Rough Day

It is only the afternoon, however today has been rough.

Series of Events #1

I took a ballet class this morning. It was my 3rd time going this week, and I came prepared with a Smile Shirt to give to a celeb that takes the class. When I walk in, it is not the same teacher, and the celeb, Emmy Rossum, was not there either!! Obviously I did not walk out of the class, I took it, in socks, because my ballet shoes got lost somewhere between NY and London. The teacher was old and was not cool with my sock idea. I was "scolded" and told not to return until I have the proper shoes. I was also given a harsh talking to about the way I dance and how it is too stylized. That was the first series of events.

Series of Events #2

I hit a Lamborghini in a parking lot. It was one of those oober nice ones with the glass case covering the engine. It was backing out and I did not see it. BAD LONDON. The damage: a collection of scratches on the right lower quadrant aka bumper. Because the damage was not too bad, I thought that the owner may be ok? Possibly buff it out himself? I WAS WRONG. He just yelled at me in the middle of a Malibu parking lot. He looked a lot like this.



















I knew it was my fault so I held myself together, and just let him do his thing.

This has been my day so far. It started at 7:45AM when I left for ballet and now it is 3:45PM and I am exhausted.

I wonder why things happen this way. I try my best to think positive and do the right thing, but why Mother Nature, why!? Maybe things are not going my way because I am praying to Mother Nature :)

The Epiphany of 2010

My Smile Project now goes full circle, like a good episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

It all started coming together last week when I met Sandra Day O'Conner. She is currently trying to make teaching the Declaration of Independence a vital part of the education system. She believes everyone in the US should know their rights. Before meeting her, I of course review the D of I, and I soon come to the oh so famous line, "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness..." It actually states that we have the right to Pursue Happiness. A light bulb appears above my head. I think -

I am currently executing my constitutional right to pursue happiness.


I like the way it rolls off the tongue. I am pursuing happiness. I would think more people would choose this wonderful opportunity given to all Americans. Is the line overlooked because people are too chicken to pursue their own personal happiness? Or is it because we do not know what our happiness is, therefore making things a bit trickier?

Personally, I have had a difficult time discovering what it is that makes me smile, brings me happiness, and fills me with joy. People ask me all of the time - when I am in spreading smile mode of course - and thus far, I have given the ever so wonderful, yet cheesy answer: What makes me smile is seeing other people smile. Over six months of investigating everything worth smiling in world, and I still had not discovered my true happiness. The happiness that I should be pursuing!!! Until now. I had an epiphany. I think it may have been my first real epiphany.


Epiphany {n} - a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something.

It is so simple, what makes me smile is creating. And to be more specific, creating innovative clothing. It always, without fail, will put a smile on my face!! :) Taking something mundane and turning it into something awesome, is my middle name.

So how does this all tie together?
I am expanding my online store and selling the clothes I make. So far I have successfully made 12 t-shirts! I created my own silk screen...











































Then tie-dyed the shirts after I printed the smile logo on them...






















I forgot to wear gloves when I washed the shirt out in the sink. I sill have purple hands.






















I have already taken them into stores in Santa Monica, and have gotten a great response from store owners. I am making another batch of shirts today with a different design and more vibrant colors. I will be adding the t-shirts to my online store ASAP. ASAP for me is tomorrow. I still must take photos and do a little html updating. www.londonkaye.com

I am now doing what I love, and hopefully will be able to generate an income that allows me to continue to travel and expand my business. With every blog post everything continues to develop and change. I can understand if it all seems up in the air, but I am a water sign, so yeah.

Today's Mission: Make a Silk Screen

This is the tutorial I am using to fo-silk screen shirts.
http://community.livejournal.com/craftgrrl/3674467.html

I have read through it now a few times, and I believe that it is going to work. This post is short, but I am just excited to get a move on the silk screen process. This will be clutch if it works!

American Apparel Outlet. Downtown, LA

Legalize Immigration is American Apparel's tag line. I went to the warehouse today in Downtown, LA. Right when we arrive there was a swarm of workers flooding out of the front door. I overheard someone saying that there are over 5,000 employees that work there daily. The president of the happening hipster company has gotten press for being an activist when it comes to legalizing immigration. It just makes me wonder how a corporation as large as American Apparel can get away with hiring illegal immigrants. Not saying he does, just stating my observation.












I was at the warehouse today because I am in the process of growing my online store. I will be making up my first batch of t-shirts to sell, and I am hoping things will keep on moving quickly and in the right direction. I got 36 shirts total, and I am going to attempt to make an at home silk screen. At this very moment it seems like my best option. Tomorrow things could change. In addition to my shirt order, I got one white leotard. Something that I have always wanted to dabble in, is leotard design. I know that may sound odd, but odd can be good. The leotard I got today, I will be taking and making into my own personal creation. We will see how it goes. I will make sure to post a picture when it is done.

New Happiness is Happening

The man in the video is the first person I interviewed in London, therefore making him the first interview out of America.

I spent time looking for the perfect person to approach for filming. When I finally built up the courage to make the initial introduction I had a rough time. And the fact that he was no easy target made it even more rocky. This dude had sass. But looking back on it, I am glad I had to work to get this interview, it made my skin thicken up pretty quick.

2 things happened during the past week that are worth mentioning!

Number 1: What Makes You Smile got its first celebrity! Drum Roll Please...
Sandra Day O'Conner, the first female Justice of the Supreme Court. She is no Kim Kardashian (that is sarcasm, sometimes I do not know if it reads) but it is pretty cool!

























Number 2: There was an article written about The Smile Project! It is on a blog that takes things that happen in NYC and share it with people in Peru. The blog is attached to the number one newspaper - El Comercio
http://blogs.elcomercio.pe/manhattanmental/

You can read the article. If you speak espanol. I used google traslator to read it, but things did not seem 100% right. For one thing, I am not 24, I am 21. I think the google may have taken some creative liberties. Any press is good press, especially international press, so I am thrilled.

A short graphic novel: Smile and say, Random!

I have been in CA for a month now...I thought I would be here for only a few weeks, but because I am not one who plans, shoot, fire, aim, things are working out differently then I had anticipated. I am spending July 2010 soaking up the California sun, and as you may know by now, vending on the Venice Boardwalk. It began a little rocky. It is tough to sell your idea in a hot second. But now that I have some practice, I am making "smiles" of progress...

But before the Venice update, I have made big changes in the website department. It is something that I have wanted to do for a long time, but I always assumed that it took years of learning and studying or lots of moola before you could build your own site. I was wrong. I used a free online service called "Weebly." I takes time. A lot of time. But it was for sure worth it.
See what I am talking about: www.LondonKaye.com

In the online Store, I sell Smile Bands. They are stretchy bands that you can wear around your wrist, as a headband, or in a million different ways. They come in all colors of the rainbow!










































And now, back to Venice. Smile Bands are what I have been selling on the boardwalk. And when I say selling, I mean, giving away for free. It did not start that way, but I was not feeling the whole, making people pay idea. That is not what this is about. It is such a blast giving something to people because they shared some happiness. It is a win-win situation when it comes to fun. But when it comes to making a profit, it is not so win-win. BUT, that is alright. I am in the process of growing my online store. It is going to feature some SWEET items, so stay tuned for that one. But back to the beach.




I have learned so much on the Venice Boardwalk. People come in waves. It is crazy how much it helps to have just one person stop and talk to me. They do not even have to participate in the project, just by having someone stand by my table will attract 3, 5, 15 people. People like other people. I have decided to post my top 5 favorite photos from my weekend on the Boardwalk. I took over 400, so picking a top 5 is a challenge. Here are the Cream of the Crop.

#5






















#4





















#3






















#2






















#1






















It is hard to pick my favorite. But I did. There is one more photo - let's call it, most talented non-finalist. I love everything about it! I am not a Rob Pattinson fan, however, I am a fan of this photo!






















To sum it up, I have had a great time spreading happiness on the boardwalk. My next stop is, half way between here and tomorrow. I do not know where I am headed next, but I will figure it out. Until then, I will be continuing to make progress in areas that require a home and not a passport. I sure do miss getting my passport stamped.

One thing that will always make me smile, is getting a new stamp in my passport.

I just came up with that one. There will be a new Dose of Happiness and blog update tomorrow. I am back baby!

www.LondonKaye.com

The Pepsi Refresh Roundup

As I have mentioned a few times on this blog, I have been working on an application for the Pepsi Refresh Project. You could begin submitting applications last night at Midnight Eastern Time, and I had mine ready to go!






















It was 9:01 in CA and I pressed submit and boom - a message popped up onto my screen: We are full. You can save your application and enter next month. I found a phone number on the website and called, they were closed. So this morning I woke up and immediately dialed the number again. They told me that it was no computer glitch, but in fact, the Pepsi Refresh Project fills up within the first 30 seconds. Who Knew!?! Not Me.

I put a lot of work into my application because winning a $50,000 grant to continue my Smile Project would be incredible. I have always liked to test my luck, it is fun. So I am going to submit my Pepsi Refresh Project to this blog. You never know who may stumble upon the post...

Here it is - London O'Donnell's Pepsi Refresh Project Application:
July 1, 2010.





Describe your Project Plan -
Smile: I'm positive you'll love this! I am creating an online network that focus' on what makes people smile. I began this project during my senior year at NYU to prove that our generation and the world in general is far more positive than the media portrays. Since my graduation in May, I started traveling the world creating smile videos that show young people everywhere loving life. Now I need your help to keep spreading the happiness. I am going to cities across the USA broadcasting everything there is to smile about. The time is now because the 24/7 mainstream media provides us with an overwhelming amount of American negativity, and I am positive that people are far more happy than we are being led to believe, and perception becomes reality. I am making change by building a network of entertaining people and content that makes people smile! It is time for the next generation to show that we are positive about the future. Just because the stock market is down, doesn't mean we are.

*There is a 1,000 character limit, I used 997.

You can make a video if you so choose...and of course, I choose.




As you can see from the video above, I am in need of better equipment. Which brings me to the budget and the other aspects of the application that I am not posting to the blog.

Pepsi missed out on this one. But you didn't - If you are looking to invest in a winner of an idea - EMAIL ME! SmileSponsor@gmail.com