FriendlyMade Photography

Mmmm...donuts!

2011-09-17T08:32:00.000-05:00

Hang in there!

2011-09-15T19:11:00.000-05:00

Out of this world fun!

2011-07-31T09:31:00.000-05:00

Hello, brand new day!

2011-07-01T06:22:00.000-05:00

Best. Menu. Ever.

2011-06-25T06:50:00.000-05:00

Starting the day the old school way.

2011-06-22T08:13:00.000-05:00

Placemats featuring scrawlable walls

2010-11-15T20:58:00.000-06:00

Love these new Tag It! Graffiti Placemats from Rocket Monkey that let you doodle on pages of blank walls. The perfect gift for my creative nephew who loves to draw on real walls!

Palm Springs

2010-02-14T10:58:00.012-06:00

In celebration of Modernism Week in Palm Springs, California, I decided to post some photos from my trip to that area a few years ago. I hope you enjoy them!

The pool at Caliente Tropics Tiki Motel

Windmill farm in the Coachella Valley

Cabazon dinosaur

Joshua Tree National Park

Looked what just popped up!

2010-02-06T08:07:00.006-06:00

I recently acquired this set of Popsies. They were a gift item sold in the 1960s, imported from Japan by Pride Creations. They're hand-painted wood, spring-loaded, so you just push down on the body and a funny message pops up!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T09:33:00.000-06:00

The Poladroid Project

2009-11-14T10:29:00.004-06:00

Remember the good ol' days of the Instamatic or Polaroid camera, when the picture came out instantly and you'd have to wait and wait and wait for the image to appear? No? Well, I do. So I was happy to discover this fun website where you can make any digital image into a "Polaroid" for free. It's called The Poladroid Project. But be forewarned: it's highly addicting!

Nothing to see here.

2009-11-05T13:12:00.005-06:00

This post was pretty boring so I deleted it.

See the signs

2009-10-18T12:06:00.005-05:00

On a recent trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, I came across some lovely old signs in a charming little mountain town. As you can tell from the white sky, the weather was cloudy, rainy and foggy. But I hear the mountains are beautiful. Oh well, all the more reason to make a return visit.

New online magazine: www.lonnymag.com

2009-10-05T13:41:00.005-05:00

If you were a fan of Domino magazine, check out the new Lonny mag at www.lonnymag.com. (The title is a combination of the words "London" and "New York.") It's an online-only publication from some of the Domino folks, and it features lots of beautiful interiors and objects. I hope you enjoy the premier edition!

You'll love I Like You!

2009-08-30T16:32:00.004-05:00

I stopped by the wonderful store I Like You this weekend. At the new location, 501 First Ave. NE Minneapolis, there's room for even more great merchandise from local and independent artisans—including FriendlyMade! There's funky jewelry, affordable art, clever coasters and lots more. Be sure to stop by if you're in the 'hood.

Gold Rush Days

2009-08-17T13:31:00.007-05:00

I had the pleasure of attending the Downtown Oronoco Gold Rush this past weekend. The entire little village shuts down as antique and flea market vendors set up tables in the streets and on people's lawns. The weather was beautiful!

Summer's (finally) here!

2009-06-28T11:11:00.004-05:00

Wow, I realized that I haven't updated my blog in, like, forever! Where has the time gone? I just got back from a few days of relaxing at the cabin. I also shot a bunch more pictures, so there will be new items in my etsy shop soon. Stay tuned!

Sin City

2009-05-04T20:27:00.004-05:00

I'm just back from a trip to lovely Las Vegas. I overdosed on casinos, chaos and kitch. The highlight was a stop at The Neon Museum where old signs await restoration, like these glitzy letters (photographed with permission at The Neon Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada).

Happy Tails to You!

2008-12-06T09:04:00.002-06:00

I'm having such a hard time keeping this blog updated. But I wanted to wish everyone a happy holiday season!

Banksy Hits The Streets of New York

2008-10-09T20:30:00.002-05:00

Photo nicked from Banksy's website.

No wonder people hate clowns.

2008-09-13T08:51:00.009-05:00

I came across this scary costume when I was walking through the mall the other day. (Personally, I wish stores wouldn't display Halloween stuff until at least October first...) But this is so disturbing I might just have to get it.

Yummy kumquats picnik.

2008-08-16T14:43:00.007-05:00

I just recently tried kumquats for the first time in my life. What a pleasant bitter/tangy/sweet/sour citrus surprise! I thought they looked nice in my Martha Stewart colander, so I took a photo. Then I edited the photo with picnik, a free photo editing program that lets you play with color and make rounded corners. If you haven't tried picnik, give it a whirl. It's fast, easy and fun!

Chicken and Chuckie

2008-07-24T19:34:00.008-05:00

I love it when I see people's senses of humor reflected in their vehicles. These are a couple examples I spotted on a recent trip to Los Angeles.

Meet The Squares

2008-07-12T16:35:00.003-05:00

I just came across these nerdy, geeky characters called The Squares. They're odd, cute and designed by a cartoonist. If you live in Minneapolis, you can pick them up at Robot Love.

MeetTheSquares.com

Serpents and Robots and Squids, Oh My!

2008-07-08T06:55:00.008-05:00

Due to popular demand, I've created the Monster Series postcards for my Etsy shop. The set includes one of each design:
* Dynamite Dinosaur
* Scary Sea Serpent
* Giant Squid
* Robot

I hope people like these silly monsters!

Happy Friday!

2008-07-04T21:56:00.005-05:00

Happy 4th of July and have a great long weekend, everyone!

Antiques Galore

2008-06-27T08:46:00.004-05:00

If you're at all interested in antiques, this place is a scavenger’s heaven. Located an hour north of the Twin Cities on Hwy. 169, Northbound Antiques is a must-see stop on the way to or from the cabin. The prices are reasonable and the inventory seems endless.

Northbound Antiques
Hwy 169
Pease, MN 56363

2008-06-22T07:11:00.000-05:00

I hope you all have a great weekend!

The Shady Dell

2008-06-21T06:12:00.008-05:00

One of my favorite places to stay is The Shady Dell in Bisbee, Arizona. You'll find neither shade nor dell, but you will find a group of vintage trailers, an Airporter bus done in retro-Tiki style, and a 1947 Chris Craft yacht--all lovingly restored and decked out with vintage decor and furnishings.

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-13T07:02:00.007-05:00

Don't forget your father this Sunday, June 15! I plan to spend some time with mine.

"Any man can be a Father, but it takes a special person to be called Dad."

Serpents and wood ticks? Ya, you betcha!

2008-06-08T16:18:00.010-05:00

It's that time of year again. What time, you ask? Time for the wood tick races, of course! Get your ticks ready and head to Cuyuna, Minnesota, on Saturday, June 14th. The 29th annual wood tick races take place at The Woodtick Inn (just look for all the Harleys in the parking lot). And if you're in the area, be sure to swing through nearby Serpent Lake park where you can see the giant serpent statue.

Wood Tick Races
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Woodtick Inn
Cuyuna, Minnesota

When mascots attack!

2008-06-03T09:08:00.009-05:00

I saw a pretty cool Hormel commercial the other day that incorporates some of my favorite things--fiberglass statues! Watch the commercial here.

Share the rainbow.

2008-06-01T19:30:00.006-05:00

Well, the weekend's almost over. Sigh. It rained a little on Saturday, but the big rainbow afterward made it all worthwhile. I managed to get up north and shoot a lot of new things that will soon be appearing in my store at friendlymade.com. Stay tuned...

Minneapolis landmarks

2008-05-29T19:59:00.009-05:00

Today's entry is dedicated to the photogenic landmarks of Minneapolis. The ones pictured here are four of my favorites. If you have ideas for other landmarks, feel free to let me know what they are. Maybe I'll go shoot some this weekend. That is, if it doesn't rain.

My, what big eyes you have.

2008-05-27T17:51:00.007-05:00

Remember in the Austin Powers movie when Dr. Evil escapes in a space rocket disguised as a Big Boy statue? Well, even if you didn't see the movie, you may recognize this mascot from the Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, California. I think he makes a cool photo. Do you?

My new favorite place.

2008-05-25T09:00:00.016-05:00

I like vacations. I like them a lot. Earlier this month I spent a week in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, specifically at the Shangri-La Caribe in Playa del Carmen.

If you’re looking for a relaxing place with sugar-white sand and turquoise water, check this place out. But hurry. Rumor has it the property has been sold and will be torn down by the spring of 2009.

Shangri-la Caribe Beach Village Resort
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo 77710 Mexico
Phone: (888) 896-0690

www.shangrilacaribe.net

Dari-ette Drive In

2008-05-24T20:17:00.014-05:00

Yesterday I discovered a charming, old-fashioned drive-in restaurant called Dari-ette in St. Paul. The fantastic sign caught my eye so I snapped a few photos and then had a yummy grilled chicken sandwich and Root Beer, oh yes! I can't believe I never knew about this place till now, especially since it's been there since 1951.

Dari-ette Drive In
1440 E. Minnehaha Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55106
Phone: (651) 776-3470