February BJP

February's BJP is inspired by the following poem from Rumi:


Dance,
When you’re broken open.
Dance,
If you’ve torn the bandage off.
Dance,
In the middle of fighting.
Dance,
In your blood.
Dance,
When you’re perfectly free.

January BJP

Since January is traditionally associated with new beginnings, it seemed an appropriate month for this poem by William Stafford. Also an appropriate poem for creative beading!

When I started this I had a general idea of what I was going to do but it came out somewhat different. I had originally planned for the hand charm but then I found the muse-like figure & she seemed to fit. I was beading away happily and stopped to look and realized it felt done to me. I'm still not sure why I stopped where I did - I had planned to bead the entire heart. But it feels right to me like this. I think this is my favorite so far! I'm actually still a little perplexed as to how I feel about this one & how it ended up this way.

I've been reading Robin Atkins book, One Bead at a Time, and am feeling very inspired by the improvisational beading idea. I think some of that is showing up in this one. Anyway I'm really happy with this one. It moves me in a different way than anything I've done so far.



When I Met My Muse

I glanced at her and took my glasses
off—they were still singing. They buzzed
like a locust on the coffee table and then
ceased. Her voice belled forth, and the
sunlight bent. I felt the ceiling arch, and
knew that nails up there took a new grip
on whatever they touched. "I am your own
way of looking at things," she said. "When
you allow me to live with you, every
glance at the world around you will be
a sort of salvation." And I took her hand.

Bracelets

Jill made a bracelet for herself - the green one at the top - and I liked it so much she had to make me one. Mine is in pinks & purples.

The bracelets are from a pattern in the Oct/Nov 2006 issue of Beadwork. She made some changes with the beads and added an extra color to give them great contrast. They are even prettier than the picture!

December BJP

Since the release of the Lord of the Rings movies, beginning in 2001, December has been LOTR month for me. For a few years I was re-reading the trilogy every December. The last couple of years I haven't so I have some catching up to do!

Anyway, it seemed appropriate to base December's BJP on something from LOTR. This is one of my (many) favorite poems from the books:

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.