Of Diets and Chairs..

I have recently gone on a low sugar, low carb diet. I've lost 8 lbs which is a drop in the bucket compared to how much weight I want/need to lose. I wish i could lose 50lbs but more realistically, it will probably be less. I've come to terms recently with my problems with occasional low blood sugar issues. I suppose that I just never understood it in the past, only knowing that I was "starving" or "crashed" when it was happening.

I've felt a lot more "Even keel" now that I'm staying away from a lot of sugar, but along with that "even" feeling, has come a tad of boredom. I'm trying not to eat to entertain myself and if I absolutely can not get eating out of my head I eat rice cakes... For some reason, It's "entertaining". I've also been more careful about definitely eating well three times a day and not eating something that would raise and then crash my bloodsugar so that my eating is more controlled.

My Friend Anna mentioned that the last time I went on a low carb diet, my brain went to "S*it". This could explain why I'm so forgetful now. I don't' know what the answer is or whether everyone else is going through this when they're on a low carb diet. So if you have experienced it please let me know I'm not alone..

Maybe I'm just too inwardly focused and need to go out more...

Last night, some friends and I went to "The worlds Championship Horse show" which is the Saddlebred Championship held here in Louisville, Ky during the Kentucky State Fair. My friend Robin is a big fan of the saddlebred breed and it is wonderful to be with her during the show. She knows so much and explains so much and her excitement and enthusiasm is catching! This year's Five Gaited World Champion is "He's the Man"! He is only 5 years old so this is quite an accomplishment for a young horse!

My immediate family moved to a brand new house in December 05. We sold our old couch with matching chairs and old guest room furniture to the folks that bought the old house. What I didn't realize is that I would be leaving my chair that I sit in to make miniatures behind. Ever since then, I've been trying to find a replacement for that chair. The chair that I used sat really low to the ground and was upholstered and very comfy to me. I started to use a folding chair here in the new house.

I have also been having a problem of feeling comfortable and creative in my new space. I just didn't feel right but I attributed it to my own resistance to change and I told myself that I would get used to it.

Luckily for me, I married the best husband in the world. The guy that bought our old house works for my husband. On friday my husband asked him if he wanted to part with one of the old chairs. The guy stated that he wasn't using both chairs and let my husband come get one of them. When I got home from the horse show last night, the chair was in my studio!

Today, in my new chair, I felt more at home than I have since Last December! I re-arranged the studio some and that feeling of comfort and creativity is back! I can't believe what a difference that damned old chair makes! HAHAHAHA! Just goes to show that "new" isn't always "better".

Feh

Every night this week I've been working on the "Rigging" for my latest roping saddle project.  I'm having an issue with concentration for some reason. I will trace the design onto the leather,
only to lift the tooling film to reveal a ton of unusable mistakes underneath.  This means that I'm having to do things over again.  It is always worth it in the end to re-do pieces but it sure is frustrating.

Because of all of the tooling and "neck craning" I've been doing, I have been having a few muscle spasms in my neck and shoulder but
so far I've been able to kinda roll through the pain and move forward.

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED.....

But then nothing has really gone forward...yet...



So lets see.. where to begin.



The Museum Project is a tentative go. They are definitely interested in me, and having some of my work in their gift shop. I am waiting on some copywrite permission before I can move forward however. This opportunity is something that an artist waits for their entire life. I will do anything to see it come to fruition. Including be patient! :-)



In July, My husband and I headed up to upstate New York to visit with his wonderful family! I had a lovely time. One of the highlights was visiting the Baseball Hall of Famee in Cooperstown, Ny. Cooperstown is the most wonderful little town!

I understand that it is kinda kept that way by one woman so that it never loses it's charm. So if you go, eat before you go. There are no Mc Donalds or Grocery Store chains so take what you want to eat and drink with you.

Also wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to drink in
everything "Baseball" you could ever possibly want to see. It was
wonderful!

With all of the history in the museum, I still have to contend that their art galleries are the best. REAL Norman Rockwell paintings. REAL. Not prints or copies. The real deal. Also I discovered a new artist named Civility who was obviously inspired by Rockwell. (Or at the very least their styles are similar which I loved.) There was also a wonderful exhibit of African American Artists on the subject of African Americans in baseball. I enjoyed that exhibit the most. It was very, very moving.

We also ended up at the Local Utica, NY Brewery, theSaranac brewery. I loved the tour because they have several art pieces at the beginning. They have TWO count em TWO Tiffany lamps. One Desk Lamp and the other is an UBER Rare Hanging lamp complete with original beads! It was inspiring to see such gorgeous pieces in person! They also have one of PT Barnum's Travelling desks that was entirely hand carved. They also have a German Grandfather clock that unfortunately I don't know much about...

Then the next week I went to "Model Horse Mecca" also known as the
North American Model Horse Nationals and At the end of that same week
Breyerfest.

In the Miniature Model Horse world, the Nationals are the "world series" for all of the winners of the local shows within the last two years. The fact that I had people who use my tack in the National show is
wonderful enough. However I was the maker of the tack on the Saddleseat champion
this year. It was doublely wonderful because one of my closest friends,
Robin P. is the one that won!

My tack also garnered several top tens for some close friends! Although I am not sure that people in the art world would consider this prestigious or a "real" award, It is "real" and prestigious to me.

I donated a piece to the local art fundraiser "Art for the animals". The art sold at this event will go to the Shamrock Society which is a Local no kill animal shelter. Although my halter didn't sell for as much as I had hoped (I don't think a lot of people "Got" it) the money still went to a good cause. The event was wonderful with fantastic food and drink from local restaurants! I am definitely going to donate again next year.

People were looking for Practical Art there like Vases and Bowls or paintings. Abstract little halters didn't catch the imagination or fit the bill of what folks wanted. Ah well, there is always next year!

Last weekend I dropped off one of my saddles at the Kentucky State Fair Leatherworking Competition. I'm anxiously awaiting the results! Last year a lot of people apparently entered their work in the wrong classes so I'm hoping that I entered mine in the right one. (crossing fingers)

As you can imagine, I'm tired. I've also put on some weight that I am now desperately trying to take off. I've discovered that I am probably hypoglycemic. (not diabetic) I have been attempting to stick to a low sugar, low carb diet. I am really really motivated because I'm tired of being so sick all of the dang time!