January is Finished!!!

I struggled a lot with this new direction for my work... For better or worse, I'm on a pathway and am sure it will improve with each month. You can see January here.

Congratulations to all who are finished already! My goodness, it seems there are more of us on schedule than in previous years. Yay!

Robin A.

I finished a project that was inspired by my bracelets for January. It's posted on my blog, "Karen J" to the left. Now I can start on Febuary!

February Finish

I wanted to get a little head-start on this month, because I know it's going to be a busy one. I managed to finish my February piece today, so thought I would share.

I've enjoyed seeing everyone else's work, and am always inspired by the textures and patterns that we all create. It's amazing how many things you can do with a little piece of glass with a hole through it! I used the parallel application of bugle beads that I'd seen while surfing blogs this month on my piece. It turned out to be the perfect start for a piece of work that I'm very happy with.

February Progress

Here's link to the progress on my February piece. The hearts are some of my 'zentangle' pieces I made this past fall. I scanned in the three pieces then printed on my hand dyed fabric.
It's great to see every one's work!! Robbie from (finally) sunny Ocala, Florida!

January piece completed!

Yay and with an entire day to spare! I've written a bit more about my thought process...I can't wait to do more. I guess the thing I'm loving about doing the same thing each month is it gives so much room to explore, be forgiving with yourself and be excited with the results (which I am this month!).

Thanks for all the comments on my blog so far - it's fabulous to have support:

http://www.frequentlywrongbutneverindoubt.com

Alert

I just wanted to share quickly, a fast easy way to follow all of the Bead Journal Blogs. I found Google Alerts works pretty well. It's fast, free and easy to sign up for. You put in the relevant keywords/labels you want to be alerted on and you get an email when someone posts a blog with that keyword or label.

This is working great for me. Last year I felt awful I didn't have the time to follow all three blogs here. And with even more people this year I figured I try it. This is bringing me to all of them when someone types in their labels/keyword on their blog or on here that I want to be alerted to. So much faster and easier to get these posts in my email and to be able to look, read and comment from there.

I hope this helps.

January BJP for Kaite posted on Yarngarden

Hi everyone, here's just a taster of my January BJP. She's a doll like figure, and just a bit different to the shape i was originally going with. You'll find her on my Yarngarden blog and she's full of life and hope. Come on over and enjoy.
cheers, Kaite M. in Bathurst, Aus.

January BJP - Crystal Chyll

January reminds me of my past skiing days filled with snow and the chill of the snow. Parts of the snow would be black, worn with steps of individuals or snowfall. Crystal Chyll is done in the colors of silver, white and black representing the harshness of winter. The shape of each BJP is being done in a goddess shape and I will be able to wear each as a pendant. Each month, a different stone cabochon will be used in the design. A pearl button, metal ring with the word, Honesty, hex, firepolish, crystals, shells and seed beads were used in this bead embroidered piece. Many of Robin's techniques were used in creating this goddess. Thank you, Robin!
Crystal Chyll can be viewed at http://www.artntheheart.blogspot.com
Bead on! Victoria Pearman

January Started!

I've finally started my January page! Yeah! I'm trying to work improvisationally, but it's hard. I'm a "follow the pattern" type, although I'd really like to get out of that. I'm hoping this will help. I also cut the size of my shape down about an inch. It's feels much better, and I think it will be more manageable. I actually like the shape itself better as well. You can view my progress on my blog.

I have February's piece basted and ready to bead, and have decided February's color would be blue. Don't know why, it just is. As I started beading with the white, something said the next one would be blue. I'm trying not to analyze. I'm going with the flow, working from my heart, and trying really hard not to think about it. Wish me luck!

Michele L.

Did I Edit? January Page Finished

I finished my January page. The last time I posted here, I asked if I could edit my improvisational beading. I let the page stew in its own juices for a few days, and then I made my decision.

Come on over to my blog Crackpot Beader to find out what I decided and why.

It has been a real treat to see everyone's work. Thanks for sharing, everyone.

Marty S
Crackpot Beader

February is All About Love

If anyone is interested, I have posted my February work in progress on my blog.  I hope it's going in the right direction to depict what I'm thinking about!

Thanks!
Lisa
Indigo's Beads

January finished

After one false start and starting over, my January piece is posted on my Pinelands Patches and Beadscapes blog. I'm feeling only lukewarm about this one, so please don't hold back in your comments. I'm eager to learn! :)

Aaarrgh!

I just found out our local bead shop is closing its' doors. The liquidation sale starts Monday.

Say it isn't so!

Not now!!!

I don't have room in my house to store all the beads I want!!

I would buy the complete inventory of glass beads if I could. As it is, now I have to go through what I do own and see if I can identify any holes I could try to fill at sale prices. How do I know what I'm going to want to use 3 or 6 months from now???

This is the second business I love that has decided to call it quits in the last 10 days or so. I'm afraid of what may be next.

At least I'm in a position to drop a few coins in their bucket. Guess I'll go down and spend as much money as I dare in a final gesture of support and fellowship. {deep sigh}

A very unhappy Magpie Sue

Photoshop Class Might Interest You!

Hi BJPers and CONGRATS on all the finished pieces!!!!! You are sooooooooo fine!!!! I'm almost there... maybe today.

Thought you might want to know... One of our members, Christi C. (Sweetpea Path) has signed up to take an on-line Photoshop class, here. It still has openings.

Today I spent some time reading about the class, looking at the instuctor's (Susan Tuttle) blog, Susan's Flickr page and some of her students' work on Flickr. It looks to me like her class would offer individual attention, flexibility and basic training in photo editing using either Photoshop Elements or Photoshop CS. She says that a free, current version of Photoshop Elements is available to students to download for the class. It's a trial offer by Photoshop, so you don't get to keep it forever, but it means you could try it for the class and see if you like it.

Maybe one (or more?!) of you wants to join Christi in the class???!!!!

Cheers and have fun with February!

Robin A.

What a fabulous first month!

I got behind on my reading this month, and only today was I able to get around and visit all the blogs of people who finished their pieces.  I hope I didn't miss anyone!  I promise to try to do better next month and visit you AS you post rather than all in one big rush at the end of the month :-)

I'm making a bead embroidered cuff bracelet for each month this year.  I've cut out all my pieces, although some of them may end up changing if a month comes along and my mood changes.  I decided to start with the brightest riot of colors for one of the dreariest months, January.  My son and his family just moved to Guatemala yesterday, back to the orphanage where he was working when he met his wife (one of the daughters of the directors).  They took my one and only grandbaby with them...I couldn't persuade them to leave her with me ;-)  Anyway, I chose the bright colors because I knew I'd need a bit of cheering up. 

Here's a LINK to my blog where you can see a picture if you'd like.

"Interlude"

Just in the knick of time I've finished January's BJP.  Whew!!!  Hopefully February won't take me quiet as long.  Using the bookmark format I've beaded to the word 'interlude'.  My love of words is really and added attraction to the beading.  You may check out 'interlude' at Artjourney

Fini

My january piece is finished...not as embellished as I envisioned it in the beginning, but when it's done, it done!
If you don't want to see it, don't go HERE...

More progress - deadline this Friday (for me)

My entire goal for this was to "for better or for worse" finish a project a month - so I'm hoping to make more progress this week, but so far I'm fairly happy with my first Bead Journal project - you can pop over to my blog to check it out!
http://www.frequentlywrongbutneverindoubt.com

January 2010- Blue Moon Serenity

Hello Friends!
I have completed and posted my January Page. Please visit my blog and take a peek.
I am so so glad to be back in the beading groove.
Best Wishes to all.
Carol

Hello to bead friends, old and new...

What a joy to be participating in the Bead Journal Project once again and to view all the beautiful hand work that is starting to unfold.  It's been such a treat to see so many returning BJP'ers here, but it is also very exciting to see all the new participants...this will be some kind of year!

And all the new BLOGS?!  My goodness, it's enough to keep a gal glued to the computer all day - so much to look at, so much to learn.  I finally dove into the blogosphere myself and haven't regretted it for a second.  My primary goal was to create a place to share this yearlong Journal project, but I'm weaving the rest of me into it as well, it seems...

Come on over & have a little read on my fledgling blog, Sweetpea Path, if you'd like to.  There's only a small handful of posts so far but there's some description of my process for this year, the materials I'm playing with, stuff that's inspiring me.  I'm thick in the middle of working on January, so if you're not wanting to view finished pieces yet, don't worry, you won't find that on my blog  :>]]

Best to all,
Christi C.
Sweetpea Path