LILIES

Of The Valley. Everywhere. I mean, my entire yard looks like a pastoral version of "Day of The Triffids". They have taken over and now threaten the neighbors.

And if these flowers can take off like a shot, why won’t my tomatoes get fruitful and multiply? Stay tuned as I open the first of seven seals to get the answer, apocalyptic though it may be.

Speaking of flowers, get a load of these daffodils.

I’ve heard of double blooms but seriously, there are layers and layers bunched up in these li’l darlings. Makes me think of prom dresses I have known and loved!

My own little flower girl.

And I ended the past week by baking up a little treat for T and Me -- real scones with Devonshire cream to the side, along with a soupcon of Chocolate and Raspberry Topping (very very light, despite its name).

Tea? Mais non, My Cherie Amour, we had Larry’s Beans, a fantastically delicious Fair Trade coffee – the flavour? Mexique.

I'm ending this post by sharing a visit with Amy at her STUDIO. You remember Amy, don’t you?

Amy is cutting up a pair of T's pants to make knickers. T is going for a steam punk paper boy look. That's T in the upper left, drawing something or other...

Remember the following shot. You'll see that far right corner again, promise. And this is definitely a working studio. Amy is a true professional, sews almost every day and has been since she was 9. (I think I was still fascinated by ants carrying away grains of sand when I was that age.)

One of several industrial sewing stations.

You name it -- it's probably here as Amy readies last minute orders, repairs, sketches, fittings and patterns. This is not even half of the stash.

A corner where Amy pins up photos, ads, etc for inspiration and ideas while keeping up with the minutaie of her day, week, month. See that Bichon Frise? Amy has two... and they are real characters, let me tell you.

Remember that corner? And remember those pants? T couldn't quite get the hang of one of the seams... Amy to the rescue. (I think I was outside, watching those ants again.)

A few of the bolts of fabrics Amy works with and from. I felt like any second Scherherazade was going to show up ...

Of course, Amy made the mistake of saying she had buttons -- of course she would have buttons! -- and I had to have a shot of them. There is no way of telling you how much fun T had looking for the right buttons for the knickers. Incredible collection, trust me.

Okay, that's enough for now, Kids. Go to bed!

Candace x

Woody

Need I say more?

Wish it was a better shot, I guess, is all I can say. I’ve been trying for this fellow for four years and finally got him.

Life is good. Life is also pretty busy even as the earnings season finally wraps up like a package, and we have maybe a moment to catch a breath before the next one begins.


Say, who do you think lives down there?

Not that Fast Eddie cares much about anything else but his corn bar, rain or shine, on the upper deck. It's 24/7. And Happy Hour? A little corn liquor, no doubt.

Take care! Art Shenanigans is stopping by this weekend.

Candace

Calling Cards

Hello Everyone!


Oh yes, She’s arrived. A week early but at this point, I'll take whatever I can get. Seriously, it's No. Problem.

And She is likely here as well, cheering this young one on. A blossoming of a very different sort.

What hope there may be, yet! You. Go. Girl. Thanks to Susan Sanford of Art Spark Theatre for hipping me to this.

I am indeed working on Beauty:3-D. Does Beauty need a Beast?

Mmm… what a good question. Perhaps a survey is in order. It’s quite like having Light without the Dark. How would we know which is which, when we come to –

The End?

Take care. Barbiepalooza is on its way.

Candace

EIKONOGRAPHIA

A Greek word, made from two, the English version being iconography.

This is the Holy Trinity in the Deep South. Rather than blasphemous, I am being honest. Go below the Mason Dixon line and you find this trio right here –

Elvis, Church, and Coca-Cola. Not always in this order... go figure. It squicked me at first to do a work with Jesus AND Elvis in the same frame and then I thought “just go for it. You can’t get in any more trouble than you’re already in!” Not the best work I've done but I usually have better results when I work from complete scratch and make my own "stuff". Also, this is a 140 lb cold press with a deeper "tooth".

Here's a note: when working in coloured pencil it's perfectly okay to put a little squib of water on the tip even if it is not a "watercolour pencil" IF the tooth is very noticeable. It gives you a smoother result if you like that. If you look close you'll see all the flaws from the tooth's edge.

Above is some of my personal iconography… I doubt it will mean anything to anyone but myself. However, there is a sense of love and sacrosanctity with some of these Shenanigans, even the "profane" ones. (Gosh, what a big concept this could be. Icons, yes. But I do think more in terms of linguistics, semantics, "words words words" to quote W. Shakespeare.)

I really enjoy the Journaling in January challenges from Misty Mawn and regret that they come in January – one of my busiest times of year, professionally AND (this year) personally. It was hard to stay on track, let alone on time.

Here at the Crowne Plaza in Atlanta, with a shot of the steampunk goggles T made earlier this month. They go great with that hat, eh? Sorry it's not a better photo. Later for sure, kids.

Okay, I have to get back to the Oscars. I've not missed it in LO! these many years. And so far, I have gotten all but one right. Take care.

Candace

Clowning Around

Look. At. That. Hair.

My latest Shenanigan looked familiar but I couldn't place her until T asked me if she was a Koshari.



Never one to like clowns – most of them malicious rather than mischievous, if you know their history – I nonetheless find these fellows totally charming in an endearing, goofy way.

Maybe it's the wild get uppery and the cornstalkish hair they sport.

My Amish Girl has an extreme 'do, as well. Her locks are more or less covered up per religious instruction and the dogma of her own tribe.

Funny how we decorate ourselves, even when we don’t.

I’m off on a goofy adventure of my own this weekend. Won’t you join me Sunday for a chorus of “From the Sacred to the Profane”?

Take care!

Candace, Still In Athens.

Blooms and Buttons

"Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you." Who said that?




And these are the buttons Amy gave me this Sunday. They may very well go on my steampunk outfit Easter weekend... and they look like real pearls, don't they? sigh... you should see them in person.

Bloom where you are planted.

Candace

In Like A (Snow) Lion

AKA -- Didn’t We Just Leave This Party?

Yep. Snow again! Athens has had more snow this year than it has in a very long time.


I guess that old saw about March coming in like a lion this year means coming in like The Celestial Snow Lion from Tibet. My Pal Jeanne can tell you the other side of the story here. And, a nice memory -- some years ago, when the Dalai Lama came to Atlanta, T and I went to the events and saw the monks' version of The Snow Lion Dance. Joyful, comedic, 100% dazzling -- sans bling.

That Redheaded Girl is going to have a real feathered top when I redo her as a doll. Speaking of which…

Our Beauty is out and about, checking out materials for her -- ummm -- hairdo this week. Kitten and I think tiny beads will work, threaded on the copper coil wrapped around raffia and real hair… there may even be a corn doll version. She will still be in Imperial Yellow, a tip of the hat to the Chinese New Year and Empress Cixi. I've been reading about Cixi and realize she's everywhere. If you read the article (longish), you might be surprised too.

Maybe not as surprised when you see me this weekend, but still --.

Take care,

Candace

March Madness!

So, besides a long-anticipated funtasmic visit from Kitten and her hero ... what do you think went on this weekend? More bitterly cold winds, with a forecast of Tuesday snow mix after last week's gorgeous Spring Promise.


And these jack rabbits, as well --

waiting for their appointed rounds to come 'round, so to speak. Are these little fellows going to look great on my March Madness Hat or what?! Yes, not a simple paper crown this time but a real honest to goodness H.A.T.

Kitten is doing some fun stuff with paper dolls and our next Art Shenanigans Day will see us doing all sorts of "dolled up" stuff. Raffia for doll hair? Copper coil for more doll hair? Grape vines for yet more doll hair? Say, anything is possible in this place.

Take care, Peeps!

Candace