New Friends

I have found some new friends who are creating art and crafts. They are also blind!

I was told about a group of artisans who are members of the National Foundation of the Blind organization. I have recently made contact with them. I registerd to be on their list of artists and I am now getting personal e-mails from some of the members.

It is amazing the things that these blind artisans are doing! I am so inspired by their notes on the site list and their notes to me personally. I hav found other people who do bead embroidery. I have not even tried to do it again since my sight loss. But, it has been on my mind all the time. That has been my desire, to once again be able to pick up a very slim needle, get out my gemstone cabachons, and tiny seed beads, and work on a project. I was doing "Encrusted Beadwork" at the time I lost my vision and have longed to be able to create some pieces once again. Now I know it is possible, because others are already doing it and have contacted me.

I am beginning to make pottery, and that has kept me occupied as I work my way through the process learning how to feel the clay and turn it from a piece of mud into something lovely. There are potters on this website and list, too.

And, knitting has been my passion for years. Yes, I have found other knitters, too.

What is so amazing is that these people do "classes" using the telephone call conferencing option. By doing this, people from all over the country can be in the same "place" at the same time, and be "in a class" together through the phone conference call. Amazing, isn't it!

Now you can understand why I am so excited. Daily, I am getting contact emeails from artisans who introduce themselves to me, the new member. And, I am having a blast meeting these talented and lively people. They make me realize that there is next to nothing that I cannot do again.

But, don't expect to see my driving by in my car. That won't be happening!

Google Alerts

Did you know that you can set your email to receive notices about any topic you may want to follow? Yes, when a new blog is posted you will get an update telling you about the post. It will arrive on your Yahoo E-mail. All you need to do is set your email setting to receive these new posts through blogs or other sources, and you will get them daily in in your "in-box" at Yahoo. The SEARCH is done by using Google. It is called a Google Alert.

You can go to the "google search" information and set the paramaters for using this research service. You can have access to .edu sites, newspapers, and blogs. This will save you a lot of time, and bring the information directly to you in-box. I love it.

Just type in the different topics that you want to get daily information about. Mine is set for "sight loss" as I want to get information on this topic. Another one for me is "Ischemic Optic Neuropathy" since I have this condition and like to be kept updated on any research being done and current thoughts about the condition. Other things that interest me are also on my Goggle Alert list, and I get those listings, too. You can follow people or places this way as well.

I hope this help you. I like to do posts here that might help other people who have sight loss and I like to post articles that I write about my own ways of copping successfully with this handicap. I am a visual artist, author, and former professor of Fine Arts and Humanities. Let me know if I have helped you in some way, or if you need to ask me a question. I would be delighted to help you if I can.