Crazy Cameras

I saw a cool camera collection at the Eastman House where Charlie the Tuna was displayed. While hunting for a good photo to show you, I found one man’s amazing collection of plastic cameras. Moshe Ber-el…that’s one great collection buddy!

CHARLIE TUNA camera, USA by WhiteHouse
This camera is shaped like the STARKIST TUNA figure. It uses 126 cartridge film and a flash cube can be attached to Carlie’s head.

MICK-A-MATIC, USA, 1970s
A 110 camera in a Mickey Mouse head. Flash cube on top of head and the lens is in the nose.

KOOKIE KAMERA, IDEAL Toy Corp. USA, 1968
A great novelty, toy with a real camera! (Propably the best collectible novelty-camera). Takes 1 3/4″ x 1 3/4″ photos on direct positive paper, includes an in-camera processing (see the photo bellow).
Comes with disguises for the kids and has a special effect extra lens (The tomato soup…)

Back view: notice the view finder and at the bottom the black developing tank (plastic). A inner cutter is moved from side to side in order to cut the photo-paper thus the already photographed paper falls into the tank.

Can cameras: A promotion camera made in the actual size of the can

The film is advanced by turning the silver cap of the can

Box cameras: Promotion camera made in the actual size of a Cigarette pack

And the same design & size to resemble a fruit juice drink box

AERIAL KITE CAMERA (TOY), USA 1999
Assemble kit: built a camera housing for a single use camera (included). You’ll have 2 strings one attached to your kite and the second attached to your camera’s shutter release so you can take a photo from up in the sky. If to want to take another photo you’ll have to bring down your kite.

VOLTRON – STAR SHOOTER, MACAU, 1985
The Voltron figure closes (transforms) into a 35mm SLR camera, while it has a real 110 camera at the top.

Hanna Barberra
1978 – Fred Finstone & Yoggi Bear, 126-film

Bugs Bunny Made by Helm, 126-film

POTENZA tire camera, JAPAN 1950s
This camera is shaped like a Bridgestone tire. Uses 110 cartridge film. Single speed shutter.

2008 Calendar

Each year I set aside some of my favorite photos to make a desk calendar. It’s sometimes hard to decide because some hold a special memory… and only I can know what that is. It may not translate to the viewer beyond me.

This calendar also gets into the hands of some of the sales people I work with and they in turn pass them on to their customers. Therefore, sometimes decisions are also swayed by what others may like…or what could be offensive to some, though I rarely shoot that type of image.

This year I have decided to go with what I like…and if they don’t… well that’s a choice, isn’t it?

The cover will be a very simple solid black page with a wonderful quote from the magnificent T.S. Elliot…How can I go wrong…

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot

Anyway, after many after-thoughts and lip biting, second guesses…and then arriving back where I started…this is my calendar for 2008

I can’t even remember my correct order of months…but I will try 😉

January: Under the Pier, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia February: Little White Church, Prince Edward Is. March: Laundry Day, Nova Scotia

April: Red Barn, Iowa May: Jack, Route 66 June: In Memory, Santa Monica Pier July: From the Rooftops, Montreal

August: Roy’s Cafe and Motel, Amboy September: Windmill, Wyoming Plains October: My Father’s Orchid

November: Miko leads the Way, Route 66 December: Ghost Town, Bodie in Winter

Thank you’s

Every year’s Halloween Scene is a major undertaking…this years especially involved a lot more people than in the past. First and foremost is a special thank you to the “Halloween Team” themselves. Without Mike and Mitch there is no set. Every year I hand over my sketch of the dream in my head and every year I hear their motto “It can’t be done” but they always seem to make it happen. Believe me, it’s what you “don’t see” that takes a tremendous amount of time and energy on their part, rather than what you “do see” in my set dressing…

This years theme came from a young man that lives around the corner. Jake asked me last year if I could do a “Haunted Casino” and held up his little Las Vegas replica sign. Thank you Jake…my mind was spinning with ideas within 10 seconds. Then there is Chris, whom without his help and guidance, the actually Lost Vegas sign would not have come about, nor the archway to the Chapel of Horrors. Gigantic Thanks Chris. Thanks to the efforts of “Display It” in Irvine and their team who actually built the sign and donated it to the cause. I will be hanging that baby in the TV room along with my James Bond autographed collection. You guys are amazingly talented.

Big Love and Thanks to my lifelong friend Jamie for the wonderful zebra mural…the glitter was a nice touch. Thank you to Jamie, Scott (Jamie’s Son), James and my Father-in Law Dick for handling “candy/ toy detail” which is no task for the faint of heart. A Big Thanks to Ronnie from Phantom Coaches for the magnificent Black Hearse…which I secretly wish was mine. I drove it around the city and to breakfast the next day…what a kick! Thanks to Mike and all his Dealers and Bartender from the Poker Store in Westminster who came in and taught “even me” how to play Blackjack.

Thank you to both Steve and John for the wonderful old slots and Las Vegas memorabilia. They made everything so much more fun for the kids. And Steve, thanks so much for fixing the headlights on the Halloween Mobile. You are an electrical wizard. A special thanks to my beautiful Niece Nicole for being an exceptional cigar-cigarette girl and the politically correct idea of adding “throat cancer” to her neck. Thank you to my big 6’5″ Nephew Bobby for handling security and keeping a close eye on things for his loony Aunt.

Thanks to Dan and Kevin for the posters, signs and money bands and for putting up with my designer fanatics. Thanks to Candace for helping baby-sit me on Tuesday Night when Mike and Mitch could not be there. Thanks to Gary for decorating the gigantic house being built next door and little odds and ends around the set. Thanks to Jake’s Mom Jamie, for bringing me dinner one night (I never remember to eat during this time).

Thanks to all the neighbors who don’t turn me into the Police for not taking out a permit and for putting up with all the traffic. Thank you to the unknown named neighbor who afterwards took down posters to save me time and energy. Lastly, thanks to the HB fire department for taking the extra candy off my hands and saving me from about 10 lbs of extra weight.

I hope everyone had as much fun as I did 🙂

My National Holiday

Halloween Day

Well…what can I say. If I had only known…at least I could have changed my holey t-shirt and combed my hair…oh well

For the record, I am not the “self proclaimed Queen of Halloween”…it’s a title someone long ago dubbed me…I am the self proclaimed most tired women in Orange county though…I only have one eye open and I can’t feel my feet…and I have no idea how to how to make this play… so copy and paste or something

http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=51530@kcbs.dayport.com

The reason for the other season…

It’s 12:30 am Halloween Day…my feet are KILLING me but the kids and I had fun at the 2 night preview. The boozometer is a big hit. These are literally the first three shots. I promise to do better but I’m so tired I can’t now. This is the Hearse Wedding Moblie, the Vegas Lounge and the Chapel. Tomorrow will be absolute mayhem so don’t expect to see me. I wish you all Happy Haunting.

Joe, hope you get lots of candy and your Mom lets you eat it all…

Tis the season

The Hearse Parade

One year Later

I was up until 2 am trying to pull tiny little tags off the kid’s “Snake Eyes”, “Hit me” and “High Rollers” give-away bracelets… and then back up at the crack of dawn to resume candy detail, sign hanging (which I despise) and more set dressing (which I love) but I just had to show you a proper photo of the focal point…

The sign is up and it took 5 strong guys to get it there…

The first photo is the Halloween Team and Steve, the guy who got his Father’s’s old one arm bandits going.

Next is Jake, the boy who asked me if I could do a “Haunted Casino” as he held up this sign …one year ago.

Then we have Chris and Carson, the man (and friend) who made this sign possible and Carson, his son who came to Halloween (which allowed me meet his Dad).

The sign is amazing…and is quite popular…  Now off to bed. I’m going to a hearse parade in the morning  to meet another new friend…

Another day’s work

Got alot done today…the Chapel of Horrors archway went up, the floor was partially rolled out with black paint…and Rocky tried to start a pick up game…