Travel: West Coast Autumn

This post is dedicated to my brother--a very get-way-outdoors-into-nature kind of guy who just happens to be turning 39 today. Happy Birthday, Phil! :)

Flickr Faves: The Polaroid House

An abandoned house turned into a Polaroid installation art exhibit. Yes, it is cool. No, it no longer exists.

To see the full series of photos from the house visit ~KIM~'s Flickr stream HERE.

Etsy Profile: Sue aka LuLu Bug Jewelry

Tell me a bit about yourself..
My name is Sue and I'm in Santa Rosa, California, about an hour north of San Francisco. I've been working in the jewelry industry since 1992, first making other peoples stuff and at the moment my job is designing for a small manufacturer. I rediscovered my passion for making personal jewelry after taking a Precious Metal Clay workshop 1.5 years ago.


two little peas in a pod necklace - $68

Apart from creating art, what do you do?

Up until this year, my all consuming hobby was racing motorcycles! I did it for 7 years, against men on paved, twisty race tracks. I even have a few trophies and second place overall season finish to my name. Once my Etsy business started growing, I decided to focus on that instead, so no racing this year. Once upon a time (before racing) I traveled a lot. I hope to be able to do that again someday.

tiny little bird earrings - $32

What first made you want to become an artist?

I've loved art since I was little, the desire to create something has always been there. My mom is very crafty, so we were always making things.Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.I'm trained as a traditional silversmith, but now I work entirely in Precious Metal Clay (PMC) which is silver in a clay like form. It was developed in Japan as a way to use silver reclaimed from manufacturing, and it's a green product. After I form a piece in the clay, it's fired in a kiln at 1650 degrees for two hours and the particles fuse, forming a pure silver object. It's kind of like magic! My jeweler's bench and kiln are right in my living room, it's very clean, unlike traditional silversmithing.

lemon slice necklace - $78

Right now I work 32 hours a week at my day job, and 40+ on my own work. I really like to work late at night, but this is causing me to be quite sleep deprived lately! There are so many things I want to try and experiment with, I never have a lack of things to work on. I usually have a list of developed ideas that I want to try, and sketchbooks filled with doodles and thoughts that I look through frequently.

monarch butterfly necklace - $87

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?

There isn't any one artist that stands out - I'm always looking at art, and when I see something that I like, I try to determine exactly what quality it is that I find appealing, and then think about how I might incorporate that into what I do. My main inspiration is nature, so I'm always looking around me. The possibilities are endless! I've been riding my bicycle to my day job lately, and find it's the best time to dream up new things to make. What looks like a bunch of dry weeds when zooming by in a car actually turns out to be beautiful shapes and forms when you're going by at bicycle speed. Just slowing down and taking a look around outside every day keeps the ideas flowing. There is beauty to be found everywhere, if you just look at things a bit differently. I try to express that in my jewelry.

bunny rabbit necklace - $36

Where else can people find your work?

In my Etsy shop, LuLu Bug Jewelry, on my blog, and Cosa Verde. All that keeps me really busy!

All images are by and copyright of LuLu Bug Jewelry, 2009.

Artist Profile: Melissa Beach - Scent of Rain Designs

Tell me a bit about yourself name, location, affiliations, personal stuff.
My name is Melissa Beach and I live in Santa Cruz, California. I live in a great apartment with my fiance and our four year old daughter. I am a senior at the University of California, Santa Cruz majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Art History. I began taking pictures with a Roloflex SLR (aka Rollei) when I was about 10. My father, grandfather, and several on my uncles are or were photographers. So when I expressed an interest in photography my dad didn't think I needed to start with a point and shoot. Once I learned to use a camera I never left it at home. I still use that Roloflex and it is still one of my favorite cameras.

surfer's church

Apart from creating art, what do you do?
When I am not taking pictures I am reading one of the 10-12 books and 30+ articles I have to read for my classes at UCSC each quarter. Intense! I pull myself away from work as often as I can to play with my daughter or hang out with my fiance who is still my best friend. When school is not overtaking my life my two favorite things to do are cook and grow my veggie garden.

reaching for sustenance

What first made you want to become an artist?
I remember going to my grandfather's home one Thanksgiving. He was a painter, photographer, inventor, and print maker and his house was covered in his works. Family members have told me that he was the artist behind the Otter Pops characters and he invented several board games and the 100 sided dice. He and my grandmother had luxurious taste so even though they lived in a modest apartment it was decorated with lots of velvet on the couches, a formal dining area. I remember their big lamps with all the crystals hanging off of them. The largest painting in that room was a gigantic tiger, painted with Gouache. That painting mesmerized me and when I found out my grandfather was the artist, I decided I wanted to be able to paint like that too. My grandfather died when I was about 13, and I didn't know him very well, but I feel like I did. My family often tells me how much my art resembles his. I like to think that he sends me inspiration and helps me along my own path as an artist.

plum zen - set of postcards

Please describe your creative process how, when, materials, etc.
I use four different cameras in different ways. My Nikon D70 is my main digital SLR. I also use a small Panasonic Lumix and, of course, my Roloflex. I recently began exploring Through the Viewfinder or TtV photography and I am using my grandfathers Kodak Dualflex 3 as my bottom camera and my Nikon D70 for the top camera. I love that I am combining our two cameras to create new pictures.

I am drawn to bright colors and the order of nature. I like the idea of a natural perfect ratio or Pi. So I look for that to show through in my photograph's composition. Mostly I want people to walk away energized by the colors but in a peaceful and somehow relaxing way. My black and white prints are also inspired by order and shapes as well as light and shadow. I like my black and white prints to be really dramatic as well as aesthetically beautiful.


secret garden

Most of my printing is done through professional printers who specialize in photography. Occasionally I get access to a real darkroom and I can process and print my own film. Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more rare.

What artists have influenced you and inspire you to create?
As I mentioned before I am really inspired by my grandfather and my father who taught me to use a camera. There are several photographers who are on Etsy and Flickr and who have blogs that are very inspirational. When I am in a rut I love doing personal photo challenges. I've experimented with shooting 100 different pictures while standing in one spot or taking 20 pictures using negative space. Often some of my favorite photos come from these challenges.

leaf drops

Where else can people find your work?
I have a website which is just getting up a running, my Etsy shop, Scent of Rain Designs, my Flickr stream, my photo blog, and I write a craft blog, Elemental Stitches.

All images displayed in this post are by and copyright of Scent of Rain Designs, all rights are reserved.

Recipe: Avocado Fries

Crunchy on the outside, creamy and nutty inside, these fries are over the top. This recipe from Sunset is from Chef Troy Foshee, at George's at the Cove restaurant in La Jolla, California--he serves them with grilled steak. Gettin' hungry? Oh, yeah.

You Will Need:

Canola oil for frying

1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 large eggs, beaten to blend

1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges.

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 in. oil until it registers 375 on a deep-fry thermometer.

2. Mix flour with 1/4 tsp. salt in a shallow plate. Put eggs and panko in separate shallow plates. Dip avocado in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, then panko to coat. Set on 2 plates in a single layer.

3. Fry a quarter of avocado slices at a time until deep golden brown, 30-60 seconds. Transfer slices to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining slices. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Avocado Tips:

Use it when it's just ripe. How to tell--squeeze it with your whole hand; it should have the same give as chilled butter. If you're mashing, scrape it out with a spoon. If you want slices or dices, score skin down the center with a paring knife and carefully pull off the peel.

Photo credit: Annabelle Breakey for Sunset.

Flickr Buddy Photo: Mad Tea Party

Disney - Mad Tea Party (Explored), originally uploaded by Express Monorail (Hiatus).

Another of my favorite captures from Express Monorail (aka Disney Joe) on Flickr.  View his photography by visiting the links above.

Neat Things: Sunset Magazine

With the recent downfall of a handful of fun magazines (Domino, Cottage Living, et. al.), I am thankful that one of my all time favorites--Sunset--is still going strong. Recently I received a note from Cottage Living informing me of their demise, and that I would receive Sunset for the remainder of my 2-year subscription. Of course, I was delighted to accept this as a more-than-suitable substitute!

Touted as THE magazine about 'living in the west', Sunset has been publishing for more than 100 years (wow?!). Here are the highlights just from my recent issue, January 2009:

Northwest Weekends--day trips to Portland, Seattle and Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.

Volcano Vacation--a visit to the Big Island's Kilauea!



Color Therapy--paint a room to lift your winter spirits.



Get Organized--creative ways to integrate new storage in small spaces.



Tea Houses--the new, healthy wave of bar life from Seattle to Santa Fe.

Natural Home--four ways to catch and store winter rainwater to fortify your garden.



Fast & Fresh--delicious dishes in 30 minutes or less, including watercress salad, oatmeal waffles, and three whole-wheat pasta dinners (Rachel Ray, eat your heart out!)



Wine in the West--tips on pairing wines with vegetables, plus the perfect match for seafood choucroute.

Chances are if you live in Oregon, Washington, California, Vancouver BC, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado or New Mexico, you have probably already enjoyed Sunset. If you live east of The Rockies and have visited or have an interest in the west, you might want to check it out.

Oh, and yes, they do have a BLOG!

All photos displayed in this post are copyright Sunset Magazine, January 2009.

New in shop: Disneyland

California Screamin'


Queen Mary



Steam Train

All photos displayed in this post are by Tina, copyright Pfeiffer Photos 2008. These are the newest posted in our shop this evening--available as matted prints or blank note cards. Visit the shop or contact me for more information.

Happy Weekend!

copyright pfeiffer photos 2008, all right reserved.

Inspiration Tuesday

"Hi, my name is Tina and I'm a Disney fan."

Yes, it is true, I like Disney. More specifically, I admire Walt Disney and his creations, Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

I never visited Disneyland as a child; my first experience was that of a 27-year-old adult. The world of Disney opened my heart and eyes much like a child's. A feeling of safety, of joy and of wonder is a good experience of any lifetime. The video included at the end of this post is one of my favorites on YouTube. I love it because it's a such a great collage of video clips from another ordinary persons adventures at Disneyland. Notice I said adventures? That's what it's about when we visit Disneyland...it's not just another amusement park, it's a place for wonder and adventures for everyone!

Chris and I have no children and because of this our family does not understand why we would choose Disneyland as a favorite vacation destination. Many adults think that Disneyland is just a place for kids to have fun. Because it is an amusement park, the singular attraction must be the thrill rides. Disneyland is about so much more than the rides and is definitely not just for kids. From the moment you walk onto Main Street, USA, you are believer. Deny it all you want, but take a ride on the Disneyland Railroad to Tomorrowland and you'll be whirling around on the Astro Orbiter faster than a 5-year-old can say "Mickey Mouse"!

Admittedly, arguments have been made against Disney's mass-marketing and commercialism but for those who look past the corporate mechanics, Disney is about more than media, consumer products or theme parks with rides. It is about entertainment, and teaching by entertaining is an effective way to bring knowledge.

Some would say that a vacation to Disney equals a very high price tag. As an almost all-inclusive destination, however, the Disney experience provides a lot of bang for the buck. Where else can you go that has so much to do--theme parks, shopping, dining, adult nightlife, interactive theatres, history, world cultures (EPCOT), technical innovations, world-class architecture, Broadway quality stage shows, elaborate parades, top-notch fireworks and laser displays, award-winning golf courses, water parks, and Cirque du Soleil, La Nouba--all in one place?

Once upon a time, drawing a tiny mouse, an idealist believed that he could change the world so he bought an orange grove and built his dreams. Disneyland and Walt Disney World embody altruism, idealism and capitalism at it's best--the very epitome of the definition of Americanism. It is a source of joy and imagination. At Disney, the bad is forgotten and good seems to conquer evil. Wide-eyed excitement is seen in the faces of children and adults from all walks of life. You can see that they seek the same thing as you--fantasy, adventure and a magical experience to take them away from their everyday lives, if only for a few hours or days.

Different cultures become one as we forget the troubles of the real world all around us. It is a place where people of all ages visit to have fun in a world that is sometimes much too serious. Serious is good, but so is fun and a balance of both is the best. Walt Disney built a place that helps us to laugh, to think, to dream, and to do--not just in Anaheim, but wherever we are--no matter what race, religion, gender or age you might be.

Disneyland's cultural impact on society has been woven into our daily lives, from learning to use your imagination to innovative technologies that could improve society. The greatest influence of the parks that Walt built have been in his positive view of the future. Disney managed to find ways to appeal to kids and to the kid in all of us. He used money to create magnificent parks and ground-breaking films that have generated millions of careers and made people's lives richer. Walt summed it up best in his dedication speech on opening day, July 15, 1955:

"To all who come to this happy place, welcome! Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts which have created America with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world."

Color photos displayed in this post by Chris & Tina of Pfeiffer Photos copyright 2008. Black and white photo of Walt Disney is copyright protected and used by permission.