Navy member turns beads into valuable bouquets

A member of the Royal Malaysian Navy, Nur Syakirah Zaabah, has transformed her fascination with beaded floral arrangements into a successful side business, earning both satisfaction and income. The 29-year-old, originally from Seri Manjung, Perak, discovered her passion for this craft last year after seeing elaborate beaded bouquets created by international artisans on social media.

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I saw producers from Vietnam making beaded bouquets, and their prices reached thousands of ringgit. From there, I thought this could be a source of side income for me.

"I saw producers from Vietnam making beaded bouquets, and their prices reached thousands of ringgit. From there, I thought this could be a source of side income for me," she shared. Zaabah highlights that beaded bouquets offer unique advantages over fresh flowers, being shiny, beautiful, attractive, resilient, and long-lasting.

Her interest in handicrafts stems from her childhood, influenced by her mother's knitting and her sister's creation of wire flowers. "Since childhood, I have been involved in the world of handicrafts because my mother and sister also made handicrafts," said Zaabah, who holds a Diploma in Culinary Arts.

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Since childhood, I have been involved in the world of handicrafts because my mother and sister also made handicrafts.

Unlike many who attend classes, Zaabah is self-taught, mastering techniques by studying existing floral patterns. Her initial attempts, like creating a lily, were imperfect, but she persevered. "The result was indeed bad, but I did not give up easily and continued to practice until I could create my own flower patterns," she recalled. Early challenges included frequent hand injuries from wire cuts, which, though small, caused significant pain.

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The result was indeed bad, but I did not give up easily and continued to practice until I could create my own flower patterns.

Zaabah quickly mastered the basic techniques, starting her learning on June 1 and receiving her first order by June 10. The process involves finding images of real flowers on Google and then recreating petal patterns based on observation. "I find pictures of real flowers, then I create the petal patterns myself according to what I see. It's not 100% the same, but it resembles the real flower," she explained. Key materials include beads, wire, and complementary color combinations. The time to complete each piece varies, with eucalyptus leaves taking about half an hour and a lily taking around one and a half hours. The most challenging part is the 'lacing' or weaving, which ensures each petal maintains its shape. Zaabah emphasizes neatness, durability, color harmony, and overall quality in her work, drawing inspiration for new designs from international floral styles.

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I find pictures of real flowers, then I create the petal patterns myself according to what I see. It's not 100% the same, but it resembles the real flower.