Almost Finished For The Year!

I'm not quite finished for 2012 yet, but I finally posted my bead journal pages for June, July, September, and November.  Come on over to Crackpot Beader to see what I've done.

December will be finished later today, but August is lagging far, far behind.  It will happen.  I promise!

Happy New Year!

Marty S
Crackpot Beader

Best Wishes for 2013...

...both the New Year and the new year of BJP2013!

My 2012 spiral is finish, just under the wire!  I can't believe a year has passed since I started this project.  On the other hand, it certainly was a lot of beading...I'd love to know how many beads I used in this projects! (No, I'm not going to count them!) :P

Here's a little teaser of the December piece. Please drop by my blog to see the finished spiral.

bjp 1112 - time flies

I finished this piece early in December, but the holiday rush and work events conspired to keep me away from the computer.  As I said, "time flies", but I'm happy that I've finally posted.  Anyway, I needed calming, so the colour for November is soft and restful.   Come read all about it by clicking on the following link - http://artfuldreamer.blogspot.ca/2012/12/bjp1112-time-flies.html

By the way, December is also finished, so I've completed my BJP obligations for 2012.  Oh, I still need to post, but first I need to take some photographs.   LOL! I'll try to do that next weekend!

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy Christmas or whatever other holiday you celebrate at this time of the year.  Mine was quiet but good!

Finished Nov & Dec - 7 Blessings Complete!

Hi dear BJPers!

Here they are... 7 completed blessings (June through Dec). Now I have to backtrack and do the first 5 months. I plan to double up with next years BJP pieces, doing 2 per month through May. That will be a challenge!

You can see the details of Family (Nov) and Health (Dec) on this post.

Wishing everyone a joyful, magical, peaceful Christmas, and a very BEADIFUL new year!

Hugs and cheers,
Robin A
Beadlust

December 2012 done!

Hi all - My December piece was about my new, 1st, grand baby - Liam Jacob, born 12/20/12 at 7 lbs 14.4 oz, 19.5". He is such a cutie and my BJP is about him at the base of the Tree of Life.

So this is the end of another year. I have been very happy with the last 5 years of BJP and am looking forward to next year's where I'll be journaling a holiday every month. I was so excited about my January holiday design - Inauguration Day, that I already finished most of it. But I'm not "finishing" it until January so I can say it was made in 2013! See it early next month

Here's wishing everyone a very terrific holidays and Happy New Year.
Karen

November Finished...One to Go!...

I've finished my November piece and the spiral continues to grow...!

Please drop by my blog to see it.

Connie - December's (Final) BJP 2012

Wow, is this really the end of the year!  It has gone quickly.  I decided to finish off the year with a lacy snowflake.  We have had a draught here in the Midwest for several months and I am hoping for some moisture in the ground and a beautiful white Christmas.  I thought maybe one snowflake would get things moving.  I made this one up as I went along and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

 

 

This year of beading has been such a positive experience for me and you have all inspired me with your creative work.  You have set the bar high.  I have a ways to go, but feel I have learned so much just by observing, asking questions and practice...along with lots of patience.  I have especially learned that nothing is gained by rushing through the process, but rather to slow down, do the best I can and enjoy the experience in order to get the best results.  Thanks so much to all those instrumental in forming this group and in keeping it operating.  I won't be participating in 2013 other than following your creations, but I am sure I will be doing some beading periodically throughout the year.  Hopefully I can join up with the group again in 2014.  I look forward to seeing what you all come up with in 2013!

 

 

I have decided to turn my BJP2012 into a banner and will share that on my blog when I complete it, so I hope you will check back.  I am working on my CQJP 2012 wall hanging currently, but my hope is to complete the banner for this before the end of 2012 or in January at the latest. 

My December entry...

Well, entries, really. As you may remember, I'm combining the BJP with the color palette challenge being posed by Patchwork Times as well as a Crazy Quilt Journal Project challenge, but this month, the color palette challenge threw a curve ball at me with a monochromatic color palette! It was fun to do and I enjoyed the final look --- you can see it here --- but it didn't fit in with the scrappy look of the other eleven months in the challenge.

Sooooo... I did an alternate block --- I picked 6 fabrics that had been used at least twice in the other eleven pieces and made this...

Now I have a monochromatic orphan block! What to do?

2012 is the Year of the Dragon so here's Rhodri Y Ddraig Goch

(Roderick the Red Welsh Dragon)

Earlier this year we spent 2 weeks in Wales and there were red dragons everywhere so, when a friend gave me this little one, he had to be a Welsh dragon. She'd bought him at a car boot sale (like a garage sale) for 20p (very cheap) and she challenged me to bead him. I think he makes a fitting finale for 2012.  Again, mostly 15s, plus a few 10s, crystal toenails and fiery eyes. I left most of his wings unbeaded as it would have made them droop too much and I like the original material anyway. I had to give him a couple of horns on his head and one on the end of his nose - the little white fangs make him look cute.  More pix on my blog.

Double Infinity December pie slice in Amethyst

Well, I can't believe I have finally finished the 2012 BJP. I just took the other slices off the wall and put them all in a circle and, I must say - I really like it!! But more on that later... This month's stone, form the Book of Revelation, is AMETHYST, a color and stone most everyone knows. For my beads, I used some vintage Swarovski amethyst connectors and a czech glass bead mix from Bead Treasures which I saw calling me from one of my storage drawers :) There is the pearl at the small end representing the gate, and a few sparkly lochrosen throughout and that tatted edge which can be found in all the pieces. It felt really good to finally put the remainder of that tatted lace away after having in out for an entire year. I wonder if I'll ever use the rest??? The significance of the amethyst can be found in "the constant thought of the heavenly kingdom in humble souls". Hope you like it...

As you may know, in Revelation, there is an interesting reference to 'foundation stones', so called because the book lists these precious stones as decorating the foundations of the walls of the city in the vision of 'that great city, the holy Jerusalem, decending out of the heaven from God.' The foundation stones served as my color inspiration for this years BJP, and now, you can see the 12 slices all together, clockwise from 12 o'clock are: Jasper, Sapphire, Chalcedony, Emerald, Sardonyx, Sardius, Chrysolite, Beryl, Topaz, Chrysoprase, Jacinth, and Amethyst.

I'll see you guys next year....

December

My cuff is on my blog http:focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com

Another year of BJP over. You can see this month's necklace on my BLOG. Just click on "Karen J". Now, I need to think about next year's projects...

bjp 1012 - turning on a dime

Did you know that Canadians call our 10 cent piece a "dime"?  Well now you do!  October has been finished since the middle of November, but I just didn't get around to posting.  If you're interested in seeing a little more, you can find details and more photos if you click on the following link:

http://artfuldreamer.blogspot.ca/2012/12/bjp-1012-turning-on-dime_1046.html

I'm thankful that I've finished my October and November pieces.  I'll post about November next weekend as it's pouring out and I like to take my beady photos outside.

BTW - our Canadian Thanksgiving holday is in October!

I Hang My Head in Shame...

:-}  I've been so busy setting up the blog for BJP 2013 and playing with other art and photography that I haven't even started November's BJP piece...probably not going to get it done on time...

Home - October Finished!

I've finished my piece for October... There are a lot of symbols in it, and the subject itself  (home) is a symbol. I loved working on it... didn't want it to be finished... Come see it here.

Home - detail

But, moving on, now I've got to hustle to finish Nov. and Dec. in one month... The two blessings for these months are Family and Health. Next will be a fresh start... the 2013 BJP! I still want to do the first 5 blessing pieces for 2012, so will try to squeeze them in too.

I love seeing your work... congratulations to the many who are on schedule and finishing up their final piece for the year!

Beady hugs,
Robin A.

A Multitude - November Rune

November brings a new rune stone and a bit of a twist on the found object, more details here!

Double Infinity November Slice in Jacinth

This month's piece has been done for awhile, but with the holiday and painting my youngest daughter's bedroom, I'm finally getting around to posting it now.

This month's color inspiration is Jacinith which is like hyacinth or a burnt orange-ish. I got a lovely vintage cab and some fire polish beads from A Grain of Sand, and finished the piece off with a few beads from my stash and some tiny white mags. As always - there is a pearl at the end representing the gates into the New Jerusalem, and a few scattered vintage lochrosen for sparkle (!) and the tatted edge. Seems I bought a lot of the tatting last December, and will have about a yard left after next month. Into the drawer it will go until I need it again... I think this piece has a very feminine feel to it, especially when it is hung at the 11 o'clock spot with the others. You've got to wait until next month to see them all together though! Now you know I've been giving the meanings of the stones as described by the Archbishop on Manze, Rabanus Maurus, and have been putting them on the back of my piece. This month's is so long, I don't think it will fit! Here it is: 'in the hyacinth, the celestial rapture of the learned in their high thoughts and humble descent to human things out of regard for the weak'. Wow. FYI: I put the word out to the Houston Bead Society about the 2013 BJP and got one new member. I Can't believe we are already planning for another round!

Invitations sent

for all registered so far to become "authors" on the 2013 page. This means you can post to the blog as if it were your own.

Please, if you are registered and have not received an invitation, let me know via the link on the blog page here: http://bjp2013.blogspot.com/p/bjp-angels.html

And welcome to BJP 2013! It will be a pleasure to see your beadwork!

Registration for 2013 BJP Ends Tomorrow

If you want to join the 2013 BJP, but haven't sent your registration yet, please do so asap!

Registration ends Nov. 26th. Here's the link to registration information.

Hope to bead with you next year ;>}
Robin A.

Oct beaded rock

Here is my beaded rock for Oct...... Only 2 more rocks to go...where did this year go?

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving:)

November BEADazzeled Button done

Hi all - got November's BJP done with a celebration of Thanksgiving. Boy did it take me a long time to find the "stuff" to put inside my cornucopia - only one place near me (that's 1 hr away) had doll house stuff and it was hard finding what I wanted on the net. You can see the full piece and description but will have to scroll to the bottom of the page for November. So, next month my 1st grandbaby will be born and my BJP is all about him. Have a BEADy Great Day. Karen

Happy Holiday

November is about Thanksgiving and traveling to the cold north for my niece's baby shower, which was wonderful!

I choose to use the season's colors, and added the fiber for depth and to represent a turkey. Envision the bronze stick pearl as the turkey's neck and head. The glass bead leaves are the turkey's body, with the golden fiber strands as its tail. I used three charms: the wishbone for Thanksgiving, the "niece" disk to honor my niece, Judith, and the "baby on board" one for her shower. I also used peridot chips and other glass beads.

Happy Gobble Gobble and til next month.

November bead journal

Here we see the November journal.  I used Swarovski crystals for this piece.  I wish I could have captured their sparkle!

Connie's November BJP - embroidered lace

My November beaded lace is done.  Hope you will visit my blog (found on the sidebar...Connie E in Iowa) to see my inspiration piece.  I can't believe only one more to go!  This really has been fun and a learning experience for me. 

Finish 2012 BJP > Start 2013 BJP!

Hi BJPers!

Have you registered for 2013 yet? Here's the link. Please share this link on FB and/or your personal blog. It's great to have a mix of returning members and some who are new!

Have you decided if you want to combine and/or finish your 2012 BJP pieces in some way? If so, please share your idea/plan in a post. Here are a few that might interest you from past years in the BJP:

• mounting on stretched canvas
• memory box - how to make
• finishing solutions by first year participants
• framing 12 pieces in single frame - tutorial
• framing in groups of 4 pieces
• making the 12 pieces into a wall-quilt

Hope you'll be in the BJP community for 2013!

Robin A.

Sept BJP

I know I'm a little behind but I'm hoping to catch up this month. For September I decided to do a honey bee on a sunflower. See more photos at http://thebeadedneedle.blogspot.com/ and the little explaination behind the bee...  :)

NOVEMBER PIECE HA'PENNY HEDGEHOG

This little fellow should be tucked up warm for the winter by now. He's mostly 15 seed beads with small daggers for his front paws. The tummy button star is pure whimsy, but I liked it. I think he will eventually join Cyril the Squirrel on a woodland wallhanging. He was inspired by a photo I took in the garden. Please see my blog for more wildlife photos.

2013

Hi everyone! I just sent my registration in for 2013. I am hoping to be a much more involved member next year. 2012 was a horrible year for me, emotionally, physically and spiritually. I am hoping all of that is behind me now, with no where to go but forward from here. I have so missed the support and encouragement that past years have provided for me with being a part of this wonderful community. I am busy thinking about what my plans will be for 2013. Tracey
PS. Robin, is there anything I can help with? Let me know!!

November is done...

It's hard to believe that the year is almost over. Now I'm trying to think of what to do for 2013!

Anyway, here is my beaded crazy quilt block for November: http://210920746822434353.weebly.com/1/post/2012/11/2012-a-year-of-challenges-week-forty-five.html

Catching up...

My word, doesn't time fly? It's not that I haven't been busy- or perhaps that's the problem.

I've not been lazy, honest, I've done my blocks, but never seemed to have time to sit and get to everything I need to online.

So, here's October's block, Scorpio

and here's the other couple that I've not posted on time... plus an update of how the whole hanging is coming along...

http://kalonacreativity.blogspot.co.uk/p/bjp-2012.html

Kal.x

Registration for 2013 BJP is now open!

Hi Everybody,

Register now until November 25th for the 2013 BJP!!! We hope you'll join us for another great year of beading, visual journaling, and friendship.

Please click on the link in the banner at the top of the page for registration information. It's the one that says Register 2013 BJP.

It's also a good time for you to invite your friends to join us. New members are very welcome! Please feel free to post a link to the registration information page. Just go to it, copy the URL and paste it on your blog.

One question that gets asked every year is this, "If I didn't finish this year's pieces, can I still join next year?"  The answer is "YES!"

BJP 2013 will begin in January, 2013 and continue for the entire year. The idea is the same as this year: make one piece per month; use some beads on each piece; make each month's piece roughly the same size and shape; and, in whatever way you can, visually describe what's important to you during each of the months. That's it. Participation on the BJP blog and/or your own blog is optional.

If you have other questions, please email me: robin[at]robinatkins[dot] com.

Hope to see you again in 2013!

Robin A.

BJP 2013...

is fast approaching!  

Here's the link to the new blog.  

Registration information will be following soon...

Posted November's BJP on my BLOG. Just go to "Karen J" to find it.

Good News for 2013!

For reasons I do not understand, the polls on the side bar were not working. So I deleted them.

The good news is this... apparently there are some of you who want to have another go at this in 2013. Even better news... three of you have volunteered to be helpers!

Linda K. is already designing the 2013 blog... a super beautiful place to keep in touch and post our pictures! I'll post a link to it as soon as it is complete. Thank you, Linda!

We are in the process of getting the registration system going. We hope to do registrations during the first two weeks in December. Please keep an eye on this blog for the registration information.

I'm counting on many of you to join again, as the quality and variety of your BJP pieces this year is fantastic! If you have friends who might like to join, please alert them that registration opens soon.

Thanks!!!

Robin A.

November

My cuff is on my blog http://focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com

Please Vote!

Please go to the polls... to your right...

and let me know if you would like to continue in the BJP next year. I'm also curious how folks are doing with this year's BJP, so there are two polls for you click.

Here's the sticky question. Who of you is available to help organize the BJP for 2013 (if we have one)?  We need:

1. A Blog Angel - somebody to design and set up the blog, and to design the logo (badge) for members to use as a visual link on their own blogs.
2. A Membership Angel - somebody to be very active in the next few weeks accepting "applications" for membership on email and preparing the list of members. This is the most time-consuming of the jobs.
3. A Detail Angel - somebody to add all of the new members to the blog and make sure they know they can post.

If you can take on one of these jobs (or might be able to and have questions), please contact me at this email: robin[at]robinatkins[dot]com.  Thanks for voting! Thanks for giving this some thought! Thanks for being a member this year!

Beady blessings,
Robin A.

October Piece Finished...

...with a day to spare.  I guess I'll have time to carve our pumpkins and get ready for Halloween visitors this evening.  Here's the teaser.  Please drop by my blog to see the October piece and the continuing progress of the year's spiral.

http://lindakittmer.blogspot.ca/2012/10/bead-journal-project-october.html

Connie: October Bead Embroidery Design

Here is my October BJP.  I created this design and thought it rather appropriate for October.  Please visit my blog to see some of the jewelry I have also been redesigning.

I can't believe there are only two months left!  It has been fun seeing everyones creations.

bead journal for October

First I want to say thank to the lovely ladies who commented on my last piece.  You are all so kind and I really appreciate your encouragement.

This piece is not typical of the colors I like to use but I love it.  The texture is really great!  I was showing a friend all the bead journals I have done this year and she was totally amazed and enthralled.  She raved that they should all be seen together in a show!  I have to say that encouraged me.  Plus there are only two more to do to finish this year.  I will persist and enjoy the process.
http://princessbubblescreates.blogspot.ca/

warm regards
Angela

September Finished & Posted on Beadlust!

Here's a little peek at my piece for September.

Remember, I'm doing "blessings" this year. Can you guess what blessing this is? The answer is here.

Anybody thinking about next year yet?

Robin A.

October on TIME

Well, I've finally finished a piece way before the end of the month or the following month. This month is my birthday and also my sister's, Karen's, birthday. So, I've included her on my piece with a charm of her own. Each month I'm creating a 2" Pendant/Brooch.

In this month, my colors are purples, golds, and silvers; the royal purple seemed appropriate, ha ha. I've used pearls, Swarovski crystals, charms, and glass beads. One of these days, I'll get back to making more bead embroidery jewelry using all semi-precious stones and crystals. I haven't written on my blog in a while, which is why I've been writing and showing my whole piece here. Soon, back to that too!

I'm so excited!  My birthday is Wednesday and although my sister and I live at either end of the East Coast, we'll be together on my birthday.

See you next month.

Caught Up At Last

Sorry I have not kept up with my Journal Posts, but I finally have the pictures ready to post. July is titled Raven Brings The Sun..a little tongue in cheek, since he didn't bring much sun this "Summer",however we did have some beautiful Fireweed, that also bloomed and went to seed in record time. August is all about the beautiful Dragonfly that stayed around for the month, landing almost on my hand one day when I was sitting outside beading. I guess he just wanted a closer look at the beadwork. September is all about the beautiful Swans that nested in the Lake behind our house. They had 7 Signet this year. I tried to get some pictures of all of them together, but never was able to. For some reason they just don't co-operate when you want them too. Hope everyone had a great "Summer", we are in to Winter already, had some snow already and the temperature is a balmy 27 at the moment. See you with my October contribution next week I hope. Happy Beading all. 

IT'S THE MONTH OF HALLOWE'EN!

Rowan, the witch's kitten, is waiting to cast a spell on you. Please go and meet her on my blog.

Transport: October Rune

More on my October rune here.

October

How can it be October already? My new cuff is on my blog http://focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com

bjp 0912 - day and night

I've been working with so much colour lately, that I decided to work with a simple pallette of black, white and grey for September.  If you're interested in seeing the slightly wacky things I've included this month, please wander on over to my blog.  I'll meet you there!

http://artfuldreamer.blogspot.ca/2012/10/bjp-0912-day-and-night_13.html

Double Infinity's October piece in Chrysoprase

When I started this project, I looked over the 'inspiration stone/colors' I would be using as found in the Book of Revelations. As you may recall, I am using the 12 stones of the New Jeruselem. The book lists these stones as decorating the foundations of the walls of the city. For October, the stone is CHRYSOPRASE and I had no idea what color it was. So I searched online and found a sample at A Grain of Sand (what a neat store that is!). It was a little pricey for me, but I went ahead and purchased the strand of rice shaped chrysoprase beads. That means for 9 long months I knew what my focal beads were going to be in October. THey are quite large and I toyed with lining them up both horizontally and vertically, when it hit me to mkae them into 5 pointed stars. THey look kind of like flowers, so that is the direction the piece took. Again there is the tatted edge and the pearl "gate", as well as the sparkly vintage swarovski lochrosen in the piece; items repeated each month. I have not encrusted a piece this year, and really didn't want to do one, but this piece is about half done. I really love the way the empty spaces play off the clusters of yellow. This month's stone "demonstrates the work of the blessed martyrs and their rewards". I think a bouquet of flowers worked out just perfect for this month! The stones for November and December are two of my favorites, so I can't wait to see how they evolve. Thanks for looking...

October Xtra Large button done

Hi all - so now I'm head and finished Oct before the end of the month. This month is my birthday and I can still say (until the 15th) - "when I'm 64"! Boy, I don't feel that old. Anyway, here is my Oct BJP - you'll have to scroll down to the bottom of the page to see it.

Have a BEADy Great Day. Karen

August BJP

so I'm only 2 months behind now!)

I did a little goldwork on this one too.
it's in celebration of the sun which has graced us with 50+ continual days of shiny.

No I;m not crazy, I live in Seattle it's usual around here.

there are more pictures on my blog if you want to see them.

It will be raining and gloomy around here soon enough.

so happy Sun!

My October BJP

is also my October Color Palette Challenge and my Crazy Quilt Journal Project Challenge. You can see it here: http://carolstitches.blogspot.com/2012/10/2012-year-of-challenges-week-forty.html

Carol H in NW Ohio

September Extra Large Button done

Hi all - a bit late this month, but that's okay. September was a busy month for me - it was my 30/35th anniversary with Stephen - that's 30 years married, 35 living together. And later in the month I went to England on vacation. Then I taught enameling at the John C Campbell Folk School - this was not in my journal, but I mention it as it's a terrific place to take classes and have a family vacation or reunion! See FolkSchool.org for details. So here is my Sept piece (you will have to scroll down the page to see it). Already started October which is my birthday - can't believe I'm 64 and one year away from Medicare! Have a BEADy Great Day, Karen

I posted my October BJP on my BLOG this morning and forgot to let you all know. Oops. Just click on the "Karen J". :)

September bead journal

Here it is.  I actually did have it finished in September I just didn't get around to posting it.  I have to say that I am not thrilled with this piece.  I am not feeling very inspired about stitching onto my photos.  I thought it was a good idea when I started.  Angela

September on Time

So, my goal was to complete my September piece on time. It's now September 30 at 9:30pm. So glad I did it.

Here is the piece, and this one is also about my almost 6 month old grandson, who we visited this month again in LA. Ethan is the joy in my heart, and I used a beautiful glass heart bead and a charm of "JOY." I was able to find a charm picture frame and reduced a photo to put in it.  Also used on this month's piece are pearls, lemon jade, green jade, malachite, peridot, amethyst, Swarovski crystals, and glass beads.

I really love creating bead embroidery pieces. Thank you all for providing this platform where I can. See you next month.

May journal cover completed!

Whee, I've finished with May!  I'm happy with it and have actually created collaged innerds as well.  I love seeing what everyone is doing.  This cover is another  losely constructd one.
See my May project on my blog  Beth

September is Done!

And on time too!  :o)

Please drop by my blog to see the whole piece as well as the year to date spiral progression.  Thanks.

http://lindakittmer.blogspot.cahttp://lindakittmer.blogspot.ca/2012/09/bead-journal-project-september.html

Sneak peek of Sept. BJP piece...

I'm almost done and this month I will finally finish on time again!  Check out what it's looking like so far...

http://lindakittmer.blogspot.ca/2012/09/sneak-peek-of-septembers-bead-journal.html

Connie's BJP for September

I switched to black for this month of September.  Please visit my blog where I share my thoughts as I worked on this fairly simple lace piece. 

My September piece...

I struggled with this one --- somehow, the color choices didn't resonate with me, even though MOST of them were used in other blocks. I suspect the black and gray are the culprits, although I am getting a tad tired of blue and orange! LOL

http://210920746822434353.weebly.com/1/post/2012/09/color-palette-challengecrazy-quit-journalbead-journal-project-challenges-september-2012.html

The color challenge was posed by Judy Laquidara and VIcki Welsh back in the beginning of Septemebr and is based on a photo of a mineral spring at Yellowstone National Park. All fabrics, beads, threads and laces are from my stash. The block grid was a slightly modified block six from the "I Dropped the Button Box" over at PinTangle. AS usually, I added a strip of lace, some crystal beads and my "signature" chains stitch to tie the series of blocks together.

My September Rune Stone

I've posted my September rune - Technology!

You can see more photos and thoughts here.

Double Infinity - Jan thru Sept pie slices

I had mentioned I would post a group photo again once we had 9 months done. Here it is. As you can see, I'm going to have to rehang most of them by the year's end. I used a 12" frying pan for my template (!) so they ought to fit back together!!

Double Infinity's SEPTEMBER pie slice in Topaz

This month's pie slice came to be a little differently than the others. It seems like my September pieces always have a twist to them, perhaps because I started beading with my mom and she died in September five years ago. For my other 2 BJP entries for September, the difference is really obvious. For this entry, it is not. Basically, I did not feel up to looking through my bead stash, although I'm sure I would have found lots of topaz beads to work with. So I actually purchased a 'topaz bead mix' and am quite pleased with what I got. The design you finally see is the 3rd one I set up on the pie slice. The other 2 were very linear, and that might have been my attempt to but some routine back in my life with the end of summer and the kids back to school! As always, you will find the pearl at the small end representing the gates into the New Jeruselem as depicted in the Book of Revelation. Vintage tatting runs across the wide end to tie the pieces together. For those of you interested, the desciptions I have been giving for the stones have come from Rabanus Maurus, Archbispho of Mainz (786-856). Topaz, it seems, represents' the ardent contemplation of the prophecies". Anyway, you can see the piece below. Hope you like it.

bjp 0812 - a measure of citrus

My August BJP is a celebration of the long, hot days of summer.  If you'd like to quench your 'thirst' with more photos,  please click on the following link:

http://artfuldreamer.blogspot.ca/2012/09/bjp-0812-measure-of-citrus.html




July catch up

I am starting to catch up, here is part of July's BJP I will have augusts underway as soon as I can find stiffened felt in the right color orange.    you can see the rest of the piece here and the story to go with it.

September

I've posted the next cuff on my blog.  http://focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com

Hands! August Finished

A blessing at the top of my list (along with vision) is my hands, the subject of August's BJP. Do we take our hands for granted? It's so totally normal to be able to bead, sew, knit, cut, garden, cook, pet the cat... It felt really good and important to spend the month of August noticing and thanking my hands for all they do.  You can see more on my blog, here.

I've started working on September's piece and hope to have time to finish it while we are on a cart trip to Yellowstone.

Beady blessings to everyone!
Robin A.

Watch out, Cyril the Squirrel's about!

SEPTEMBER

We get a couple of litters of squirrel kits in our chimney pots each year - they use the TV aerials as a gym! Cyril is beaded entirely in 15s, mostly backstitch but his tail and tummy are fringed. His eye is an antique button with a highlight stuck on. The leaves are cut from leather scraps. More details on my blog.

bjp0712 - raspberry and lime

The latest in my 2012 series.  I had a good excuse to be late, but judge for yourself!!  The story and more photos can be found here -  http://artfuldreamer.blogspot.ca/2012/09/bjp-0712-raspberry-and-lime.html .  I'll put the kettle on!!

The background is already painted for my August piece!  I'll probably start working on it this week and I'm predicting that it will work up quickly.  Then on to September!!   It's hard to believe as we're still having warm, sunny days up here in Toronto.  Perhaps if I wish upon a bead, we'll be able to ignore the cooler weather for the next month or so.  LOL!

BTW, did you spot the paper clip and the little bit of sequin waste?



I posted September's Bead Journal Project on my BLOG. Just click "Karen J" to see. :)

Update of Progress so far...

I've just posted an update on my blog, showing the update of all eight of my finished pieces so far.  I can't believe the spiral is almost done!  If you'd like to see it, please pop by my blog:

http://lindakittmer.blogspot.ca/2012/09/bead-journal-project-update-of-progress.html

Double Infinity - August Pie Slice in BERYL

I wanted to get this posted yesterday, but time slipped away. So even though it is now September, this is my August piece. Using the 12 Foundation Stones of the New Jeruselm as found in the Book of Revelations, this month's inspiration is the stone BERYL. Now being familar with this stone,I had a hard time getting motivated to begin the piece. I did a search and found that BERYL is most commonly associated with the color aqua-marine. Ah- now tha's something I can relate to! Still, summer got in the way and I did not begin. Then one day, I walked into my craft room and spied a pretty blue aqua-marine-ish bead mix through one of my storage drawers. That was all I needed, and the piece worked itself up in a few days. Again you will find the pearl at the short end representing the gates into the city, and the tatting at the top (used to tie the pieces together when completed), and my vintage lochrosen in the piece. I really like the way it came together. THe stone BERYL represents 'the perfect operation of prophecy' and it is eerie how I can see that in my piece, although I do not read their stones' meaning until AFTER I bead the piece. Next month I'll include a photo of the grouping since the pie with be 3/4th done!

August is Done!

And yes, that means I'm all caught up!  Yah!!!  Here's a little sneak peak.  Please visit my blog to see the whole piece.

http://lindakittmer.blogspot.ca/2012/09/bead-journal-project-august.html

July and August, Finally

It seems I can't just finish one month's piece and post it on time; my goal is for September's piece to be completed on time and posed before the end of that month. I finished both of these over a week ago and have just taken photos and uploaded them (downloaded them?) to my computer. Each piece has approximately a 2" diameter and is both a pendant and brooch.

July is all about our trip to England, where we took a workshop at Gaunts House, near Wimbourne. It is near the Jurassic Coast, where there are lots of fossils. So, the main component is an ammonite, which I purchased at Avebury, a small village surrounded by a henge (circle). There are quite a few henges in that area, especially well known is StoneHenge, which we also visited, as well as an earthen henge without large stones, closer to our retreat. I beaded a circle of bugle beads to represent the various henges. The weather was awful for most of our trip, and the puka shell, with it's wonderful colors, is for the rain, all the blues and greens. England was really lush and we had a wonderful time in spite of the cold and rain.

August's piece is about love and family, as Art and I celebrated both his 70th birthday and our 49th Anniversary. I used 49 pearls, including the large Mabe pearl to represent each year. 

So, that's it for the last two months. Happy beading!