Candy
Howdy-hi, folks! I want to mention to my peeps who followed me last month during the A2Z round that I kicked off my Road Trip series yesterday. Okay moving right along… in February I shared memories of butterscotch candies given to me as a child and a penny candy song title playlist in my Sweet Things post. For years I’ve enjoyed making candy for Christmas mainly but have done some candy making other times during the year. I’ve made caramels, chocolate fudge, maple nut fudge, chocolate covered cherries, peppermint patties, toffee <–link to post look for ‘Traditional English Toffee’ in content], truffles, hard candy, cream-filled candy, and a few more confections. I love to make candy! Rain’s art prompt this week is, “candy”.
My first illustration is from my April 2020 A-Z vintage pinup girl sketch series, ‘Unmentionables‘ which I could say Candy is wearing lingerie or even this is some fine eye candy!
I remember going to the store with my daddy when I was little. He often got me bag of penny candy. To a small child five or ten pieces of candy seemed quite the haul. I loved holding that little brown poke in my hand tightly. I could hear the candy rattling around like a Mexican maraca. It was music to my ears. When I got old enough, mommy or daddy sometimes gave me a quarter to spend and I’d walk to the nearby store to get several of my favorite candies, Tootsie roll pops, Reese’s peanut butter cups, red hot cinnamon suckers, Astrid pops, taffy, Tootsie rolls, Kits, Mary Jane’s, to name just a few. Not all of these candies were a penny but the smaller pieces like Tootsie Rolls, Mary Janes, miniature Reese’s PB cups, and Kits (taffy) were.
Several years ago I listed 10 things I wanted for Christmas as a kid which included a cotton candy machine. I never got one. In those days only the kids who’s parents had money got one. Now that I think about it, I don’t remember a single kid I knew got one. I longed for one for years. The only time I got to enjoy a fluffy mound of cotton candy was when we went to the carnival or circus. I could buy cotton candy at the store and while it was compressed into a small foil like pouch it was still tasty. Nothing beats freshly made wisps of melted spun sugary goodness, though.
After we had kids, we got them a cotton candy machine which they loved! We still have it. I need to make some cotton candy again. I’ve been saying this for the past five years and still haven’t done it. Procrastination partly but mostly I don’t want to the extra calories. I’m going to have to give in eventually to this tasting temptation.
I’m joining Mary for TBT using my desire for Cotton Candy as today’s tune search I found a song with such a title done by the American R&B group The Sylvers (1975). At first I thought they were new-to-me but then I noticed they are the same band that released the hot disco sound of Boogie Fever and Hotline. Alright, let’s go back in time with The Sylvers’ “Cotton Candy”!
This week’s Thankful Thursday, I’m grateful for good news received about a medical issue one our children faced which turned out to be mild. I’m thankful to have a loan pre-approval letter in hand for our house search. I’m thankful for cloudy days when working outside. I’m thankful for the new possibility that we may take that New England vacation later in the summer. I’m thankful for every aspect of my life. Every good thing is a direct blessing from God and to Him I give thanks. 🙂
I’m winding things up today with Kat’s Writing Workshop and am going to borrow her prompt to write about something I would change if I could go back in time.
This is really tricky. What would I change about yesterday that wouldn’t alter my life in a negative way? That’s tough. Sometimes, I think if I could go back I’d continue working outside the home but that I’m almost 100% sure would not give quite the fulfilled outcome. I’d like to think I could change my insecurities, lack of confidence but really that’s something one has to work out as they go along in life because self-esteem issues go back to childhood and let’s face it what kid has the foresight to flip that way of thinking around? You either feel good or don’t feel good about yourself. One thing I sorted regretted over the years is my college studies. I went to a two year school. It was nice and affordable but more importantly it was big. Although I really wished I had the drive to try to get into the University of Tennessee back in those days but remember I didn’t think I was smart enough despite my above average GPA. I can’t even remember what it was now but I’m thinking it was a 3.0. Anyway, I could do over my college studies. I was interested architecture design but didn’t elect to go that route. I don’t remember why now unless that wasn’t an option at the two-year college I enrolled in and probably wasn’t since it was more a technical school than anything. Instead I took what they called “Business Data Processing”. I’m not know what the difference is but I was told the degree was like an associate computer programming equivalent. Knowing what I know now, I would definitely tell a younger me to transfer to U.T. to get a bachelors degree in computer science after I got my associate. I would’ve gotten a better job after college no doubt and we would’ve been in better financial standing when we started our family. Who knows maybe we would’ve upgraded to a bigger home sooner instead of having to wait like we are and still can’t find what we want but I’m a firm believer there’s a reason for everything. I need to stay patient and focused on God’s leadership. I also think about ways I would improve the way I raised my family. Looking back every parent says, “If I did this or that then things would be better…” Maybe they would be and maybe not. It’s fun to imagine going back in time to change something but I have to wonder would it do more harm than good? Life is what it is. I can’t go back to change anything but I certainly can take pointers away from my experiences and hopefully share it with my kids/grandkids or even make my/our life better going forward.
Tomorrow is DH’s off Friday. My weekend begins tonight which means I won’t be in Blogosphere until Monday but do drop back by to hit the dance floor with me where I’ll be spinning tunes to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest. I’m heading over to Rain’s Garden to browse the gallery of artistry. Have a doodletastic day! X💋X💋, Cathy
Eugenia’s passion is poetry and her weekly gig is perfect for creative writers. Each Thursday she offers a word to spark the imagination and if you’re inspired to write a ditty then be sure to let her know by leaving a comment on her site with a direct link to your post. Now, go visit my girl! 😉
15 Comments
Rain Frances
I love your eye candy gal!! I remember going to the store when chocolate bars were a dime…you have a cotton candy machine???? I’m very envious! I haven’t had that in ages since I used to go to the amusement park as a teenager! It was my favourite sweet! 🙂
mailewhathaveyoudone
I think I definitely could have benefited from a degree in Computer Science as well. I haven’t used my degree much at all and never would have predicted how much technology was going to take over. If only we had known then what we know now!
NatureFootstep
nice and artful. Love your different styles of Candy. 🙂
re your question about the lightbulb. No pens, I used a pencil with rather think tempera colors. I only dipped the pencil in the color.
Birgit
Penny Candy sounds like the name of your Pin-Up 🙂 She is a cutie and you drew her well. I loved penny candy and would get these round suckers that were pastel in colours(top could be a light lime green and bottom and lilac) and chalky…I loved them! I would get the jubes in cherry taste but they would stick to my teeth. I would get the sweethearts but they were sour which I loved but licking them, my tongue would bleed…hahahahaaa. You know, I kept buying them! I was never a lover of cotton candy, too sweet for me which is weird but such is as it is. If I was not so scared of being even more bullied than I was, I would have gone into art-not drawing so much but art history plus I could have seen myself as a travel agent. I always got A when I took anything dealing with art history and C’s taking psychology but I have a good job now because of my schooling whereas I am unsure what I could have done with the other degrees. You know…I knew a lot of people who took computer programming only to not have any job. I believe, as well, there is always a reason and maybe you would not have found a job that you liked or found one but was so stressed it did not do well for your health so we should both be thankful for what we did do and accomplish. Glad your child is doing better as this must have brought a huge sigh of relief.
bettythewoodfairy
Your take on candy is fun 🙂 and thanks for reminding me of the great music of the Stylistics – they were sooo good.
Bleubeard and Elizabeth
You have provided a plethora of wonderful candy memories. I like the idea of having a cotton candy machine. I enjoyed seeing the different candies you got as a child, and some of those are still popular today. I am always impressed with your drawings, and your Candy is a beautiful lady, Thanks for stopping by my place earlier today, too, dear.
15andmeowing
Very nice memories. I recently saw cotton candy at TJMAXX, but didn’t buy it because I didn’t think it would taste good after being packaged. XO
messymimi's meanderings
Nothing like candy, is there. You did a great candy post!
Nicole/DVArtist
This is a fabulous post Cathy! Your pinup girl is eye candy for sure. Lovely candy art too. Have a great day today.
Brian
We really enjoyed your art and that was a fun tune too!
Christine
Lovely candy art and post Cathy! I misread and posted candle art can you believe?
Mary B
Hi Cathy! This tune is new to me, although I have heard of The Sylvers before. Nice job on the artwork!
Sandee
Love your pin-up. She’s sexy indeed. You made me smile with the candy. I’m older than you, but I remember penny candy. It was fun to get some too. Not very often, but now and then. What a treat.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard Cotton Candy until today. I like.
I earned my bachelors degree in Business Management and that’s exactly what I needed for my line of work.
Have a fabulous day, Cathy. Love and hugs. ♥
Thomas Anderson
Hi, Cathy!
Happy Thankful Thursday and Art Date with Rain, dear friend!
I started looking for this post at 6 am sharp. When I didn’t see anything for a long time I thought you were not publishing today. I’m glad I didn’t miss your candy themed post which begins with eye candy in the form of a vintage pin-up girl. She has lovely features and an inviting gaze. Nicely done!
I like you story about how much you loved penny candy as a child. I ate my share, too. My friends and I took swimming lessons at the YMCA. On the way out at the end of each training session we always stopped at the candy counter in the lobby. I loved to buy large sour balls and suck on them on the way home. They made my mouth pucker. I also bought licorice, Tootsie-Rolls, Good ‘N Plenty and Dots. Your colorized drawing of the poke spilling its contents of candy treasures is a wonderful nostalgic image as is your depiction of cotton candy. I didn’t eat much cotton candy as a kid, but remember occasionally buying some on the midway of the York Interstate Fair. It’s cool that you bought a cotton candy machine for your kiddos and still have it. I’ll bet sweet-toothed DH would appreciate it if you got out the machine and made a batch.
I also enjoyed reading your musings about the “what ifs” involved in going back and changing something in your past. I believe that life is like a giant Plinko game. One small change can set your life on an entirely different trajectory and produce a very different outcome. While you stand to gain something by changing the past, you could also lose other things in your current life that you know and love. You have some regrets, and so have we all, but there is much for which to be thankful. I am happy to know that the medical concern with one of your children turned out to be minor.
I enjoyed your post, dear friend Cathy. If you aren’t posting Sillies tamale, then I wish you a safe and happy weekend and I’ll meet you back here at CAAC on 4M Monday!
Elke
hello, your painted Monroe picture is fantastic and so cute from the candies.I love this music video!
Have a happy weekend, hug Elke