BJP 2010

I am still working on the 2009 BJP - still missing a few months. It is very difficult for me to bead someting about the months where I felt so horrible. And I can't start 2010 if 2009 is not finished... same old story. However at the B&B show I met a new friend, a 70 year old lady from Florida, and she is a great coach !

After one year working on red/white/black, I have felt compelled to change. I took all my pieces out and realised that what I gained in unity in the 2nd year of BJP, I lost in spontaneity. My favorite piece ever is till the first one I did (the howling coyote). This weekend I am meeting my dad, back from a long US trip where he met a lot of American Indian tribes. Apparently he asked the jewellers if they would take a student (me ?). They said yes. Wow. Wait till I tell my boss ! lol

Anyways, I know that the 2010 BJP for me will be about blues and greens. And boxes. One's place in society. And maybe feathers. I have been wondering about feathers for more than one yar. Maybe because for the last 2 years I've been walking through a park to go to work, and have found many feathers on the ground. Then Jude of Spirit Cloth did a whole embroidery research about feathers.

Sometimes I wonder how "reality" is linked to dreamwork/arts & crafts reality. Today I read in the newpaper that scientists are worried because snake population is declining in Europe. They say snakes are a tough species and if they suffer it means many species are probably in danger of disappearing. I know that snakes and bees and frogs have been wery important symbols for mankind for centuries. All 3 are threatened species. Never mind biodiversity, what does it mean if symbols disappear ? (or is it past bead time for me ?).

I meant bed time of course...

Bead & Button show

Milwaukee was great... incredibly nice relaxed people and many talented people. It was thrilling to be able to see with my own eyes the work of the bead artits I usually read about.

Nice food, nice drinks... and a surprise : I was still following my friend the Monkey's trail (tail ?) !

Exotic sights (post office) - exciting !

A revelation ; I love metal work.
Lady in the background enjoying all the hammering is a psychology professor at University.

Disc cutting. Then dapping, piercing into earrings. I have had a fascination for copper since I was 12. Only this June did I start working on it. Bliss !

Metal forming : flattening silver wire

Shaping square wire into bangles

I am so happy I took all these classes !

Birthday present

I m off to Milwaukee for the Bead and Button show !!!!!

I ve been waiting for this for 4 years and treated myself to this for my 40th birthday.

I m a little scared, but happy and excited.

Take care.

Robin Atkins invited anybody who is interested to take part in this challenge...

The idea is to go back in blogtime to your earliest posts and identify the 6th picture you posted. The next task is to critique your own photo, explain what you would do differently now, and then pass on the challenge to 10 other bloggers. I'm not big onpassing along, because of the sense of obligation that might be felt, so the challenge is extended to anybody who's interested!

I started blogging in 2007. I don't use this blog much apart from posting my Bead Journal Project efforts, which have been er very minimalist for a year...

So here is my 6th photo...

From early this morning, I have felt Coyote's presence around me. It is a day of hidden giggles in the most bizarre situations, which doesn't allow me to relax in my bad mood and tiredness. Like I went to church before work this morning, feeling very depressed because of my very frustrating love life. After a few minutes this sexy man appeared, which was striking since the church is always empty. The priest seemed puzzled to see me there. When I came out I saw many flowers, one with the inscription "to my husband" ; a funeral was apparently planned. I didn't know what to think about all this but when I spotted a Coyote Express van across the road, I got the message : SMILE, DON'T TAKE YOURSELF SERIOUSLY !

So what would I do differently today about this picture ?

Well, I would clean my fridge before taking the picture (note to self : clean the fridge), and I would use a picture software to reduce the size. But I think I would definitely not take a picture like this. Well, I hope so anyway ! lol

More than everything this challenge has reminded me of what is really important to me, because all of it is on this blog. Thank you Robin !

BE HAPPY EVERYONE !

I'm back !

For the past last weekends I have been taking lessons in Indian textile with talented designer Shikha Chireux ; chikankari embroidery and block printing... I love it ! Chikankari is usually done white on white, but we used coloured threads to see the shadow work better. It is difficult because all the stitches are reversible, since they are done on very fine cloth. Block printing is simply addictive...