June Bead Journal Project

I haven't done a post for the Bead Journal Project since way back in January, but that doesn't mean I haven't been working on pieces to complete my series of Hoarded Treasures.  So instead of pulling out months of pieces to show, I'll jump in at June 2014 with these two necklaces I completed with cameos I found while looking for clasp to complete my Battle of the Beadsmith piece. 

I had someone at work tell me that I must have been in a "blue" mood since I didn't make it to round two of the BOTB14.  Not really.  I just found these two pieces in a cigar box filled with cameos I'd bought from who know whom who knows when.  I might have gotten these from eBay, or from a bead store, or they might have been gifts from someone.  I just can't remember.  But on the day I found them it was rainy outside and possibly that is what triggered my Muse to pull them out of the box and take them upstairs to put on my Bead tray.  I also tried crystal chain as a component.  It was tricky as I had to actually cut the chain and on one of the necklace I was a tad bit short, but I think I made it work out.   I also used a few of the wooden rondelles I'd gotten from Byantium all those years back.  I've never been able to find these any place else and I do indeed hoard them all.  The light blue pieces of glass I got at 1Stop Bead Shop during a trunk sale.  They'd brought them back from the latest Bead and Button Show.  The Rivoli, I found also in a box of items.  And the silver beads were left overs from the class I took from Amy Katz. 

I have to say that I really am not a fan of blue.  I rarely work with blue.  I don't know why as it is a very popular color, but not actually one of my favorite colors.  My Father loved blue. My Mother loves blue.  And when I use to teach at Byzantium, I'd always make more blue kits than any other color as most people like the color blue.  I wondered what the color blue says about a person's personality and about their experiences.  I did a little search and came across a website about color psychology.  Interesting ideas about the color blue.  So in essences using the color blue doesn't mean you actually are blue in spirit.  It has so many more meanings that are positive and reaffirming.

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com

The Color Blue

The color blue is the color of trust and responsibility

This color is one of trust, honesty and loyalty. It is sincere, reserved and quiet, and doesn't like to make a fuss or draw attention. It hates confrontation, and likes to do things in its own way.

From a color psychology perspective, blue is reliable and responsible. This color exhibits an inner security and confidence. You can rely on it to take control and do the right thing in difficult times. It has a need for order and direction in its life, including its living and work spaces.

This is a color that seeks peace and tranquility above everything else, promoting both physical and mental relaxation. It reduces stress, creating a sense of calmness, relaxation and order - we certainly feel a sense of calm if we lie on our backs and look into a bright blue cloudless sky. It slows the metabolism. The paler the blue the more freedom we feel.

In the meaning of colors, blue relates to one-to-one communication, especially communication using the voice - speaking the truth through verbal self-expression - it is the teacher, the public speaker.

The color blue is idealistic, enhancing self-expression and our ability to communicate our needs and wants. It inspires higher ideals.

Blue's wisdom comes from its higher level of intelligence, a spiritual perspective.

Blue is the color of the spirit, devotion and religious study. It enhances contemplation and prayer. On the other hand, blue's devotion can be to any cause or concept it believes in, including devotion to family or work.

Blue is the helper, the rescuer, the friend in need. It's success is defined by the quality and quantity of its relationships. It is a giver, not a taker. It likes to build strong trusting relationships and becomes deeply hurt if that trust is betrayed.

Blue is conservative and predictable, a safe and non-threatening color, and the most universally liked color of all, probably because it is safe and non-threatening. At the same time blue is persistent and determined to succeed in whichever endeavors it pursues.

Change is difficult for blue. It is inflexible and when faced with a new or different idea, it considers it, analyzes it, thinks it over slowly and then tries to make it fit its own acceptable version of reality.

Blue is nostalgic. It is a color that lives in the past, relating everything in the present and the future to experiences in the past.

Memory's Forrest

To continue my journey with the Bead Journal Project, I decided to dip into my hoard of beading treasures and create one more piece for January.  I'd completed the pendent before the last week of January, but the actual necklace portion kept eluding me.  Finally, I decided to finish it off with rings connected with rings.  I then began to let my mind take steps backwards discovering why I'd chosen these hoarded objects, and why they had to all be used into making this necklace.  It all reminded me of walking through Shawnee Forrest trying to find my way back onto a familiar trail that would lead me out to a clear path.  If you are unfamiliar with Appalachian forest let me tell you that off a beaten trail there are brambles and stray branches trying to deter you from certain pathways.  You weave around finding a safe road, and along that meandering path you can experience sensory emotions that will stay with you for you life.  The smell of wet leaves, the smell of bogs, the smell of hidden wildflowers are within you.  The sound of the winds blowing the heavy trees to and fro, the slithering of snakes hidden among the leaf covered floor, the screech of birds of prey in the tree canopy, the gentle foot falls of your own feet.  Shawnee Forrest is a part of my family as we were one of the first families in the Ohio River Valley centuries ago.  My Father's dying wish was to step one more time into the forest and walk among the trees and skies. 

I think it is the thought of my Father's last wish that originally made me pick up the ceramic owl that I'd gotten from Marti Conrad, the gemstone donut I'd gotten from Lora Tobias, and the crystal Rivoli that I'd gotten from Byzantium.  Each of these pieces brought back memories of loss.  The rivoli along with so many other items that I hoard are from Byzantium bead store which closed years ago in Columbus.  It was there I first discovered my love of creating with beads.  It was there that I was allowed to teach my first class and learn that I loved to teach and share my ideas.  It is gone, but the items I brought home with me that last day and the people who still are a part of my life keeps Byzantium alive.  The donut I received from Lora was at the Beading on the Beach Retreat my friends on Delfi Forums and I created and keep alive to this very day.  We all became very close that weekend filled with joy, beads, and friendship.  Lora is gone.  She passed away from cancer, but I when I touched that donut the memories of that week came back instantly.  It still centers me. 

I have never seen an owl in Nature.  I believe I've heard them before, but never seen one with my own eyes.  But when I chose the ceramic owl, it wasn't the owl that I thought about, it was the kindness a stranger showed to me on Facebook when Arwen and Frodo died in 2012 less than two weeks apart.  Marti Conrad was that stranger who sent me a heart with pawprints embossed in it to help me with my grief over losing my two Scotties.  She is a stranger no more, and I enjoy seeing her work every single day.  I am also lucky to have gotten some of her original pieces.  I bought a grouping of these ceramic owls just wanting them because they were unique and lovely, but also because they reminded me of her kind heart.  It also gives me a physical object to see how grief can inspire love from others.

Me, Daddy & Jerry

 

As I put all these pieces from my dream state journey through memories wandering from one piece to another it all came fluid to me that we need not feel grief for loss as though corporal bodies are long gone, the memories of those others are still with us.  We reach down inside and they are still there.  Rings of love are inter mingled together creating strength and structure out of chaos.  The beaded rings in my necklace are the image of all the rings of friendship, love, and desire that have found me along my path.  I might think certain distractions are not part of the plan, but it is the distractions that cause me to stop and just BE!  As in my other January Bead Journal Project necklace, it is the times that we are silent that we are the most alive.  Stopping even for a second to look with inner eye at where I am and those who are still with me give me strength and joy.  Each step, each click of a key, each word creates more rings of love, friendship, and loyalty that strengthen and harden my endurance to live on.  Each are with me still and until I breath my last breath.

My Five Scotties who are long gone but still with me:

FalaPink, SkyeBlue, Frodo, Arwen, and Fiona

 

SkyeBlue and FalaPink

SkyeBlue, Fiona, and Frodo

Baby Arwen

January 2014 Bead Journal Project

Bead Journal Project created by Robin Atkins moved over to Facebook which makes it so much easier for people to share ideas and display their Art.  I hadn't participated if over two years so when I saw the jump to FB, I decided that it was time for me to take some time each month and create something special and meaningful for each month of 2014.  Though members don't have to chose a theme or a format for each month, many do chose both or just one.  Some focus on ATC size portraits of their inner self or special journeys of self discovery.

For 2014, originally I wanted to try my hand at painting pictures with beads.  I had taken two classes from Rena at Byzantium years ago and loved the technique.  I've seem some fabulous pieces done by bead embroidery artist out there that just make my fingers itch.  But then I thought that instead of doing twelve individual pieces each month, bead painting needed more commitment and time.  I'm not throwing this idea out for 2014, but I decided to delay this project for later.  I went down to the Art Cave and started opening draws of beads and supplies.  Then I walked over to my wall of seed beads trying to get some inspiration.  I walked back to my work desk, and randomly started opening draws handling some cabochons that I'd hoarded over the years.  As if a spark bit my finger and coursed up my arm, I had the inspiration to take some of my prized cabochons, lampwork beads, seed beads, and other items I'd bought and lovingly put away for that "rainy day".  How many of us have tons of beads or fabrics or fibers hoarded away locked away in drawer, boxes or closets saving them for a day when our skill level was good enough to justify their use?  I know I am guilty of that.  Cyndy Sieving and I talk about this sometimes about why wait!  Why indeed?  Will our skill levels ever be good enough in our own minds?  We are our worse enemies when it comes to doubting we are good enough.  She always encourages people to open up and use those items you had bought and then hoarded away to use another day.  Use them NOW!  So I decided that for 2014, my theme is NO MORE HOARDING.  Each month, I'm going to take a special item from my hoarded stash and create something from it.

Hoarded gemstone cabochons

Hoarded seed beads I bought at Fusion my first trip to Seattle

For January 2014, I made a bracelet and matching earrings using some of the prize stone cabochon's I'd bought at the first Bead and Button show in Milwaukee I attended.  These colors of the stones just pulled me to the booth, and I wasn't satisfied until I left with at least a few of these clutched in my hands.  I hadn't used any of them until last month when I created a special necklace to wear on my birthday.  Plus, I hadn't realized that I had not made a bracelet in over a year, and I can't recall the last time I even attempted to make earrings.  I just love the colors on these stones.  Every time I picked them up, I would be whisked away to our trip to Canyonland in Utah.  We went on a private trip out of Moab with a guide and four other guys in an old VW bus.  Since I was the only woman in the group, I got to sit up front with the tour guide.  We climbed cliffs, we hiked, we talked, we all had a marvelous 8 hours driving the back roads deep in the canyons carved out by the Colorado River.  I can't forget one snapshot of that day, when all the men decided to go out and hunt for dinosaur fossils.  They left me all alone with the VW bus.  I heard their voices diminish as they climbed down the trail.  Then their voices were gone, and I was all alone with all the spectacular colors washing over me.  I turned my head up to the warming Sun and watch as birds circled over head.  Then a big wind roared through the landscape and throwing my arms I felt as is I was flying over the canyon.  The quiet was filling me with such a sense of peace.  I know it was probably less than an hour before the men all came back, but to me it was a eternity of inner peace and contentment.  After that trip, whenever my life would get stressed or insane, I'd picture myself standing there with my wings unfurled flying like a raptor over the canyon thinking of nothing but the joy of being PRESENT. 

I notice that I do use this color palette in many of my works, and now I realize it is because of that moment in Canyonlands when I was focused on the moment.  Perhaps I try to recreate that image constantly so that I can whisk my way back to that time of inner joy.  You?  Do you have any colors that thrill you and take you to a place or a time that is special?  Please share with me if you have.

Easter surprise & more "bots"

Happy Easter to all. I'm working at the hospital, so won't get a chance this year to do anything with my family. We are all pretty spread out, so it is very difficult for all of us to get together in one place at one time. We usually try to have a picnic at my brother Vic's house once a Summer, but the other holidays are usually a hit/miss. But I thought I'd let you all see my Bead Journal project for April.

His name is Leonard. He was a bunny that I bought three years ago at a shop in downtown Worthington. I just liked how he looked in all his painted muslin. I remember telling the clerk that I was going to bead him...she laughed. I told her, no I'm serious. I decided to use fibers with this project to give him a different textural feel & look. I picked beads that matched the original paints. He's going to work with me tomorrow to make my other co-workers smile.

Also, here is Chris' latest "bot". He is Wizard 99. He started out as a bear beanie baby. We removed the head & Chris inserted the radio tube. I needle sculpted the body to a sitting position, then Chris painted it with gesso. I think he had to give it 3-4 layers to get it stiff enough. He really wanted hair for the "bot" & we were looking everywhere. Then my eyes say a hair wig from the thrift store doll that I'd made Ruby out of. I stitch it all into a scrunchie, Chris plopped it on Wizard's head & WahhLaaa...hair! His teeth are bugle beads, and the staff is actually a piece of wood that I use for gluing. All in all, he's pretty darn cute. BTW, I think I've created a monster...Chris is really getting into making his "bots".

May BJP

I'm done. This is the last leaf for the year long project. Well, I'm done with the monthly leaves. Now I've got to finish the wall hanging they all will be on. Plus, I want to rescan them all so I can have them put on the Bead Journal Artist website.

Back to May. My May leaf was to commemorate the 50th birthday trip of my friend, Cynthia. We went to NYC for three days, then to Akron to visit our friend Sharon, and then on the "Think Pink-It's a Girl Thing" dollmaking conference in Aurora Ohio. We had a blast. I tried to add everything into the leaf that we did on our trip. Everything from the pink sequins we bought at Bead World in Manhatten, to the crystals we bought from Sharon, to the the taxi cab charm we bought at a junk shop on Time Square during a vicious rain storm. I left our troll girls bare foot as I couldn't figure out how to do the shoes that we bought at Lucky Shoes in Akron. Also, left out is the laughter, the smear of pizza sauce from Ray's Pizza, and the sweet icing from the birthday cake that the Doll Gatherers gave Cyn. We had the best time filled with fun, laughter, and wild times. I think we've got enough stories from our trip to keep us laughing for a couple years.

April Bead Journal Project

April! One more month to go & then we'll be all finished for 2007-2008. How the time has flown & how I've changed my outlook on this project. Once again, I'll need to explain my April leaf.

April 1st is my oldest Scottie, FionaRoseBlossom, birthday. Yes, she's an April Fool Dog! She is a wee blond fool too making me laugh. I originally started wanting to dedicate this to my girl & how much love this little 8 year old Scottie has given me since the very first day I saw her at one week old until now when she's the first to see me when I get home in the mornings. I had this piece of jade shaped as a Scottie for a couple years. I was going to make a pendent out of it, but decided for such a special girl (Fi) I need something special for her page. I used fabric that I'd made from a class I taught at Byzantium on the first Saturday of this month. I secured the jade to the fabric & then reached for a tube of beads to start beading. But, my hands grabbed the kit of beads from Beading For a Cure. I've been working on my doll for next year & they just happened to be sitting close. So I decided to use those colors as they complimented the piece of jade.

Let me stop for a second here & explain BFAC a little more. Beading for a Cure started back in 2002 with a group of talented bead artist from a Delphi Group called All About Beads. This will be my third year participating in this charity for Layne & to do research for colo-rectal cancer. As in other years, I'm working on a doll to be auctioned off. Now back to the BJP leaf. As I was working with the colors that just melt into the piece, I took a break. My eyes wandered over my work bench, but focused back on the fabric I had chosen as the base. I saw little threads of pink & blue that I'd used to embellish the thread. I looked at the Scottie jade piece, and then I shuddered. There before me not only was a piece for my Fiona, but embedded in the fabric was pieces of memory of my other two beloved Scotties who'd passed & now stand at the top of the Rainbow Bridge waiting for me. My other two Scotties were FalaPink and SkyeBlue. My eyes just started to flood with tears & all that freeze dried love I had for my two Scotties was hydrated and pouring down my face.

Scotties had started my journey into beading. Through my first web page which was about my boy, FalaPink, I met Cynthia. Cynthia & I loved our Scotties so much & we corresponded for months until we finally got to met each other face to face at a Wee Scot's convention in Cincinnati. Wee Scots was a haven for Scottie dog antique collectors. We instantly bonded & through Cynthia, I was introduced to beading, and eventually to All About Beads. My Scotties FalaPink and SkyeBlue led me out to CyberLand, where I've evolved to what I've become.

I touched the beads from BFAC & caught my breath. Money collected from auction for this project is for colo-rectal cancer research. My FalaPink died due to complications from his bout with cancer back in 2001. Fala had colon cancer. I'd come in a circle just in that one piece of beading. From my Scottie boy, to beading, to exploring myself through my art, and now back to my beloved FalaPink and SkyeBlue (Skye died from cancer also. She had hepatic cancer). So there I was holding this leaf that started with a whimsy about my funny April Fool's girl, and circled back to those two loving Scotties that caused me to love this breed so fiercely. And through my devotion to Scotties, I've found so many wonderful Scottie owners and to my best friend in the world.

So, to all my beloved Scotties with me now & withing my heart, to all those men and women who I've met on the Internet through Scottie Dog chat groups, to those devoted Scottie people I've got to met at shows or antique conventions, to those people who touched my heart and my soul and made me become an artist, I'm dedicating April to you. To you who have taught me to spread my arms and embrace life.

March BJP

Whew it is the last day of the month & I made the deadline. Yeah! So after you've looked at the above picture, I'm sure you are scratching your head and wondering why did Dot put cut up Barbie dolls on her leaf. Well....I've decided that March is the month I'm dedicating to the wonderful women artist in my life. I'd like to especially call out to all my sister of the Guilded Lilies Doll Making Guild from Columbus Ohio and to all my new friend at Beaded Art Dolls on Yahoo Groups. Each of them have inspired me to step off my comfort box and expand my skills beyond what I thought was possible. Kudos to all of those women in my life.

Now, to explain what this crazy Barbie encrusted yellow beaded frenzy means to me. The cut up Barbies are to remind me of the weekend spent in Hocking Hills with my Lily Sisters. I volunteered to teach an Altered Barbie class for our annual Retreat. I had boxes of Barbies, paints, clays, this & that all in my car ready to head out in Friday morning. As soon as I opened my garage door at 10 am, there was already an inch of snow on the ground. This was to be the first of a record snow fall for Central Ohio. The ending amount was 20.4 inches. But back to my story. I was going to pick up Cyndy & then Linda called & needed a way to go as she was afraid to drive in the almost blizzard conditions by herself. So after a little bit of creative packing, we got everything including all the food into Ellie. By the time we got to Crocket's Run in Hocking Hills, there was already 6 inches on the ground. We got safely into the lodge & waited while others managed to make it down. Whenever the Lilies get together it is a wild ride of fun. I've never met women from all different backgrounds that instantly became my friends and more. Saturday morning, it was still snowing & there was a level 3 snow emergency for the county we were in (like we'd leave anyway, but we did worry we'd run out of wine). So amid all the beautiful snow falling outside the lodge nestling into the forest outside our windows, we were all warm and glowing with the Muse of Creativity. We all shared supplies, did surgery on Barbies, painted, sculpted, ate, drank, laughed, did a quick dip in the hot tub, laughed more, told sad stories, ate more, sewed, laughed, laughed and laughed. It was one of the best weekends I'd had in a long time. To be together with like minded women without any criticism or worries, and to just play. I'll always remember our weekend of record snow, Barbies, and the warmth of friendship.

The yellow is for my friends all at BAD Yahoo Group. We were trying to find another challenge to start in April. The moderators decided to do a puzzle piece doll challenge and to give people a color to work with. Very few people wanted to do yellow & though I had misgivings, I chose yellow to make myself work at it. Though the challenge didn't start until April 1st, I got the bug to get started. I had a puzzle of Ernie & Burt from Sesame Street which was the perfect size for the challenge (5-6 inches) and flat, flat, flat! I got out the few yellow beads I'd gotten from swaps over on the Delphi Forum groups I belong to as I had never bought yellow ever. I started to work on Marigold. I LOVE IT! To further challenge myself, & because of a new book coming out next month called Flatwork, I decided to really make it flat. So Marigold became my first totally flat puzzle piece doll all done in Yellow. BUT...I couldn't stop! I made another one, and another one all in yellow. Then I realized that the yellow which at first really turned me off, made my fingers feel so warm. The yellow was coursing through my body making me glow inside. I felt bliss. It was the first time in months that I felt so good. I realized then that it wasn't just the color of yellow that was soothing my spirit, but the intoxicating drug of friendship with the women on BAD who share their art, their lives, and their hearts with each other.

So there. Whew...all out. March is dedicated to all the women artist that I've been blessed to have met and communed with

dot

January BJP

Finally, I'm caught up. This leaf is dedicated to the memory of Dr. King.

November BJP

I'm finally caught up! Yeah! I spent 6 hours working on my last BJP leaf. I've decided to post all three of them separately. Hey, I still have 5 hours before February!

While walking through our favorite Metro Park here in Columbus, Highbanks, we were stunned to see the rolling hills covered with an array of beautiful Fall colors. The focal bead was made by Chris for me. It is a Green Man. I covered the leaf with silk leaves I found at Michaels. I used all the colors we saw on that walk. I must say that Fall is my favorite time of the year. I always remember going to the parks in Portsmouth and kicking the leaves around, building leave forts, and then rolling through the leaves laughing with glee.

Sept & October

I've finally got the camera out & took pictures of my leaves for Sept and October. I'm still stuck on the November one & might skip it for a couple more weeks until I can wrap my brain around what I want it to be. November is a tough month for me. My Father died on Veteran's day back in 2001 & so I thought I'd like to do something in remembrance of my Daddy. As for Christmas, I have a picture of my Scotties sitting on the stair case watching me decorate the tree. Nothing like looking up & seeing three Scotties desperately trying to "hoover" popcorn into their mouths.

My September leaf actually does have a picture of Brutus Buckeye in the glass blob. It is just hard to see, but he's there. Gotta brag, but the Bucks are going to BCS championship in January. Go Bucks!

August Bead Journal Project

We are one week into September & my how time just flies. I have managed to get a picture of my August Bead Journal Project done. Was I so wrong when I said that Ohio State Fair was in July...wrong! That as the Franklin County Fair I was musing on. No, The Ohio State Fair is in AUGUST! I spent a whole day sitting at the Arts & Crafts building doing demos on beaded art dolls. Most people were so overwhelmed that I actually sew the beads on instead of just gluing them down. GLUE! NEVER!!!!!! So in tribute to State Fair month, my journal leaf has candy & ice cream buttons that I found in an antique store, a face of a child which is who loved to come to our booth & handle all the dolls we had on display, and naturally the Bounty of Nature. I'm a big orange/carrot kind of person so I beaded an award winning carrot for the Fair. Blue Ribbon winner...well, not really, but still I like it a lot.


Also I've been so involved in recycling for art that I also included a picture of an Ornie that I did for Yahoo's Group ArtDollz. She is the arms & legs of a Dollar Store jester doll, the body is an Advair disc, and the head dress is that of those weird combs you get in a package of hair dye.

June and July Bead Journal project

Boy, I'm really slow at getting my two bead journal projects up on this blog. I've been busy trying to get my Bead International pieces done before the deadline & YIPEEEE...they are done. Also working on other projects. I feel like I'm an acrobat juggling all these different projects while working a full time job. But I am WOMAN...I am TIRED. LOL!

Okay, I came up with my big game plan for the year. What I am going to do is to make each month of the Bead Journal project s leaf using the same leaf shape but they will be in different positions as I'm going to mount each of the leaves on a tree wall hanging with three months being on each branch. June/July/August are green leaves. September/October/November will be brown leaves. December/January/February will be white leaves. And March/April/May will be probably pink leaves. I want to follow the change of seasons here in Ohio. Each individual leaf will be something important that has happened to me in that month.

As you see in June, it was my vacation. We went out to South Dakota & Wyoming. The plains were in bloom and so green. Their drought was broken & I got to witness the plains green and vibrant with flowers. I fell in love with the swaying grasses and the blue straw type flowers growing everywhere. July is Ohio State Fair time! Wheeeeee...nothing like a big corn dog/elephant ear & lemon shake to go with the hubbub of the Fair. But I digressed a little here, because what July means to me is the memory of going to see the circus on July 4th at the Rose Bowl when growing up in Los Angeles. After the circus, they would have such a display of fireworks that to this day I can still see the colors. So I chose a Clown's face that I got from a friend, Emily Eckel & surrounded him with blooming colors of red white & blue to celebrate our country's birthday.