FranOnTheEdge - My Intro

FranOnTheEdge

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Hi all, I've only recently joined the Diabetes forums, and have been asking a few questions that were worrying me so up to now I didn't make time to introduce myself, well it's about time I remedied that.
My name is Fran, my online 'handle' is FranOnTheEdge.
I was diagnosed type 2 diabetic on about the 29th Dec last year (2015).

I'm now on a controlled release form of Metformin because the first lot gave me the dihorios, this lot do too, but not quite so often. It makes it kind of hard to know if it's safe to go swimming at the local leisure center, but swimming is the only exercise I can do because I also have Arthritis in every joint - some more so than others, so any impact producing exercise like running (can't remember the last time I could run anywhere) or pilates which wanted me to spend most of the time balancing on the damaged vertebra in my back - are out, swimming on the other hand is actually enjoyable, and afterwards I can sense my body feeling like it's humming and actually working a bit, and my breathing improves too.

I am vastly overweight but have been able to reduce that (partly me and latterly partly with help from Slimming World) so that since September last year (pre-diagnoses) I have now lost 2 stone 3lb 12 ounces. I feel pretty proud of that, would never have thought I could do it, but I've got a long, long way to go yet.

But none of all that is really ME, there's more to me than that health stuff.

I feel that my core self is as an artist, I have tested out many different types of art, and currently I work in Grunge Art, Texture Art, and Acrylic Painting, and use polymer clay, plaster, stencils, gels, crackle paste, gesso, tinfoil, shells, sand, garden seedheads, stones, found objects, kitchen implements, greenhouse shading, old pen tops, mesh, hessian, lace... almost anything I can think of a use for, to create my art.

I have 2 kids, both girls: one has a daughter, and the other has 1 daughter and two sons, and my husband is my best friend.

I like watching Pointless - we cheat, and watch recorded episodes pausing while we think. Lol!
Time Team, Midsomer Murders, other Archaeology progs, sciensy progs, (love Professor Brian Cox,) QIXL, Red Dwarf, real crime like Forensic Detectives (where they catch the baddies - not so keen on the unsolved ones) stuff about Neanderthals, not so keen on David Attenborough progs, simply because sooner or later some small baby animal will get torn to bits - gives me nightmares, and I have enough of my own worries for that. I like David Attenborough himself though.
Absolutely canNOT STAND those ghost finding progs, and most of those dancing progs make me want to punch someone, but we're all different, aren't we?

I once wrote a complete whodunnit book, but I've never had anything published. (I'll admit I didn't really try very hard.) plus a lot of unfinished writings, including some poetry. Hmmm, sometimes I think it's okay, sometimes I don't.

I have a bouncy Collie dog, who sheds like mad and whom we recently took up to Cumbria to visit one daughter taking the other with us - dog was amazingly well behaved, I was very surprised and so proud of him.

I love buying gadgets, bought a soupmaker that gave me lukewarm bitty soup with a raw onion taste - should have been smooth and hot - wasn't. (Sent it back as faulty) I still like the idea of a soupmaker, but it's priority has moved way, way down the list.
I've bought a spiralizer, but haven't found a recipe that uses it which I actually want to make yet.
Bought an AirFryer, it sat on the cupboard for a long time, but I'm finally starting to use it more.

Can't think of anything else, which is a good thing, 'cos if anyone read all this, by now they'll be fed up with me, so that's all folks!
So if you have got this far, please say hello...
 
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Finsky

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Hellooooo ! :D

Your arty stuff sounds interesting! Welcome from me too.
 
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CollieBoy

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@FranOnTheEdge
Welcome I too love collies, unfortunately I have one who is bouncy & manic, and one who used to be but now is old, tired out, and arthritic so walkies is one paced at the old girl's pace, then one at the young one's pace.
Soupmaker wise, I rely on on a slow cooker to brew up 6l at a time:).
Tellywise I love science and nature, but drive wife up wal picking film plots to bits when I find inconsistencies in them:rolleyes:
Also have a tendency to examine "What If"scenarios i.e. watching the "Dogs can fly" programme & thoughts drift into my head of collie piloted Search and Rescue drones;):rolleyes:
 
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muzza3

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Hi Fran
Thanks for sharing and welcome to the forum @FranOnTheEdge
 
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Finsky

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Thanks for the welcome, I find art fascinating too. Do you do any?
Umm...I can't claim it being arty...but I do crafts...I get hold of 'tons' of raw sheep fleeces through out the year, wash it, card/comb it, spin it, knit it, dye it, felt it...all sorts. And I try to save some free time for growing my own food, and look after my dog, chickens, tortoise and honeybees ....or and hubby needs looking after for some amount too ;) Oh yes, forgot, I do little bit wood carving, as and when I see interesting looking piece of wood and it calls me to investigate it further. Usually don't know what It might become until I'm well away with the knife but I turn them into something small and useful...I do some paid work as well.
Maybe I should say I do old fashion cottage 'arts' in a town environment :D I just find other people's hand made things, arty or not, very interesting.
 
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RosieLKH

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Hi Fran and welcome,
You sound like me in many ways. Weight probs, type 2 on Metformin, interest in art & writing, dogs.

My previous dog was a collie x springer. I thought mad meets madder was bad enough, but after he died 5 years ago we got a gorgeous, gentle lurcher (greyhound x ridgeback) and then I fostered a very underweight lurcher (whippet x saluki), who went to a family then got returned so I kept her. I never knew what mad was! She's a sofa dog in the house but a whirlwind on any open space.

I'm skiving from a watercolour group this morning partly due to having the Metformin runs again - totally unpredictable, can't trace to any pattern of diet, time etc - but also because I don't like the subject matter this morning (copying a Jack Vettriano - I prefer doing my own original stuff, but will copy in order to learn tehnique. It's just copying oil into watercolour annoys me). My favourite watercolour artist is Shirley Trevena. I love her loose style, with elements of abstract and lots of mark making. I dabble with acrylics and texture - recently made my own chunky gesso, but have no formal training in this (other than YouTube!).

I also write and have 3 books self-published, with a 4th in the editing process. I sew and do other crafty things now I am semi-retired and have time for me.

No kids. Not through choice, but you get what life deals you.

Anyway, that's me - a wee bit like you!
 
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FranOnTheEdge

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Type 2
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Tablets (oral)
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Coriander leaf, chillis, celery, sausages,
@FranOnTheEdge
Welcome I too love collies, unfortunately I have one who is bouncy & manic, and one who used to be but now is old, tired out, and arthritic so walkies is one paced at the old girl's pace, then one at the young one's pace.
Soupmaker wise, I rely on on a slow cooker to brew up 6l at a time:).
Tellywise I love science and nature, but drive wife up wal picking film plots to bits when I find inconsistencies in them:rolleyes:
Also have a tendency to examine "What If"scenarios i.e. watching the "Dogs can fly" programme & thoughts drift into my head of collie piloted Search and Rescue drones;):rolleyes:
My collie used to be bouncy and manic, but once he was 2 years old he did finally start to calm down. Thank goodness, I really don't have the ability to cope with manic. And my knee is getting so bad that long walks are out of the question, unfortunately - I'm hoping that the warmer weather will improve my knee.
I tried cooking in a slow cooker, and nearly starved to death while I waited for it, (lol) plus afterwards I discovered that the stew had dribbled down inside the casing and made a nasty mess. That's really why I bought the soupmaker, for speed and less mess. would have been great unless I actually wanted the soup to be cooked - and hot.

61 at a time? that's a lot. Must be a very big slow cooker, mine is very small, I actually meant it for pickling metal not for food.
Picking plots to bits? Oh I do that once I've watched a film but not usually on the first viewing.
Collie piloted Search and Rescue drones? Good thought! Mind you it could easily get distracted by a ball...
Lol!
Here's the dog when we took him to the Norfolk Broads, pic of him in his 'doggy bag'
DoggyBagSM_zps5461f2d9.jpg
 
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FranOnTheEdge

Well-Known Member
Messages
249
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Coriander leaf, chillis, celery, sausages,
Umm...I can't claim it being arty...but I do crafts...I get hold of 'tons' of raw sheep fleeces through out the year, wash it, card/comb it, spin it, knit it, dye it, felt it...all sorts. And I try to save some free time for growing my own food, and look after my dog, chickens, tortoise and honeybees ....or and hubby needs looking after for some amount too ;) Oh yes, forgot, I do little bit wood carving, as and when I see interesting looking piece of wood and it calls me to investigate it further. Usually don't know what It might become until I'm well away with the knife but I turn them into something small and useful...I do some paid work as well.
Maybe I should say I do old fashion cottage 'arts' in a town environment :D I just find other people's hand made things, arty or not, very interesting.
Yes you can - that's definitely 'arty' - heavens, you even get paid! That's brilliant!
Oh we have chickens too - only got 3 hens left after fox deprevation last year and they've finally started laying again! Might get some more this year.
No tortoise, but a freind has 2, no bees but next door neighbour keeps them.
I love hunting for interesting things down at Mersea Island - my husband doesn't like it though as I always come back with things - he says we already have too much. (there's no such thing as 'too much'!) Lol.
Very nice to meet you Finsky.
 

Finsky

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Yes you can - that's definitely 'arty' - heavens, you even get paid! That's brilliant!
Oh we have chickens too - only got 3 hens left after fox deprevation last year and they've finally started laying again! Might get some more this year.
No tortoise, but a freind has 2, no bees but next door neighbour keeps them.
I love hunting for interesting things down at Mersea Island - my husband doesn't like it though as I always come back with things - he says we already have too much. (there's no such thing as 'too much'!) Lol.
Very nice to meet you Finsky.
I think my rattling didn't come out quite right...LOL...no, I don't get paid for my arty stuff..just that I do managed to do SOME paid work after all the crafty and 'looking after' stuff. Officially I'm gardener when weather and time of year demands it ;)
I'm down to 3 chooks too...though that due natural courses. I might get some chicks next spring again.
NEVER too much craft stash!!;)
 

FranOnTheEdge

Well-Known Member
Messages
249
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Coriander leaf, chillis, celery, sausages,
Hi Fran and welcome,
You sound like me in many ways. Weight probs, type 2 on Metformin, interest in art & writing, dogs.

My previous dog was a collie x springer. I thought mad meets madder was bad enough, but after he died 5 years ago we got a gorgeous, gentle lurcher (greyhound x ridgeback) and then I fostered a very underweight lurcher (whippet x saluki), who went to a family then got returned so I kept her. I never knew what mad was! She's a sofa dog in the house but a whirlwind on any open space.

I'm skiving from a watercolour group this morning partly due to having the Metformin runs again - totally unpredictable, can't trace to any pattern of diet, time etc - but also because I don't like the subject matter this morning (copying a Jack Vettriano - I prefer doing my own original stuff, but will copy in order to learn tehnique. It's just copying oil into watercolour annoys me). My favourite watercolour artist is Shirley Trevena. I love her loose style, with elements of abstract and lots of mark making. I dabble with acrylics and texture - recently made my own chunky gesso, but have no formal training in this (other than YouTube!).

I also write and have 3 books self-published, with a 4th in the editing process. I sew and do other crafty things now I am semi-retired and have time for me.

No kids. Not through choice, but you get what life deals you.

Anyway, that's me - a wee bit like you!
I hate the metformin runs, that's what I have, and you're right, you can't be sure when it will strike. Makes me scared to go swimming. And that's the only exercise I can do (have athritis too).
Nearly got a lurcher, when we were looking for our last dog but one, but ended up with our beloved Jaspar, a Collie with one brown and one blue eye - he must have been much younger than they thought at the rescue center, because that blue eye soon turned brown to match the other one. He was a lovely boy, sadly he died of lung cancer some time ago. Our current dog: Rufus was my brother's dog, he had him as a puppy and I inherited him. He was very manic and so very bouncy, he's 3, nearly 4 now and has calmed down a lot - thank goodness!

I used to paint in oils, did a few portrait commissions a long time ago, now I don't have room for oils, especially with a still bouncy bulldozer of a dog around, so I do acrylics instead.
I've heard than name Jack Vettriano - somewhere. But I don't do much watercolour anymore, I'm having fun with the acrylics now. I must look up Shirley Trevena, not heard of her.
You make chunky gesso? why chunky?
I've made gesso, but I used the unbleached marble dust, so hard to find the bleached. so things have a slight yellow cast when I use it. (It's clear gesso.)
YouTube is a great resource isn't it? - I've uploaded a few videos myself - more in the pipeline.
What have you done in textures? I'm fascinated by that.

What have you written? I mean in what genre? Editing takes such a long time doesn't it?

Fascinating to meet you, Rosie, so glad you replied.
 

RosieLKH

Well-Known Member
Messages
735
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
One book of short stories is slightly supernatural. Two books in series are historical fiction - Tudor adventure (definitely not romance). Chunky gesso - I wanted to have some chunky white Christmas trees on some cards I was making. There's a craft thread on one of the forums on here, where a few of us have posted some made stuff.

It's nice to have things other than diabetes in our lives.

I was in your position re not being able to exercise (crumbling knees). I was due to have a knee replacement op, but my blood sugars were too high. Then I found this website, started low carbing, lost some weight (not enough, but it's a start), got by BS in a better state and found it easier to walk, so have put off the op for a bit.
 

FranOnTheEdge

Well-Known Member
Messages
249
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Coriander leaf, chillis, celery, sausages,
I think my rattling didn't come out quite right...LOL...no, I don't get paid for my arty stuff..just that I do managed to do SOME paid work after all the crafty and 'looking after' stuff. Officially I'm gardener when weather and time of year demands it ;)
I'm down to 3 chooks too...though that due natural courses. I might get some chicks next spring again.
NEVER too much craft stash!!;)
It's still 'art', paid or not. Gardener? That's what my brother was. Only thinking of new chicks NEXT spring? not this spring?
No, never too much stash, Lol!
 

Finsky

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It's still 'art', paid or not. Gardener? That's what my brother was. Only thinking of new chicks NEXT spring? not this spring?
No, never too much stash, Lol!
Well....it is early in the season yet, and my 'old' girls haven't got into proper laying swing as yet.....and I always feel like there more than just laying machines....hence hanging on to them and keeping them as pets as long as possible. Don't have heart to get rid of just because they don't produce that well anymore:rolleyes: Who knows....hubby might get some ideas from that...:eek:
 

BooJewels

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Messages
443
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
Good morning. I'm interested in reading all of the various creative endeavours above. I too am a creative type. And you certainly can't have too much in your stash!

I'm a technical illustrator by trade, but after a series of changes in direction, career-wise, I now make my living making jewellery, working from home and largely selling on-line. I also have a silhouette cutter that I got for for working with metal clay, but have found all sorts of other interesting ways to use it, including cutting templates and patterns for other hobbies and making greetings cards - I need to make a new baby one today. I've always been very keen on photography and have sewn (everything from embroidery to curtains) since I was a nipper, as my Mum was a dressmaker - I even had a sewing shop for a few years.

I have a new sewing machine being delivered today - I had a new one as a birthday present from all my family in January and after problems with two different machines, I put some more dosh to it and went for something better, so they're swapping them over today. I worked all day Saturday as my husband was doing a course, so I can give myself tomorrow off to play with the new machine. I use sewing and papercraft with my jewellery business too, as I make my own gift wrap and marketing materials.

I wish I had more hours in the day as there are so many things I'd like to try - I have a kiln, so I'd like to try glass fusing and more enamelling.

Until my machine arrives after lunch I'm going to try and take some close up photos of some of the spring bulbs whilst the sun is on them, then my Dad has modified and old cordless drill for me to run very slowly to use for coiling and twisting, as the one I was using is about to die on me, so I'm going to set that up and have a play.
 

FranOnTheEdge

Well-Known Member
Messages
249
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
Coriander leaf, chillis, celery, sausages,
One book of short stories is slightly supernatural. Two books in series are historical fiction - Tudor adventure (definitely not romance). Chunky gesso - I wanted to have some chunky white Christmas trees on some cards I was making. There's a craft thread on one of the forums on here, where a few of us have posted some made stuff.

It's nice to have things other than diabetes in our lives.

I was in your position re not being able to exercise (crumbling knees). I was due to have a knee replacement op, but my blood sugars were too high. Then I found this website, started low carbing, lost some weight (not enough, but it's a start), got by BS in a better state and found it easier to walk, so have put off the op for a bit.

I found short stories much more difficult, less room for my kind of waffle I guess. Lol!
Tudor Adventure sounds fascinating, what name do you publish under?
Chunky Gesso, what like texture paste you mean? I've used home made stuff for that... well, it was just fine polyfila really, only I got the Wickes brand. But I have made it to a recipe before.
A craft thread? ooooh, where?
Yes, life has to be more than just one thing.
Re knees, yes I'm hoping I can keep loosing the weight, and that it does help my knee eventually. It's waking me up in the mornings now. but it's also been a long time since I went swimming - been ill with tonsilitis, so I thought I'd better not court pneumonia too.
I'm not sure yet if I'll change from the SW diet to the low carb/high fat one yet... I'll need to see what testing shows me I think.
 

Finsky

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Lol...when ever craft people start talking...they always moan that they don't enough hours in the day and so many things they would like to try to do on top of what they've already have tried and done.
And getting hands on one's new 'toys'....so exciting. I always hush my hubby out of house..'go on, play some golf or something..' just to get some uninterrupted ME-time with my 'stuff/things' :D