Showing posts with label #mytrees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #mytrees. Show all posts

Thursday, August 4, 2016

The Breast Cancer Chronicles: Sometimes You Just Have to Sleep (Five Weeks Post-Op)

Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep is awful. I think we can all agree on that, regardless of our politics. Yesterday I woke up around 4:00 am. I thought I would go right back to sleep, but I didn't. I couldn't. I fought with myself about taking something, but I didn't think I was hurting badly enough to need it. I tried reading a book, reading the news (big mistake), listening to relaxing music. I finally gave up and downloaded the first season of Outlander. I didn't have a chance after that! I was hooked! Midway through the second episode, Mom texted and we went to explore the new art store in town.

Welcome @blick_tampa
We had a blast tinkering with all of the tools and toys for artists! I, of course, couldn't resist picking up some new goodies to create my trees! When I asked for test paper, Dave, the guy helping us, asked me to draw something which turned into a sign welcoming them to Tampa. I'm told it will be framed and hanging the next time I am there. What fun! Give them a follow on Instagram @blick_Tampa if you are into art or crafty things.

New pens = new trees! 

So, of course, I had to try out all of my new goodies when I got home. This tree has a long way to go, but I am enjoying seeing how it develops. I also learned a valuable lesson yesterday. After YEARS of hunting for yellow ball point pens, I found a set that included yellow last week at the dollar store, which I used to begin this tree. I also found some more expensive ones at Blick, but I left them in the store until I could try the first ones. Now I wish I had bought the fancy ones. The cheap ones work, but they leave globs of ink all over the paper. Lesson: sometimes cheap pens aren't worth the price. At least I know now, and can now save up for the good set at Blick.

After waking up way too early yesterday morning, and running around more than I had in weeks, I knew sleep was imperative. To help, I decided to search some post-mastectomy yoga videos on YouTube last night. I tried a couple of very slow and gentle practices, and they helped me relax enough to sleep. I guess I needed it more than I realized.

Thank you for all of the input on the videos. I hope they are getting a little better. Today's was a struggle for a multitude of reasons, all of which can be summed up by the words Operator Error. Learning new things is so much fun, isn't it? Welcome, once again, to my world. It may not be pretty, but this is the way it is today.


I misspoke on the video about how long I have been off the estrogen. It has been about eight weeks now. Still flashing, and not fun! Sorry for the mistake, but I simply could not record this AGAIN! LOL.

Oh, big news! The wristbands are in again! Thank you to everyone who took one the first go-round. If you would like an Amy's Army #glovesup wristband, please send us a message and we'll make it happen. If you would like a bunch, let us know. The new Gloves Up t-shirt order is up on the Gloves Up With Amy FB page, so check that out and we'll put in an order with the printer asasp.

Thank you for all of your love, support, encouragement, time, energy, and thoughtfulness. I am still the luckiest girl I know, and I am thankful to all of you every minute of every day.

As always, like, share, comment, tweet, message, whatever works for you as I learn this blogging and video blogging process.

Be well. Be happy. Be kind.

#glovesup

Peace.

Posted by at 4 comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Sunday, May 26, 2013

My Trees


One of my "meeting" trees.
Notice the hole punched
in the top of the paper.
It seems I have a thing for trees. Dead trees, especially.  They fascinate me.  I love to photograph them, and I have been sketching them for years, while sitting in meetings at school.  I listen better when I'm drawing.  Seriously.  I have students who do, too.  As a result of the circumstances under which they were created, most of my trees were drawn in blue or black ball point pen.  Many on notebook paper, still others on white, hole-punched copy paper.  Actually sitting down to create a tree on drawing paper using a proper instrument intended for the production of "art" never occurred to me.  Drawing trees with pen was just something I did to keep my hands busy.

And then one day, My Sweetheart asked, "Why don't you ever use colors in your trees?"  Frankly, I had never thought about it.  I thought the trees were fine the way they were, and I was just playing around with them anyway.
"No one creates actual art with ball point pens, sillly!" I insisted.
"Oh, really," smirked He, ever so smugly.  "Google 'Ball Point Pen Art'.  Go ahead.  I'll wait."
So I did.  And in that moment, my whole world changed.  Sometimes I hate it when he is right.  This was not one of those times.
The next day I bought a pack of cheap Bic Crystal Stic pens and started to play with color in an actual sketch pad.

My First Tree in Color

Then Dad went into the hospital.  And all of a sudden I had way too much time just sitting still on my hands.  I had to sketch to keep me from completely freaking out over the fact that we were in a hospital with dad, facing The Big C, facing surgery, facing whotheHellknowswhat, facing hours on end of waiting, and powerlessness, and no control over anything.  

I suck at waiting, and powerlessness, and lack of control.  I suck at it in the grandest of style.  
So I drew.


I started this while Dad was in surgery.
"The Waiting Tree"

Before releasing Dad, the doctors confirmed that it was Cancer.  And this tree was born.  It was utter chaos at its inception, I assure you.

This was originally called Tree of Panic,
but it actually soothed me very well.

The surgery was a success.  They got it all.  No chemo.  No radiation.  Just monitoring.  They got it all!!!  Dad is going to be okay!  







Tree of Life
I posted pictures of my trees regularly while Dad was in the hospital.  People were so encouraging that I decided to experiment with different kinds and sizes of paper, but I'm committed to the pens.  Many have made observations about the look of the trees giving keys to my state of mind when they were created.  They may be on to something.












Tree of Possibilities


Then I started to find my rhythm.  It takes about three nights to finish a tree right now.  I feel so at peace during the time I spend bringing them to life.  This is better than any therapy, and healthier than any addiction.




Tree of Life Two

Tree of Love



 It blows my mind that anyone would want to have one of my trees, but people have asked.  I will do everything I can to make it possible.  I'm working on it as fast as I can.  When they are ready, I promise to let everyone know.




Branching Out











Tree of Inspiration







Cheers!
 Today My Sweetheart and I celebrate Seven years together.  He honored the day by making it an art anniversary.  He gave me a light under which I can actually see the colors in my trees. We live in a very dark house.  I had no idea all those colors were in my trees!  Now I can actually take better pictures of them, too!  I am also the recipient of a new drawing board and portfolio.
Once again I must count myself the luckiest girl I know for so many reasons.  I have an incredibly talented mother who taught me how to draw to keep me from losing my mind. I have a father who is healthy.  I have an amazing family and incredible friends who support and encourage me in all that I do.  And I have My Sweetheart who sometimes knows me better than I know myself.
My life is good.


Posted by at 16 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)