Tag: pattern management

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Broadway’s The Hills Of California Inspires Art

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 from Isabelle 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.

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Apthropologie’s Holiday House In New York City

Decor, Design, and Diabetes

As I strolled down the street in September, I was taken aback by a brownstone adorned with holiday decorations, two months ahead of schedule!

Seeing the lavish garlands adorning the exterior stair railing piqued my curiosity, prompting me to dash up the stairs to unravel the mystery behind Christmas’s early arrival in the Upper West Side of New York City.

Upon stepping through the magnificent oak doors, I found myself in the Anthropologie Holiday House in collaboration with Terrain. This free four-story holiday extravaganza was a dream come true for holiday enthusiasts.

The immersive experience offered a plethora of festive decor available for purchase. It was truly a sight to behold, a treat for the eyes!

For individuals managing diabetes who often perceive the holidays as a time of deprivation, this experience was a game-changer.

The guilt-free enjoyment of holiday decor and decorations was a delightful revelation. It offered a way to savor the holiday spirit without the concerns of excess fat, alcohol, calories, and salt. After all, it’s not the plate but what you serve on it that causes unexpected highs and lows in blood pressure and blood sugar.

One of the most striking sights was the floating holiday tree on one of the upper floors, a truly unique and captivating display.

The checkerboard cabinet in the kitchen caught my eye with its playful design and practicality. It provided a clever solution for concealing a second set of plates and dishware.

The luxurious sheets, lush throws, and comfy duvet covers were irresistible to the touch.

They boasted exquisite designs and unparalleled softness that would complement any bedroom in the house.

The whimsical Christmas tree decorations were equally enchanting.

They featured vibrant colored glass ornaments that breathed life into any home during the holiday season.

Dr. Janis Roszler PhD, LMFT, RDN, LD/N, CDCES, FAND, and Donna Rice, MBA, BSN, RN, CDCES, FADCES, the co-authors of Divabetic’s new e-book, Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love and Intimacy with Diabetes, offer advice on managing diabetes sexual-health related issues in the bedroom.

The dining room tablescape was a masterpiece for those with a more refined taste.

Anthropologie had collaborated with the MET Museum to create a one-of-a-kind Gilded Age-inspired collection of dishware and crystal.

The design team meticulously studied historical flatware and dishware at the MET, infusing the museum’s cherished pieces with a distinctive Anthropologie sensibility.

The result was a tablescape that set the stage for the entire Holiday House experience.

Set your table in truly artistic fashion with timeless tableware from Apthropologie’s conversation pieces in a variety of modern and classic styles.

Pattern Management is a skill that can help you manage your diabetes like a diva! The happy healthcare host is Mr. Divabetic, and Neva White, PhD, RN, CCRN, CNE, the leader of the Divabetic Club—Philadelphia. These two advocates discuss the basics and benefits of Pattern Management.

Dviabetic Club was a free monthly diabetes wellness program presented in New York, NY, Cleveland, OH, and Philadelphia, PA, that boasted 75-100 participants monthly. Our unique mixture of traditional diabetes education, motivation support, beauty and style tips, and hobby demonstrations offered something for everyone.

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Going In Circles at the Old Hook Windmill in East Hampton, NY

If you say you’re going around in circles, you probably mean you’re not achieving anything because you keep returning to the same point or problem. But a hundred a hundred years ago, going around in circles could have meant accomplishing a lot, especially if you operated a windmill.
Last week, I visited Hook Windmill, also known as Old Hook Mill, a historic windmill on North Main Street in East Hampton, New York. It was built in 1806 and operated regularly until 1908. 
 
The Hook Windmill was the last wind-powered grain mill or gristmill. Once I went inside, I was surprised by how big it was. It’s a two-story structure.  
The mechanics of the mill fill most of the building. These large wooden gears, levers, shafts and wheels are fill most of the space.
 
Even after our guide, Francine, explained, I was still confused about how the mill worked. I scratched my head, looking at the drawings, trying to figure out the wheat’s route up and down the two-story structure.
Francine mentioned that a local clockmaker named Nathanial Dominy discovered the windmill cap could be turned so the blades could face the changing location of arriving wind not just by using a long “tail pole” with a wheel at the end—which could move along the ground as people pushed it, dragging the cap way up at the top along—but by the operation of new gears.
The wind’s energy, harnessed by the windmill’s 40-foot sails, is transferred via shafts, cogs, and belts to drive one or more pairs of millstones. Grain, oats, and corn fed between the rotating millstones crushed and ground into meal.
 
The mill I toured was the third Old Hook windmill built on the site and was completed in 1806. 

 

English windmills, like the ones in the Hamptons, spin clockwise. Dutch windmills spin counterclockwise. Many people believe the difference is due to how the mills catch the wind or how the millers work the mills. When standing still, the position of a windmill’s wings can indicate certain occasions.

Francine told us that the windmill produced 5,000 pounds of wheat, corn, and oats.
I climbed two flights of stairs to see the inner workings of the mill. The stairs are extremely narrow and steep. I had to hold on to a rope as I descended. It felt like I was inside a giant watch or clock. The device was so massive it was hard to believe only one man was needed to operate the mill.
The handwriting on the wall is not graffiti. The millworkers signed their names on the door to document their efforts. One man operated the device. 
Windmills were considered farm equipment, which could be bought, sold, and moved from place to place. It’s hard to believe a structure housing such sophisticated mechanics could be moved so easily.

Why They Stopped Using Windmills

The first steam-powered mill was built in Bridgehampton in 1850. And when the first steam-powered locomotive hauled its train on tracks from New York City in 1872, it was possible now to order sacks of flour and grain from a factory up-island and have it on the East End later that same day. Thus ended the age of the beautiful old windmills.

Do You Feel Like You’re Going In Circles?

If you’re feeling like there’s nothing you can do to make living with diabetes easier, it can be helpful to meet with a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) and a mental health practitioner. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.  Problem-solving with the aid of experts can help you deal with the negative impact that having diabetes may have on your life, relationships, and goals.  They can help you see your diabetes challenges in a new, more positive way. Even if you feel fine, introduce yourself to a therapist to keep phone numbers handy if anything challenging arises.

Luther Vandross recorded the song Going In Circles for his Songs album in 1995. The song was written by Jerry Peters and Anita Poree, and originally performed by The Friends of Distinction on their 1969 album, Grazin’, reaching number 15 on the U.S. Hot 100, and number three on the R&B chart, selling over a million copies.

Educate Your Circle on How to Treat a Low Blood Sugar

Could you show your circle where you keep your fast-acting carbohydrates and how much is needed to return blood sugar to normal? Everyone is different. For some, it is 5 grams of fast-acting carbs, for others 10, 15, or maybe 20 grams. It all depends on how low your blood sugar is at the time, how much insulin is on board, and what you are physically doing.

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