🐉✨ The Dacian Draco Returns Home — From My Book to Singidava’s Annual Festival in Cugir

by Lorena Balea-Raitz | Aug 12, 2026 | Romanian Point Lace

The Dacian Draco Returns Home….

Today I packed a very special piece — the exact Dacian Draco featured in my newly published book — and prepared it for a journey that feels both symbolic and deeply personal.

🐺 The Meaning Behind the Draco

Draco, you say… “The wolf teaches courage; the serpent teaches patience.” „Lupul ne învață curajul, iar șarpele ne învață răbdarea.”

This ancient symbol carries the spirit of the Dacian people. It has the head of a wolf and the body of a serpent, representing strength, wisdom, and resilience. I talk more about this motif in my latest Romanian Point Lace book, where it is explained step by step and easy to recreate.

🏔️ Where the Draco Is Going

The Draco is travelling to Cugir, my hometown in Romania, to the cultural group Dacii Singidava. They are the guardians of local heritage, keeping Dacian traditions alive through reenactments, craftsmanship, education, and community events. Their dedication to preserving our ancestral identity makes this moment even more meaningful.

Every year, Dacii Singidava host the Dacian Festival, a celebration where ancient traditions rise again through costume, ritual, music, and the iconic Draco standard. Knowing that this Draco — the one photographed and described in my book — will stand among them feels like closing a circle of heritage.

🏛️ A Glimpse of Ancient Singidava

As I wrapped the Draco carefully, I felt the significance of the moment. This is not just an object leaving my studio. It is a piece of my creative journey, a symbol from my book, and a guardian of heritage returning to the land where its myth was born.

And just so you have an idea about Singidava, here is a digital recreation of the fortress, dated around 1500 BC. It helps you imagine the world where the Draco once stood as a powerful emblem.

✨ A Journey Filled With Meaning

The Draco will travel from Brisbane to the Carpathians, from my desk to the hands of those who honour our ancestors with pride. It will stand among the people who keep our cultural identity alive, breathing new life into the story that began in my book.

This is the beauty of heritage craft: it travels, it connects, it returns, it continues. I have been a fan of Dacia since I can remember, and the idea that this mysterious culture is still alive today — its spirit never truly gone — brings hope into modern life.

🌿 Dacian Proverbs – Proverbe Dacice

„Cel care își uită strămoșii își pierde drumul.”- “He who forgets his ancestors loses his path.”

„Rădăcinile sunt mai adânci decât distanța.”-“Roots run deeper than distance.”

„Lupul ne învață curajul, iar șarpele ne învață răbdarea.”-„Lupul ne învață curajul, iar șarpele ne învață răbdarea.”

Safe journey… Drum bun!

A Dacian in Brisbane,

XO,

Lorena

💫 The Wolf Is Out of the Bag — My New Book Is Coming!

by Lorena Balea-Raitz | Aug 5, 2026 | Romanian Point Lace

The Wolf Is Out of the Bag — My New Book Is Coming!

Well, it finally happened — the lace wolf escaped the sketchbook and strutted straight onto the cover! My upcoming book, Romanian Point Lace: A Transylvanian Tale of Threads, Traditions, & Tiny Scandals, is officially in the making — and yes, it’s been a long time coming.

I started this beauty back in July last year, armed with coffee, lace thread, and way too much optimism. Then life said, “Hold my cappuccino.” Between mum duties, volunteer work, and a whirlwind of mini art creations, this book became a slow‑crafted masterpiece — stitched with patience, laughter, and a few dramatic sighs.

But oh, was it worth it.

🪡 What’s Inside?

Think lace patterns that flirt with folklore, motifs that whisper Transylvanian secrets, and a wolf that guards centuries of tradition — all wrapped in my signature mix of sass and stitches.

It’s not just a pattern book. It’s a storybook for makers, dreamers, and anyone who’s ever tangled a thread and called it destiny.

✨ Pre‑Order Now — Before the Wolf Howls!

The book is in its final stages, and pre‑orders are now open. Reserve your copy early and be among the first to hold this lace‑woven tale in your hands.

Because once the wolf starts howling, these threads will fly faster than my morning coffee disappears.

👉 Pre‑Order HERE

💛 A Little Thank‑You

To everyone who’s followed my journey — from lace tutorials to ACEO miniatures — thank you for your patience and love. This book is for you, stitched with every ounce of heart, humour, and heritage I’ve got.

Now go ahead, click that pre‑order button… Let’s make lace history together.

XO,

Lorena

Eucalyptus Bloom & Bug: A Fiber Art Necklace Rooted in Nature

by Lorena Balea-Raitz | Apr 7, 2026 | Romanian Point Lace

🌿 Introducing: Eucalyptus Bloom & Bug – A Fiber Art Necklace Rooted in Nature

Some pieces happen, and then some pieces grow — slowly, organically, like something alive. Eucalyptus Bloom & Bug belongs to the second category.

This necklace began as a colour study, a meditation on the soft, earthy palette of the Australian bush. But as the threads twisted and the lacework took shape, it became something more: a tiny ecosystem stitched into wearable form.

🌿 A Necklace Born From Organic Threads

Every element of this piece is crafted with organic cotton threads, chosen for their softness, strength, and the way they hold colour with a gentle matte glow. The palette mirrors the eucalyptus world:

Dark green for the leaves
Pink and peach for the blossoms
Brown for the bark and earth

Together, they create a grounded yet vibrant harmony — a palette that feels unmistakably Australian.

🪵 Real Eucalyptus Wood Pieces

To honour the inspiration fully, I incorporated real eucalyptus wood pieces into the design. These tiny fragments of nature add texture, scent, and a quiet authenticity that can’t be replicated. They anchor the lacework, giving the necklace a tactile connection to the land it represents.

🐞 Meet the Tip Wilter Bug — in Crochet Form

Every eucalyptus tree has its own cast of characters, and this necklace includes one of my favourites: the Tip Wilter Bug. Here, it appears as a tiny crochet creature, nestled among the blossoms — playful, curious, and full of personality.

It’s a whimsical detail, but also a reminder that every ecosystem, no matter how small, is alive with stories.

🌸 Sculptural Romanian Point Lace

The structure of the necklace is built using Romanian Point Lace, a heritage technique that allows for sculptural, organic shapes. Each bloom, leaf, and curve is shaped by hand, giving the piece a dimensional, botanical feel.

This is not flat lace — it’s lace that moves, lace that breathes, lace that feels like it could keep growing if you left it in the sun.

🌿 Lightweight & Adjustable

Despite its bold, sculptural presence, the necklace is:

Lightweight
Comfortable
Fully adjustable

It sits beautifully as a statement piece without ever feeling heavy.

🌱 Part of the Eucalyptus Necklace Series

Eucalyptus Bloom & Bug is part of my ongoing Eucalyptus Collection, a series exploring the colours, textures, and tiny inhabitants of the Australian bush through fiber art.

Each piece is one‑of‑a‑kind, stitched slowly and intentionally.

✨ Available Now

You can find this necklace — and other pieces from the Eucalyptus series — on my website:

👉 www.balea-raitz.com

If you love wearable art, botanical stories, and pieces that feel alive, this one might just speak to you

Bordeaux Collar

by Lorena Balea-Raitz | Mar 25, 2025 | Art therapy

Hello

It has been a long time since I wrote a blog post, so please bear with me. I have been busy! #mumlife!

\If you follow my IG @balearaitz and my YouTube, you know! I made a Bordeaux Collar a while ago for myself and now it looks like other people seem to like it as well! I am pleased to hear that of course and I decided to make the pattern available for FREE in this blog post and on my social media!

Please download the pattern here, follow the instructions to copy it, like you did with all my other designs and let’s make a lot of cord! In my latest video, I asked you to pick a color for the cord! I gave you two options GOLD or SILVER …… Please comment below on what you would pick! Of course, you can pick whatever color you like for yourself!

You can find the video HERE !

The pattern is available HERE! or Bordeaux Traditional collar (3)

Once you have the cord made I will have some videos ready for the fillings! But please, make sure you comment below, so I have some feedback on the color!