So much happening lately but trying to take time to relax also.
In the process of cleaning our folks house I've found a number of vintage items. We've also been trying to clean at the farm where we need to make space to put the things they want to move from the City. I am trying to organize even more in my studio space so I can have things in a place AND have places to put everything we brought from the farm and City. I can't remember if I'd said I got an old cupboard that had probably been at my Aunt and Uncle's on the farm before they moved to Regina. The most recent find was MANY old books. Yummm - perfect for my altered arts. I've had to put things in the main room of the basement - just not enough space for all the treasures of a mixed-up :D media artist. I've started a video about my studio and many of the vintage finds. I'm not certain of when I'll get to putting that together. I've too many other videos already started. Two of them are for my etsy shop.

For anyone that's been following my posts I'll say that the diabetes specialist was not understanding. My diabetes is affected hugely by my stress levels. Unfortunately my stress levels are affected largely by things I don't have control over, but I CANNOT in most cases, walk away from. The main piece would be our daughter who has sensory issues on top of being a teenager. One of her labels is Oppositional Defiance Disorder. While she is doing well considering her labels, we have NOT been getting the support this past year which we were receiving the previous few years. Fortunately the school is very accommodating about her issues and trying to work with her needs. It is also through the school that we have found the main support for our family. The therapist understands diabetes very well also and that makes a difference. There is also the family factor of both my folks aging and having a single brother who has taken on the responsibility for them. This is a huge burden for him as their needs for assistance increase. I try to help as I can but my bro is very understanding about our daughter. Again a piece I will not walk away from.
And so my diabetes goes along. I try very much to look after it properly. We almost always weigh and measure my food. I've been having help with my depression and anxiety for about the past six years, or more. I can't remember exactly. I have chosen to not go on prescribed medication at anytime for the depression and anxiety. I choose to use other methods of treatment. They have been extremely effective.
I can also mention that through my nursing, which I did for about ten years, I encountered many folks with diabetes. I was also involved with the Canadian Diabetes Association serving a number of years ago as the provincial president and at the same time as the provincial representative on the national board. I was part of the diabetes educators group and had as a good friend the past president of the national association. Through my experiences I have had great amounts of respect for my knowledge and expertise, as well as understanding for my extremely difficult to control diabetes, from many of these people as well as endocrinologists I have had in the past. The endocrinologist I saw last Thursday was a jerk, I mean, did not respect me at all, paid no attention to what I had to say. He was going totally on the information given to him by the family doctor in her referral. And that was all after having to wait an hour and fifteen minutes to get to see him, resulting in an appointment over the lunch hour. He asked if I'd had my breakfast and lunch. Ahem - what time was I supposed to eat my lunch - 10:30? My appointment was to have been at 11 a.m.
I am not really certain if the diabetes specialist has any inkling of how hard I try to manage my diabetes AND in the trying probably cause increased stress. In the past I would probably have chosen to tell him and try to educate him BUT I'm at the point where I choose to continue to find time for art and relaxation as opposed to spending increased amounts of time trying to support his ego, I mean try to teach him.

More cheerful things:
Besides starting to sell on etsy I have been investigating more local possibilities. I don't think I had ever told you about a neighbour from reasonably close to the farm. Edie Marshall is an artist who has been gaining local acclaim. The Mendel Art Gallery and Calories are just two of the locales in Saskatoon which have shown Edie's work. I encountered Edie at the workshop I had attended a year ago February. We determined we knew each other. I had actually gone to school with Edie's sister. I had actually forgotten about that meeting of Edie until just a few weeks ago. I remembered she had invited me to paint at her studio (you need to scroll about half way down the page to get to the place where Edie's studio is mentioned). She suggested when we are visiting at our farm sometime. Last summer it was not practical but I will be making every effort to try to do that this coming summer.
There's more - Edie is now a member of the provincial CARFAC board as the Saskatchewan representative. CARFAC stands for Canadian Artists’ Representation/Le Front des artistes Canadiens. I have been encouraged in the past to join CARFAC and am very seriously considering doing that in the very near future. It's kind of funny that when I had first encountered Edie and was telling her about my interest in working with fabric she and another person attending the workshop told me about Martha Cole. Through CARFAC there are mentorships which can happen. These two were suggesting that perhaps I could do a mentorship with Martha Cole. Again, it seemed unlikely at the time. Now I'm starting to think something like this could someday be a possibility. And I got an interesting surprise when I was talking to my enterprising sister-in-law last fall. I was telling her about Martha. I wasn't really too surprised when Donna told me that she knows Martha and did some work with her, possibly on the books I just had for the link. How cool is that?
Back to Edie - I found another interesting piece of information when I did a search on Edie. I found her name as one of the participating artists for an event at The Garden Gallery. Not only is Edie one of the artists but I also learned of a local singer/songwriter named Carrie Catherine. When I started to investigate, the possibilities for using some of Carrie's music on my videos came to me. I have to get in touch with her. Regardless - I am planning to go to Kindersley and meet with Edie and other Saskatchewan artists as well as have the opportunity to listen to Carrie Catherine. I hope I'll be able to get tickets.

Can we handle any more news for today? I have chosen to leave the writer's group with which I was involved. There are a couple of us wanting to start a local visual artists group instead. I have a friend who has been studying art for a number of years at St. Pete's. She actually had a showing at their gallery in the library. I had opportunity to show Cynthia just a few of my pieces about a year ago. She was interested but she also has been busy with family commitments. I did a search online but found nothing.

And so the future holds possibilities.