How to Run the BJP

Commenting on the previous post (Next Year), Bobbi K asked a good question. What does it take to run the BJP? I'll answer that by listing the steps:

1. Determine the starting date (I suggest keeping it Jan. 1, same as this year)
2. Determine the registration dates (I suggest Nov. 15 - Dec. 15
3. Somebody has to be the registration angel. This person will set up an email (gmail?) account for all registration correspondence. Registering members and replying to correspondence about the BJP is the most time-consuming job. It takes a very organized person who has time to deal with the correspondence on a daily basis.
4. Write a post on each of the three current BJP blogs asking members to "advertise" next year's BJP and registration dates on their own blogs. They should list the registration dates, email address for registration and web page where an interested person can read about the program.
5. Our current web angel (Brenda) may be willing to continue. If so, she would post the registration information, rules, etc. on the Bead Journal Project website. She's done this previously.
6. When registration opens, new and returning members will email their information and request to be a member to the registration angel.
7. The registration angel will make a spread sheet with the name and other information about all members.
8. The registration angel will send a form email to each member telling them they are now officially enrolled.
9. The blog angel will set up one or more blogs for the year and will take the membership information/list from the registration angel and assign members to a specific blog and send an invitation from the blog so that they can post on it.
10. For the most part, the registration and blog set-up goes fairly smoothly, but there are always a few problems. With our experience in the past three years, I can give the two angels some tips that should help a little.
11. After the year's project begins, there is little to do, except to monitor the blogs making sure the content is appropriate and relevant.
12. I have the "form correspondence" we used this past year, which can either be used again or modified to suit the new team's needs.
13. Generally this past year, my angels did most of the actual work, while I served as advisor and troubleshooter and coordinator. We emailed back an forth quite a bit at the beginning of the year, making decisions about various details. But after the first month, things ran fairly smoothly.
14. As the leader, I have made an effort to be active, reading the BJP blogs and all posts on active member's personal blogs that are relative to the BJP and taking the time to write comments on all of them. This is rewarding and inspirational to me, also time consuming.

Hope this isn't too much information. A team of four people (the leader plus registration, blog and web angels) can do the job. The bulk of the work would be between Nov. 1 through Jan. 15. Bobbi K has already said she might have the energy to be part of the team (and she'll be fabulous to work with)... any others???

Thanks for taking the time to read this and think about it....

Robin A.

Next Year

Some of you have started asking about BJP 2011...

I'm sorry that I haven't addressed this earlier. In my personal life, things have been (and continue to be) up and down a bit lately. My attentions are drawn elsewhere and I've not kept up with blogs in the way I'd like.

So, I'm torn. Part of me wants to continue leading the BJP for another year; part of me feels the need to step down, to continue making one visual journal piece every month, but not to organize and shepherd the BJP program. Sitting on the fence, thinking I can do it one moment and needing to be released from the responsibility the next, is what has delayed notice about it.

I see no immediate resolutions to the personal issues in my life. Therefore, probably the best thing is to open the door for somebody else to take over. I am willing to act as a consultant/advisor, and am also willing to let go of the program as I designed it. In other words, any past participant who would like to take it on, is welcome to alter the program to suit their own style of leadership or run it with the same guidelines and system as we use now.

One other possibility is to take a year-long break and see how things look for 2012 to start again.

I need to know if there are volunteers to take over and/or what you think of the idea of taking a break. Go ahead and state your thoughts by making a comment here (of any length)... or you can email me privately (robin[at]robinatkins[dot]com).

Again, I'm sorry and apologize for my need to let go at this time. Thanks for giving some thought to this and for participating this year!

Robin A.

September in Africa - my BJP doll is done!

This month went MUCH smoother - in fact I could say the inspiration just tumbled out of me!
Let me know what you think! (click the link for my blog post)

September BJP

Another one finished...you can see it here. Wow...what a quick year this is turning out to be; only 3 more and it's done! (Is it too soon to whine for another one?)
This post will tell you about the figures on my piece and why I chose them.

Sept Beaded Journal Page - Tall Rock

I knowingly waited for my visit to Cork's bead retreat to create this piece. The large picture window has a spectacular view of pines, animals and sheer rocks that reach for the heavens. Of special note, is "Tall Rock" which catches the sun beams in a most spectacular way. (Photo on right). Every moment, the light hits the giant rock in different ways creating shadows and brightness.
Tall Rock is at the bottom of the piece surrounded by pine trees and "golden" background. The yellow beads represent the changing colors of the highly located Aspens. We visited the open house of Beyond Beadery and purchased "niblet" beads which are incorporated in the fringe.
Thank you, Cork!

To view the entire piece, go to www.artntheheart.blogspot.com or click on the names (Victoria P.) of the left side of this blog.

Bead On! Victoria

September bracelet is finished!

 

Our apple trees inspired my most recent BJP piece!  I've got links to all our favorite apple desserts and treats at the post too ;-)

"September Song"

A little mixed media here - fabric laves, polymer clay buttons and, of course, seed beads.

My September pice is here:

http://thatyankstitches.multiply.com/journal/item/132/September_Bead_Journal_Project

September Leaf!

View my Autumnal Equinox leaf!

Blog updated!

After many delays, I have finally update my blog! If you would like to take a peek at my finished may BJP, it can be seen HERE on my blog. I am way behind, but I am determined to finish my piece!

September Finished

My piece for October is now posted on my Pinelands Patches and Beadscapes blog. It's sad, but it helps to have beaded about it. More than ever, I believe this is the month that I used BJP as it was intended -- as a journal.

2008/2009 BJP - the final chapter

Are you interested in joining me on my trip down memory lane? If so, I've just posted another retro piece to showcase my last six triangles of the 2008/2009 BJP year. Enjoy!

August BPB Finished!

To see my inspiration and finished BJP for August you can head over to my blog.

Now to get started on September!!

Robbie from michigan

A little history for you.....

Forgive me if I shouldn't do this, but I didn't have my own blog in 2008/2009 and was posting on http://andmorebjp08.blogspot.com. I wanted to record my earlier BJP's in one place and I thought that some of you might like to visit my retro posts! If you're interested, you can see the first six months over at my blog! It was my my first year participating in the Bead Journal Project and my first real attempts at journaling with encrusted bead embroidery (and a little mixed up media thrown in for good measure). My BE experience was very limited prior to that! I'll be posting the rest of my triangles next weekend.

Be sure to visit the 2008 and 2007 blogs for more inspiration and eye candy from the other participants! The easiest way to get to them is through the BJP website.

A little late - the first time!

I'm a bit late with this month's August BJP - my spirit doll - but I think I have a good excuse - GRIN! September is back on track!

http://www.iamnotahandbag.com/index.php/2010/09/bjp-where-i-run-off-track-and-finish-late/

September beaded bead

You can see my September beaded bead on my blog.

"Betwixt" - September BJP

My word for September is 'betwixt' - which not only fits with where I am in my art life - but where my outside world is right now - between summer and fall.  Its not so bad being 'in between'!  You may see my September BJP here.

I finished September's BJP. Just a silly little tribute to U of O football. You can find it by clicking on "Karen J" to the left.

June BJP AMD - Finally!

I'm more than a little behind, but still enjoying the process. For the full story, please come visit my blog. It's always open and loves new friends!

August 2010

Introducing Agate who is fashionably late. 

Finishing ~ Tutorial Posted on Beadlust

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Many of us have now completed 8 pieces and are thinking about what to do with our work for the year. No pressure... the best part has already happened... the doing of the work is where most of the benefits happen (or so it is for me). But it IS fun to finish the work and make it displayable in some way.

One way is the subject of my current post, here. It's a tutorial on how to mount non-3-dimensional pieces on stretched canvas frames. The results are very professional-looking and give an impression of fine art to the work. Above, you can see three pieces I've mounted in this way. I'm so pleased with how they look that I decided to write about how to do it.

If anyone else wishes to put a finishing techniques tutorial on their blog, I'd love to see it!

Remember, if you have 8 pieces finished and photographed, you can have a personal page devoted to your pictures on the Bead Journal Project website. Check here for directions.

Some fabulous work being done this year... Bravo, everyone!

Robin A.

Hard post

I'm still here, but it has been a very hard Summer with work, my dog getting ill and almost dying, the bead store where I teach closing forever, and all kinds of silly family things that can cloud moods. I had this piece finished back in May, but I just could NOT get the story out. It was fastening inside of me with tendrils of hate and rage feeding and growing. My dearest younger brother helped me get through all this and put away my dark sad feelings. Here is the story about my High School class ring which is put away inside this June's BJP Secret Treasures.

July Finished!

Although I already finished and posted August's piece, my July piece (detail above) was delayed waiting for silk ribbon (the finishing touch), The ribbon order finally arrived, so now you can see it all here.

Robin A.