I had such a wonderful time at the brilliant Broadway show The Hills of California! It’s an Olivier Award-winning play by Jez Butterworth, directed by the amazing Sam Mendes.
The story revolves around a very ambitious mother who dreams of seeing her four daughters become a successful singing group, much like the Andrews Sisters. It beautifully captures themes of love and loss, and it truly left a mark on me.
After the show, I dove deep into a rabbit hole of YouTube, watching interviews, performances, and documentaries about the Andrews Sisters, the Boswell Sisters, and the McGuire Sisters. I was mesmerized by the glamorous fashions and stunning fabric patterns from the 1940s and 50s.
It hit me that these designs could inspire my Halloween displays for next year! For Halloween 2025, I’m excited to create some fabulous clothing for my displays using paper, paint, and polyurethane.
I’ve drawn inspiration fromIsabelle de Borchgrave, the incredible self-taught Belgian artist who creates breathtaking painted paper dresses. Her historical gown recreations are always captivating and seem to pop up in exhibitions worldwide.
I started by flattening some brown paper grocery bags and painting them with acrylic and house paint. Then I spent some time researching 1940s and 50s fabric patterns. With a few paint cans in hand, I let my creativity flow, despite my limited skills!
My dress designs are loosely inspired by the fabulous stage outfits of the Andrews and Boswell sisters, along with Loretta Young. For my sculptures, I’m getting creative with all sorts of materials like kid’s plastic masks, shoe boxes, Tide detergent containers, Coffee Mate bottles, newspapers, and paper towel rolls.
The powerful drama and acting from that Broadway experience have stayed with me for days. Isabelle de Borchgrave’s fashion creations sparked my imagination, while the music and style of the Andrews Sisters entertained me as I embarked on my artistic journey!
There’s a long way to go before my creations go on display. I’m still testing the various ways to waterproof my paper dresses so they don’t get damaged outdoors. I’m also aiming to write and draw a picture book based on the characters I create.
The life-sized sculptures made by Indigenous artisans using an invasive weed called lantana camera are incredible!
Sometimes, the elephant in the room is the sudden change in your life due to the symptoms of diabetes. Keeping the symptoms a secret or ignoring the symptoms can be problematic, including increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurred vision, and numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
Our bodies start to struggle with insulin efficiency, leading to a state known as insulin resistance. Without proper treatment and management, prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes, underscoring the importance of early detection and intervention.
According to the CDC, 97.6 million people in the United States aged 18 and older have prediabetes, which is 38% of the adult population. Almost 90% of the people living with diabetes don’t know they have it or ignore the symptoms.
The risk factors for developing prediabetes are varied. Being overweight or obese, having a family history of type 2 diabetes, leading a sedentary lifestyle, having high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, or a history of gestational diabetes are all significant contributors. Age also plays a role, as the likelihood of developing prediabetes increases after the age of 45.
Our friend, Jill Weisenberger RD, CDCES, offers advice on what to eat for those feeling confused or overwhelmed with living with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in this video series.
Prediabetes is a pivotal health condition that acts as a precursor to type 2 diabetes. It is defined by blood sugar levels that are higher than average yet not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes.
This subtle difference is crucial, as prediabetes often goes unnoticed due to its mild nature, unlike type 2 diabetes, which presents more evident and urgent symptoms.
The elephant project directly fights the threat of an invasive species while raising money and awareness for environmental issues.
The collective isn’t just using lantana as a sculpting material; it converts tons of agricultural waste products rich in nutrients into biochar and black carbon. The biochar is then buried to improve the soil in India.
Could You Have Prediabetes? Don’t be part of the herd unsure or unaware of their health condition. Take this free, simple RISK TEST Now.
Enjoy this scene from Divabetic’s 10th Annual Original Mystery podcast, Murder Plain As Vanilla, streaming on Spotify, iTunes, and BlogTalkRadio.
My second watercolor class was about washes. It proved to be just as challenging as the first class, but it was still a blast from start to finish. We used a large brush and loaded up with the paint mixture in a smooth, sweeping motion side to side. The three main types of watercolor washes are flat, graded, and variegated. You can attempt them with a wet brush on dry paper or a wet brush on wet paper. My goal was to create transparency with the paint.
I adore my instructor, Eva, from Bulgaria. She’s passionate about art and teaching art. When she travels back to Bulgaria, she doesn’t like to take photos because she feels photos can’t capture your memories. I’m paraphrasing, but I love her thoughts. I arrived early so I could ask her about her artwork. She is a chemigram artist. A chemigram has been called ‘the ultimate adventure of gelatin silver bromide’. It’s made by painting with chemicals on light-sensitive photography paper. According to Eva, you can’t see what you’re creating until you process the paper, and there’s a high probability that it might not work out. Eva likes it because you can’t control it.
Drinking water can help dilute blood sugar levels, but no single food or drink can directly reduce the amount of sugar in your blood. Different foods affect your blood sugar differently, creating bigger or smaller rises for longer or shorter periods. High blood sugar—known as hyperglycemia—can lead to dehydration, as the body tries to eliminate excess glucose through urine. Excess urination is one symptom of diabetes.
When dehydrated, your blood becomes more concentrated, including glucose. Drinking water can help rehydrate your blood and dilute the sugar, which can help lower blood sugar levels. Water can also help your kidneys filter out excess sugar through urine, which can further help flush sugar from your body.
Taking fast-acting insulin medication is the fastest way to lower blood sugar. Talk to your healthcare collaborators about the best self-care plan for you.
Tune in to Divabetic’s podcast on the 42nd Annual Mermaid Parade with our guests, Coney Island USA’s Artistic Director Adam Rinn and Poet Lorraine Brooks.
The Mermaid Parade is the nation’s largest art parade. It brings together creative minds in art and fashion and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to Brooklyn’s amusement district. The Parade originated to help preserve the tradition of Mardi Gras-type events popular in Coney Island between 1903 and 1954.
This year, painter, performer, and sideshow historian Joe Coleman will be King Neptune, and his wife, artist, and photographer Whitney Ward will be Queen Mermaid. The couple will officially open the beaches for the beginning of summer and celebrate the sun, sand, sea, and salt air.
Our first guest, Adam Rinn, Coney Island USA’s Artistic Director, is a Coney Island native who has worked as a sword swallower, strongman, and variety performer for the past 20 years, so you’re sure to enjoy this fun and colorful interview!
Frequent contributor Poet Lorraine Brooks revisits her groundbreaking poem “Beauty & The Beach,” which premiered over thirteen years ago on Divabetic’s Roundtable podcast. “Beauty & The Beach” resonates deeply with podcast listeners and Diabetic blog readers. Since then, we have reshared Lorraine’s poem on body love, swimwear, and beaches on subsequent podcasts and blog entries.
During our interview, Lorraine shares how her opinions about her body and wearing a swimsuit have changed over the past decade, but her feelings about her diabetes diagnosis have not. She emphasizes the time, effort, and care she has put into her diabetes management, which has helped her remain free of diabetes-related complications.
Our discussion also touches on how negative self-talk can hinder us from enjoying life. Lorraine has agreed to revisit the themes of body love, beaches, and swimwear in a new poem entitled “Summer Skin” for this podcast.
Diabetes advocate turned reluctant amateur sleuth, Mr. Divabetic finally takes the plunge and ventures into a new career as a healthy caterer. With the help of his co-workers and nosy Italian mother, he heads for Coney Island to cater his first party aboard a yacht for his former swim coach, Ted Rockow. But his nautical soiree quickly capsizes when the guest of honor is found swimming with the fishes.
Was it an accident or foul play? Now Mr. Divabetic’s grilling Burlesque dancers, a lifeguard lothario, a gypsy fortune teller, and some sequined mermaids, all intent on keeping their secrets buried deep within the sand.
Can Mr. Divabetic overcome his green pea phobia in time to prove Coach’s death was a murder, not an accident? Or will he end up floating out to sea? Will he sink or swim? Tune in to find out if he can solve the murder of his former swim coach with the help of his nosey Italian mother and friends. Along the way to revealing the identity of the murderer, he uncovers expert tips for diabetes self-care during the Summer months.
FEATURING Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, We Are Diabetes Founder Asha Brown, Chef Robert Lewis aka ‘The Happy Diabetic’, Mama Rose Marie, and Seveda Williams.
GLAM MORE FEAR LESS: The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic rolls out the Red Tomato Carpet at the Easter Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City, NY.
The New York City Easter Parade has been an annual tradition since Civil War days and features marchers in elaborate Easter finery, including some of the fanciest Easter bonnets imaginable. People’s imagination seemed limitless, looking at all the head adornments. I was blown away by the style and sophistication of many of the participants.
Many people’s outfits were inspired by either the Gilded Age or MGM’s musical Easter Parade, starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire.
Get inspired to ‘Glam More, Fear Less’ about living with diabetes. Make sure to protect your vision so you can enjoy a parade, street fair or gathering to its fullest. If you’re living with diabetes, make sure to schedule your annual eye exam.
Diabetic retinopathy is caused when high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the retina. This damage can lead to temporary vision loss or permanent blindness.
People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, especially if their diabetes is poorly managed. Maintaining good blood sugar levels and having regular eye exams can help reduce the risk of blindness from diabetic retinopathy.
Tune in to Divabetic’s free monthly podcasts, hosted by Mr. Divabetic on blog talk radio, iTunes, and Spotify, featuring healthcare professionals, beauty, image/style, and fitness experts, entertainment industry leaders, and VIPs: women and men living with, at risk of, or affected by diabetes.
Join Divabetic’s Facebook page, follow Mr. Divabetic and Divabetic on Twitter, and learn more about sponsorship opportunities and event details.
Visit: www.divabetic.org
Original music by Douglas Clay: www.douglasclaymusic.com
“But you’ve got to have friends,” Bette Midler’s song lyrics helped push me through the creative challenges of making my Halloween displays. I’m not an artist or a crafter, so the struggle was real. Thankfully, two remarkable women, Sharon and Lauren, cheered me on along the way.
After I created my first display, The Amy Winehouse Twins, made of recycled bottles for Halloween last year, Sharon kept encouraging me to create more art. My insecurities helped me blow off her comments until Spring.
But her interest in my creativity wore me down until I asked myself, “Why not?” I experienced so much joy creating the Winehouse Twins and Angela ‘LAMB’ sbury, it was worth a try.
I found a cheap plastic duck mask in a box in my closet. At first, a Halloween duck display didn’t make sense to me. But then, the name Cruella DUCK Vil popped into my head.
Still, even after that light bulb went off, I wondered if I could make a duck display. My paper mache skills were considered shaky back in elementary school.
Thank goodness for YouTube craft videos! I didn’t need to know there are so many types of paper mache available, from clay to cement, but the step-by-step demonstrations helped. After several frustrating days (weeks!) of trying to smooth out the seams, I moved on to decorations.
This step presented a whole new set of problems. I had never used a glue gun before, and my handcrafting skills were laughable or nonexistent at best. I had this ‘brilliant’ idea to decorate my Duck displays with candy.
Shortly after purchasing a bunch of candy, I found out that most types of candy don’t adhere to glue, and if they do, the glue deteriorates them. It was a sticky, hot mess. Then, after creating a 20’s style flapper dress using red licorice for Cruella, a hungry rat got into my apartment and devoured it.
Count Duckula, Cruella Duck Vil, Bri-Duck of Frankenstein, and Duck Vader are made from recycled bottles, shoe boxes, and New York Times newspapers with old-fashioned paper mache (flower and water).
Count Duckula’s costume is covered in Tic Tacs, cake sprinkles, Red Hots, Black Licorice, Dollar Store eyes, Chocolate Baking Dots, Recycled Red and Black Cloth Grocery Bags, and a Child-Size Dracula wig.
Duck Vader’s costume is made from a child’s Darth Vader costume, Take-Out Container, Trash Bags, Packing Supplies, Black Licorice, and Orange Tic Tacs.
Cruella and the Bri-Duck of Frankenstein were the last displays I decorated. By this time, I had decided to forgo candy and use household items for decorations. Cruella’s dress is made of placemats and Swifters. Bri-Duck’s dress is made from coffee filters, paper plates, doilies, Amazon wigs, and mops.
Periodically, through my creative meltdowns, I’d bump into Sharon. Her timing was perfect! Sharon’s excitement about what I was creating (even though she didn’t know what it was) and my friend Lauren’s enthusiasm boosted my spirits.
Lauren helped me with my displays last year, too.
When you tell Lauren you want to climb a mountain, Lauren will ask you ‘How many steps?’ she won’t question why you should do it. I love that! She’s a wonderful friend who cheers you and begs you to go BIGGER!!
Which I did!
Kitty Litter is made from recycled materials. Single-use bottles, packing supplies, boxes, and the New York Times newspaper with old-fashioned paper mache. Her head is a $14 mask from Amazon. Her bustier is made from assorted candy, including Dots, Licorice, three-sizes of Gumballs, Skittles, Mike & Ikes, Circus Peanuts, Tic Tacs, Jelly Bellys, Good n’ Plenty, and Swedish Fish. Her fins are assorted foil muffin liners. Her skirt is made of multi-colored spaghetti licorice. Her tail is made of three sizes of marshmallows. Initially, I wanted to use multi-colored mini marshmallows like my Aunt Francis used to put her in Ambrosia salad, but I couldn’t find them anywhere!
The rest of the Kitty Litter display is a nod to the enormous amount of single-use plastics in our oceans. Collecting my single-use plastics, including water bottles, take-out food containers, cups, straws, and food packages over two months opened my eyes to the staggering amount of trash I contribute to the environmental crisis.
I hope this post encourages you to create art, especially if you’re doubtful about your skills, afraid of failure, or unsure where or how to start. I shared all of those thoughts, too. But even at my most challenging moments, I had a blast!
This little boy’s excitement made my adventures in crafting worthwhile!
The spirit and community of West 69th Street inspired me to create some kid-friendly decorations for Halloween and learn how to use a glue gun. Sadly, many fingertips were burned trying to clue the marshmallows to Kitty Littter’s tail.
