Ready Set Go!

I am about to call a lawyer this week to set up my LLC and I am ready to GO!!! I am so excited and hope that it can grow to something greater one day.

I am setting up an account on Etsy.com where I will be selling my products, but off course you can always email me for an order at candieink@live.com

Wish me LUCK! :D

My name is Bond...

Dancing has been my life for so many years – It is sometimes how I define myself; as a dancer and choreographer. But moving to the US removed that from my life… not completely as I am still teaching children how to dance. But it is not the same, the whole atmosphere is different. I knew my dancers back in Sweden and they knew me. Off course it makes a big difference since I am teaching a much younger crowd here than what I used to do before but they would come to me for anything, not just dance stuff. I loved that. I loved that I after a while considered them my peers rather than students, even though they will forever be ‘my girls’.

This is one of my proudest moments during my time as a dancer and choreographer

Dance: Bond 007

Team: United Feet, Sweden 

Competition: World Championship Disco 2004 & 2005.

The costumes were great, the dancing was great, the girls were great, the experience was great, and the 6^th place was overwhelming!

Carneval on the Dance floor!

Here is another one of my creations it took a little while to finish them all since every girl received a different top... I did have some valued help and the costumes came out looking amazing and full of life! 

And 'my girls' are still the best!

Dance Show Formation

Disco Small Group

Disco Duos

In Europe the dance form 'Disco' is very popular among children and teens - here is a small selection of what I have created for some great dancers and wonderful young women.

LCHF "Pancakes"

Like pancakes as much as I do? I am not a huge fan of the American style pancakes but like the Swedish style pancakes much better, I think you refer to them as crepes. I like mine with berry jam/preserves and whipped cream.

But as with many foods we have gotten addicted to, regular pancakes (American or Swedish) are not healthy. I am not talking about what we put on our pancakes, I am talking about what we put IN them. Wheat, wheat, and wheat... Did I mention that wheat is our biggest culprit when it comes to a healthy life style?!

You see... wheat is something so many companies promotes as healthy - whole wheat and heart health here and there, making it even more dangerous than sugar. Why, because people actually believe that whole wheat is healthy! I hear it all the time, and I was once, not long ago, one of those people too... Wheat is NOT healthy people, not even a little bit.

So back to my pancakes. Here is how you make some delicious pancakes without wheat:
For about 4 normal size pancakes:
2 eggs
1/2 pack of Cottage cheese (DO NOT PICK ANY LOW or NON FAT SELECTIONS)
a bit of salt
2-3 table spoons of Spelt flower

Mix it in a bowl - heat up a frying pan - add real butter - when melted add a few spoons full of pancake mix and flatten a bit to make a pancake, don't make them too large as they may be harder to flip if you do - flip to other side once firm - done.

Serve with warm mixed berries and whipped cream or anything else that is on the OK list.

By the way - I am not taking any credit for this recipe... just found it and thought it was very good!  

Motivation and Self discipline

Sometimes I think motivation and self discipline is something you have to go and get and hang it around your neck to make sure you won't loose it...

I have lost mine more times than I can count. Some days it is just GONE: Plans I make for tomorrow don't seem as fun the next day, goals I put up for myself don't seem that important after a while, and projects I start like a rocket ship may never become a finish product - ever...

I am off course a dreamer and sometimes I believe that my dreams will come true as long as I dream harder! For real! Some people have told me that it is all due to the Capricorn in me... But I don't know. Over the last day or two I have been reading a lot about zodiac signs and even if I am born Capricorn I cannot shake the feeling that I am an Aries too. I truly believe that we can be different signs in one person no matter when we are born but the question now is - is the combination of being a Capricorn and an Aries a good one????

And can I blame the lack of discipline and loss of interest if I don't see results fast to my zodiacs?? Or is it just me?

Why is it so fun to start something but not as fun to finish it? And why do I reach such a great satisfaction when I do finish something and get great reviews if I only finish a small part of what I start?! Does any of this make sense?? I am at a loss here... When do I win? When will I realize that seeing the project to its end is the better thing for me, and when will I realize that a project has to be started with respect to what has to be done, and not the satisfaction of dreaming about the finish product?

Am I analyzing myself too much right now????

Taco Pie a la LCHF

If you are like me you LOVE taco pie...

But now when entering a world of no grains there is also a world without pie crust! So here is my little solution...
Make the meat with the taco mix just as normal.
Chop one red bell pepper (or if you prefer another kind)
Chop some tomatoes... 1-2 is normally good.
Mix the pepper and tomatoes with some sour cream and mayonnaise (make it creamy)
Slice some red onions for the topping, if you like red onions that is

Now... there are two ways:

Cheat a little:

Buy the 'low carb tortilla' cut them into smaller round pieces to fit into a muffin tray; stuff each little circle into each muffin cup; fill with the meet mix, top with the pepper-tomato-sour cream-mayo-mix; onion, and sprinkle some cheese on top... put in oven until cheese has melted.

Cheat nothing:

Make the same as above but put the meat, sour cream mix, and cheese in a halved bell pepper and put it in the oven. You will have to leave it in for a bit longer so that the bell pepper gets a little bit soft, it might be a good idea to put the cheese on it a bit into the baking.

Serve it with guacamole, and if you can make it from scratch - the better it is for you!

The picture is not the most beautiful picture... but you get the point at least

First Project

I started my first project this weekend. But I changed my mind probably 10 times along the way - making the whole process a bit longer than what I had planned on.

I have also realized that I have to get some ergonomic help when it comes to my sewing... My shoulders are killing me!!! What are you guys using to help with proper position while sewing? It will have to be something easy and nothing big since I live pretty small with my hubby.

Well, my first project is underway and my ambition is to have the first 4 sizes done by next weekend. My first is a silky light retro dress for baby girls NB-24 mounts. Hopefully it will be liked.

Meet Candie

During my Clothing design training years I slowly started to develop a dream, a dream to keep on doing what I loved to do - and that was first and most to create. I have never seen my self as an artist, but maybe I should? To me; I am just me... Nothing more, nothing less. But I do love to create!

I started out falling in love with the romantic dresses, beautiful colors, and flowing fabrics when I first started but where I come from that is not something that is needed all that much. So my designing and sewing stepped away from it a bit and entered another one of my favorites ~ the dancing industry! It was a natural step for me as I was also teaching and choreographing dance, (and I still do). So creating fun and crazy dance costumes became something natural for me and I kept doing it for many, many years.

The colors, glitter, and fabrics of the dance industry has now drawn me into something else - something that I for so many years didn't know I was interested in, or realized that I had talent for: Children! I love to create for children! Our Princes and Princesses - our future! They love the colors that I love, they love the stuffed animals that I love, and they love to play - just like me! :D

It is a perfect match! And I feel so happy about finding this love inside of me.

Originally I named my designs Cordelia but when I started to think about doing children screen prints the name Cordelia didn't fit. It wasn't as playful as Candie Ink...

Both names: Cordelia and Candie comes from my wonderful dog. Her name in the family tree is Cordelia but we never called her that - to us she was always Candie and it feels nice to be able to bring my crazy loving dog into my new venture and projects. Unfortunate she passed away many years ago - but she is still here with me.

Thank you for visiting my Blog.

With my Warmest Regards,
Helena Mathis

Candie is enjoying the lake shore

I am on my way

Life after the holidays have been treating me well. I was bursting out of my clothes after a wonderful holiday full of chocolate... it was delicious!

As a follow up on my 2010 objectives I am doing very well in implementing the LCHF as a way of life rather than a diet. This means that I will have a small potato or a piece of cake every now and then. I am  not letting myself go nuts. I am a person that wants what I cannot have - so if I tell myself that I cannot have cake - all I want is cake.Off course this is a much slower approach to reaching my goal, but also a friendlier way (for my mental health that is). I will not beat my self up if I do have a taste here and there. I only live once - right?!

I just have to learn to differ between a craving because I am hungry and a craving because it is that time of the month... I have been doing well on that part but it is not easy all the time. I have found that it is better for me to bring more food than I need in a day than too little because if I am hungry I will get a bad craving and there are plenty of vending machines around here... They should banned those things!

So with that said my goal is still to loose 13 kg or 28 lbs (from my starting point). My goal weight is 65kg / 143 lbs. I know it is going to be crazy hard once I start reaching the 68 kg / 150 lbs area but it will just have to take time. Time is all I have right?! AND I WILL GET THERE!! There is no doubt in my mind that I will. I am such a different person today than 4 months ago - I feel strong! It feels that I could overcome anything right now.

Along the line with living a healthier and happier life I have also started to do some weight lifting. I am mainly focusing on my upper body and my primary agenda is to work on my posture. I sit in the office all day and get that horrible posture while sitting by the computer all the time. I want to strengthen my back and stretch my chest out so it will make me look a little bit better. Back exercises, biceps, triceps, abs, butt, and shoulders are my target areas to accomplish this. My legs get plenty of a work out in my dance classes.