bjp 2014 - leaf pile

I'm happy to say that I've actually finished my 2014 BJP series! No, I haven't blogged about the last three yet, and I don't do resolutions, but I will promise to post the missing ones, in the next few weeks. At the end of every season, leaves do fall, and what better way to show them, than in a nice, fat, pile! No raking required, but I expect that they will eventually end up, displayed in some orderly fashion, on stitched bits of muti-coloured fabric. It's hard to catch them, and they will blow here and there, but I hope to be able to corral their their 2014 whimsy, in one safe, or should I say, sane place!

Now on to 2015! For those of you, interested in joining the Bead Journal Project for 2015, open enrollment closes on January 5th. After that, you'll need to wait for December. The BJP is on Facebook, and all you need to do is to "Join". Yes, it is a year long commitment, but only one bead per journal is mandatory. The shape, the type of beading,and anything else is entirely up to you!............................................................................................... I wish you all a happy, healthy and creative 2015!

bjp0714 - coastal shades

Now for a leaf of a completely different flavour! It was finished mid-August, and is based on a trip to the west coast, to visit my family. Verdant blues and greens, have a calming effect on me, so how fitting to focus July's efforts, on mountains, water, calm and simplicity.......it just seemed right! I chose not to complicate the stitches and beads, and limited my 'extras' to the face cabochon and a shell from the beach. I know, I know.....it's not like me to do simple, restrained, or even a pictoral!.....I guess that I'm just not willing to be categorized!!!! As the post should reflect the mood of the leaf, I'll be ending it now. But before I leave, I ask you to reflect back, on your memories of the sun on your face, the rich smell of the forest and the sound of waves on the beach. Perfection!

bjp 0614 - flying in circles

Why is it, that time flies so fast, that it seems you're spinning in circles? One day, warps into the rest, and very little gets accomplished.....sigh! This bead journal is all about the passing of time and the use of unconventional objects. Found objects, gifts from friends, watch parts, glass nuggets and vintage components, are mixed in with new beads and the odd houshold treasure. Nothing is left out, and all will be used to mark the passage of time. These are my memories, and although I may not remember the individual stories, I will remember my treasured items, as the years progress. It's good enough for me! How do you plan to leave your mark, for future generations? A clean house, is not enough! Promise me, that you'll take some time for yourself....

I won't need to buy vintage jewelery components for a while, as I won a bid for a nice bag of them, from a seller on EBay. Of course, lessons learned are a)the exchange rate, and b) that shipping is expensive. I have promised myself to only bid on exceptional and/or very light items, in the future. LOL! Nothing unusual in my stitches, just the regular posse of peyote, back, stacked and boucle/bocce/moss. I love the warm colours, the watch parts and the bezels in this leaf! It was actually finished early in July, but bad blogger that I am, I just didn't get around to writing about it until now. For those of you that are still doing this, how do you manage to keep up? I do have good intentions, and still love the process, but time evaporates, and all of a sudden, my blog post is two months late. Boo, hoo to me!! Yikes!!! The bad news is, that I haven't even started on my July bead journal....soon, I promise, soon......but then there are class samples to make.....don't worry, I'll find the time to squeeze it all in, somehow........

bjp 0514 - green and blush

Ohh......I've been a very bad blogger!!! My May Bead Journal, was finished in May, but I just didn't get around to blogging about it.....Enough already, it's time to end procrastination, so tada, introducing my May BJP! I wish that I could say that I buried some deep thoughts or symbolisim in this leaf, but the reality is, that it's a simple celebration of spring! After a long hard winter, our landscape was painted with fresh green and pink, so it's really only fitting, that my leaf be painted with them as well. With the heat of the summer upon us, May seems so very far away. So much so, that this will be a very short post, with the photos doing most of the talking.

Somewhere on the internet, I spotted a small collection of stones, that had been covered with beaded netting. I liked them so much, that I decided to add one to my leaf. The ceramic cabochon, came from Tucon, via Stephanie, The Dixon Chick. A teeny little embellishment from Kaite in Australia, three vintage pearls from Sue in AZ (who sent me a generous, goodie package), a family button box find, a plastic toothpick (in honour of my paper bead class) and a metal flower from a vintage bracelet. Other than that, there's nothing weird or unusual in this piece. Stitches involved are back, peyote, netting, stacked, flower, fringe and boucle/bocce/moss. My June piece is also finished, but I haven't taken the photographs yet. With a little luck, I'll post again in a couple of days.

bjp0414 - greyed down but still delicious

April was a strange month! Grey and dreary, as it took it's sweet time deciding, if it wanted to be part of winter or spring. A few bright days, made it easier to bear, and I kept busy enough, to chase those doldrums away! I'm sharpening my skill set, and filling my artistic toolbox with even more techniques to share. Like I really needed to do this? Well, yes I do, if I want to keep up with trends, and improve my jewellery making skills. I'll continue to focus on fibre, mixed media and intuitive bead embroidery, but I suspect that jewellery making, will eventually be called upon, to help pay the bills. LOL! Now back to my bead journal. Evening and weekend workshops at BeadFX, with both Stephanie Dixon and Gio Paz, allowed me to ignore the weather outside! Beaded wire crochet, Basic Wirework skills (I needed remedial help, as I've forgotten so much) and a wire bead pendant are some of the new/old learned projects and techniques. I promise details. and more than a few photos, in future posts. The focal, on my BJP, is a resin piece I made, early in my explorations with that medium. Also included is a small wire bead, and a very teeny bit of beaded wire crochet. I started exploring the world of EBay in April, and have included a few vintage jewellery bits, from my first purchase (lots more in future BJP's). Ohhh.....I'm thinking that I'd better watch myself, because EBay could be very addicting! Not to mention the exchange and shipping rates!!

Peyote, back, stacked, bocce/boucle and flower stitches, all shine in this little leaf. I was also, happy to use my new Czech O and Triangle beads, purchased earlier in the month. They make an interesting addition to my stash and you'll definitely be seeing more of them in the future! The triangle beads are shown, standing to attention, on the outside of my bezel. They were originally lying down, but they 'clicked their heels' and stood up straight, when I decided to bead underneath them. Not quite what I had originally intended, but an interesting texture, just the same. Isn't serendipity wonderful? Also, do you notice the droplet of water at the bottom of the leaf? That was a last minute addition, and I must confess to loving it to bits!

bjp 0314 - thirsting for spring

When depressed by the weather, my thoughts often turn to watery daydreams, and my colour schemes to blues and greens. Heavily influenced, by memories of growing up in Vancouver, I keep returning to these colours!.........Now back to this month's BJP! A study in blue/green, with more than just a hint of delicious temptation!

For me, this has been quite the winter for exploration, and you can see some of the results in this section. Handmade cabochon (mine), topped with a dash of free-form peyote and a vintage button.

Shells, hand embroidery (Spider's Wheel stitch), a family button jar find and one of my old favourites, the ruffle stitch. The stone was picked up on the beach, the day before another big dump of snow!!!

Barnacle stitch and more of the ruffle!

Don't ask me which type, but this shape was actually traced from a leaf that I collected outside in the fall. There were large, small and medium leaves, but all shared the same elegant heart shape. Stitches involved are peyote, free-form peyote, back, bocce/boucle, fringe, stacked, barnacle, ruffle and flower stitches. This piece makes me happy, as do the warmer temperatures! There's hope that spring is finally on it's way!.........It was actually completed a couple of weeks ago, but I just didn't get around to writing about it until now. I intended to post to the blog, but with all the excitement about finishing another piece (not BJP related), it completely slipped my mind. More blue/green goodies in future posts! Oh, I almost forgot.....I had a blast, teaching my first "Beading Without A Net - Intuitive Bead Embroidery" class at BeadFX in March. Next class on May 30th/June 1st!

bjp 0214 - cinnamon and mustard

I had a dream, and when I woke up, all I could remember was the colour scheme of cinnamon and mustard. I'm not sure why my subconscious continued to dwell on those colours, but I just had to use them for my February Bead Journal. To be frank, it's not my favourite, but I think that it's important to stretch yourself, by sometimes working outside of your personal comfort zone.

This section contains a mustard coloured, embroidered disc (straight stitch, over plastic drapery ring), in honour of the closed, "serious embroidery" facebook group that I joined earlier this year. Also showing, is a bronze coloured screw eye from the stash (but it's almost buried.

I taught my first Altered Domino class at BeadFX , at the beginning of February, and wasn't it lucky that I just happened to have a tiny domino bead that my sister had given me? The cinnamon colour on the domino and the mustard on the button, are both courtesy of Adirondack, Alcohol Inks. One of my favourite playthings!!!

February marks my first purchase of Tila beads (the three, square white/yellow beads. I've used a small screen (sent from my friend Kaite in Australia), which is now almost entirely hidden under the domino. Also included is a small slice of dyed silk cocoon. gifted to me, by my sister, last Christmas. The leaf was traced from a brilliant red leaf, that I dried last fall. The elongated shape was enough of a departure from the others, that it almost doesn't fit in with the rest. Oh well, let's call it the misfit leaf!!!! LOL! February is actually my least favourite month of the year. It a constant reminder (thanks to growing up on the West Coast) that spring is showing up in other areas of the country, but not here in Ontario. We're still in the deep freeze! Sigh!

bjp 0114 - in the pink

Well, January is a funny month! You'd think that I would find it depressing, but no I'm feeling "in the pink" and am looking forward to all the exciting challenges 2014 has to offer. Change is not always good, but I've decided to embrace mine and enjoy the new experiences. I'll stick with my leaf series, but probably end the year in September. That makes me happy, because it means that I've already completed my first three pieces (due to a late start in 2013). Yeah!!! I'm well on the way to accomplishing my goal. All that being said, let me introduce my January leaf!

I'm teaching my first Paper Bead workshop at BeadFX on January 26th, so I thought that it would be a good idea to include one of the first ones I made. It makes me happy, it's pink and white, and fits my theme (recycled paper from an old needlework pattern book). The shells are from an ugly old necklace of my Mother's, the buckle from a discarded watch strap and the sparkly earring, little butterfly and various metal bits, from my swap stash. I love these little goodies! I don't always remember who gave them to me, but they are still very special and precious. Most have flown to Canada, in various swaps and trades from all different parts of the world. It proves that people are very generous, and our world is united in a love of sparkly stash!!!!

In this section, you can see the bottom of my focal, more of the earring, and a few old necklace components. And now the full piece! Tada!!!

The focal is a fabulous vintage button, and one of those gifted to me by my sister at Christmas. She knows how much I love vintage and she happened to find the button in a very cool knit/coffee shop in Sault Ste Marie, ON. I should remember the name, but I don't, but do remember that it has "Motley" in the title. I really should remember because a) I visited the shop before it opened, and b) I may be able to teach some workshops &/or sell some stuff there in the future, and c) it's owned by my brother-in-law's, nephew's, wife. Sheesh! I promise, it's only a momentary loss of memory. The name will probably pop into my head soon after I publish the post. Stitches used include back, stacked, boucle/bocche and peyote. The leaf shape was traced from one I collected in the fall. I have no idea what tree it's from. Oh, one more thing.....pink is not one of my favourite colours, although I do like the duller tones! I chose it because of the focal. More later.......

bjp 1213 - icy cold

As 2013 comes to a close, so does my leaf series for the same year. Oh, don't worry, I'm not done with the leaves yet, and may continue them in 2014 (after all, I only made three). But perhaps not formally, or should I say solely as the BJP. December was cold, we had snow and we had ice.....boy did we have ice! I'd like to say that the colour scheme was a result of said cold, but really, it was mainly influenced by the focal cabochon I had chosen. Well, did I really choose it, or did it choose me as a result of the weather? Who knows? Who ever knows? Do I sound slightly wacky?

I love this blue!!! I made the cab in an Ice Resin class at BeadFX in Toronto (taught by Malliga Nathan). You'll probably be seeing more of these cabs in the future, as I made tons and have plans for making more in 2014. A few more detail shots and then the big reveal!

The regular posse of stitches, including back, peyote, stacked, fringe, flower and boucle/bocce. Interesting bits include vintage and not so vintage buttons, old key, broken cufflink from the family button box, component from a deconstructed necklace and a little tiny puzzle piece (that you can hardly see, because I covered most of it up). Now onwards and upwards!!! I wish you all a happy and healthy and creative 2014!

bjp 1113 - dark and delicious

The leaves have all fallen from the trees, but are still alive in my imagination. I've given a nod to Mother Nature and painted my November leaf with the colours of the season. Sinfully rich, red, gold, bronze and rust, with just a touch of orange for contrast. The dark purple was a result of choosing the shell at night, in a room without proper lighting. I thought that it was either bronze or dark gold!!! But as I like to say, embrace the imperfections and then go with it! Someone once told me that if you don't like an element in a piece, add it a few more times, and all will be well! So I did exactly that and I think it works!!! Red and dark colours seem to be almost impossible for me to photograph properly, despite taking photos outside on a couple of different days. I just couldn't fully capture the lush, richness of the piece. Perhaps a photographic lighting course should be one of my 'must do' activities for 2014. Nah! Sounds too technical (at least, right now), so I think that I'll just embrace my own personal "imperfections"! All that being said, I think that 2014 will be a year of exploration, beading and paper. I'll try to fit some stitch in too, but probably in conjunction with other media. As I've mentioned previously, I just love my techniques!

Now more about the leaf! I started out with a rusty bottle cap that I found on the ground quite a while ago. I liked the band of red, so wanted to include it as the focal. Also included are a variety of beads from the stash, bugles (standing up this time), and a few bits recycled from old necklaces. The beauty of those old pieces, is that they just give and give and will end up in many future projects. But I digress! Stitches used are my regular posse of peyote, back, stacked and boucle/bocce stitches. For a texture boost, I also added a strip of Robin's ruffle stitch. There's not a lot of room in the leaves for me to go really crazy, but I still like the direction I'm taking, even though it forces me to be a little more conservative with my choices. No promises, but I think that I'll take this series into the BJP for 2014. An unexpected bonus of being a BJP participant, is that it has trained me to think in series. That will be a big help, if and when I submit my work to galleries. They do like cohesive series!!! I wonder what December will bring? By the way, here's a clue to my next post:

bjp 1212 - symphony in blue

In my mind's eye, blue is the colour of music!  Of course it's also the colour of eyes, delphiniums, the sky, the sea, the blue/violet light at the end of a day and occasionally of moods.  Is a blue mood a bad thing, or just a fact of nature?  I say not always, but I prefer to reserve judgement!  Besides, blue has always been a favourite of mine, so I'll stand by it until the end.

This is the last of my little row houses for 2012 and I do feel a little blue to be letting go of this project.  I actually finished the piece before the end of December, but haven't had a chance to post until now.  Oh I did try earlier, but Blogger was in a blue funk and didn't allow me to post photos.  Why do they change things, just as I start getting used to them?  It makes me mad, but does it make me blue?  Perhaps not, but it's annoying just the same.

I decided to go with a blue/purple colour scheme for a few reasons.  One, is that my mother used to love to use blue lights to decorate the house for the holidays.  I don't really remember if the tree was lit up this way, but certainly the eaves on the outside of the house. It brings back many memories of searching for that single blue bulb that caused the entire string to fail.  Then of course, there was the pleasure of looking for the right size/shade of bulb to replace it. Funny now, but perhaps not then!  My first little house was blue and purple/violet dressed up June.  How better to end the year, than with a scheme that balances out the colours?  Is that called "bookending"?

A lovely vintage rhinestone earring (source unknown), some stones and a little silver star!

By the way, please excuse the thread!  Good thing I'm not a perfectionist.....sheesh!!

A simple reminder to "laugh" when you'd rather be doing anything else!  Laughter is always the best medicine and is sure to chase away the blues. The buttons are from the bottomless family button jar.

December always makes me a little blue and a little happy! Am I the only one who feels this way?

Another shot of the bottom of the piece!  Did you spot the screw eye?  It's a tiny little one that I purchased new at Michaels.  Isn't it funny that we're now buying things that have been specially made to look old?  Of course, I still prefer to use vintage or found objects, but it's still nice to have options.

Okay, now to the top!  Another tiny little star, a button from my vintage collection, half of a blue cufflink from the button jar and a "12" covered in Ice Resin, with a little dash of Japanese paper.  The number is actually from an old calendar and I learned how to fill a bezel with Ice Resin at Bead FX during the month of December.  It's something I've wanted to do for a while, but the time just wasn't right.   The bezel is actually 1/2 of a toggle clasp.  It was an ugly clasp, but I think that it made a pretty nice backdrop for my "12".

The second "12" is one I've had for a quite a while.  My friend Kaite from Australia, plucked it off another knitting needle much earlier in the year.  It's obviously from an old one, so I thought it was special enough to save for the end of the year.  The jingle bell is attached to a safety pin and was one of a group of them, I used to decorate my clothing for a work Christmas Challenge, many years ago.  I had bells on my ears, a jingle bell necklace and bells decorating the bottoms of my black sweater and skirt.  I drove myself and the office crazy for the day and I don't even remember if I won the challenge.  Come to think about it, I'm not sure what I did with the rest of the bells.  Do you know where they are?  Don't you think that the "Laugh" charm is in an appropriate place?  I seem to remember an awful lot of laughter at that particular workplace.  Life was good and memories are wonderful! 

 

The completed piece!  Perhaps not as elegant as some of the others, but it's jam packed with memories of friends, family and laughter!!  What more could one ask for to close out the year?

As usual, this piece is a mix of old and new.  All beads were taken from the stash and the beading stitches include back, stacked  and fringe.  If you look closely, you'll see a handmade lampwork headpin, tucked below the large vintage button.  It's lovely, but didn't make the impact I thought it would.  The "pin" part has been coiled to fit.

Now, who wants to guess how I'll finish the piece?  I'm thinking of entering it in a juried show, but I'd better "get the lead out" or I'll miss the deadline. 

I am blue to be finishing this series, because I love my little houses.  I don't think that I'm finished with the theme though, so you may see it popping up in other work.  Just not beaded work! 

I won't be "singing the blues" for long as I'm happy to say that the story will continue in 2013.  I haven't started on the  BJP 2013 yet and may not until I finish getting my little houses ready for the show.  I do have a plan and a tentative template and I promise that it's very different from the other years.  It may even be functional, but definitely not traditional!!!!!

As always, keep tuned!



bjp 1112 - time flies

They say that time flies, when you're having fun!  Well that's certainly been the case with the 2012 BJP.  I've loved every moment of it!  It's a way to relax after a busy day's work and escape from outside distractions.  On top of that, I get to play with sparklies, immerse myself in memories, solve the problem of which numbers to use, search out unusual objects and thank my friends for giving me stuff. What a fabulous leisure activity! 

Does the colour fit the month?  No, but I felt that I needed to work on something light and airy after the visual weight of my October piece.  A rest, perhaps before setting off on a search for my December finale!

Two vintage buttons from the collection, both glass, but one clear and the other silvered metallic. The numbered button from the family button jar, has been collaged with acrylic gloss medium, a torn calendar number and Japanese paper. A coat of Diamond Glaze was added at the end to add some shine.  This part also includes part of an old 'snap' fastener and some bead and chain from a tacky thrift store necklace.

The flat wooden discs are from another dismantled necklace and the metal bits from friends.  The star shaped piece is from Sonja in Serbia and the tube from Kaite in Australia. Thanks to both for their contributions!  I used a little bit of needle weaving to attach the other metallic piece to the base.  I think that it worked out very nicely!

I guess if you roll the dice enough, they'll eventually fall on the Number 11!  I cheated and glued them down, but I do like the effect.  In this section, you'll notice more needle weaving and the other part of the "snap" fastener.  I needed a matched set, so it was time to add the other!

A better look at the mystery metal object!  A thrift shop timepiece, with the hands stopped at eleven minutes after eleven.  I would have adjusted the second hand as well, but it just didn't want to co-operate.  Drats!

My visual treat for November!  The "calm before the storm" perhaps.  Who knows what was going on in my mind at the time!  This piece was actually finished in early December, I had taken all the photos, but for some reason, did not get around to posting.  Could it be that my mind was occupied with work, or the holidays, or was I just avoiding the computer.  Only "time will tell" because I certainly won't!

Stacked, bocce/boucle, flower stiches, a strange, almost netting, mixed in with a little needleweaving. Sprinkled about the piece are three little screws from phones I detroyed in earlier months.  Glued down, of course, with E6000!

I have to admit that my December piece is finished as well, but I haven't taken any photos yet.  Perhaps today, or perhaps New Year's Day or perhaps the following weekend.  No rush!  I want to give you time to absorb November, before I introduce you to the hustle and bustle of  December!  Does anyone want to guess my colour scheme?

bjp 1012 - turning on a dime

October = cooler weather + Canadian Thanksgiving celebrations!

Sure, we had warmer days, but I still needed to prepare for the return of  wet and frosty precipitation and the fall of crisp, colourful leaves.  Not to be tricked by the lingering warmth, the 10th month closed with a chilly, but thankful wish for friends, family, health, the country we live in and national health care.

The "turning on a dime" phrase relates to the nickname for our 10 cent piece (and also for some other events going on in my life).  It's always been called a "dime", but I have absolutely no idea why.  Do you?  If you look closely, you'll notice that I included one from the year 2010 to further continue the theme!  The african paper bead is actually more green than blue, but apparently the camera didn't think so!  You'll also notice a lovely orange bead with spots.  Rain and Marilyn brought it back from Seattle a few years ago and it's been waiting for the right project.  Okay, I had misplaced it, but isn't it interesting that it turned up at just the right time?

For some reason, I had a difficult time trying to figure out what I was going to use for the number "10".  I didn't want to spend a lot of money and I certainly didn't want to use repeat numbers from cell phones.  With a little imagination, I came up with the idea to use metal punches on a little copper disk.  I'm not all that good with the punches, but you get the idea!!  I purchased the punches several years ago and this is the first time I've used them.  Sad, I know!  Do you notice the little striped ceramic piece at the bottom.  It's some type of electrical component that someone gave me (Rain, I think!).

Another one of those electrical components, a buckle from an old watch and a vintage "buckle" button from the stash.

If you were  cleaning out an old jewelry box, do you think that you would find a worn down, old pencil?  Well I did!!  I have no idea why I saved the pencil, or who sharpened and used it all those years ago.  Did it belong to my father, sibling, an old boyfriend, or perhaps it was one used in my high school art class.  It doesn't matter because I obviously saved it for a reason.  Was this bead journal the reason?  Only a psychic would know!!!  Do you know anyone I could ask?  LOL!

Also check out the lovely golden maple leaf.  Another stash item that's been taking up space for many years.  I do love it though and thought one would be appropriate on this piece.  I actually tried to use three of them, but they just didn't work.  Too large, I guess! 

The full piece!  I think that it looks like fall.  Do you?

Did you notice the purchased flower charm (peachy/orange colour, above the copper disk) and the family button box find (tucked behind the eraser)?  Everything goes together if you just hold your tongue in the right position. 

Straight, stacked and boucle/bocce stitches were used. BTW the pencil is a 2H, but I didn't show the number because it didn't fit the theme.  I guess I should have looked for a 10B!  Too bad I didn't think about that until now!  LOL!

My November BJP is also finished.  Yeah!  No photos yet and it's pouring out (I like to take my photos outside) so I'll post about it next weekend.  Keep tuned!