Review of BJP Rules

There are only four rules of participation in the Bead Journal Project:

1. You must complete 12 projects by May 31, 2008, which is one year from the starting date of June 1, 2007. If you skip a month for any reason, you'll have to make it up some time during the year.

2. All pieces must be the same size (not down to the micron... but close). If you are working with a rectangular shape, the orientation doesn't have to be consistent... your 12 pieces can include both vertical and horizontal orientation.

3. All pieces must include beads/beading of some type. However, they do not have to be beaded solidly. It is not required that the beading be bead embroidery or improvisational. Other techniques of beading are permissible.

4. Somehow your pieces must include the concept of "visual journaling." However, it is not required, or even suggested, that you make a book-style journal, only that your pieces reflect something personal or some sort of statement about yourself during each month. You are not required to write a journal or blog to accompany your 12 pieces, although some members are doing this.

There are many possibilities for "presentation" of your 12 journal pieces... the choice is completely up to you. Some ideas include: make them into a quilt, frame them, mount them on pages in a book form, put them in a special box. One member is making a beaded button for each month, and will make a garment using all 12 of them. Another member will sew her 12 pieces onto a pillow.

That's it. You do not have to write a blog, or post to the BJP blog, or post to Flickr (although that's been part of the fun for so many of us). Just do the beading!

Happy fall (or spring, depending on your location) and happy beading. Our first four months have been beyond my wildest dreams, and the word AMAZING is just not big enough to accurately describe the process so far! Thank you and bless you...

Robin A, your BJP coordinator