Reflections on the BJP

This is my fourth year of the doing the BJP.

I was a participant in the first three but then my beading took off. I received two grants and will be uninstalling my first exhibition that closes next week. Now that this exhibition is closing I have a lot more free time on my hands, that is why I signed up again.

When I started that first Bead Journal Project I had no idea that it would be so instrumental in changing my life. At that time I knew I loved to bead but I did not have the self confidence to do anything more with it. My first theme was "My Healing as an Artist". I chose a 7 x 9 size that year - I would spend between 80 and 100 hours making each month's piece. That's like a part time job! But during that time I would really think about each of the steps and work them out in my mind. It was life changing.

I applaud all of the participants for joining and making goals of beading one thing a month. But knowing what can happen if you really delve into yourself and the changes you can make. It feels like you are selling yourself short by only making a piece of jewelry when making an actual journal page could open up doors that you don't even know are there.

Below is the start of my next journal - "The Definition of Who I Am"