Reviving an old project

I am caught up with the TAST project and I am painting during the days when I am not working ( see my painting blog), so with the dismal TV selection, its time to work on something else in the evenings.  I have a number of projects I have nagging away in the background.  2 of the them are related to the Bead Journal project which I participated in 2007, 2008 and 2010.  The first one I managed to complete but in 2008 I definitely bit off more than I could chew.  I still have 2 months of 2010 to complete but I have decided to continue with the journal I started in 2008.

The above image might give you a clue to the theme and its one I have been tackling since I was 11 when school doctor told my Mum I was too fat.   Its an ongoing struggle and in 2008 I was attending WW.  In the meetings I would take notes and doodle.  I decided I would bead each week's notes.  So I was planning 52 pages.  I think I managed 8!  The additional idea behind the beaded pages was making them into a sort prayer flag based on the Buddhist tradition in Nepal.

Anyway  after 14 months and only achieving about 8 plus 2 starts, I put away all the little sketch books, the printed motifs ( from the sketchbooks) and cut out flags in a box, until now.

The issue with the project first time around was basically it not suitable for a completely beaded project, I had to use embroidery as part of the process.  Some pages had no bead elements I could use at all.  Finally, the major reason I gave up was because it was closely linked to losing weight. By the end of my time at WW I had lost 27lbs and then gain that back plus more due a change in my thyroid medication. Doing the pages just made me depressed thinking all the time of the uphill struggle I have with the problem.

Now I am in a better place.  I still have the weight issue and the thyroid problem. My medication has changed and some of the weight has come off. I have accepted I will never be thin, slim or young again. I have other medical issues which have turned up, one linked my weight but the other not. Both need me to change my attitude towards food.  My aim now is just to be as fit as I can be with  a change in my diet without feeling deprived and exercise.

Now I look  at the pages and just see an art project, not a personal goal.  So I will dedicate the rest of the year's evenings to getting further along with this project.  First decision, embroidery will be the main way of working these up. It fits in nicely with the TAST project. There will be some beading. There will be no deadline. Once I am happy with how much I have done, it will be finished. There might be 52 pages but more likely somewhat less than that.  I need to work out how to sew better flags! I am not seamstress than might be the biggest challenge :)

back on my Bike!