads and Sherry’s imagination dictate the design. She seldom works from sketches. Sherry finds this meditative form of art to be a rich counterpoint to a society full of instant gratification. Some pieces take a year to complete. Each is unique.
Sherry was raised in a military family, moving every few years. She credits that nomadic lifestyle with giving her an adventurous and uninhibited approach to her work.
Sherry was voted one of the top 10 instructors in the United States by Bead & Button magazine. She lectures and teaches throughout the U.S. and has won numerous awards for excellence in design, including Saul Bell Outstanding Jewelry Design Award, Bead International 2006, Kennedy Best of Pennsylvania and Kennedy Best of Nationally. She has been published and has written articles for several well-known magazines. Her work has been featured on the covers of trade magazines and catalogs and is the co-author of the Art of Bead Embroidery with artist and dear friend Heidi Kummli and Sensational Bead Embroidery by Sherry Serafini
Sherry’s beaded art is known internationally and is owned and worn by Grammy winner Melissa Etheridge, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz, and singer Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. Her beadwork has been seen at fashion week in Milan.
Instragram: sherryserafini@instagram
Email: sherryserafini@gmail.com
Website: www.serafinibeadedjewelry.com