I want candy.

Last saturday, bright and early, my daughter Maja asked me if we could watch a movie together. I decided to avoid the excruciating pain of having to flip through Disney XD channel for the gazillionth time and opted instead to search the movies I recorded on my DVR. I had scheduled a bunch of Christmas movies, knowing that the day would come when I would need to call in the heavy hitters of  “Rudolph” and “Santa Clause is coming to Town". As I scanned the list I noticed one movie that was still unwatched, one I had completely forgotten I had recorded- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (yes, the 1971 movie!). Score! Something I would actually enjoy watching with her. When I was a kid I thought Willy Wonka was the ultimate sugar rush of movies (even thought it has it’s moments of freakiness). I personally think it blows “Wreck it Ralph” away, but then again I’m not 8years old. Anyway, as I sat there on the couch watching August Gloop get sucked up the clear pipe in the chocolate river I began to wonder why is candy adored by people of all ages, everywhere.

Maybe it’s the countless possibilities. There is such a range of flavors, colors, and textures in pretty much every confectionary delight I see. Candy is a real treat for the eyes not just the taste buds. It’s a creative and expressive art form in my opinion. But there’s more to it than that, I think it’s the nostalgia that really gets me. Every Saturday afternoon I would walk to our neighborhood candy store and pick out the perfect piece of candy, the piece that would fit the mood I was in at the time. If I needed comfort I went for a Hershey bar, if I wanted a straight forward energy it was something like a watermelon jolly rancher stick. Then I’d walk home and slowly savor my purchase or if I was feeling a bit spiteful I’d save it until I got home and wave it in front of my two younger brother faces. That was probably the bonus, to see the look on their faces when I had candy and they didn’t. Psyche. But I digress, as I usually do. It does seem that candy makes the world go round, at least for kids, and for me, it's one of the things that I love to examine and collage. Whether it’s Willy Wonka’s factory or just a trip to the candy store, I guess I’ll always want candy.
(Opps...forgot to add my sweet shop cards here. If you like these pieces of candy check out the stationary for Teneues)