Treasure Trove (and self portrait Wednesday)

Where will the Baby take us today???


Hello Everyone!

Spring is busting out all over as the song goes. All my blog buddies have fabulosa photos of what's happening all the way across the country and all the way around the world. And these irises just keep on going, with or without that energizer bunny. We need to take these to the County Fair for a blue ribbon!

Speaking of blue ribbons, I was stunned when I was chosen out of an impossibly huge drawing for one of two of the ever-talented Ro Bruhn's giveaway, in honour of her 60th... what the??? She doesn't look anywhere near that, trust me! But don't take my word for it. Check out her blog!

And just as the flu was trying to get me in its little grip, here comes a package with just the right kind of medicine. No, not a spoonful of sugar. This Treasure Trove makes me want to try even harder to do right by my Peeps who win monthly tokens here on EyeCandy.


So this will serve a double purpose -- showing the incredible colours that Ro brings out on a regular basis and -- TADA! -- a self portrait for Wednesday. One of the pieces of fabric was soooo gossamer, I had to hold it up against my own self so it would show. So, is it cheating or is this a real self portrait? Mmm.... I took one photo of myself and was horrified how tired and haggard I looked. So, mmm... okay, I am cheating... no racoon eyed face staring out of a pool of tired flesh today, kids!

This is the fabric I mentioned above.

I love buttons.

Generous papers, some heavy and others, light as a thought.

Fabric swatches.

Black lace, every lady's dream!

Lovely ribbons and embroideries.

When I was a kid, I was always reminded, "Don't brag when you have something." Well, in true friendship, rather than brag, I want to share these winnings -- figuratively and literally.

So stay tuned!

Get More of What You Love.

Candace

In the midst of life --

Hello Everyone! Whew! No art tour today, kids. Next time, beep beep, for sure.

Well, this weekend was a pretty good one, marred only by the events in Athens on Saturday, covered on television and in papers. "International manhunt" is not a term I ever thought would be connected with my adopted hometown, the Classic City. It has rattled and haunted everyone, as well it should.

On happier notes, Kitten and Don came over Friday; I felt like it had been FOREVER since I'd seen them -- and we all caught up and did fun stuff like eat more peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, preceded by roast chicken with green beans and potato salad! I enjoy feeding my friends and family -- but some of the shenanigans were artsy in nature, too. Then, Saturday, scoping out a funtastic flea market near here (J&J's) with friends, I found bunches of Barbies which I immediately snapped up. It's never too early to get a headstart on Halloween!

T planted these lovelies last year, not really expecting them to grow. Not only are they growing, there is less than 24 hours between the first shot and the second one, I kid you not. That opening shot that kicked off the blog? Just this afternoon... another burst of growth from nowhere.

And especially for those interested in Lasagna Gardening -- who could that be, Jeanne? -- here is a site/book you may find very helpful! I will occasionally show what I am up to... and guinea pig that I am for these gardening experiments, I'm sure we'll be laughing our heads off.

For instance:
Yours Truly: "Do we have any aged manure?"
T: "Well, I'm 57."

Do more of what you love.
Candace

Self Portrait Wednesday

Hello Everyone! And Happy Earth Day...!


Judy Wise started this Self Portrait Wednesday deal ... here! She says it so well. And femminismo picked up the ball as did Misty Mawn... and now I see I can only and must continue a very good work...

Self Portrait Wednesday. Won't you join me? If not this week, next?

This sad girl is "Soxy Sadie" and she is my next big project. Like Fat Frank, she was a victim of the ever-so-stealthy Molly Brown. I intend to do Soxy up right. A steampunk sock monkey!

Get More of What You Love!

Candace

Tuesday's Child

is full of grace...


Hello everyone! Starting off with another of My Girls, and finishing up with one of the very best videos I've seen -- thanks to Seth for hipping us to it.

Below are the colours picked for most of the interior (first floor and kitchen) of this big old house. Yes, I've been busy as has T with spring cleaning, yard work, et cetera. Isn't it funny how the colour tiles here are the same as in the snapshot below? Mmmm.... wonder why?

Well, obviously, these are some of our favourites and for good reason. Seen here, on duty, Bess guards the perimeter of our land. And while T rakes leaves and Mr. Bun leans against the oak (see him?), some of us are inside --

having fun with Art Shenanigans! If I were a dog, I think this would be me -- it certainly makes me think of Miss Molly Brown. You can't see it but she's sitting all prim and proper on a stack of books and papers. Nice specs, Coco!

Signing off for now (work really is upon us from now till June) with "Women", a fantastic video I found via Seth Apter's blog here. It's one of the few vids free and "open to the public". You might want to check his blog out, for sure. He is one of the best creatives I know... and wow, is he ever a role model for discipline in action!

Get More of What You Love.

Candace

Friday's Child

Hello Everyone!

And here she is ...

followed by a friendly sight outside my window.

Here is a site to check out. http://www.thebigcrafty.com/ (hope this works!) -- Christy Wooke gave me the heads up on this event and I just might have to check it out.

Christy will be at the Athens Craftstravaganzaa (affordable), and is going to The Big Crafty(ditto) as opposed to the big "Atlanta Artfest" (way way too expensive for a booth unless you have deep pockets and/or a booth partner).

Th-th-th-th-that's all, folks! Busy with Art Shenanigans today!

Take care and get so much more of what you love.

Candace

And The April Giveaway Goes To --

Congratulations, Anne. And please send me an email at canwiggins@gmail.com with directions on where to send your Art Shenanigans Award...

Hello everyone!

As I said before, every one I know through and/or because of this blog is a true winner. I so appreciate your visits and your comments. Most of you will never know how fortunate I consider myself having made your acquaintances, figuratively and/or literally (Circles of Rain). And I am already hard at work on next year's giveaways, hoping they will far surpass the small tokens of 2009.

Below are a couple of failed experiments. I think it's only fair to share the bad along with the good! T thinks they only need the micron pen... mmmm...

And here, alas, the aforementioned pen actually slipped and ruined what was a fairly decent little face.

Before I sign off, just a reminder that waiting on wet food and watching a lizard as the world goes by is the best of both worlds for some and that, more often than not, life is good.

Take care and get more of what you love.

Candace

If Life Gives You Lemons

-- make lemonade. Of course, if you see an image like this on your television screen, breaking out the vodka might not be a bad idea, either.

Hello everyone. Tomorrow, the winner of the April 15th Art Giveaway Drawing will be announced. No lemons here, Gang! You are all winners in my book and good luck to everyone!

Well, not only did we have horrible and rather frightening weather off and on throughout the Classic City this past weekend, my DSL/Internet connection went down Friday. And it's only today (Tuesday) come back. While stressful enough for me, as regards this here blog, email, etc., it is doubly stressful as I actually need these for work.

Of course, the clouds have left as of today, the rains have vacated the vicinity, the t'storms and tornados are letting us be for now, and Heaven and Nature sing with more flowers, birdsong, and warm and sunny skies.

Budding trees are finally unfurling their leaves...

and at our feet, small treasures abound...

nature walks are right outside...

and even the weeds are showing off!

The weekend was not a total washout, however; I took off for a groovy SF-heavy event (do not forget that I really am a bit of a geek) and attended some fantastic panels and such on Steampunk culture, fashions, and the like. And there was a wonderful lecture with a slide presentation on dolls and "dollification" all the way from Fritz Lang's classic "Metropolis" to contemporary tv and movie culture. (Remember "Simone" from a few years back? How about the Japanime robots/women?)

And here is the friend who is having the Steampunk Alice in Wonderland Tea Party in June mentioned in an earlier post. Doesn't she look the part of the Cheshire Cat herself with that big grin?!? She knows she looks good! Here is an extensive and quite good article from Wikipedia on Steampunk itself.

Alas, I have to nip out early tonight. Being without the 'puter for Monday and half of Tuesday means I have to run twice as fast to stay in one place regarding work. Next week, I will again be in the grip of an "earnings season". Wish me continued good fortune -- oh yes, and sanity.

Get More of What You Love.

Candace

Easter?

a.k.a., what the...?! Here in the Classic City, T and I have been so busy preparing for a trip to "Hotlanta" this weekend, I forgot Easter is here, until suddenly it sank into my thick skull that the Big Kahuna of Holy Week will be here in less than 48 hours.

Hello everyone!

Another batch of line drawings and then, I am off to even greener pastures.

In case you can't make out the writing, it reads: Leopard in London.

Black micron pen on top of coloured pencil.

More coloured pencil. The new "improved" Mother Nature... I bet this gal goes barefoot no matter the weather or the terrain. We'll see her again, I bet.

Speaking of greener pastures, Spring is really everywhere now -- . My big yellow daffodils finally withered. I deadheaded them -- ta da! The new crop below. Smaller blossoms, so pale they look paper white, almost translucent.

The beginning of the week was iffy. 30F, with gale force winds for 48 hours straight. (Goodbye, gazebo! Grrr!) Today was a balmy 77 degrees... wait. Did I say balmy? It was actually warm enough to peel off the ubiquitous purple hoodie and just bounce around town in a white tee and sweats... and of course, my Keds. I admit it freely. I wear little kid shoes.

Do you think Mother Nature wears Keds? Or Wellies?

I'm reading a great debut novel, a smokin' post-apocalyptic thriller (waves at Sarah, who is up to some fun things on her blog!). "The Suicide Collectors"... only 10% of the world is left now, most folks having offed themselves from a feeling called "The Despair". The Collectors are a shadowy group of people (? mmmm... I wonder...) who collect the fallen and take them -- where? And for what?

Enter Our Hero... and his sidekick "Pops" who go crosscountry to find the doctor who is said to have the cure. So far, I am enjoying it.

Spring with renewal and revitalization. Apocalypse and despair.

Well, I like to have balance in my life, don't you? I wear pink and black. Sometimes, together. Or pink and gray if I'm feeling my oats! Remember, with every silver lining there's a cloud.

Have a great Friday.

And do get more of what you love!

Candace

MORE FUN IN BLOGOVIA

Hello Everyone!

This is how I feel today -- ! Spring fever never felt so good.

And remember: Leave a comment by April 15th and receive your very own Tax Break Art Giveaway. Drawing's at midnight, just before Uncle Sam gets serious about how much we owe each other... !!! Better him than me.

I do take the occasional break, and today I have checked out Art(fest) Shenanigans. And what do I find but a whole other blog here. It's fantastic and funtastic, too. Go visit and you'll see what I mean!


I checked on Katie Kendrick's blog and found Art Dog's Life
-- a great site -- which, in turn, led me to Lynn's blog. Wow. New fun, new visuals, new adventures and shenanigans. Not to mention some inspiration.


Go get you some of your own. And then, keep on and
Get More of What You Love.
Candace

April Fools Art Giveaway

Hello Everyone!

The Joke's On Me, as I sure did miss the monthly Art Drawing and/or Giveaway, didn't I?


My apologies and let's hop right down the bunny trail to the time's a'wastin' April Art Giveaway.
To celebrate this new season as well as the Golden Chalice Calla Lilies seen below, please get your names in the pot here at EyeCandy no later than the real April Fool's Day --

April 15th. Just leave a comment on this here blog between now and April 15th midnight for a little Art Dividend of your very own.

Talk about taxing. It's been quite a year already!

But some good news is: while ArtFest 2009 has come and gone, I look forward to seeing and reading everyone's blogs who went, taught, learned and lived their art. Starting here...

these are good role models for anyone. Who is your Art Shenanigans role model?

Get More of What You Love.

Candace

Is It Just Me --?

Hello Everyone!

Do you ever get urges to just pile your art together -- good or ill -- and share what bits you have? Do you think, "Hey, it's the middle of the week and I've not posted in a couple of days and I have over 30 line drawings -- or whatever -- to place."?

Oh, good. I thought it was just me. I do love my black and white, but am beginning to add colours in all sorts of media now.


Not that I am giving up my favourites, you know.

How I love looking out this particular window, no matter the season. But Spring this year has been especially sweet with the soft silver skies after the 'Blizzard of the Century' here, the heavy clouds bringing ever heavier rain, the blooms, the birds and their nests...

More and more rain, and more and more flowers abound, the trees so weighted down, errant flowers turn loose their hold and float to the forest floor beneath...

Storms are moving through the Classic City again. This makes two nights in a row. I love to lie in bed on these evenings, with a good book, as music from another room drifts in while the rain pours and the thunder rolls.

We buried Fat Frank a few days ago. Just sayin' ... I am sure he's somewhere, stuffing himself --and how! -- on free corn and birdseed, in a place where the sky is forever blue and the sun always shines down on the upper deck.

Get More of What You Love.

Candace