Rukami Studio

A suncatcher with art yarn 🤍 I'm in love.

Happy Easter, bunnies 🐰

Hi! How is you January going?

It was my birthday two days ago, which means that during past few days I've been reflecting on everything that happened to me during the past year and thinking about everything that is to come. And here are two things I want to say:

1. This past year was turbulent but very meaningful.

2. The next one is going to be very exciting and maybe even life changing!

🤍

Руками [rʊkˈamɪ] rus. - by hands

From deciding on a style and choosing the Fibers to knotting and trimming - macrame wall hanging can take quite some time. Sometimes the process is quick and easy, other times you have to unknot a section couple of times to get it right.

Sometimes you have a clear picture in your head of how the wall hanging should look like, other times you decide to go with a flow and see how It will turn out.

Making a macrame wall hanging takes time. But there is even more to it than just planning and knotting.

What do you see when you look at a macrame wall hanging? I see the driftwood and its mysterious history, I see the long journey of a cotton plant transforming into a rope. I see hours of work, carefully chosen colours and Fibers, hundreds of knots, artist's vibes and vision. I see how it's being trimmed, delicately packaged and shipped to its new home and then hanged there, at a carefully chosen spot...

There is so much more to one single macrame wall hanging than just knotting, don't you think?

I thought it's time for a get to know me post, since there are some new people here.

So Hi! It's me, Alena.

I am Russian expat in Germany. I moved here as an Au-pair in October 2017, right after finishing my master studies. Now I live in Hamburg, create authentic macrame pieces in my home studio (that's what this page is about) and bake and make coffee at

I have two sisters, my family lives Russia and I visit them at least twice a year (can't wait to see them in a month!).

I was always into handcrafts, I guess It just runs in the family. One grandmother of mine is sewing a lot and the other one used to knit, and I loved watching them do their craft and help. I made my first macrame wall hanging around 3 years ago and in October 2020 turned my hobby into a small business.

Thank you for following my page and supporting me! It means so much to me ❤

First Etsy order and self-worth.

Tuesday, 9:30 am, Hamburg is grey and rainy. Me, drinking my morning tea, working on the content plan for my Instagram (the one I was starting working on 100 times. Only now it's a homework for the course, so there is a good chance I am actually going to finish it 😅).

Notification from an etsy app.
Monologue in my head:

"Never seen that one before. Wait what? A sale? No way. Someone actually bought something from my small shop? The one I opened a few months ago? The one I didn't even tell about on my instagram? Is it real? Is is just a bug or something?"

After 5 minutes of confusion and doubts I realised that it is an actual order. And it meant so much to me. In this very moment I realised that all the hard work in not for nothing. That all the time spent building everything up finally starts to pay off. That people like what I do. That they want to have something I made with my hands. That they care.

Crazy how a single order from a small business can become a manifestation of someone's self-worth.

Ps. Funnily enough, the second etsy order came a few hours after the first one, I'm still suspicious 😅

Hello fellow makers! I got accepted for a handmade market, it will take place on 7th of November and I'm so excited you can't imagine 😃

It's going to be my first market experience and I really need your tips and advices. About anything really! What is important to keep in mind, how to organise the stand, what sells the best...tell me everything! I'm all ears!

Just wanted to wish you a great weekends ❤

My small merino wool wallhangings collection is live! Go check it out on my website ❤

This textured wall hanging is currently on sale! Want to have it in different colour? Dm me!

This piece is my personal favourite from the upcoming collection. Oh this pink 😍

I enjoy packing orders so much! Thinking of how the person will open the package, read a small note, get to know the piece live, touch it, hang it on the wall...it's such a unique moment!

Handmade things make any home better, aren't they? ❤

Hey! Lockdown is being eased here in Hamburg and restaurants are open again, which means I'm back to working at the café. So when I'm not going on my stories or posting anything - I'm probably making coffee or baking cakes ☺

Now, if you run successful small business and work part-time or even full-time...tell me your secret, please? How do you balance between those two? I'm struggling with finding my balance and being productive...

I love seeing my pieces in their new homes! This one was custom made for a dear friend and her grooming studio in my hometown, Sarov. Doesn't it fit the space just perfectly?

Hi! Are you enjoying your Friday?

Hi! Just wanted to say hi, I'm back from my summer break and trying to get back on track. Do you also find it hard to switch to a working mode after the vacation?

I have many new things coming up and I can't wait to organise everything and share it with you guys!

In the meantime...May I ask for a like? ❤ You know how much instagram dislike long breaks in posting, so I'd appreciate if you could help me out and boost the activity a little bit.

Have a great day!

Hi friends! I am taking a summer break in June.

Before that, you have a chance to shop everything in my online store with a great discount and a free worldwide shipping on orders over 50€ with the code "SPRINGSALE". The clearance sale is running until 30.05.21 23:59 CEST, so be quick!

I'll appreciate if you could share this post with your friends 🙏🏻

Details ❤

This wall hanging finally has arrived to its new home! It was my first shipping to the US, I was afraid that it could be somehow damaged on the way, but it has arrived safely, even though it took quite some time. I'm so happy!

So in love with colors of this picture ❤

Impostor syndrome. I guess everybody faced it at some point. All those "I'm not qualified enough", "I won't manage it", "They will laugh at me", "There are more talented people out there" etc...

Listen, impostor syndrome is, oftentimes, typical for very talented and creative people who question themselves way more than they should. Psychologists say that impostor syndrome originates from our childhood. Did your parents compare you with your classmates/siblings/Anna, the neighbor's daughter? She is already halfway through her summer reading list, such a good girl!

Impostor syndrome is about being "good" in order for others to like you.

Now. What the heck is "Good"??? Who said that something is good and something is not? Your life is only yours, and you don't need to prove anything to anyone anymore, ok?

There always will be people who will judge and even laugh. But the only reason why they do it is either because they are jealous, because you are doing something they cannot do, or something they are afraid to do (it's their defense reaction). Or they just don't want to learn and understand, and it's easier to say that it's all crap, and you should rather go get a real job/start doing something different/etc.

What I'm actually trying to say is that all of us, who has impostor syndrome following us where ever we go and pulling us back, should finally stop doubting everything and just go and try things. And see how It turns out. What the worst thing that can happen anyways?

Can't wait for the summer! Morning coffee on the balcony, afterwork chilling in the park, tan lines, smell of sunscreen, straw hats and light dresses, Sunday picnics on the beach, picking berries, making jam, walking around the city all day long... ❤

I made this rainbow a long time ago already and never posted it to the store because I am not 100% satisfied with how the back side of the pom-poms looks like.

It's a shame though that it's laying in the box instead of hanging in some beautiful nursery, so if you'd like to buy it please send me a message!

30€, EU shipping included.

Omg I feel like this pandemic made me such a homebody. Yesterday I went outside 4 times and it was so overwhelming 😅

Please tell me there are more people feeling the same?

Hi!

I thought it's a good time for a get to know me post, since there are some new people here. Huge thanks to you all for supporting me and my small business, it means so much to me 🙏🏻

My name is Alena (read Alyona), I am Russian and currently live in Hamburg. I moved to Germany as an Au-pair in 2017. Before that, i was living and studying in Saint-Petersburg.

I made my first macramé wall hanging around 2 years ago and turned my hobby into a small business in October 2020 (I was working in a big international renewable energy company before).
Rukami Studio is my part-time job. I work in a coffee place, but we are in a lockdown here since November already and everything in closed 😒

I was studying international management and economics and have two master diplomas 🤓 However, it seems like knotting, making coffee and backing cakes bring me a lot more joy than building a career in my profession.

Rukami means "with hands" in Russian. It was important for me to link my small business with my origin and my passion for crafts, without limiting it to macramé only, as I always like to try something new.

Is there something special you'd like to know about me?

Macrame bag, anyone? I am still not sure if to leave it to myself or add it to the shop, it's so pretty! My husband said that it's one of the collest things I ever made ☺

Details, texture, colour.
Love this one ❤

The Fiber talks are happening! I am going to announce my first guest very soon, so stay tuned. Omg I'm so excited 😍

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