Alternately abled and passionately happy…all words of description. Let me explain a bit.
I consider myself alternately abled instead of disabled.
I contracted a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy after undergoing chemotherapy for cancer years ago which left me wheelchair bound.
I am also sight impaired due to Retinitis Pigmentosa.
I am blind in my left eye and have less than 5 degrees of vision in my right eye.
I am alternately abled because I can do most of what other people can do with the help of technology.
I admit I am limited in some things like climbing stairs, painting ceilings, or changing light bulbs in the ceiling fixtures.
But, most activities I need to accomplish on a daily basis I can handle by myself.
I am passionate
I consider myself a master at crochet.
I even teach the art to students locally.
I make everything from dishcloths to bedspreads.
I do seed bead weaving. I make jewelry pieces out of beads the size of mustard seeds which are laced on threads that are hand woven or loom woven into original designs.
I use a camera positioned over my work that projects an image onto a monitor to see what I am doing.
And I do paintings in ballpoint pen and colored pencil. Subjects for my paintings are most often flowers, birds and animals. I am fascinated at how I can take a common ballpoint pen and cause it to render beautiful flower petals or bird feathers.
And so you see, had it not been for me becoming “disabled,” I would probably have never taken the time to realize my passion. And now, everyday, I am able to find tremendous joy, happiness and gratitude for the usual and common things in my life. Today, I am still able to do the work I am so passionate about that brings me so much happiness.
About The Author
Brenda Dennis owns with a. She is wheelchair bound and legally blind. She crafts unique handmade jewelry by weaving original seed bead designs. She also stitches crochet pieces from dishcloths to bedspreads and doilies. She has recently begun to “paint” with ballpoint pens and colored pencils. Her artworks are displayed in various venues locally. Connect with her on and on Twitter @SuzyQue19605.
Thank-you for sharing your inspiring story with us, Brenda! You’re living proof that no matter the challenges we may each face, every single soul has been given talents and gifts to be used and shared, not wasted. I’ve been reading some of your blog entries. You’ve had quite the life so far!
How do you do selling your wares on Etsy? A friend of mine also crochets, and wants to sell her doilies and tablecloths.
New England Multimedia Well, selling anything in today’s economy can be a challenge. Selling handmade items can be very challenging. However, Etsy has proven to be a good resource for me because of how it is structured. I spend the least amount of time on processing orders for a nominal fee. I must say that I do not have much on Etsy currently because I am redoing my website. So, more products will go in Etsy shop in the coming weeks. I do admit to selling more by word of mouth than online currently. But, if an artisan is looking for a good place to sell, Etsy is a good choice in my opinion.
So very glad to meet you Brenda! Thank you for sharing your inspirational, and passionate life with me, and other readers in this ‘”Happy Friday” community…
Dr_Rae It is my pleasure to share with all. While my financial situation warrants that I sell my artworks, my goal in life is to share myself, my story, and inspiration more than anything. Often, by sharing my artworks, I am able to find common ground on which to begin to share other parts of myself. If I make some money along the way, all the better. So, very glad to meet you and others in the community. Thank you for reading and allowing me a platform.