Thursday, October 25, 2012

Nature - Bead Journal Project for September

Nature (detail) - BJP for September
This year's Bead Journal Project (for me) is all about blessings, the things in life that make it special and worth while, the things that give me great pleasure. Because of writing a soon-to-be-released book (see side bar on right), I didn't get started until June. I decided to skip the first five months for now, do the remaining pieces on a month-to-month schedule, and catch up with the start of the year later. Each piece is 2.5" x 3.5", the size of an Artist Trading Card.

Nature (detail) - BJP for September
For September the blessing is Nature. What a blessing it is to have trees, rocks, birds, leaves, flowers, beaches, and all the miracles of nature to enchant our senses! There's so much to nature that my project box was stuffed, chuck-a-block, with beads and accents that I thought maybe I'd use.

Nature - BJP for September
Turns out it's more simple than I thought it might be, showcasing only a few of the things in my box. Maybe that's as it should be... I don't really know. The tree is a twig from one of our Madrona trees, which I sanded on the back side so it would lie flat on the fabric. The pebble is from our garden. A pair of mother-of-pearl birds, one on a little fragment of driftwood from South Beach and one on the branch, complete the picture. (Click on picture to see more detail.)

batik fabric, ready to bead
For this year's Bead Journal Project, I decided to return to solid beading, rather than allowing the fabric(s) to show as I have for the past few years. So far, that's how it's been. But, this one is different. The fabric is so lush and so right for the theme of the piece, I had to let it show, rather than beading the background sky.

Nature (displayed on stand) - BJP for September
I display my BJP pieces on miniature, wooden easels. The back of each piece is "lined" with Ultrasuede Light, which is attached to the fabric with a single-bead edge-stitch.

Home (in progress) - BJP for October
October will be about the blessing of Home.  This is what I've done so far. I hope to get it finished in the next week, to be on schedule for November.

9 comments:

  1. i just love your work so much. i feel, well, happy when i look at your art. the nature piece is simply wonderful.

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  2. I so agree. Your work is uplifting and inspiring. Beautiful.

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  3. This is beautiful and inspiring, Robin. I agree, too - it brings such joy and lifts my heart to see it. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Beady Ann8:29 AM

    Your September piece brings back the memories of the Northwest in a most beautiful way. It reminds me of my years in Idaho, Juneau Alaska, and Oregon. It's simplicity is wonderful and very expressive.

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  5. After visiting your beautiful island and being surrounded by nature in all its glory, I can see why this theme must have been fun for you. Wonderful card and looks like October's will be as well.
    Erin

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  6. Well, if this SPLENDID little gem is only 2.5 X 3.5 inches, then all those beadies must be size 15's....WOWZER!!!!! And since I am so fortunate as to share these general environs with you, may I say how perfectly you have captured their essence?

    I don't know how you do it, Robin. You continue to amaze and inspire me greatly....and I am so grateful for that.

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  7. I am glad that you let that beautiful fabric show through and I am so glad that you described it as 'lush' that is how I would describe your beading! You really do capture the essence of your subjects.

    Nature is a blessing and every day it uplifts me is some way. And every day there is something creative in my RSS feeds to uplift me. Todays yours was the first post I came to and already I am uplifted. Thank you.

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  8. I love you new direction! These are wonderful pieces!!!

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