About Us

What is the Bead Journal Project?
The Bead Journal Project is a concept aimed at personal development, a framework for each of us to explore and expand our own creative pathway. This is just for us. This is our place and our time to let it all hang out, to let ourselves be carried away in the moment, to let go of judgments, interpretation and planning, to go deeper than words! Participating members follow limited rules, which loosely structure their creation of 12 beaded journal pages during a year.

Who are we?
We are women (and men) who are dedicated and committed to creating 12 beaded journal pages, one per month, for a year. Some of us are new to beading; others have years of experience. Many of us, who participated in the 2007 Bead Journal Project, are making the commitment for the second consecutive year. There were 243 official members in the 2007 BJP. They live in 13 different countries, including 37 states in the USA. After the current Bead Journal Project registration ends, we will post membership statistics here .

What is the goal of participation?
The primary goal during this process is to give an impression about each month, to journal our experiences and record our feelings in a visual way. Another important goal is to stretch our creative and technical limits. The BJP is all about visual journaling using any media and techniques, as long as it includes beading. We are free to structure our beaded journal pages any way we want, as long as all 12 are the same size.

What do we mean by “journal page?”
As in written journaling, the artist tells her story and reveals her feelings about her life during a given month, only in a visual way. Although we refer to the work as journal pages, they do not have to be flat or in any way resemble a written journal page. They can be any shape. For example, one 2007 BJP member made a beaded button each month. At the end of the year, the pieces may be assembled in some fashion (book, quilt, deck of cards) if the participant desires. However, the actual process of creating beaded journal pages, month after month, is often more significant than what is done with the pieces at the end of the year.

What is the BJP Blog?
The blog is a central place where participating members can support each other in process, techniques, and design. We encourage those who fall behind and applaud those who finish. Mostly we post pictures of completed pieces, technical questions, or links to our own blogs, which may include in-progress pictures and written information about our work. Each participating member will be invited to be “an approved author” on the current BJP blog. However, it is not required to read or post to the BJP blog or to have your own blog or website. Here are links to the 2007 BJP Blog and the 2008 BJP Blog.

How do you turn in your work?
You don’t; you are accountable only to yourself. Each member is responsible for sticking with their commitment for making all 12 pieces during the year. Participation in the BJP Blog can be a helpful motivator. Finding a small group of bead buddies, who together make the commitment, can also help.

How did the BJP get started?
It was started in June, 2007 by Robin Atkins , who had seen exhibitions of the Quilt Journal Project several years running at the International Quilt Festivals in Houston and Chicago. She was particularly struck by the fact that the work of each of the 400 or so participants was totally unique. Looking at a room full of quilted journal pages, she realized that if they were all mixed up, a person could sort them by artist with amazing accuracy. Obviously, doing this type of work must contribute in a significant way to development of distinctive, individual artistic style. Considering this a worthy goal, she proposed a similar project for beaders on her blog, Beadlust. Expecting that 20-30 people might make the commitment, she was amazed as the inquiries and registrations kept coming. In three weeks, 243 individuals from 13 countries had become official participants.

Will there be an exhibition of BJP work?
This is definitely a possibility. Participation in any future exhibition or publication will be voluntary. Notices of any exhibitions or publications will be posted here.