Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Bead Journal Project 2011 - January - SPIRIT

Well, I know I'm off to a slow start and it's only the first entry of the year, but I promise to get better at this!  January was a crazy month and so was the beginning of February.  I hope things have died down for a bit so I can get my February piece produced and posted in record time. ;)

The challenge put to us was to choose a theme and then a shape/size of beadwork to product a piece with that theme every month.  I am much more of a wearable art kinda girl rather than producing a set of journal pages for myself.  I want my pieces to be functional, so my size and shape of choice is a rectangular canvas that will be turned into a special collection of cuff bracelets.  

The theme I've chosen is character traits that I admire in a strong woman.  I've got several ideas in mind for the months to come but I know it will be tough to narrow it down to only 12.  My first piece is entitled "Spirit."  


I wanted to incorporate some beautiful elements found in nature so I designed my own floral motif (my fantasy flower turned out pretty cool for something that literally came to life before my eyes as I beaded it.)  The butterfly is a key element of my design as it has been honored as a symbol of transformation.   As we journey through life, we encounter endless turns, shifts and conditions that cause us to morph into ever-finer beings.  At our journey’s end, we are inevitably changed.  So this cuff represents the internal spirit and metamorphosis that a strong woman goes through when finding that strength within.

Here are some shots of my finished piece.  I welcome your feedback!  Looking forward to sharing more of this collection in the months to come.






19 comments:

  1. Absolutely stunning!! I adore it, and your choice of projects is going to be amazing to see, I can't wait!! Gorgeous work!!

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  2. It's beautiful, and so are your words -- always trying to come closer to being that strong woman! Your work is more than beading to me. It appears to be a perfectly executed mosaic. Lovely!

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  3. It is very lovely! And a wonderful theme as well.

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  4. PS I love the way you used the square beads. If you don't mind my asking, what type of bead are they?

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  5. Thank you all, so much, for the positive feedback. This has been a true labor of love producing this piece and I appreciate all the kind words.

    NEDbeads - I am SO looking forward to bringing these little creations to life. As I said in my post, it's going to be difficult narrowing down all my ideas. Maybe I just wont stop at 12, huh? ;)

    Barbara- You've captured the point of this piece... the journey we take to come closer to being that strong woman we all want to be. I'm so pleased that you see the mosaic factor I was going for, too!

    Roberta- Aren't they lovely? I've had them for years as a friend found them for me on a trip to Europe. My original gripe was their imperfection... the variation in size and cut kept them from being used in any project that required uniformity. But I've always loved metal beads and in mixtures like this where there's a slight variation in color. I thought they'd be a perfect background for this piece. Sad thing is I have no idea how to get more when I run out of these!

    <3
    Lisa

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  6. Gorgeous! To me, it's a combination of strength and glamor. I had the same question as Roberta when I looked at the background. It's quite wonderful.
    Marty S
    Crackpot Beader

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  7. You are off to a fantastic start to the year. I love your theme and really love the flower. Good work!

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  8. Thanks, Marty & Margaret! I'm really happy with the way this first piece turned out, so it's really got me inspired to get creative and add more to this collection. Can't wait to see where this project takes me. Stay tuned! :)

    <3
    Lisa

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  9. Very pretty! It has a vintage feel...which I adore. Can't wait to see what you come up with next!

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  10. Ilenia! Sorry I missed you before! Thanks so much for your kind words. :)

    Kori - I love that you said it has a vintage feel. I really am inspired by classic things so I appreciate the fact that you think that vibe comes through in this contemporary piece. Thanks!

    <3
    Lisa

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  11. That is so cool. I can't wait to see all of the pieces lined up at the end of the year, like an inspirational beaded calendar!

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  12. The real purpose I envisioned for the Bead Journal Project is to use it as a tool to become stronger, more creative, more accomplished technically, more spirited. And thus your theme embodies the whole idea of the BJP!

    As for pages of a journal... well, that was never intended (by me) to be literal... your cuff is as much a page in a journal, a visual story of your desires and journey in life, as anything can be!

    Bravo!
    Robin A.

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  13. To me this piece represents an independent, strong, creative and fun loving woman. I can't wait to see the additions, Lisa. You're truly talented. Thanks for sharing your story of the birth of the newest collection! Congrats!
    Melissa

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  14. Cool bracelet and a wonderful idea for a series!

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  15. Gorgeous bracelet, Lisa. I can't wait to see more.

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  16. Thanks so much to you all for your thoughtful comments and encouragement!

    Little W- I can't wait to see them all at the end either! It will be a great sense of accomplishment that I stuck to it and completed this collection. I have great plans for it. ;)

    Robin - Thanks for saying that my piece embodies the purpose of the challenge. You're right, it doesn't *have* to be a journal of pages. That's just what I thought of when I heard it was a journal project. I'm so glad I went the functional route. ;)

    Melissa - You are so sweet. I hope the subsequent pieces just keep getting better and better. I'm looking forward to bring these other traits to life. Some seem easier than others so this will involve some creativity on my part. ;)

    Marsha- Thanks for your kind words! I struggled at first to think of a theme for my collection, but when I came up with this idea, it seemed to lend itself to me exploring many different styles and ideas. I don't like to be backed into a corner, I want to stick my creative feelers out and I think this is just the perfect way for me to go about this.

    Mary T - I hope the cuffs I create in the months to come live up to what I have envisioned in my mind. Thanks for your support!

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  17. It looks so great thank you for sharing

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  18. Thanks, Marion! These cuffs are addictive. I have more ideas than I have hours in the day to produce them. ;)

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