Vitalia
Vitalia Karelina crafts small, beautiful items and large vitragepictures from coloured glass. She holds a Ukrainian passport, has Ukrainian and Russian heritage, and was born in Uzbekistan. Vitalia previously worked in real estate and the hotel-restaurant industry in Kyiv and Moscow. Her journey into the world of stained glass began with a desire to create beauty and find happiness in the process.
She arrived in Portugal in the spring of 2022. With the help of friends, she eventually discovered a source for coloured glass, despite facing some difficulties.
She sells her stained-glass pictures and toys online, mainly to customers in the USA. However, her past connections to Moscow eventually became a burden, leading to complications in late 2024.
As a result of anti-Russian sanctions, Etsy abruptly closed down Vitalia’s shop, which featured 4,500 unique products and had been operating successfully for 9 years, generating up to 10,000 euros a month at its peak. Etsy took commissions from her sales, with the remaining income used for purchasing materials and providing a comfortable living.
Vitalia opened a new shop on the same platform; however, the first two months yielded only 14 sales, with an account balance of 1,000 euros. The platform’s policy for new sellers—where earnings are held for three months—has made it challenging to maintain her business.
Vitalia feels that Portugal does not have the customer base she is accustomed to. The local market does not favour stained glass doors like in Ukraine and Russia, nor does it showcase stained glass figures catching the light in windows, as seen in America. Two exhibitions, held in Porto and Aveiro, proved to be festive with numerous congratulations and applause, but no sales resulted, perhaps partly due to Vitalia’s limited Portuguese language skills at the time, hence a limited ability to negotiate.
When asked about her aspirations, Vitalia has a list of ideas. She would love to participate in the restoration of a church and create a stained-glass piece depicting a moment from Portuguese history for a town hall, university, club, or concert hall. She is interested in holding masterclasses to teach both adults and children the art of crafting stained glass pieces by hand. She would enjoy creating unique logos and gifts. She would welcome the opportunity to create unique logos and gifts for clients who are interested in commissioning the work.
Nikolay
Nikolay Shelkovenko designs and manufactures Balanset devices, which focus on balancing and vibration reduction for various industrial equipment.
Balancing is essential for any rotating machinery that may experience vibrations, such as quadcopter propellers, motorboat and fan blades, rotors of machine tools, turbines, electric motors, and centrifuges.
The primary buyers of Balanset are small enterprises, farms, and repair shops seeking effective yet affordable solutions for maintaining their equipment.
Balanset empowers users to execute the balancing process independently, eliminating the need for costly technical specialists. Nikolay offers a warranty on the device and provides training in its use, as well as ongoing support after purchase.
Nikolay Shelkovenko’s workshop has been operating in Porto since 2023 and previously ran successfully in Estonia for six years. When relocating to Portugal, Porto was specifically chosen due to the numerous industrial facilities in the northern region, ensuring ample opportunities for addressing vibration-related issues. “Balanset” for everyone!
The device offers remarkable value, reliability, and durability due to its aluminum housing and advanced technology.
Its competitive advantage stems from Nikolay’s extensive experience and expertise: a decade of testing, refining, and selling these devices, combined with his background as a software engineer, as well as the influence of his father’s engineering experience. ( Andrei is a graduate of LETI, Saint-Petersburg Electrotechnical University, has specialised in automatic control systems.) This wealth of knowledge and skill ensures the device’s effectiveness in various applications.
Customer reviews of the device can be found at: Instagram Facebook and the company’s website.
If you purchase a Balanset not only for your own needs but also to offer balancing services to other businesses, Nikolay will provide comprehensive support. In addition to guidance and training, you will have the opportunity to promote your services through his website.
The immediate objective is to establish a network of balancing service providers, continue selling the device in Portugal and internationally, and make balancing services more accessible to a broader range of customers.
Vinte Quinta
Vinte Quinta (vinte means ‘twenty’ in Portuguese) is an eco-farm and hotel founded by Ella Illarionova and Sergey Smotrov in 2020. Located in an old manor house near Ponto de Lima, I had the pleasure of spending three delightful days there after meeting the founders at a Christmas fair in Porto.
The history of the area was palpable in the old stone fences, cobblestone roads, the outline of the local church, and the ancient coat of arms on the gate. Modern, smart appliances quietly maintained the perfect climate inside my cottage, while the fruits from the garden, vegetables from the beds, and pies made by Franciska transported me back to my childhood, reminiscent of my grandfather’s our garden with apple trees, raspberries, and roses, as well as my grandmother’s pastries.
The farm produces wine, olive oil, jams, pickles, and sells vegetables and eggs. Vinte Quinta offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life, providing access to nearby hiking trails, comfortable and beautiful cottages for couples, families, and those seeking escape, and a large playground with engaging activities. Guests can enjoy a delicious and healthy breakfast, where every detail, including the food, plates, cups, and cutlery, has been thoughtfully considered.
The story of the homestead and the careful remodeling of the house could be extensive. However, in this brief note, I will focus on the collaboration between Ella and architect Svetlana Snegireva in creating interior designs that capture the character of Portugal, particularly the tile panel adorning the entire wall of the administrative house.
Tiles, or azulejos, are an iconic symbol of Portugal. The blue and white color scheme is reminiscent of Chinese porcelain, Dutch genre paintings, and Turkish patterned tiles, yet the subjects depicted on Portuguese tiles can be… anything! These stories can range from epic and lyrical to heroic and comical. In a monastery, one tiled wall may recount tales of saints and their deeds, while another might portray a dog and the hapless donkey, characters from La Fontaine’s fable.
In Portugal, warm and gentle sun, sweet wine, and the effortless artistry of its creators seem to inspire a sense of ease and joy. The panel in the reception area of Vinte Quinta depicts the gathering of olives for oil pressing, a communal activity involving the owners and farm staff alike. In the foreground, three children participate in the harvest—one still in a cradle. The landscape, with its recognizable slopes and mountains, mirrors the actual surroundings. As you step beyond the threshold, you’ll find yourself immersed in the very scene portrayed on the tiles. The children, now older, are easily recognizable as Ella’s grandchildren. The painting captures a moment in the family’s history, preserving it for generations to come.
Before the grandchildren assume the management of Vinte Quinta, there is much to be accomplished: expanding the hotel to welcome more guests while preserving the unique blend of lightness, cheerfulness, and solemn silence that characterizes the estate; establishing a permanent restaurant; sharing the farm’s wine, as well as jams, lechos, and chutneys made from organic fruit with the rest of Portugal. Perhaps, Ella and Sergei will even document the history of this remarkable property, which once offered shelter to pilgrims en route to the relics of St. James in Santiago de Compostela.
