Sunday, April 29, 2012

bjp 0412 - april in april and a bonus!!

Well, I've done it!!!  I completed my April BJP in April!!!! I actually finished it a week or so ago, but didn't like the photos from last week's session, so I had to wait until the time was right to take more.  The first time, the vintage button and the section beside it, seemed to suck up all the light and showed as a black hole.  As you can imagine, I wasn't all that pleased with the effect!  Alas, there's still a little of that showing, but I had to give up on perfection for the sake of posting April in the correct month.  Whew!

My inspiration for this piece was the wooden game piece (at least I think that's what it is) that arrived, out-of-the-blue, in my mailbox one day.  It was a RAK (random act of kindness) from my internet friend Meri, over at the Cloth Paper Studios Yahoo group.  Meri sent me a selection of numbers and characters + some other lovely stuff.  This is a result of her studio reorganization efforts and I thank her for thinking of me, the inspiration and her gifts! 


The remaining ingredients include a vintage glass button, a yellow button from the family button box, a rusty washer (dark section next to the buttons), aqua sequins, seed beads in various sizes, cubes, crystals, odd beads that I picked up here and there, a bit of coiled wire cut from the end of something and......


.......a small black and gold part from the inside of the cell phone I dismantled last month.  I just can't let that interesting stuff go to waste!!  I wonder what whispers of conversations, that little part holds in it's metal and plastic memories?  Do you feel that I should explore this idea further in future posts? 

Isn't that button fabulous???  What do you think of my colour scheme?  I decided to include the dull yellow to compliment the wooden number.  Did it work?

Stitches include stacked, fringe and boucle/bocce stitch. 


A more casual shot!  The colour is a little off, but some of the details are a little clearer.  BTW, there's no red in that cell phone part, it's gold.  I'll blame the angle of the sun!



I think that I spotted a few beaded pathways in this piece!  If we follow them, I wonder where they will lead?

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BONUS!!!!!


My friend Deb has a special birthday tomorrow, so I visited her yesterday to drop off this little brooch.  I call it a "Party In A Brooch".  Deb drives a lime green car and some of her favourite colours are lime green and orange.  Do you wonder why I picked this particular colour scheme?  The parrot is one of a pair of earrings that Deb gifted me with (from her stash) a year or so ago.  She doesn't remember the earrings, but I certainly do!  The other one is still sitting in my component box, patiently waiting to perch on the perfect project!!

Another piece that makes me smile!!!  Happy blankety, blank birthday, my friend!!!!!



Acrylic painted peltex base, with just the right colour of red/orange button from the family button box, seeds, bugles and bits and pieces.  This shape/size worked up fairly quickly so I'm sure that I'll make more of these in the future.  It seems that I'm on a beading roll right now.  I do hope that it lasts for a while!!!

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Now if only I could find the perfect number "5" for May.............................the search continues...............

18 comments:

deanna7trees said...

love both of your beaded pieces, especially the one based on the #4. it would make a great window of a little house. and i love the way you used the parrot.

Linda Kittmer said...

Beautiful work Anne Marie. It wasn't until I read today's post that I clued into the fact that you're using a number to represent each month. I'm a little slow...LOL

Linda Kittmer said...

BTW, I love the celebratory brooch too. You're friend must have been thrilled.

K Hutchinson said...

This is soooo Gorgeous! Love the colors, shape, and textures! Such a stunning piece! I love the brooch too!

Connie Eyberg Originals said...

Both are beautiful pieces. The colors are gorgeous. I keep looking at them and seeing something different each time.

Robin said...

You are, indeed, on a beading roll!!!! Up to date with the BJP and time to bead a happy pin for a friend. Wow! You offer great inspiration and joy to me in your playful use of materials. Thank you!

Robin A.

Anne Marie - Toronto said...

Deanna, Linda, K, Connie and Robin, thanks again!!!

Linda, LOL! You're excused for not seeing the number reference in an earlier post. I think of this as a calendar of 2012, so I'm using number to signify each of the months.

Robin, I'm glad that I inspire you, because I credit you as the one that started me on this beaded path!

Susan Shufelt said...

What fun pieces. Enjoy seeing them both.

HollyM said...

Wow, both pieces are gorgeous! You must have such patience! Lucky friend!

kaiteM said...

I'm really enjoying your BJP shape this year, my eyes play with the feature pieces in them and turn them into windows and doors even tho i know you don't intend them to be so. For some reason this time i see a cathedral! The colours work very well, the yellow is a good counter to the blues and compliments the timber.

I love the little brooch too, the colours are so Spring like and happy.

Anne Marie - Toronto said...

Susan & Holly, thanks for visiting and for your comments!!

Kaite, I'm happy that you're enjoying my little house shape! I know that you want windows & doors and I guess that's what art is all about! Imagination is free and interpretation is easy!! I must confess though, that I did think of the "4" as a doorway of sorts and am beginning to imagine the vintage buttons as windows.

kaiteM said...

who mentioned the 4 as the doorway? certainly not me.

Judy Ferguson said...

I love your little number studies. You have been a real inspiration to me. I have purchased the Bead It Like You Mean It dvd from Lyric Kinard. I am practicing and realize just how time consuming it is. I love everything you do. Have you looked in the mosaic tile section of the hobby stores?

Rachel Murphree said...

AM, again a fabulous piece!! wow. yes, the dull yellow complements the wooden number perfectly, and I love the thoughts behind secrets and conversations whispered in the phone innards you're using. and the party in a brooch is OH so perfect!!

I sure wish we lived closer so I could see these beauties in person!

Jacqueline said...

I've just seen the beautiful brooch on the blog Kaite Yarngarden. You make some amazing things!

Anne Marie - Toronto said...

Judy, Rachel and Jacqueline, thanks!!

Judy, I'm happy to addict someone else into my obsession. Now, tiles are an interesting idea! Glass tiles, stamped numbers.....ooooh!!! My brain is going a mile a minute. I wonder if I know anyone who's building a house. They wouldn't miss a few tiles, would they?

Rachel, I'd love to live closer to you as well. However, I think it might be too hot for me there. The yard sales do sound fantastic though.

Jacqueline, thanks for visiting and for your compliments! Come back anytime!

LissC said...

Your bead journal pieces are always so amazing!!!

Anne Marie - Toronto said...

Thanks again Liss C!! I love making these pieces, so they're near and dear to my heart.