Vision and Freedom - BJP pieces for June and July

Vision (BJP for June), detail

Oh perfect joy!!! I'm back to beading again. And guess what? I'm back to solid beading. It's the way I started with bead embroidery. Then for the past 4 years of the Bead Journal Project, I've been playing around with mixing the fabrics and allowing them to show, even experimenting with beading on felt.

For this year's BJP, I'm making smaller pieces, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, the size of Artist Trading Cards. I don't think I'll be trading them though, as they are too personal and too much work compared to many ATCs I've seen. My theme is Blessings (like a gratitude list). As usual, I'm working improvisationally, with no plan, trying to "journal visually" about each blessing in the most spontaneous way I can.

Due to writing my new book (The Complete Photo Guide to Beading) and eye surgeries, I am a half a year behind in the BJP program (which began in January), yet determined to complete all 12 pieces by the end of the year. I decided not to go back to January until later, as this month's blessing is so current and so important to me. Below is my finished BJP for the month of June.

Vision

I love the word "vision" because it has meaning on different levels. The obvious one for me (having just gone through two eye surgeries for cataracts with a hugely remarkable outcome) is the blessing of sight, of being able to see color, form, detail, depth, light... Perception of color saturation and detail were gradually lost to me as the cataracts grew and thickened. I am so very blessed to have good vision again.

But vision also refers to:

1. Unusual competence in discernment or perception; intelligent foresight: a leader of vision.

2. The manner in which one sees or conceives of something.

3. A mental image produced by the imagination.

4. The mystical experience of seeing.

All of these are blessings too!

If you wish, you can find more about Vision in progress, here, and a post showing before and after cataract surgery pictures, here.

My next piece will be for July and the blessing is Freedom, another word with multiple interpretations. I'm excited to get started on it. As you can see, the fabric is ready to go!

Fabric selected for July BJP, Freedom

Already freedom is at play here, because I gave myself permission to cut a piece of hand-painted fabric that I made in Ann Johnston's workshop. You know how easy it is to hoard fabric like that, waiting for the "perfect" use? Super easy to hang onto it forever! Well, thanks to freedom - I cut into it! Yay!