Yeti ARC Trike

I Met Tom the other day as I was getting ready to leave work. As I was fussing with my purse and the radio, I looked up just in time to see this odd looking trike roll by. It took me a minuet to realize what I just saw. "WTF!" was all I could say. I ended up tracking Tom down to south day use, and he was more than happy to tell me all about his one of a kind Yeti. Found the official Yeti article by Sarah Rawley. Check it out: Yeti Blog July 7, 2011

It was great talking bikes and Mazdas with Tom and Patricia. I hope to see them around town and on the trial!

Doheny Surf Festival

So excited to be working on this project! We are planing a great event highlighting our surfing heritage here in our little slice of heaven; Doheny. Stay tuned for the latest news on the first annual Doheny Surf Festival!

www.dohenysurffestival.com
A fun design by yours truly!

Race of Champions- Product Photography

More product photography! Smart Covers and custom Stealth Armor for the Race of Champions. A little about the race thanks to Wikipedia;"The Race of Champions is an international motorsport event held at the end of each year, featuring some of the world's best racing and rallydrivers. It is the only competition in the world where stars from Formula One, World Rally Championship, NASCAR, sportscars and touring carscompete against each other, going head-to-head in identical cars.

The race was first organised in 1988 by former rally driver Michèle Mouton and Fredrik Johnsson, IMP (International Media Productions) President. Originally the event was a competition between the world's best rally drivers, but has since expanded to include top competitors from most of the world's premier motorsport disciplines, including motorcycle racing.

The top individual overall in The Race of Champions is given the title "Champion of Champions", and receives the Henri Toivonen Memorial trophy, but within the event there is also a competition for individual countries."

Check Out Fusion of Ideas

This was a long project. Glad it's over.

Can you say,"I Love Type"?!

OH YES! I love type! I can easily spend hours looking for the perfect font. This design shows how deep my madness goes :)

Candy Bar Logo

I love this logo! Its fun, and the idea makes a kid of all of us!

Blogging from the trail

Beautiful.

Ya it's just like riding a bike!

I was back on the muddy trail again! My weekday job is becoming slow so I took the opportunity to leave work early and ride my bike. Simply put, it was amazing. It had been so long since I last rode that I was a little scared to venture out all by myself. I sucked it up and was so grateful to be back on my bike I forgot about my fear. The trip started out with a stop at the bike shop to get a new pump. My little one just fell apart in my hands the last time I tried to use it. Making it out to the trail was fine. Only Stopped twice to adjust my seat. After that smooth sailing. I got a 2nd ride in on Friday. It felt just as good as my last ride. Tho I did see my first snake on the trail!!! Oh good lord, I hate snakes!!! Many friends have gotten' a cheap laugh out my deep fear of snakes and being run over by a car. But that's a story for later. It was a small baby snake (the deadliest kind) lucky for me a teacher had cleared the way for the little guy to pass, and I happily kept riding along.
I want to ride everyday, sometimes twice a day. I want to try other types of bicycling too!! Expand! Got to make more time for bikes :)

Doheny State Beach Halloween Haunt

This was a fun poster to design!!!

Don't miss out on Doheny’s most festive event of the year as we transform a section of the campground into a spooky area, an array of educational booths, arts and crafts, a Fun Zone, and other fun activities. This event runs from 6:30-8:30 pm. There is no charge for admission; however, a donation of one non-perishable food item per person is greatly appreciated. Doheny State Beach 

Fun With Photoshop

Now I am a believer in you should try as hard as you can to make your image in the camera. This goes back to my strong roots in film. We are lucky now that we can take our darkroom and lab anywhere with us. (ie: our laptops and photoshop) Its still fun to get your hands a little dirty, and go overboard in photoshop. Here are a few projects I did today for fun.

"Red" Lightning
Here is my buddy Red jumping the Expedition... again.

Bodie State Park
I went crazy with the Camera Raw adjustments

Original photo

Succulent Wreath

This is so easy to make and most of the plants I used were cut straight from my garden! Now the question is will the roots take hold or will everything just fall apart? So far everything looks good and I did dip the stubby end in root tone. Am so excited about making these for Christmas gifts this year! Stay tuned for more fun project!

Product Photography

DigitalTechToo {Color} {Laser} Full color print and custom black etch

DigitalTechToo {Laser} Custom black etch

Stealth Armor: Hp Dm1z with brushed aluminum Stealth Armor.  

DigitalTechToo{Color} {Laser}: Hp TouchPad, Custom full color print and laser etch

Currently I do design work for Fusion of Ideas, located in Irvine, CA. We customize all sort of digital devices form iPads to TouchPads. Here is a sample of some of the product photography I have done while working for them.

www.fusionofideas.com

What Happens When The Minister Doesn't Show Up To The Wedding?

Well you get Rev Joey to preach your wedding.

True story! The last wedding I photographed the minister never showed up, so the lead photographer Joey Broccardo stepped in as the only ordained minister in the house. They had no vows written down for him. Luckily they had theirs memorized and they were in Mandarin... so all Joe had to do was just stand there with a big smile, while I ran around trying to capture that one moment. I earned my beer that night.

The Adventure Continues...

So it has been a long time since I wrote about my adventures in mountain biking. I have come to a point in my adventure that am sure every working person has come to, and that is trying to find the time to ride. In the beging I would ride 3 times a week. Going for a ride before work was an amazing way to prepare for a day locked away in a windowless office. I was hesitant when they offered me full time because I knew my precious days of riding would be severed. Working 9 to 6 has put riding on the back burner during the week. Weekends would be a fine alternative, but to keep up with car payments, bills, rent and student loans, keeping my weekend job at the state park was essential. Now I work 7 days a week, and the only dirt my bike sees are the dust bunnies that have now accumulated around the tires. 

Last night I lubed the chain and tweaked the back brake. I still find enjoyment in my bike even if am not on the trail. But I fear am losing my mind. With out the escape I find from pedaling till I think my little heart is going to give out, then the reward of zipping back down, I have seen my quality of work decrees and I have become increasingly more irritable. Humm sounds like someone else I knew once.  Anyways, of course a logical solution would be get a job that is in line with my new found love affair, but those are about as rare as they come. I would properly have to start my own business to find that kind of job. Maybe that’s not a bad idea. I sense another adventure brewing.

My poor bike sits in the back of my car reminding me of mornings on the trail.

Fun With A Wide Angle

This is what happens when you drink a bottle of wine and a have wide angle lens. My impromptu photo shoot was done with a Jawa action figurer I found earlier. My inspiration was a series of photo I saw a month ago, of Storm Trooper toys doing everyday tasks, in our large human world. I had to hold my camera in one hand as I tipped the glass for the little guy. Needless to say with no flash I shot the whole thing at an ISO of 3500! My kitchen is also yellow with a green stained glass chandler so lighting was a problem. This is one of those photos that you just have fun with it and throw art and class out the window. Enjoy!!!

Dana Point Grand Prix of Cycling '11

It was a beautiful day for a race. Sunny and warm with a breeze off the Pacific. 

Day 20: Bike Maintenance and Repair

    On a recent ride with Gris i noticed that my front brake was dragging. We had pulled over to catch our breath, so it was a perfect time to talk bike and problem solve. Speaking like we knew what the hell we were doing, we decided it was the brake pad that needed to be repositioned. Not having the right sized allen wrench, we conclude it really wasn't a safety concern, and continued on our ride. Now for some the idea of repairing your bike is a scary one. The mechanics of all those gears, levers, cables, chain, and wheels can be over whelming! Oh lord, what if I don't tighten a bolt right, I may find myself screaming down a hill with no brakes! For me I found the experience to be rewarding and strangely relaxing?!
    There are so many video tutorials online that you can learn to do just about anything! Bike repair included. Just type in what you want to learn and go. Tools on the other hand is something that you will have to invest in. I had bought a more bike specific multi-tool from amazon (Crank Brothers 17 function) which now lives in my backpack, along with a spare tube, small pump, tire lever set, and a basic first aide kit. Like photo equipment, throw bike on the label and people feel like they can charge up the butt for it. So my advice:


*Never pay full price. Shop around do your research. (price point has great deals on tubes)
*Never force something tight. You will strip the threading of what ever you're working on.
*Prepare to get your hands dirty and or fork fluid in your hair.
*Don't be afraid to take something apart. worst case go to your bike shop and have them put it back together. If you end up doing that ask question, learn from your mistakes.


    For me fixing my brake pad was easy and I ended up learning a bunch from the tutorial I watched. I even adjusted the timing of my breaks, so I didn't have to squeeze so much on the lever to engage the brakes! It was vary zen to work on my bike, listen to the birds, and drink my coffee. I highly recommend it.

Here I am Again at the Crossroads

Almost a month since I started this journey. I wouldn't say the time flew by, but a lot has changed in me. The things I thought I wanted in life and career, turned out to be not what my heart truly desired. Its funny, I was so stubborn and hardheaded before, that I didn't listen to the words of support from the people who deeply cared for me, now I can't stop hearing them in my head. Hindsight is always 20/20, but I wish I would have listened.

Jelly Jar Party Light

Crafting keeps me going. I saw this idea online and thought what a wonderful idea! Whipped this up today. Now that its done I can see room for improvements. Smaller gauge wire that I can bend into curves and experiment with adding sea-glass or other decorative elements. I want to find different jars to make an outdoor chandelier with them. When I think back on family BBQs I remember the use of these jars as center pieces and glasses to drink from. You gave the kids the jars so they wouldn't break the good drinking glasses. So many fond memories it's only natural that I would find another use for the empty jars in my kitchen.

Kitchen Apron

This is the kitchen apron I made to replace one that has gotten faded. Loving my old apron I wanted one just like it. But not knowing where to find it, I just made one. This apron I started and finished today! My craftsmanship is a little rusty, my stitching is tight in areas and there is a little bunching of the fabric. Over all I would say I did a great job! My old apron had big red poppies that I just loved, but I couldn't find fabric that had that same look. Finding this dia los muerto fabric was just as good. I love cooking mexican food, so what better fabric to make an apron with! A little heart embroidery on the red tie in the back was a result of not wanting to change thread color, but in the end was a fantastic detail!

I have tried to keep myself busy this past week in an effort to keep my mind on the present. I have had good days and bad ones. Thoughts and feelings come over me like a rogue rain storm, gone as quickly as it had started. I have always prided myself on my vary British way of dealing with emotional pain, "Stay clam. Carry on." I wonder if one day I will just crack, but I know better than that.

Day Five: The First Ride

I have just got home from my first real ride with my best gal pal, Gris! We didn't go up anything to steep or go over anything remotely technical. Had so much fun! I feel tired and I want to take a nap, but with my first taste of dirt in my mouth.... I like it. I still don't know really what am doing and my bike isn't dialed in to my specs, so I can see this deceasing my motivation later on. For now I enjoyed myself and will try and get out on the trail as much as I can.

Gris always on the job 

My first mountain bike wound

The Bike

Day Two: Learning To Ride A Bike... Again

Sounds silly but now riding with clips I felt like I was learning to ride a bike all over again. I cleared all the cars out of my long driveway, giving myself plenty of "learning" room. Leaning the bike up next to a table I practiced clipping in and more important getting out! I learned the basics from Mr. Yeti but had never used it in practice. Push your foot forward to clip in. You twist your foot to release; or you fall over like a deer in headlights. Ok got it. It was hard to meet the cleat with the pedal, but a few times I started to get the hang of it. "Ok now lets ride to the end of the driveway." Talking myself through all of this. "Right foot... got it. Left foot. Clip dam you! GRRR." I did this for a half an hour or so. Each time I clipped in faster till it just happened on its own. Clipping in check, clipping out another story. Keeping the bike up right as I tried to twist my foot was more difficult than I though. Slowly I got the hang of that too. Clipping out with my right foot first was key, then I could stop, stand, and twist the left foot. By this time I was too excited, I wanted to go for a ride! It was getting late and I was still to intimidated for a real bike trail. So I decided a ride down to the beach trial would do for now.

Backstory: I hate crossing the street with out a walk light, even then I jog across. If some said a car was coming even if we were in the middle of nowhere I would double time it in fear of being ran over by the invisible car. So riding the couple of blocks to the beach down curvy steep streets scared me. But this is the new me right?! Ya that was the last time I would do that! This was no cruse down to the bar. Beach around sunset on Valentine's! What was I high? Valentine wasn't what bothered me it was the sheer volume of people I didn't like; cars, people, strollers. Too much! But once I got down there and started to peddle all was good again. The people just obstacles to get around, and I enjoyed the sunset just me and my bike.

Day one: Bike Shop Vs. Bike Store

Acquiring a mountain bike the day after your break up with Mr. Yeti was a heart breaking event. I took this as a sign from the cosmos; "come on you know you always wanted to, but you never did because you didn't want to take away his "man time". F him its your turn now." I will say, I did learn somethings from Mr. Yeti and I do thank him for that. Am not totally oblivious. Getting the full suspension bike for starters, saving for disc breaks, the color white always makes you faster and cooler; as in awesome (scientific fact), knowing my fork is shit if I plan on really getting into this, and the need for a bike shoe you can clip in for the ride, or hike section if you need to.

My local bike shop had only road shoe for woman. I had hoped I could avoid the bike "store" but I need to try the shoe on and I didn't want to wait. Feeling comfortable in a bike shop is one thing. The owner probably is in the back on the phone or running the counter. Their here for the love the sport and if they can make a living doing what they love great! Bike stores on the other hand are typically a chain of some kind. Dealing with the newest and the greatest, and always over priced. Not to say the people working there don't have a love, but its different love.

Walking in I found the woman's section easy enough, then was greeted by a young man in his early 20's if that. I told him I need a mountain bike shoe for a beginner. He stated in; "oh this one runs about 90 bucks" Look don't get me wrong I knew going into this I has to put down the green but the shoe looked like I would slip and die if I walked any trail! He talked a bit more about other shoes total skipping the one shoe that looked like I could walk in. I pointed at the one shoe with a sub $90 tag, "What about that one?" "Oh that's a hybrid. Its more like a hiking boot with cleats." "I am a beginner. I will probably be hiking a lot." He grinned as realty slapped him up side the head. "Oh, ya... right." Found the right size and paid. "Got everything, helmet, shorts, jerseys...." Just wanting to get out of that place before they had me in a full matching kit, I forgot to ask how to get my shoes all set up.

Shit! Sitting down with the box looking at the instructions I forgot about the cleats. This time to the bike shop. The owner an older man was on the phone with sounded like a regular customer about an order. Called to the boys in the back, a young man of the same age as the 1st young man greeted me the same way. "Hi, I need cleats for my shoes." "Oh, ya sure! What kind of peddles do you have?" Oh, no I don't know this one. "I don't know, but they look like those, " pointing to some in the case. "Cool. Let me get you set up with the easiest ones." The owner now off the phone throwing a pair of cleats to the boy, "These ones just fell in price." He smiled at me with warm grin, "beginning biking? By the look of your shoes; mountain bikes?! Good choice." "Thanks." The young man was back with the cleats, his boss pushes my shoes over to him "Help this young lady with her shoes so get can start practicing."

I walked out of the shop with my shoes ready to go, and a little more confidents to really give this biking thing a go.

The Shoes

The wind blows in a different direction now

I am always thinking of others and I more often than not, forgetting about me; losing the power and strength I once had. Thinking on who I was two years ago and who I am now; am not pleased. Becoming to supportive of others, I lost my true adventures self. In a mission to bring that girl back, I have begun down a road that before I would sit on the side of, and cheer others on. NOT now! Now its my turn! Am here now to record this journey so I don't forget the strength I have, and to remind myself to keep something fun for me.

San Francisco

My cousin Jon and I drove up to SF to look at some new museums to take the 4th grader to. We didn't find much, but we will be adding Crissy Field to the list.