The Happiness Project and Reorganization of My Blogs

I have just finished a fabulous book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and have decided to reorganize my blog into separate subjects. At first I was just putting a lot of the things I did during the day into one blog but now I am ready to get more organized because of this book, The Happiness Project.

My first new blog will still be called The Sweet Life with Candy. It will be about my first year of living on Herbalife products and joining the sales team. I want to start on November 1 since all the bad things that happen throughout the year were cleared out of my life by my pumpkin that was sitting on the porch.You know, that's what pumpkins are supposed to do on Halloween, of course!

Today I am going to call Denise and tell her I want to get serious about Herbalife. I had joined a year or two ago under her. She is now working nonstop on her business. I admire and want to emulate what she is doing.

What I like about Herbalife programs are they are not only a great way to make money but a way to have a social life with people who are focused on a positive, healthy life.

So, for now, I just want all my friends to know the The Sweet Life with Candy is about my first year with Herbalife.

If you are interested in my travels the blog is called The Wanderer. I will be setting up an art blog soon but haven't decided what to call it.

Oh! I intend to loose weight so keep an eye out on the blog. I also love the shampoo, conditioner, and vitamins.

See you soon!

Upper Peninsula, Michigan Art Stamp

I love making stamps! You can use them for so many things.

I made this stamp so I can send post cards to my family. I will use it next for cards to friends to let them know I am in Michigan, camping, writing, doing art and basically having a wonderful time.

When I start to make my scrapbook pages I will use the stamp on at least one page if not more.

Once I leave the UP I will cut the lettering on the bottom off so I can use the scene for borders. I might just tape over the lettering in case I return to the UP.

I came to Michigan with the intention of making stamps and not using them until I return home but, of course, that was not possible!

There is an art show up here in the fall that has five thousand people attend so I will have to have Denise send me some of my supplies for block printing so I can try to sell some of my finished products at the show.

I hope you like the new stamp. You can make these yourself. Just email me if you have any questions on how to do it. The internet is a lot of help these days just type in "how to block print" and a lot of great sites show up.

I am still tweaking the design. I will make the window edges wider, run the line across the top of the words to the edge, and I am thinking about putting a bird in the sky or maybe a sunset.

This stamp is made from a Mars/Staedler bar, Denise sells them. I use them for smaller projects.

I stamped on watercolor paper for texture but it would probably look even better on a smoother paper which I will do and then put some color on it with markers.

There are infinite possibilities with just one stamp, if you make your own! Just do it!

ATC Theme Literary Characters

For the theme this month I chose Lokai and Bele from the old Star Trek Series, Episode 70 Let This Be Your Last Battlefield(screenplay). I decided to use the new art fad zentangle on my cards. I thought it would work since Lokai and Bele wore black and white and I am using black paper and a white Galaxy Marker. The show is a wonderful commetary on bigotry. The character development is great. Frank Gorshin plays Lokai.  In the twelve cards I made there is one that, I feel, depicts the episode perfectly. I am guessing that a Trekie at the club meeting will be able to pick out that card. Let me know who figured it out. If you haven't seen this show you really should check it out. Here are a few of my favorite cards.

Drive to Yuma

I had to drive 50 miles an hour all the way down! It was raining and windy. Towing the Honda is stressful. You have to have your attention zeroed in on the wheel every second and hold onto the wheel tightly. I can only do this for about 4-5 hours and them I am exhausted for the day. I hope this just means I will get used to it and it will become easier.
It was pouring down rain when I pulled into the Fairgrounds and it took an hour for the people to get their act together. The didn't anticipate so many last minute attendees.
The camper is now parked in a nice cozy little space with electric hookup.
I registered last night so I don't have to be at the opening until 3pm. I am going on a day trip around Yuma.Tell you about it tomorrow.

Little Black Buckets

I think this little art project came out cute. It was a bit of a challenge because of the curved surface but it just took patience.
I found this nice little bucket at Hobby Lobby. I used a Marvy Uchida white DecoColor(extra fine) Opaque Paint Marker.

1) I turned the bucket upside down and put my website on it.
2) I ran an edge along the bottom and the top and let dry.
3) I turned the bucket upside down again and made squiggles all around the top.
4) I put dots around the squiggles.
5) I turned the bucket right side up and started to paint a straight line around the raised area right under the squiggles. I made another line around the bucket under the other first line.
6) Next, I made up and down lines all around the bucket between the two lines.
7) I took masking tape and made a straight line around the base(see center photo). The tape will be rumpled, you just have to work with it. Use the tape as a guide to draw a straight line around the bucket.
8) I decided to make flowers all around the center of the bucket because I am in Phoenix where the cacti are blooming. I was pleased with the outcome.
9) I put rocks on the bottom of the pail. Just little shapes that vaguely resemble rocks--keeping it fun and easy.
10) Lastly, I put some bugs above the rocks.
This was a cute little thank you gift for my friend, Sandy, whose has been showing me around Phoenix.

Tonto National Monument

On my wanderings I went to the Tonto National Monument outside of Globe, AZ. The vistas and sights in Arizona are unbelievable. I can't wait to get up every morning to see a new beautiful sunrise, the superstition mountains, or drive to a new place to visit and see the heavenly views.
 Here is a picture of me at the ruins. This was a 1/2 mile walk straight up! The trail was switchbacks but I still had to stop about every thirty feet to get up it. Thank heavens they have a lot of signs to read and benches to sit on! It was worth the trip.
Of course, I took a lot of pictures, and I thought this particular one (the ruins wall) would make a great post card or scrapbook page background. Well, that's what I am going to use it for! The lady next door to me makes coasters out of her pictures. I might see if she can show me how she makes her coasters and use this photo.
This photo of the view from the ruins is why it was worth the climb! Can you imagine waking up in the morning. looking out your window and seeing this view? Awesome!
Keep working on your art. The world is full of ideas. All you have to do is wake up in the morning and practice "seeing" the possibilities.

Post Card Art, Acrylic Painting

It's 65 and sunny here!

I work on art in the afternoon. Here are some things I am working on.
I didn't bring very many supplies with me on this trip so I am limited to one black ink pad, scissors, double sided tape, a few stamps, watercolor paper and my trimmer. I decided I wanted to send some handmade postcards to my family so I stopped by the hardware store and picked up some paint chip cards. I know this is not a new idea but I love to do this so I am doing it again. This time I wanted to do something modern.
1) First I cut my watercolor paper into 4"X6" post cards.
2) I cut off as much of the print as I could on the paint chip cards and saved the leftover cuttings.
3) Next I stamped two post cards with a stamp I brought with me. It has a lot of faces and other things on it in 1" sizes.
4) I cut the stamped out images to fit behind the precut squares in the paint chip cards.
5) I attached the pieces with double sided tape.
6) I cut out a word that related to my trip from a travel newspaper and taped it on.
7) I edged the post card with black Stays On ink. In hindsight, I would have  edged all the items with black and added a charm or a twig from outside.

I moved the images and papers around to balance the card and used the Paris part of the stamp to break up the squareness and it needed even more so I put the frame around the Paris stamping.

I'm struggling with transitioning from using oil paint to using acrylics. Ugh! I grew up taking oil painting lessons and painting with my Mom from the age of eight but these acrylics drive me crazy! They dry so fast and I get so involved in the painting I forget to spray the paint a lot or it turns into plastic. I'll get through it but it is a struggle! I hope you like my Indian. He's not done yet but I thought I would put him up so you all knew I was "working"!

I'm working on some zentangles I will post soon. I call them my Eternity People.