BJP started

Well, it's June 2nd and I am underway on this month's page. I have decided to use my dad as the theme for this month since his birthday was June 4, 1918. While he was very ill I traced his hand and am finally using the tracing. I have reduced it to fit on a 6" circle of blue felt. I am putting a purple heart and flag on the palm as he fought for his country during WWII and received a purple heart for an injury he received during the war.



After retiring from the military, he became a gardener for San Diego City School District besides constantly working in his own yard so his handprint will be in green.



So far that is as much as I have planned. I have already changed some of what I thought I would do as of yesterday so nothing is written in stone. If it isn't set in beads there is change possible!



The first picture shows the page underway. Yes, I have paper on the top side besides the bottom but I do have a reason. The top paper has the main pattern which I am transferring by outlining with beads rather than try to draw on felt. I will tear it away after the outlining is done.The flag only has a single line but that can be winged from there.



The second picture shows the beads I have gathered for this page. I certainly won't be able to use all of the types chosen and I may pull others but this is a start. I drilled holes in some seeds I had gathered from a tree in my dad's yard (I believe it was a breadfruit tree); they are on the tray but probably not visible and I will paint them if I use them. There are also some tiny shells on the tray as my dad was born in and loved Hawaii.







The third picture is a closer view of what I have done so far and the fourth picture shows how much I did while I was waiting for the first three


pictures to upload onto my blog - I am a VERY

slow beader! I am also on dial-up.

So far the felt is beading up very pleasantly and easily. I decided to put the backing paper on just to be on the safe side.















Now, the paper pattern has been removed so I can fill in the shapes.
















Well, my flag ended up a little askew but I am not going to redo it. One thing to know about me is I am not a perfectionist! I like quality and try to do a good job but perfection is never my goal. In fact, I tend to do something a little off on a project that looks a little too mechanically perfect. You will see I prefer czech seed beads over the japanese beads although there are times I will use them, even the delicas.