Year 4 - Here we go!

Hello Everyone! As you can tell from my title, this will be my 4th year with BJP. I'm excited to continue this coming year. Not sure what I'll be doing, I have one more to do for this year. Maybe I'll finish it today and slip under the wire. I don't know what shape or theme I'll do. My first year, I did 5X7, 2nd year were circles, 3rd year were angels what should the 4th year be? Maybe one big picture done in sections, maybe ornaments, maybe ATC size. Anyway, it will be fun to see all the newbies and be inspired by them and the past participants. I just love looking at all the pieces. They have been wonderful. I don't spend a lot of time on the computer, so I'll say up front, I might not leave a message but I will visit each of you as often as I can. I appreciate all the work everyone puts into their pieces. Thank you for a new advenutous year. I look forward to seeing everyone grow, including me!

Greetings!

I'm participating in the Bead Journal Project for the first time.  I'm both intimidated and excited and have had ideas floating around in my mind for several weeks - even dreaming about them!  I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone creates and beginning the creative challenge myself.

Hello Again!

There was some confusion over which blog I would be posting to... Looks like I'm here for good now. :- )

I'm excited about starting the new year's worth of beading projects. I feel very good about the ten I've completed so far for 2010. It's going to spill over into the new year but I'm confident that I will complete the set of 12. While I found my diamond shape stimulating this year I want to try something different. I suspect I'll go with a simple circle within a square or possibly a square within a square. What I mean by that is that I'll start with a square piece of fabric, probably about 4", and then bead a shape within. I'm going to use color as my inspiration this year. I've learned that when everything else fails, color moves me. So there should be no excuses this year!

Sue

From the Magpie's Nest

Happy to be back!

Carol, thank you for the invitation! I'm in BJP for my second year and will be ready to roll after the holidays. I'm very eager to start my first month's project, all kinds of ideas floating around in my head; but will try to keep the word "improvisation" at the top of my priorities.
Welcome, one and all, looking forward to seeing everyone's work!
Barbara
Pinelands Patches, Beadscapes and Spirit Dolls

Excited and.... a bit overwhelmed?

Hi all,
This is my first time around committing to the bead journal project.  I have admired the efforts of participants in years past and have always wanted to do something like this.  I am a bit intimidated by the thought of doing twelve pieces, but the fact that I can control the size makes me feel like I can do this.

I do have a theme chosen and am looking forward to sharing this with my first month's entry.  It's something I hold close to my heart so I felt it was a perfect opportunity for me to combine my love of beadwork with something that inspires me a great deal.

Best of luck to everyone and happy holidays!
Lisa

I'm Baaaaakk...!

Well, I could not resist the Clarion Call of the 2011 Bead Journal Project, so here I am again. Theme? Ehhh... never had one yet, why start now? Size? I liked last year's 3 x 3 squares, but maybe I'll try a different shape this time around. I still have a couple left to finish for 2010, but that won't stop me from moving ahead into 2011.

By way of introduction, my name is Lois, and I've been with BJP since the beginning, although I had to drop out around the middle in year 2. I believe that 2010 will be the first that I will actually complete all 12 pieces, but whether I have done all 12 or not, I've gained so much and learned so much by beading something each month if I possibly can.

I've always been inspired by everyone in the Bead Journal Project, and I can't wait to see what all of you wonderful artists, newcomers and old hands alike, will come up with. This is a wonderful community. I'm delighted to be a part of it once more.

-- Lois

ATC

There are a couple of participants that are interested in their pages being ATC.
If you are interested, please visit this post on Blog 1 for more information.

Happy to be here!

I too have been following for a couple of years (from a safe distance LOL). I have done some beading although not as advanced as many I've seen here. I am looking forward to learning from all of you :-)
I also belong to a monthly quilt challenge group- FFFC (fast friday fabric challenge), just beginning the 5th year. And also belong to a new monthly challenge group- Haiku. I plan to merge the projects for this group and the Haiku blog. Something tells me I'd best get started 'stretching' the creative side of the old brain...!
Who knows, maybe this is the year I will bite the bullet and start my own blog...
Cherie
www.seti.net/quilts

Introducing myself....

Hi everyone,

I, too, am new to the Bead Journal Project. I have followed Robin Atkins' blog for a couple of years and finally got up the courage to join. I work primarily in the fiber arts world but am willing to try any craft at least once. The evidence of this is in my studio....affectionately called the TFZ (testosterone free zone) since my family is composed of males and me. I have done some bead embroidery and simple beaded jewelry and am looking forward to the discipline of a monthly deadline. I will be using crazy quilt squares as my starting point for my bead journal. For inspiration, I am hoping that the DH got me a couple of the beading books that were on my Christmas list!!!!

I am looking forward to "meeting" all of you.

Dawn

Life is just better with beads...

they make me smile...so, I'm really looking forward to this adventure! I have not settled on a theme yet...but have many ideas. The trouble is just settling on only one!
This will be my first journal style project...and I'm a little nervous about that, which is probably the reason I'm "stalling" on making a decision in my design venue.
Kathy in Alabama

I am new to the BJP project, I have been following it for about two years though through Susan Elliott's blog. so i am familiar with what goes on here.
I am primarily a crazy quilter but I tend to gather hobbies the way some people gather friends on facebook!
anyway I am excited to be here amongst such a talented group of people and I hope I can keep up.

i chose the E.E. Cummings poem; i carry your heart with me, as a thread to hang my project on. the poem has been one of my favorites and it really does tie together my life for the last year.

I carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)
I am never with out it
(wherever you go, I go, my dear and whatever is done by only me, is your doing, my darling)
I fear no fate( for you are my fate, my sweet)
I want no world ( for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has meant
and whatever a sun will allways sing is you.
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root
and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life.
which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and it is the wonder that is holding the stars apart.
I carry your heart
( i carry it in my heart)

Surge of Excitement!!!!!

You can't imagine the surge of excitement I feel as I read through these posts and think about our beady journey ahead!!! I'm so looking forward to a fresh start, this time with no self-imposed rules, only the idea of journaling and knowing they'll all be the same size. What size? Not sure yet... thinking about three possibilities - a circle, postcard shape (as I did the first two years), or the doll shape I used for my Decade Dolls (see cover of my book, Heart to Hands Bead Embroidery).

For the first two years of the BJP, I kept faithfully to the one-a-month schedule and finished by the end of the year. Year three... well, I don't know if I'll finish the last three pieces for 2010 or not. At least I promise to give it a good try.

HUGE THANKS to the team of angels who have made the BJP happen this year! The blogs look fabulous and everything is working so smoothly. We are all grateful for your efforts on our behalf, none more than I!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone, present and past BJPers! May the year ahead be blessed with creative energy, artistic community and the ability to make time for our art.

Robin A.

a Note of Introduction

Hello to every wonderful beader! I, too, have also been watching this site grow over the last few years. My participation began with the '08 BJP, a grand intent of an experiment, in way too big a format. Lots of fiber and beads plus a theme/journal twist... have yet to post pictures on a blog and will in the future as I get more comfortable with posting. There is so much to learn and be inspired by through this site, I am grateful to have found such a community! I have often shared the BJP site info with beaders who show an interst in bead embroidery and then they are thrilled...Surely the influence of this site is so much more far reaching than Robin could ever imagine, thank you for the opportunity of this artistic adventure.

Introducing myself...

Hi, my name is Laura or LauraJosie. I am a longtime beader. I stumbled upon Robin Atkins’ blog January of last year, just a bit too late to join in the BJP! So I’ve been planning on participating in BJP 2011 since then.  I am super excited, although I will be on vacation out of the country for the first three(!) weeks of January, so I most likely will not get anything done in January. I’m still excited about being part of this, and seeing all of your projects!
~Laura of Dreams of Dance

Hi Everyone!

Hello Everyone! This will be my first year involved in the Bead Journal Project. I have been a fan of Robin's work since I first started beading. I was so excited when I came across the BJP blog last year. I have followed it throughout the year and have been just amazed at the beautiful work I've seen. I am excited to take part of the project, and to be inspired by such amazing beaders. Although I am not as experienced as many of the beaders here I still feel this is going to be such a positive experience. For me, this is an opportunity to bead for myself. I've been beading for two years, and have yet to make and keep a piece for myself. They are either sold, or given as gifts, or claimed by family. So this project is going to be my selfish monthly treat. I still haven't decided on a concept. I have lots and lots of ideas I am tossing around. I don't want to pick something so complicated that I won't be able to keep the commitment; however I also don't want to choose something so simple that I will get bored with it. There is still time to figure all that out :)

Again. Hello to everyone! I am anxious and excited to get to know everyone! That is after all, the other great part of this experience :)


Happy Holidays!

LissC

Welcome

Merry Christmas!!

I wanted to take a moment to welcome all that have accepted our invitation to participate on the blogs. As you probably know, there are a few of us that have taken certain responsibilities to help with the technicalities of setting up the 4th year.  It certainly has been a learning experience.  We are still working behind the scenes to set up and tweek the blogs.  I have corrected some errors on BLOG #2 that have been requested.  If you have a request, or, if you start a blog after the year progresses or need to make other changes, please send an e-mail to me  crldelater@yahoo.com  or post a comment.  The email is a better contact.  I may miss a comment.

I'll be working this weekend to add the last of the list that have registered so watch for an invitation in your email and follow the instructions so you'll be all set to post when you are ready.  To date, we have 13 that have not yet  responded to the email.

blog invite error

I'm posting here because I don't know who I should contact.  I've received an email that I've been invited to join blog #1, but as you can see here I've already been on blog #2.  So, I'm just going to delete that request but wanted to let you know so it's not just hanging out there.

Can't wait to see everyone for 2011!!!

Hello

I am new to the BJP. I have followed this project and the BJP blogs from the very beginning but never dared to take part, mainly for two reasons. First, because I thought what I was able to do as a beginning bead embroiderer might not be good enough and, second, because I was not sure whether I would be able to finish the pieces in time. Over the years I have learned. I learned that this project is really not about competition but about individual developement, about improvement, taking one step at a time, baby steps. Making the commitment of doing a piece a month will keep me working and as long as I am working I will learn, even if I should not be satisfied with the finished pieces.

So I decided for a size and choose a theme. I am looking forward to this new experience.

Helga E.

http://textileexplorations.blogspot.com/

Hello All

Guess I'll be the first to introduce myself on this new BJP blog! I only quickly glanced at the list of participants so I don't know how many of us are returning BJPers. This will be my third year to participate. During the first year I made small wall quilts, about 8.5" x 11". While that was a lot of fun and very enlightening I found the format too large to be able to execute one a month along with all the other things I make regularly (quilts mostly). So last year I used a much smaller format, a diamond shape about 4" x 6". That worked much better in terms of getting the projects done quickly. An interesting thing happened though: at the beginning of the year I made six ornaments in about three months' time. Then I didn't touch my beads for a few months. Suddenly, in July, I was inspired to do another ornament (that's what I've been calling my diamond shapes). Then the beads sat again for several more months. Now, at the end of the year, I find I am motivated to complete my collection for the year. I only have two more to make and one of them is for this month, December.

My point is that, having read through the guidelines in Robin's very first post, I wanted to add that even though we're technically making one project a month sometimes we can end up making six all at once and then not doing any beading for what feels like a long time, and then we can come back to the project and add some more. When we bead is just as much a reflection of our lives as how or what we bead.

Magpie Sue
who blogs over at From the Magpie's Nest

Welcome to the 2011 Bead Journal Project

Welcome to both new and returning participants. 

The following are guidelines written by Robin Atkins that will answer some of your questions and concerns. If you need any clarification, please leave a comment and your concern will be addressed by the BJP team.

To both returning and new members, please read the following guidelines! I believe they will help us all to stick with our commitment to this one-year project!

Relax and have fun with it! Bend the rules a little if you need to. The commitment you’ve made is 100% for YOU, for your own benefit and enjoyment. So, each month, as you begin your piece, try to please yourself… not me, not the other members, not your beady friends… YOU!

There are only three basic rules… A. Make one piece a month. B. Include some beads on each piece. C. Make all 12 of your pieces the same size/shape.

If your initial plan/idea doesn’t work for you, change it! In the past two years, I notice some members dropping out because their plan/idea was too ambitious or sometimes because it suited the first few months but didn’t fit well after that. You are free to make changes anytime during the year.

You don’t have to apply a theme to your work, although some find working with a theme very compelling. But, if you start with a theme and later get tired of it, feel free to let it go at any time.
Consistency will naturally happen. You do not have to strive for it. Actually, it’s not a problem at all if your work seems inconsistent!

The BJP is non-competitive! Each and every piece is valid. Each and every piece has merit. Each and every piece is an important step in your personal development as an artist and craftsperson. Each and every piece is an accomplishment! We are a supportive group, encouraging each member to do what works for them in the best way they can. Try to look at your own work with the same non-judgmental eyes that you would use for the work of others in the project.

There are no BJP police! You don’t have to post pictures. You do not have to report to anybody that you finished your piece each month. You can bend the size rule (that all 12 pieces should be the same size and shape) if it will keep you active in the project. Although we encourage you to do one piece per month, you can start a month’s piece early, do two in one month, skip a month… again, whatever it takes to keep yourself active.

There are many possibilities to explore each month! You might try visual journaling or telling the story of your life during this month in a visual way. You might set yourself a learning goal, such as to try one new technique each month. You might consider using your BJP pieces to “get out of the box” and experiment with colors, design and/or style. You are free to set your own goals for the year’s work, if you wish.

If you’re looking for inspiration, I suggest looking at the member pages on the BJP website, here and here. You are eligible to have your own member page when you have completed 8 pieces for this year. Also, I posted pictures of 42 of my favorite pieces from last year’s BJP on my blog, here.

Don’t stress about finishing… about how you will finish each month’s piece or what you will do with the year’s work. Some members have a clear idea of what they want to make with their pieces at the end of the year; many do not know at all. Some will create a wall hanging or a book-like assemblage, while others may not make anything at all with their pieces. Either way is fine. Remember, the real payoff of this work is doing it each month!

You are not required to have a personal blog or website. You don’t even have to take pictures of your finished pieces. All of that is voluntary. However, it’s my impression that those who do post about their BJP experiences and progress on a personal blog seem to develop a wonderful sense of support and community with other BJP members. So, although it’s not required, I do encourage you to give blogging a try.

The BJP blogs are your link to the group! We do have a few guidelines about the blogs as follows:

1. We have three BJP blogs because Blogger limits every group-blog to a maximum of 100 authors. To accommodate all of us, we have divided the group into three equal sub-groups. You are assigned to one sub-group and are able to write a post on that blog only. However, I encourage you to follow and read all three blogs!

2. All posts must be relevant to the BJP. In other words, please don’t post text or pictures about other beadwork you are doing on the BJP blogs. However, when you believe it would be of interest to most BJP members, you may post a sentence or two about a non-BJP topic and a link to a post about that topic on your own personal blog.

3. Please do not post pictures of your monthly pieces on the BJP blogs until after April 1st. The reason for this is that some members prefer not to be influenced by other member’s work until after their own style is set a little. You are welcome to post pictures on your own blog (if you have one) or on our Flickr page at any time. During the first three months, you are welcome to post a link on the BJP blogs to pictures posted elsewhere so that those members who are non concerned about being influenced can take a look. After April l, you may post pictures of your BJP pieces here on the BJP blogs.

4. Please, no movies or sound on the BJP blogs! We want to keep it easy and fast to download. Also, since we’ll have well over 1,000 posts by the end of the year, we have to be mindful of Bloggers “space limits.”