Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Story of Ryan's Yo-Yo's

Today I thought I'd point you towards a post written by my husband Josh, over at the ABLE + BAKER blog. What's it all about? It's about our friend Ryan, his awesome Grandfather, and the super cool collection of Yo-Yo's they made together more than twenty years ago.


I hope you'll hop on over to ABLE + BAKER for the full story... it's a good one, I promise.






Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Friday, July 23, 2010

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Completely uncultivated, very nice.


"She is completely uncultivated," Winterbourne went on. "But she is wonderfully pretty, and in short, she is very nice."

-Daisy Miller, Henry James



Saturday, July 17, 2010

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

On the road


See ya San Francisco, it's been fun. We're on the road, again...




Monday, July 12, 2010

Awake!

Monday Morning, rise and shine...






Jolie's Espresso Bar, along the Oakland waterfront.
Colorfully delicious...

Friday, July 9, 2010

Friday's Flowers


Flowers for you, because it's Friday and I felt like giving you some.

Gestures of Positivity

Ye olde photoblog has been pretty quite this week, huh? I've been in the Bay Area, enjoying a mix of work and play. We're visiting friends and clients, soaking in the cool summer air, and rejoicing in the slightest glimmer of sunshine.

You may have heard about Oakland's Big Event last night. I've gotta say it's really bumming me out. After living in Oakland for roughly ten years, I feel qualified in saying it's a complicated city. Everything you've heard about about Oakland is true. Probably. But there are also many cool things about this town that you don't hear much about. Things that inspire people to wear t-shirts that say "I hella love Oakland" and mean it.


Factors that lead up to a riot are complicated too, I know. Riot is a form of expression. Good, impassioned intentions can turn into desperate, destructive expression.



I'm reminded of these words by John Updike and I start to feel better:

"The artist brings something into the world that didn't exist before,
and he does it without destroying something else."



Art is a form of expression. A simple, but important truth. Art can express hurt without causing more hurt. The ability to create or recognize art is a gift. The mere realization that Art is an Option is a gift too.

Though I've recently moved, I'll always consider Oakland home, in a way. When I visit now, I guess I want to see my home in one piece. I want to think that things have gotten better, not worse.

These photographs of "Beep's Burgers" have nothing to do with Oakland, or rioting, or much of anything too serious I suppose. Maybe that's why I thought they were a good fit for today. To me they are a reminder of light and sky, and a simple gesture of non-destructive expression.

I often photograph subjects that are well-worn, bumped and bruised, and I suddenly realize that I don't like to cause the bruises. I want to turn the bruises into something else, something that feels better. They're still there, but they're not all that's there.

Anyway, I hope you have a very Happy Friday, Saturday, Sunday... see you next week.

Monday, July 5, 2010

My Great Big Summer Sale - Final Day!

Hi, I hope you had a happy and safe 4th of July. I baked Pineapple Upside-Down cupcakes, and enjoyed fireworks from atop the hill behind my parent's house. All in all, a great day. Yours?

4th of July is always one of my favorite holidays. Each year as I watch the fireworks, I picture myself taking pictures -- they're so beautiful, they should really be photographed! The experience of watching fireworks with friends and family can be so extraordinary -- all the oohs and ahhs and little kid excitement. However, I can never actually bring myself to take pictures. I think it's because some days I just like to enjoy the experience without documenting anything. An exercise in living... you know what I mean? 4th of July is always such a magical night, and for some reason I like not trying to capture it.

Also, just a little reminder that today is the Final Day of My Great Big 30 for 30 Summer Sale --- 30% Off all Orders over $30. Thanks to all of you who have participated!

Use Coupon Code 30for30 if you shop ABLE + BAKER
Or shop Etsy and I'll refund your 30% via Paypal.



Monday Monday, enjoy!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Friday, July 2, 2010