It’s pronounced El-free-da Bee-zhoo.

The ‘zh’ is the tricky part; we don’t do that when we speak English. Imagine saying “sh,” but begin with a ‘z’ instead of an s. Or, use a soft ‘j’, like in the French name Jean, or Georges. Like in the name ‘Zsa Zsa.’ The ‘x’ is silent. If you insist on pronouncing it, I’ll know you’re a tourist.

I knew misunderstandings were going to happen when I chose the name. My lawyer did a double take and gave me a quick look that meant, “What???” Someone from the tax office called and asked for Elfrieda Bijukes.

My name isn’t Elfrieda, and I’m not French. I have never been to France. I don’t even speak French.

So why Elfrieda Bijoux?

‘Bijoux’ means ‘jewelry’ in French. It comes from my love of French bead blogs. My two favorite artists are from France and Belgium. Both write in French, but their work transcends all language differences. (I just look at the pictures.)

I’ve always liked the word ‘Bijoux,’ even before I found their blogs. It was a name often used for theaters, so it suggests elegance, drama, nostalgia for the long-lost glamour of old movies and elaborately costumed actresses from a more fancifully dressed time.

The name ‘Elfrieda’ comes from my Mom. She sewed, knitted, crocheted, did needlepoint and cross-stitch, and passed on her love for creating things to me. She made my clothes and sweaters. She was an incredibly warm, wonderful, loving, giving person with a quiet sense of humor that would sneak up on you when you least expected it. She was very creative, and could figure out how to make anything. We used to make things together. Since I named my business after her, in a way, we still do. She bought me my first beaded ornament kit, which started this whole mess. There were leftover rocailles after the ornament was made and she showed me how to string them onto thread. I haven’t stopped since.

Now I’m an artist specializing in fine beadwork and beadwoven jewelry. I design a wide variety of pieces including elegant jewelry suitable for wear in the workplace, lovely tiaras and jewelry for weddings and formal occasions, and fun, mixed-media designs for casual wear.

I’m also a writer, with degrees in English and Communications. I work mainly in fiction and humor.

If you think about it, making things from tiny beads and writing are two ways of doing the same thing. In both, you use basic building blocks–beads or words–to construct something larger. What you end up with depends on how you arrange those blocks, how many you use, what kind, and how you secure them together. Knowing how to make something out of (next to) nothing really helps.

email:
elfrieda (at) elfriedabijoux (dot) com