2010 Bead Journal Project

It's sign up time for the 2010 Bead Journal Project! I've signed up already. This starts in January, so plenty of time for someone new to get any needed supplies, and plenty of time for those who participated last year to get our stuff together as well. If interested in signing up, go to the BJP website or visit one of the blogs here to see what's what.

I can't wait! I have plenty of time to think of what I'll do this year. Size wise, I really liked my 4 x 4 squares, but may change that. The good part is I have time to think about it all. Last time for the 08/09 BJP my "theme" was All About Me. I don't know if I'll continue off of that or find a new one. Hope to see all the same people as before and a lot of new people too!

Hope to see you there

Website Update

I wanted to let you know as well. Sadly, I had to close down my Internet website. I tried to keep it going, but, with the economy and almost all sales being in person and not really online, I saw no choice.

I fully enjoyed having my own business and have plans to reopen another. No worries here. But, for now, it's less stress for me (which I need) and more time to reorganize and regroup to do things different and better for next time ~ online at least ~lol. I still make my jewelry, but for a select clientele and see that part of my business continuing for quite some time. The Internet will just have to wait for now.

I would love to keep the blogs and sites on my blog here in case it helps anyone get more customers, but, if you choose to delete me from your pages, I understand. Just drop me a line and I'll do my part as well.

Thanks to everyone for all of their support!

Wish #4 DONE!

Oh no, I didn't forget about my wishes....I just don't always realize one has come true until after, way after.

One wish was to learn how to knit something other than a square or rectangle....I've done that. Finally! And I'm just so thrilled and into this type of project I can't stop! I'm knitting slippers, booties, slipper socks....whatever you want to call them. I've been going nuts! My husband keeps laughing at me saying we don't have enough feet for them all. Little does he know, they are Christmas gifts (or part of a gift). I always start projects with myself or my family intended, this way, if it doesn't work out, no one's the wiser.

The idea came to me when I reconnected with my Aunt, on one of the social networks, and she had posted a picture of socks she had made. Really nice cozy looking ones. (I so wish I could talk myself through those directions....)So, instead of getting frustrated again, I started out with a pair of slippers. My Grandma used to make us slippers for Christmas, she taught me how and I had long forgotten what to do....A little time online, and in no time I had several patterns printed out for me to try. :) Now I'm knee deep in slippers for my nieces, nephew, daughters and myself. Some didn't work out so well (I've only got one done and lost interest in that pattern, or I ran out of yarn :P ).

I can and will post pictures later. I haven't taken any as of yet. I'm just busy busy working on getting all the pairs I want done for now.

Well, I was wondering what I would do with myself now that the BJP is over for the year. Now I know! No more scarves, I've got plenty, no more blankets/afghans, I've got plenty, but now slippers, you can't have too many of those, can you?

August 2009 BJP Eye See What's Going On

All caught up to August and the Final Page!

August started with the same crazy circle all closed in and found my beading really tightly done. Hmmmm. The beads I chose were a culmination of all the Holiday mixes I'd used previously, Valentines, St. Patrick's, Fourth of July, and then Octobers mix. I thought it kind of fitting to mix them up, since I'm feeling a bit mixed up myself. I beaded and beaded (for many hours today to get caught up!). Finally as I looked at what I was doing and eye started to form. (Funny how these things work out.) I was originally going to crazy circle the whole thing and make my boarder and be done, but then this. It's perfect! Best to do your project in the month it is "due", huh?

Anyhow, it's perfect because I've come to many realizations this month. I won't bore you with all of them, but some of the highlights include: Realizing who is important in my life. Friends, yes, they are, but they come and go, they get caught up in their own lives and most don't want to hear about you (ever), Family time can be unexpectedly fun! Sometimes family can be a wolf in sheep's clothing, organization can help lift you up in ways you never thought possible, and the most important....

Looking back at all my work I've done over the months and reading what I wrote about them. It's been an eye opening experience I'd only read about before starting. Until you actually do it, you can't understand. I read every blog post and looked at every picture posted before I decided to sign up. I thought, "OK, I don't get how you see this stuff. How will it open my eyes to do this every month? But OK, I'll do it just because it looks fun." Yes, well, it did open my eyes to a lot about myself. And others. We all do our own little pages and it all has a meaning to us, all different, but the same. Even if we've never talked or commented on each others projects, we're all connected. That's huge! I've learned new things for myself, from myself, from every post I've read, and from every comment I've gotten. Thank you all!

This years journey has been "All about me". And I've learned so much and had the best time doing it. Onward and upward to next year! Oh wait....what to do with all my finished pieces? Not sure yet, my first idea didn't work out. So, back to the drawing board to try again. You'll have to wait to see. Soon!

Thank you for looking!

July 2009 BJP

As June left me feeling more open and free, July left me feeling more closed in and wanting some extra security. This would explain the loose circle going to a tighter, almost crowded crazy circle. The boarders I usually like to have are not complete signifying the loss of security I felt I had in my life (in various areas). Of course I couldn't use any colors but patriotic. It was only fitting.

Our fourth was cold and rainy, but got some great pictures of the family and I, that was one plus. We went on some of those free trips to Chicago and had a BLAST! But under all that fun was a feeling I had that was building up and not going away like I had thought it would. It's just a little issue (regarding our group of friends) and I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say, my husband shared my feelings and that really helped! My hours of babysitting were dramatically decreased at the beginning of the month but thankfully increased a bit towards the end. Still no word on when there would be enough work for my husband to go back. The kids were bored and found that 2 of their best friends were going to move away by the end of summer :(. This month like many others had it's good moments and bad. But, I tried to be upbeat no matter what.

June BJP finally

Finally finished this, and the rest! Long hours of beading bliss, what was I thinking to have waited soooo long?

For June I chose some nice bright pink fabric with the swirls and stars. The swirls signified to me that my tight little crazy circle was starting to open up a bit. At least I felt it was. And the stars were almost dream like. I also chose to put very few beads on this piece for that reason.

I was loosening up a bit in my outlook on things, I didn't feel like I had to try so hard to have fun with friends or to just wake up in the morning to face another day of wondering. Just a lighter atmosphere here all around. The weather was awful....that seemed to be about it. I was actually starting to feel happy again. I could see that things would get better financially (though I didn't know how with my husband still not getting called into work), but I felt better about it. We made plans for the summer. The kids got out of school (later than usual) and the babysitting kids went on their summer break. I found out that there are free days at the museums in Chicago, and started making plans to go. I found more free things to do as a family and we made those plans and went. We had fun! No more sitting around the house all day everyday.

Like my fabric felt to me, it was free flowing and almost dream like type of feel to this month.

Behind! Oh NO!

I began the BJP with every intention of NOT falling behind and look what I've done! Fallen way behind. That's a pet peeve for myself! I could have been all caught up weeks ago, but was actually so angry with myself, I put all the projects away. Shame on me! But, life gets in the way sometimes.....

I had the kids home from school, babysitting kids went on their summer break and thought to myself, "Aaaahhhhh, time for me!". Yeah right! The hubby had much different ideas for us....Like re-organizing everything in the house. I got so preoccupied doing other things I actually forgot about the BJP until the end of July! BAD! I picked up my supplies and began June's page and then put it down due to the fact that I started babysitting more than I thought (fine by me!) and I was angry with myself for getting so behind. Really hard to think back how you thought of that month when it's past....So, here I am again....Re-organization is complete for the second time this summer (LOL), kids are ready to start school, and babysitting kids come back Monday!

Well, no more being angry with myself and no more things to organize so..... I am picking up my projects, and dusting them off and will finish them and post them soon. Then it'll be time to figure out what to do with them all. What I originally planned isn't going to work out. OOOhhhhhh! So look for postings soon!!!!