Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Sometimes It's Just Too Much! November BJP



Sometimes it's just too much. Too much to do. Too many meetings. Too many social events. Too many newsletters to publish. Too much food to cook. Too much food to eat. Too much to clean up. Just too much.

Late October through early December were just too much. Not that I'm complaining. I volunteered for (or at least agreed to) all this stuff. And for the most part, I enjoyed it.

But I felt as if I were being pulled in too many directions all at once. It was hard to focus and concentrate. I had voluntary, self-induced ADHD.

These feelings came out in my November BJP. But I ripped some of them out. My original intent in this page was to revisit Abundance, a concept I pondered in November 2008's BJP. In this year's page, Abundance became Just Too Much.

I started with golden yellow beads, creamy yellow beads, and some light brown beads. But the light brown beads were just too much. Too much contrast, too much busyness, too much distraction, too much lack of focus. So I ripped out the brown beads. And I finally finished the page last week.

Technical Details:

The foundation is Lacy's Stiff Stuff, painted with yellow and orange Memories Mist spray.

The beads are the usual suspects--15/0s, 11/0s, 8/0s, with some hexes, Delicas, and triangles. In this piece I also used some larger beads--6/0s and some even larger than that, whose size I don't know.

In addition to the backstitch, I used the stop stitch, some fringe, some ruffles, a twisted stitch, the moss stitch, and the picot stitch.

The page is 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches.

I used yellow C-Lon thread.

What I Was Thinking:

It was interesting to think about how Abundance moves to Just Too Much. How do we know when we have enough, when we have an abundance, when we have too much? And what does that mean when we think about those who do not have enough? Beyond that, I spent a certain amount of time thinking that I had better get this done and that I hadn't blogged in a very long time. I tried to prioritize what I had to do so I would not be overwhelmed, and the beading and the blogging ended up at the bottom of the list. I'm sure that my discomfort with the brown beads slowed me down, too.

Issues That Came Up:

I am SO much more comfortable working with a limited range of color and value. Very limited. How do I balance my comfort (artistic preference?) with the desire to challenge myself?

I had a similar reaction to working with fuchsia (still can't spell it) on my October BJP. Should I just admit my artistic preferences and forget about moving outside them for my BJP?

I've got to do a better job of organizing myself. Or perhaps of organizing my mind and exercising self-control.

And I've just got to stop spending so much time surfing around on the internet learning about Turkey and attempting to learn some Turkish. Oh, no I don't! Instead I'll spend even less time vacuuming.


My December BJP is well underway. I hope to finish it by the end of this year!

9 comments:

Roberta Warshaw said...

I love your BJP pieces. I too have trouble when using too many colors. You mention a product I have never heard of. Memories Mist. Where do you find that? I may try it, since colored pens make a mess of my Lacy's.

Roberta Warshaw said...

Thanks so much for your response to my question. I recently bought some pre-dyed backing but I am allergic to the smell. I can't even leave the bag in my house. I have no idea what is in it that makes my head want to explode! So I will need to color my own for sure!

Thanks again!

Anonymous said...

Too much of some things, you say and we all understand, but definitely not too much beauty in this one! Stunning!!!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Ahh, you are grappling with my everyday concern. I start out so good and by the time I have been at work for an hour I am thinking too much!

I love your beadwork. But here you are working in colors again that I think you are saying is out of your comfort zone. I'm thinking you should work with colors you enjoy. Your work is marvelous and I just don't see the reasoning in a color challenge. Maybe you should go for testing techniques? But whatever, pick what you like and enjoy the accomplishment.

Happy New Year.

Sweetpea said...

Just too, too GORGEOUS! And I luv the way you wrote about it...could actually feel the anxiety and how you channeled it for the good of this little piece of perfection - your series is entirely splendid!!

Robbie said...

It's beautiful! And of course the beading is wonderful...I love your pieces!

ArtNtheheart said...

I love the symmetry of your pieces as well as the color selection. Many times, "it's just too much". I totally relate to the subject as other will. Keep up the fine work.

Karin said...

I love the fact that you are "revisiting" themes from your past BJP - you can really see how much you've grown as a beader.

Anonymous said...

I was just admiring your BJP entries for 2010. I signed up for BJP 2011 but I think I am confused? I thought it was a "piece" to be made each month, but it sounds like it is a "PAGE" to be made each month? Did I read it wrong? I was going to make small squares of beading and then connect the 12 into a necklace at the end. Please clarify? Thanks.
Marcy
mantle@piedmontcenter.com
www.queenmarcyoriginals.typepad.com