Diabetes Goes Mobile
Today is the 4th Annual Diabetes Art Day and I’m proud to be able to participate in and support this awesome initiative started by my friend Lee Ann Thill.
Over the last few years, my entries for this event have been solo efforts, thought up, designed and crafted by me. This year, however, April got in on the fun, too. She’s had an idea for creating a hanging mobile using diabetes supplies for a couple of years now, but we just haven’t been able to get it done. We discussed ideas over the last week and decided this would be a great time to make it happen.
So, I gathered up a bunch of empty Lantus and Byetta Pens, some empty test strip vials, some pen needles, some bright blue crafting wire, a hot glue pot and some string, and we spent the weekend bringing April’s idea to life.
The circle that forms the top of the mobile is cardboard from a box that received diabetes supplies in a while back. It’s covered with the full color instruction sheet that is included in a box of Lantus pens. Each Pen-dulum is anchored to the top with glue, with a pen needle as a cap. And each pen-dulum is a little shorter than the next, and are hung in descending order, creating a spiral effect. The spiral effect is symbolic of the fact that sometimes, diabetes spirals out of control, and the steps one has to take to climb back up to regain control. And the Byetta pen in the center? Well, that’s the very last Byetta pen that I used before switching to Victoza a couple of weeks ago. It’s topped with a blue circle that April made with the crafting wire.
And so, without further adieu, I give you our creation which I’ve dubbed “Diabetes Goes Mobile”. Enjoy!
As a Lord of the Rings fan, I couldn’t help but call the top of the mobile “The Fellowship of the Pen Needles”.
Mike
Living with a Confusing Pancreas and a Broken Heart at age 36 #Diabetes #LADA #CongestiveHeartFailure. #MakeDiabetesVisible Creator, #ALittleHeartCanDoBigThings Creator, Advocate, Blogger, Nature Photographer.
10 Comments
kerri
This is CRAZY! I dig it!
I think Lee Ann’s going to have to open a D-Art museum next :].
Mike
Thanks, Kerri! Yeah, I think a D-Art museum would be awesome. I’d certainly contribute the pieces I’ve made the last 4 years. 🙂
Bob P
Very cool!
Mike
Thanks, Bob!
PrincessLadyBug
That is freaking amazeballs dude!!! I love it!!!
LY/MI
Mike
Thanks, Cheri!
Mike Hoskins
Very cool, Mike! I so dig it, and can just picture it hanging above a bed as a decoration. Love how you’ve got the last Byetta pen you used, too! Props to you and April for making that, and thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Stacey D.
See, this is what I mean by my lack of creativity. I would never think of something like this! Very cool Mike 🙂
mom
Awesome! !!!
Scott K. Johnson
Haha! Very nice!