Beads for Brains: 365

Mandy Duffy in Elkridge, Maryland is giving herself a year of self-taught beading lessons at Beads For Brains: 365...   



Why did you decide to do this project? I'm a very curious human being, surfing the web a great deal to find interesting tidbits of information.  I came across a blog where the author was doing a 365 project and was enthralled by the idea!  The same day I ordered the book and started my blog.  Not only do I think it is a wonderful concept and tool for developing creativity I think it can be used for just about anything.  Starting or stopping a habit, gaining perspective of the world around you, looking inside yourself, and so on and so on.  I only deliberated a short time on what my project theme would be.  The month before I started my blog, I took my first ever bead weaving class and I loved it.  I couldn't stop playing around with the beads!  The colors and shapes mesmorized me, and still do.  But being unemployed, I couldn't afford to take the classes.  The cost of the class plus the supplies was just to much when all I wanted to do was learn, learn, learn.  So I've decided to teach myself to bead weave.  My project is to teach myself a new beading lesson, technique, or project every day for a year using books, magazines, and the Internet.




How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I am currently on Day 33 of my beading adventure and I can't believe how much I have learned!  In general, I get very excited about things, but after the initial enthusiasm things peter out and I quit.  I've taught myself crafts before from books, like knitting and crocheting, but I've never gone the extra step to make myself really good at something.  This is the first time with a hobby that I love that I am advancing, quickly, because I am learning something new everyday.  I'm still not producing original works of beaded art, but it's coming, I can feel it.  Everything I've learned so far in my 33 days is building a base of knowledge for the big stuff.  I always want to go right to the hardest thing and get frustrated when I fail.  With this project I am starting small where I should start.  And since my little successes are piling up, I know there will be bigger successes down the road.  I have a feeling I will be doing a 365 project on some theme or another every year for the rest of my life!



See all of Mandy's beaded projects HERE.

1 comment:

  1. How inspiring! I think I'll start a 365 project!
    Little successes piling up... :D

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