Walk On...

This Photo from Life Magazine.

Before Josh played the album featuring "Walk On" one Sunday, I never knew the Jackson 5 could sound so tough. Listen to this song real loud and I can promise you'll love every second. Check out this live performance clip and see what I'm talking about... The performance transitions into "The Love You Save" and I'm pretty sure you'll love that too.

A small tribute to MJ, the way that I'll remember him best...

Lush Interlude

I found this album at a local re-use store over the weekend.
Simply beautiful, don't you think?

Summertime is the sweetest time...

Poppytalk Handmade has been down for a few days, so I've been waiting to show you images from my new Summer Series. They're back up and running, so here you go! What do you think? Are you thirsting for a day at the beach, a hotel hideaway, or a week on the road?

I think

Summertime is the sweetest time...

to race your ice cream cone to the finish line...

to enjoy lazy days with family, food, and a sweet drink on ice...

to put that hot dog on a stick! ...

to stroll the sea in search of shells...

to sleep the day away in seclusion, with the shades drawn and fan on high...

to hop on the road in search of nothing, so you can see everything.

Be sure to check out all of the talented Artists participating in Poppytalk's Summer Market. I'm really enjoying Trace my Face Design, and Ladies & Gentleman (especially their Vintage Travel Bag!)

Ode to Dad

A couple of my favorite Family portraits...



This photograph is from Ron Carter's "Uptown Conversation" album, released in 1969. I absolutely love the playful spirit of this portrait. Josh and I have this album hanging in our entryway, among our own family portraits.


Sly & The Family Stone's "Small Talk" album, released in 1974 -- I'm pretty sure my parents looked this happy when I was born.

Happy Father's Day Dad! You're the best.

Doll Head Gate!

A couple of years ago my husband Josh built this Doll Head Gate, as a unique installation of motion-sensor lighting. The doll faces and sculpted ornamentation include wired electrical so that the eyes light up when motion is detected.

Recently, Casa Sugar did a fantastic write-up on the gate, and I was just so proud, I had to share the news with you.



Here's the story... (in Josh's words)

My friend Bob did not have a fence separating the front from the back yard. Consequently, people began to help themselves to bicycles and other fun stuff kept around back. At the same time, my cousin across town had torn down a patio cover, and had salvaged the beams, and a few joists. It was also the month of "Neighborhood Clean-up", a city funded program where one throws this years junk in the street and the City hauls it away. That's where the gates came from. And the baby heads? Huge bins of baby heads at Berkeley Re-Use. It was my first time there. Got some cool X-Ray's too.



The basic structure of the archway was easy. I put more effort into the heads. The back of each head was carefully removed, and the face was mounted to a plaque, in the spirit of a big game trophy. I tried to mount each head according to it's position on the horizontal beam so that each would be looking at a pedestrian coming up the center of the drive. This was important because the eyes of each head are lit and triggered by a motion detector.



I spent a little time enhancing some of the heads in other ways. I created a "ring-leader baby head" with handlebar mustache and top hat (made from a frosting container), and a "Baby T", with mohawk and side-burns (no mustache). Everything was finished with flat white for that shabby-chic touch of elegance.

Thanks to Casa Sugar for their writeup.
Read it here!

You can see more of my husband's design + construction projects here.

(We live a couple hundred miles from the gate, so I rarely get to see it. I shot these photographs on a lovely Autumn morning, and hang the doll-face photos in my home when the season approaches. I love to celebrate the change in season with a rotation of artwork!)

Into the New

Recently I heard some very bad news. I lost my job. Laid-off like so many others.

Recently I heard some very good news. I lost my job. Laid-off like so many others.

I've been given an opportunity to explore the possibilities, and focus on what I really love. This is my story and I'm sticking to it. If I forget, please remind me...

I shot this photograph at my niece's high school graduation last week. I thought it funny to look at those bright, smiling faces, and see myself staring back. "You just got laid-off," I thought, "shouldn't you be worrying about everything?"

In the instant I saw these birds overhead, flying so fast I almost missed them, I found myself in exactly the right place. I'm part of a group of bright, smiling faces, with a simple excitement to live the New.

Sunday Sweets, Down by the Sea

Down by the sea
I found your hidden treasure
Just you and me
We over-dosed on pleasure...

(I just love these lines from Men at Work!)

This weekend I'm busy getting things ready for the Poppytalk Handmade summer market, which opens tomorrow. "Family at Play," pictured above, is one of eight new photographs to be included.

I'm also participating in the East Bay Open Studios -- If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello!

I hope you're enjoying a great weekend.... thought I'd send some sweet California sunshine your way.

Hollywood Honeymoon on Wall Blank!

Check me out on Wall Blank today!

I'm so excited to see "Hollywood Honeymoon, scene 3" as today's featured photograph.
Hop on over to Wall Blank and read the full story behind this photograph...

Wall Blank is an awesome website which features new limited edition art everyday, and I'm so proud to be featured. You've gotta be quick, though.... Art is only available for one week, or until sold out.

Wall Blank is printing a special edition of 100 Archival Pigment Prints.
Choose between a 10x15 for $24, or a 14x21 for $34.

View a couple more photographs from this set here.

Yeah!!!!

Instant Roadtrip! Just in time for Summer

Hi Everyone,
With so many things going on, my posts have been a bit sparse lately. Like many people, my life is in transition, and it looks like I'll be on the road a lot in the near future. As such, I think it's appropriate that my Instant Roadtrip! Postcard Sets are finally ready!!!
(I'll let you know more about all the transitions as they unfold - definitely some exciting things in the works.)

I worked long and hard on these little Postcard Sets. I wanted to assemble six photographs that reflect elements of my favorite roadtrips... everything from the drive-in diner and off-color Motel, to the over-sized Orange shaped hamburger stand.

I envisioned you jumping from your car, darting inside the souvenir shop, and snatching up a precious bag of goodies to show the folks back home (postcards included!)

Each postcard is ready to stamp and mail to a friend, give to a road-ready graduate, cozy up under your favorite refrigerator magnet, or pop in a 4x6 frame.


A big Thank you! to those of you who suggested photographs for this Set on my previous Post. Please email me your address, and I'll send you an Instant Roadtrip! of your very own.

These six -postcard Sets are now available for $10 in my Etsy Shop.

I hope you're all enjoying a great week. I'm working on photographs for Poppytalk Handmade's Summer themed Market, and am gearing up to give you a sneak peek in the next day or two.

Nuts in May, in June

I love books. Ten years ago, I was an English Lit major at UC Berkeley, dreaming that one day I'd design book covers for a living. I've always been more of a reader than a writer, so lucky for me the world lets me do both.

I recently picked up Nuts in May at an estate sale. I thought it would be fun to actually read the book in May, but I didn't quite make it. Believe it or not, it's still an entertaining read in June!

I instantly fell for the cover art and illustrations by Alajalov and thought you might like them too.

Front Cover, and ooh, la la... Portrait of the author.

Illustration from "Opening Night" (left) and "Bag of Bones " (right.)

Two of eight diamond shaped illustrations, Inside Cover.

I had never heard of Cornelia Otis Skinner "the most entertaining writing lady in the land." Her stories were published in The New Yorker, and evidently were hilarious in 1950.

Front Cover doesn't make you scream "Sold!"? -- try to resist these words:

"This is a very instructive and useful book. It is not very serious, to be sure; in fact, its sage counsel is sometimes dispensed with a frivolity and frippery about which the publishers feel the public should be warned...you are sure to be a wiser and better person after reading it."

I hope your June is filled with frivolity, frippery, and all that good stuff...anyone know a good book with June in the title?