August BJP - "Circular"

The word for August is “circular”. Once again, I pulled out a word that has significance to me. As you might know from previous blog notes I’ve felt that I’m being pulled in a circle back to art dolls. That pulling is very pleasant by the way – I’ve found myself joyously entering my studio each day to bring some new pattern to life.


As always, when I pulled out this word I started searching for something that I might have on hand that would portray the word. Sure enough I found this button with the circular design. Somewhere, sometime I had found it and added it to my stash, never even dreaming that it would be part of my 2010 BJP collection. In fact, I probably didn’t even know there was such a thing as a BJP when this precious treasure was found.

The glitch with the button was that it is pink and grey. Hmmm, not my favorite color combination. But it did happen that I have both pink and grey beads on hand from other projects so I combined what I had and got busy. Unfortunately, my reaction to the color combination made this bookmark difficult for me to make.

Hopefully next month’s word will lend itself to a theme and colors that I can relate to with more pleasure.

"A circle is the reflection of eternity. It has no beginning and it has no end - and if you put several circles over each other, then you get a spiral". - Maynard James Keenan

July BJP

My word for July is "Journey".  For almost two years I've been on a journey to learn and create encrusted beading.  This was a journey that followed behind my book arts journey and before that my primitive doll and art doll journeys.  As you can see I'm a real traveler!

For some reason, perhaps the hot summer day doldrums have set in, I had a difficult time getting started on this month's project.  I got part way through and then it sat here on my work table while I spent time on bigger projects (and to tell the truth much more interesting-to-me projects).  But I made it with time to spare, after all my procrastinating.

At times, while trying to finish this past weekend, it almost seemed like some of those life journeys that we all have to take.  You know the ones, where you are locked into something and can't seem to get off the train but have to keep riding until your destination is finally reached.  That has been July for me. 

Wonder where my word jar will take me next month - guess I'll only have to wait a couple of weeks to find out...

"The reinvention of daily life means marching off the edge of our maps". - Bob Black

Begin at the Beginning

The BJP 2010 has begun and so have I - although not quite as quickly as I had hoped but at least its still January so I'm not behind (yet)!

As I mentioned in my October 1, 2009 blog posting my 'theme' for 2010 will be 'bookmarks'.  I have a jar on my work table with bunches of words inside. Each month I'll pull out a word and translate it into a bookmark form.  I made one sample bookmark and realized that you could never actually use it for a bookmark because the beading makes it too thick.  BUT - I love the idea of using words and using the bookmark form so I have decided to go ahead and make the bookmarks - however I won't back them with ultrasuede (as I had originally planned to do) but eventually will mount them in frames. 

My word for January is 'interlude'.  I love that word - it just seems to work with the time of the year (these quiet winter days spent inside due to really cold weather). Here is the tray set up with the eyelet placed and the 'cab' placed.  Now on to the beading...

Interlude, n.  An intervening episode, period, space, etc.

Beaded Journal Project

I have been waiting a year for this very day -- the day that I join the 2010 Beaded Journal Project. Last year I was a beginning beader and only found out about the BJP after the deadline. Probably a good thing since I had no idea what I was doing at that point and really wasn't ready to take on a monthly journal project. But I am ready now!!!

In previous years the BJP has run from September to September. To show you how much I was looking forward to this adventure I figured out what my project would involve way back in July. I decided to utilize my love of words and also make an homage to my book arts days. Thus, I selected a bunch of words, typed them on paper, cut out strips, carefully folded each strip (word) and put it in a glass bottle on my work table. From this bottle I determined to take a word each month and make a bookmark to reflect that word. The beginning date for the 2010 BJP is now January and I can assure you that even at this point I have no clue what words I chose back in July so beginning in January I will be surprised (and probably challenged) by the word I pick out. No picking and choosing is allowed - whatever word comes into my hand is the word of the month and I must work with it.

All year long I have 'lurked' on BJP blogs and websites and read the postings and comments - sort of like a child standing in front of the candy store window and looking in. Now I shall be part of it all. This won't be easy - everyone is so talented, so imaginative and so skilled that it will be a real challenge for me but one that I'm looking forward to with great glee. Just think - the door of the candy store has opened and I've taken that first step across the threshold.

"Art flourishes where there is a sense of adventure." - Alfred North Whitehead