New horizons: Welcome to ETSY

Finally!  I am just so excited to welcome you to my Etsy shopping website.

I started the whole process when I began with Joan Spears at her pottery studio. At first I just enjoyed creating, from bird houses to ginger bread houses and tulips.

Now, several years later and I am working with Shaun at Studio on the Hill in Toronto to create and sell many things on Etsy. I am very excited because I am using my pottery creations in so many various ways.

Not just to sell. To create, to encourage others to do the same and to think outside the box. To use sales from my pottery to support my other initiatives. Exciting times for me!

Visit me at www.etsy.com/shop/blindlybrilliant

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly award-winning, sight-loss coach and accessibility advisor wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and  @author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at
www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

 

My two worlds: Sand and snow

 

I have to admit that I really enjoy both of these and they sure help me to keep my seasons straight.

As a blind/vision-impaired person, I still do not have any preferences.  I love the feel of nice cool sand under my fingertips and under my toes.  I love the feel of its grains and I truly appreciate the different textures of sand.  

I can make all kinds of things with sand: castles, mountains, sand cakes, bridges, and I can even carve those water pools in the sand.  Working with sand brings me so many possibilities to create and I simply allow my mind to take over and lead me hither and thither.    From sand walls to abstract sand shapes and from little houses to sand trucks and little dolls and boxes and fortresses!

In the case of snow, I love the cold soft touch of it.  I enjoy walking in it and making snow balls.  I thoroughly enjoy those gentle snowflakes falling down my cheeks and gathering on the tip of my nose.

I just love to dig my boots into the snow and to create large holes.  I love bending over and gathering the fluffy stuff in my hands and I simply love to try and gather snowflakes in my hands.

Ah, yes!  Sand and snow!  Two different things to enjoy!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly award-winning sight-loss coach and accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.
 
If you would like to learn more about me as a sight-loss coach and author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as a sight-loss coach and author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Important notice from Donna J. Jodhan
If you're looking for a quick and easy way to share news and or info about yourself or about others, then please read on!
Donna J. Jodhan can help you reach a rapidly growing list of over 12,000 readers and listeners and counting!
All you need to do is to give a listen to her monthly shows and if you like what you hear then here's how it works!
For the very affordable price of $25, Donna will feature your info and news on 2 of her monthly shows.
Once on the Ask Donna show and once on the Dining with Donna show.
Both of these monthly shows run weekly.
This means that your info will be featured twice for the month.
No more having to worry about posting to Facebook!  
You'll be able to engage with ready made readers and listeners!
Your payment of $25 will be prorated as a monthly payment.
So you can either pay monthly, or you can pay as you go.
Just send your info or news to Donna at askdonnaonblindlife@gmail.com
No more than 150 words.
Donna will then post your info or news as soon as you remit payment to her at paypal@donnajodhan.com
To give a listen visit https://www.donnajodhan.com/askdonna and https://www.donnajodhan.com/dwd
Take advantage of this very quick and easy way to reach a ready made audience!

I am very pleased: Checking out the new pottery studio

I just can't say enough about my new pottery studio: so pleasant, so welcoming, and it is going to allow me to be much more creative than I ever thought.

When I met Sister Helen for the first time, I knew that I had just met one of the nicest people to walk into my life. She was so kind, generous, and her bunny family sure helped me to get acquainted.

This studio is going to be a much different one than Joan's studio at Pleasant Pottery. However, I am eternally grateful to Joan for having taught me so much. She got me started and taught me the rudiments of pottery.

I am looking forward to creating a lot of new things with Sister Helen. This is really going to help me stay creative and imaginative.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day!

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our

kids with their wide eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan

And like me on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Wonderful times with two lovely ladies: In the pottery studio with Joan and Joan

 have been taking pottery classes for almost three years now and I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  I have gotten a wonderful opportunity to meet some very great people: my teacher, Joan Spears, and my classmate, Joan Robinson.

I have found an avenue to create and develop my own pottery pieces but most of all I have found a way to develop more patience.

Joan and Joan are my constant companions every week.  They are both so cool, calm, and collected.  Nothing seems to rattle them and there always seems to be a solution to everything.

No challenge seems to be too big to overcome.  There never seems to be a problem too difficult to tackle, but most of all!  There is always an answer to every question!

When I first started my pottery classes I was a bit hesitant as to whether or not I, as a vision-impaired person, would be able to cope let alone create. But here I am almost three years later, enjoying my pottery making.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. 

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Such wonderful times: Remembering the toys at school

It's funny how this particular memory keeps popping into my mind every so often and each time it does I enjoy it even more.  I can still picture the images of those precious little toys racing around in my mind.

From the peg board to the Lego's, from the alphabet board to the blocks and villages, the puzzles to the train sets, and the construction disks to the fishing game.

There were no computers or iDevices in those days.  Just toys that were meant to teach us, as vision-impaired kids, all kinds of different things. We learned the various shapes through our shape boards.  We learned how to build various objects through our Lego's, blocks, and construction sets and we learned our alphabet letters by having to fit the letters into slots on the board.

The alphabet board was probably one of my favorite toys followed by the villages which we used to construct mini villages.  We did it through the use of tiny plastic sticks, beads, and blocks.  Then there were mini trees, boats, and carriages to go along with these sets.

I must not forget the Plasticine and clay which our teachers often gave to us and then asked us to make various objects.  Anything from boats and baskets filled with eggs to bats and balls and airplanes.

Then we learned how to make paper planes and rockets and fly them outdoors. We made paper fans and picture frames and hats.  We made houses with our Lego's and the list went on and on.  Those were the days when we had to use our imaginations to create and I loved every moment of it all.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. 

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

At the exhibit with Jane

In early May of this year, I had the pleasure of enjoying an exhibit with someone I had met at a conference in Toronto.  Her name was Jane and she had invited me to accompany her to an exhibit of beads.  There were all kinds of things on show; ranging from necklaces and bracelets to objects made out of beads.  I had no idea that so many things could be made out of beads and as Jane described them to me, I used my imagination to bring shapes to life.

 

Jane placed many objects in my hands and I had the opportunity to feel them and put my own spin and meaning to them.  She also livened the picture by telling me their colors so I was able to use this as well to help me appreciate what was on display.  Not having been able to see them was a definite drawback but I used my imagination and past memory of things to help me enjoy.

 

I would remember what things looked like and then I did my best to link the shape in my hands to my past memory.  For the most part, it worked and I was able to combine memory, imagination, and shapes to get the total picture.  This is how I do it but I am not sure how other blind persons do it.  I guess that we each have or own unique way of filling in the blanks so to speak.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and asking you to go out there and share my experience with others.

Music Helps Me

In a world where most of us often crave a corner to stop and think, or one to escape the white noise, I do it all with music.  I don't think that it has anything to do with not being able to see; it's my way of coping. 

Whenever I wish to think, remember, create, or just get away from noise, I listen to my music.

 

I have carefully built a collection of my favorite songs and I use these to remember and replay.  Colors come dancing across my mind.  Faces come clearly into view, and sounds within my music help me to regenerate. 

 Some of my friends have told me that as a blind person, my imagination may be apt to be more active than that of a mainstream person.  I don't really know but this could be a topic for a next blog. 

 

Whatever it is, music helps me to remember, create, and focus.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.