At Last! February's Bead Journal is DONE!!

Yes folks, I really did finish...and I bet you thought I faded off in the beaded air, right?
NOPE!...here it is.

As I wrote in my last post, I had based this piece on the song "Tapestry", and my colors were already set in when the "music phantom" stole the song from "Playlist"!!  Really!
Some woman is singing a song in it's place...it's kinda funny actually, but I was ticked off when I first heard it.  I had to find a new song to set to my piece!   Well, lucky for me, I have had a bunch of songs on my playlist that I listen to while I bead, and one just spoke to me as I beaded this...It's called "SING" - from Annie Lennox's CD:
"Songs of Mass Destruction" .  This song has haunted me for a very long time.  I was just drawn to it and couldn't grasp the reason...I loved the SISTERHOOD feel with all the women singing and kept thinking, boy a few of these voices sound familiar (never thinking to actually read the pamphlet with the words and information that comes with the CD - duh!).  I just felt like every time the song would come on, it was like some theme or anthem I was belting out (in the privacy of my beading studio)!  Finally I decided to look at the info inclosed with the CD and there it was!
Well, actually, here it is, in part:

"Several years ago I personally witnessed Nelson Mandela, standing in front of his former prison cell on Robben Island, addressing the world's press.  His message was that the pandemic of HIV/AIDS in Africa was in fact, a genocide.  Since that time I resolved to do as much as I can to bring attention to the HIV/AIDS crisis...


I would like to thank the choir of 23 who are...
Anastacia, Angelique Kidjo, Beth Gibbons, Beth Orton, Beverly Knight, Bonnie Raitt, Celine Dion, Dido, Faith Hill, Fergie, Gladys Knight, Isobel Cambell, Joss Stone, K.D. Lang, 
Kit Tunstall, Madonna, Martha wainwright, Melissa Etheridge, Pink, Sarah McLachlin, Shakira, Shingai Shoniwa, Sugababes..."  


Boy was I surprised!  I knew I recognized some of those voices!!  They sound great.

I had already put some cut out pieces of fabric and some beaded areas on my felt backing when Tapestry disappeared, so the foundation was set way before I decided on SING as my song.  As I beaded, I began to see shapes, faces, things that represented ideas to me.  Here is MY interpretation of my work as it relates to the song SING:

I see two women's faces - profiles - they are African, one with a headdress of sorts, the other with very very short hair.  I also see the shape of an unborn baby. 

                                                              

There are some very dark beaded areas - invaders, AIDS viruses...these HIV/AIDS areas are invading the otherwise colorful worlds of these women and the child.  

All women...all people!

 As my husband says, "I don't need any explanation...

                           I just think it's a pretty beaded piece as it sits!"

                                                 And that's ok, too.

                                                            

 One last thing...  Robin,  I let my inner artistic child loose here and this is what she did!
The lighter side of this experience is that I had a lot of fun and shocked myself at how I pulled things together without lots of planning.
Now on to March...I am just slow I guess!
Debi W.

February's BeadworkJournal in progress

So...
I HAD a piece of music/song for an inspiration and to be playing on my "Playlist" for this piece.  After I had already started my work, somehow the piece of music was recorded over with some unknown person singing (rather off key) a different song by Carol King than the song I had on my list...which was (of course) "Tapestry".  I was perfect, but NOoooo!
SO..I have continued to work on this, just letting my inner artistic child have some fun, figuring the Universe was telling me something...and this is what I have created so far.

I decided to just let it be and have fun.  I am currently torn between two songs that are inspiring the rest of this piece.  I will let you know what I have decided when I finish.
Your input is welcomed.

I am still here...

Hello all,
Just dropping a note to say I am still here and working on February's project,
albeit slowly.  There have been some things going on here that called for my putting the beading aside for a bit.  Family health problems and then one of my Standard Poodles has
injured his knee and has surgery this morning...poor baby is hobbling around on three legs!  So sad.  Well, now, while I nurse him back to good health, I will sit and bead...it should make for an interesting piece!
Take care all!
Debi W.

PS
Robin, thank you for your comments on January's project...yes I was thinking about the mountains, about sitting by the rushing stream, about running (in earlier days!) through the fields...all while I listened to THE CLIMB and beaded.  I am very touched by so many people's comments and encouragement!
THANK YOU ALL!

January Bead Journal Finally Finished!

At last!  I have finished (the beading part) of my first Bead 

Journal Project.  I realize now that 6"X9" was too ambitious 

a size for first time Bead Journaling...but I've done one now 

and I am sticking to my decision.

Just don't expect February's piece to be done in two weeks!!

Anyway, my inspiration for this year's pieces is songs..words of 

songs.There is a lot going on in my life right now.  Music and 

singing my heart out (when no one can hear me) has always been 

a wonderful way to release my feelings when I need to.  So, 

I was listening to the radio and heard the song "The Climb" 

sung by young Mylie Cyrus. The song's message is basically that 

it isn't about the destination,but about the journey.  

Before I knew it, I was visualizing mountains,

and just started beading. This is what I created.

I have put the song "The Climb" on my Playlist, so you can 

listen while you look and read my post.

I used stiff felt for my backing, the sky is also felt with 

cut out areas where I beaded the clouds.  The blue felt 

has sticky backing so I did that part at the very end, 

after I realized the original fabric I was going to use for 

the sky was too busy.  The fabric is blue sky with clouds 

and I thought it would be perfect!  Once I finished 

beading all the "land", and I saw all the movement the 

beading created, I realized the cloud fabric would have 

just killed the entire piece.

So, luckily I had the blue felt and tried it...Voila!

For my first time out, I am pleased with my work...

I also know I am far from where I want to be.

But it's all about the JOURNEY!! Right?

Now on to start February...

Special find on fellow BJP's blog!

I found this "Promise" on Carol D.'s Blog.

It is from the book "The Secret"I had to copy

and post it here to share with everyone.

Just wonderful words, thoughts...

reminding us all to try to be better people - 

especially in the present state of the world!

Have a safe a happy day everyone!
Thank you Carol for sharing!

Jan. BJP - still beading

Ok, I am still not finished with January's piece for BJP,
but I AM having fun!
I will have to choose a less complicated design for February,
or I will never catch up!
So, I have taken pictures of my progress and
I am really hoping to be finished with this piece this week.

Here are a couple pictures.

Thanks for stopping by

Now, back to this piece!

Photo help for Bead placement BJP

Ok...This is what I have discovered...Take your beads and place them where you are thinking of sewing them, take a photo with your cell phone camera  - or other camera,
and  email them to yourself.  Viewing the photo on the computer screen is larger than on the phone screen and you'll be able to save the shot, plus refer to it as you work!
Here I have laid out the light greenish- yellow beads and the aqua-blue beads, to see if it's how I want them.  I like this and have since begun sewing the beads on my piece.
I also realized that the photo gives a different perspective of my piece, and the view is most helpful in being sure I am achieving the right look.
I am just loving this entire process and experience and am thrilled to be a part of the
BJP 2010!  Watch for more pictures as I get this piece finished.
Later!

Bead Journal update

So...after the week from "He double hockey-sticks!"
Anyone who has Fibromyalgia will know that pressure (stress)
can set off a flare-up and this last week, with really
rotten weather...very heavy rain, and preparing for a formal
Dinner Party this last Saturday("good" silver & all!)...
WHEW! is all I can say!  MY entire body hurt...
even my hands & fingers swelled and were/are in pain!
All went wonderful at the dinner...I am still recovering
however.
So...beading was is on hold for a few days...I should be
back to it in the next couple days, but just didn't want
anyone to think I had disappeared.
I will report more in a day or so with pictures of what
I had accomplished before the wrath of Fibro hit.

Happy Beading everyone!
Debi

My Bead Journal Project - January -In progress...

Ok, well, here is my first attempt at bead journaling beading on fabric
(stiff felt this time).  I am using 6"X9" as my size for the year...
I decided to put the beads I am working with on a bead pad instead
of that clear plastic tray - it was too full of static & all my beads went
scurrying around!, too funny!
So, I am busy beading & just wanted to get some pictures out to
document my progress.
More later!

Debi W.

I have tried over & over to turn this photo. It is correct on my computer (along with two others, but when I chose it to put on the post it turns on it's side!...

Oh well...you get the idea of what I am beading, anyway...

right?

Later!

Debi W.

January's Bead Journal Project Started!!

So, I have finally started my January BJP, and I must say
I am have fun!  I did not use the color palette that I showed
in pictures in my last blog, I was using those colors in a
practice piece.  I am working in size 6"X9"...
OK, ok.   I know it's big, but I feel bigger is easier
& will give me space to explore. well, it sounds good, anyway.
I just started drawing i my sketchbook, which is 6X9,
and went from there.  Someone remind me
of my Bigger is easier" theory in a few months, PLEASE?
I have decided to take the words of a song I like
as my inspiration for each piece this year.  I love music
& wording is very important in my choices.  I was going through
some of the Blogs last week & found "PLAYLIST" on a couple,
and thrilled to find I could add it to my Blog, too!  I had so much
fun picking songs, that I spent more hours doing that instead of
working on my beading!  It was then I realized I needed to
incorporate the two.
So, this month's inspiration is the words to the song "The Climb",
 by Miley Cyrus...
Yes, she is quite young, but the words to that song can be
for any age, any time in life.
I will post photos when I am a bit further along...
my color choices or where I am at the moment are crucial.

Happy Beading everyone!

Bead Journal Time!

Ok, so I have come back to the land of the living (pretty much), after being down with the FLU since before Christmas!  My husband got it the full week before Christmas & he was so very sweet to share it with me a few days later.  Oh what fun!  All we did was grunt to each other for days...mumbling "Merry Christmas", as we went from the mug of hot lemon, honey & tea, to the box of Kleenex, to the bowl of chicken soup, and back to bed.  UGH!
Anyway...
I am now ready to really start beading, and the Bead Journal Project is just what the doctor ordered!  I have been playing around with colors and some stitches on a piece of cloth, just for ideas & to get a feel for beading on fabric.  I am pretty sure my size will be 6 X 6inches so I can play, but not get overwhelmed by size.  This is not going to be a long
post, because I am ready to start this project and I want to get that first "splash of paint on the blank canvas"...so to speak!
So, here are a couple photos and I will post more next time...
I promise it will be much sooner than this last time!

Happy beading everyone!

As I said, I would probably not be posting every day right now because of the holidays.  Well, this is part of what I have been doing the past few days...

We don't have a Christmas tree anymore.  It's just too much heavy work, and both my husband & I have back issues, so we can't handle lifting and all the bending with hanging ornaments all over the tree.

We used to have a huge tree with many ornaments & it's a bit weird not to have that any more...weird for about a couple days & then..."WHEW! I don't have take anything down on New Year's Day!!"

Anyway...we have lots of holiday decorations still and that is what I have been busy putting all over the house...

I'm Back...

Ok, so Thanksgiving 2009 is now a memory and we are all eating turkey leftovers...still!
Sorry I haven't posted in a few days, but we have been busy with the holiday weekend and with getting things out to decorate for Christmas.  So, I haven't had time to bead :-(
and I haven't had time to take new pictures to post either!  I will show you what happened after I did the two shadow boxes with the Diane Fitzgerald inspired flowers.

I was so involved in making the flowers, they began to "grow" (sorry, couldn't help the pun)!  Each flower had a newer look, more beads, different types of looks, more embellishment to the center and to the outer areas...  One had wire leaves, another had pistil and stamen, all very unique...and I was having a Ball!  Oh, by the way, I decided to make them into separate flower pins.

And, so, the idea of any beading on fabric has taken a back seat for a couple years while I pursued my passion in flowers (Oh, I did it again...sorry!).
Now I feel ready to begin beading in a new light.  I love the idea of texture on fabric and the movement that various stitches with beads can create.  After the Christmas rush is over, and I can sit down, listening to "Chestnut roasting on an open fire"... I will start working some of those stitches in my practices for the January Bead Journal.
I cannot promise I will blog every day right now, with the Christmas decorating and such, but I will try!
 Later!

Just passing this on...

In a letter/email I received form Jenna Avery (Sensitive Souls)...
Enjoy.

 

Let Your Light Shine

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

 

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

 

It is our light, not our darkness,

That most frightens us.

 

We ask ourselves, who am I

To be brilliant, gorgeous,

Talented and fabulous?

 

Actually, who are you not to be?

 

You are a child of God.

 

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

 

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking

So that other people

Won’t feel insecure around you.

 

We were born to make manifest

The glory of God that is within us.

 

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

 

And as we let our light shine,

We unconsciously give other people

Permission to do the same.

 

As we are liberated from our own fear,

Our presence automatically liberates others.

Written by Marianne Williamson

Popularized by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 Inaugural Speech 

I guess I wanted to pass this on because it really hits home to me as an artist...

as a person!  

Beaded Shadow Boxes

Well, here are two beaded shadow boxes I tried doing when I first learned to make some of the flowers from Diane Fitzgerald's book "The Beaded Garden".  I was looking for something new to try and there they were!  I have been interested in the idea of using beads on fabric to create a textured "painting", and as I was working with the beaded flowers, and then using some of the old French Beaded Flower methods of the leaves and stems, I finally put something together.  For a time, I was just making flowers, leaves and stems...over and over, while I tried to figure out what to do with all of them!  One day I held a bunch in my hand a Voila!, I knew what I wanted.  My husband loves the bug in the lower right the best of all.

I sewed the work on to suede fabric for the first piece, not so good!  The suede moved all over the place and was waaaay to light weight for all the beadwork!  Ok, lesson learned.  I used just stiff, colored felt for the second one and I feel this look is more
towards what I had in mind.  Art is always a work in progress..yes?

Anyway, this is where I started with beads and fabric...more to come...

Starting out

Well, here I go, into the world of Blogging!

I don't have anything to write just now,

as I am still putting things (photos, etc)

together.

I look forward to expressing my ideas to

any & all that will read and are interested...

about Beading, Art, and all in my life that

I feel comfortable sharing.

More later...

HAve a good day, and don't forget to breathe!