Dear Photograph,

I have been intending to mention the wonderful site, Dear Photograph,, on here for a very long time. It so simply conveys the power of photographs, memory and human connection.

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is just around the corner. Dads are notoriously difficult to shop for, but Dodgen Photography makes it simple to give gifts that dad will treasure for a lifetime. Order prints from a recent session or sentimental favorites from a past one. Or surprise dad with a gift certificate for a portrait session to capture this stage in your child or family's life. Order soon to insure delivery in time for Father's Day.

But it wouldn't be Father's Day without a homemade gift. We suggest making Family Fun's camera card to perfectly complete the gift.

Caine's Arcade

I LOVE this! It's a good reminder to leave some time and space for free play (and have plenty of boxes around). You never know what may happen.

Autumn Window Displays

The green leaves are turning
To yellow, red and brown
And when the wind comes whistling by
they'll all
.....come sailing
..........down

Here are a few autumn leaf projects to try on a cozy autumn day.


An autumn tree with leaves made from painted coffee filters at Frugal Family Fun Blog


Classic leaf rubbings painted with watercolors by Maya*Made


Tissue paper "stained glass" leaves from Mom on Timeout

We love to use our imaginations at Dodgen Photography and we love low tech toys that give us lots of room for creative expression. You can imagine how excited I was to discover the i-Wood. It reminded me a bit of our own iBox, but with even more room for creative input.

via swiss-miss

Shop of Awesomeness!

If you have ever been to the Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse, you know that they are all about encouraging, inspiring and promoting fun ways to reuse items and materials "too good to throw away." Encourage and inspire they do. With product labels like "Circles with Possibilities!!!", "Orange Ya Glad We Have These Containers?" and "Box of Awesomeness!" how can you not get inspired. If you are not sure where to begin, there are a myriad of items created by local artists and patrons to spark your creativity, or to purchase if you are more of a patron of the arts than artist.

While it is a great place to get creative inspiration, it also is a great place for kids to learn about other things. My first grader is learning about money in school. At The Depot he is able to apply his new knowledge, calculating and budgeting his $1.00 in coins to buy innumerable treasures (is there any other shop where you can still buy something for 1¢?). There are also opportunities for learning about conservation, recycling, donating, and community.

If you spend any time talking with owner, Lisa Hernandez, you know that she is more than an advocate for creative reuse, she is an advocate for small business, artists, and community. To that end, last year The Depot applied for, and was awarded, a Pepsi Refresh grant. To celebrate, they are hosting the Pepsi Refresh Creative Reuse Day on Sunday, February 27 from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm. There will be creative reuse crafting, instrument making/playing, a bike rodeo, rock climbing wall, a free bike valet and more, including all of the boxes of awesomeness and possibilities! Instead of providing refreshments, they are encouraging attendees to support the many local coffee shops, restaurants, markets and other small businesses in the area. As a small business owner, I think that is inspiring!

Pepsi Refresh Creative Reuse Day Celebration
Sunday, February 27, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
The Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse
320 Elm Street, Long Beach, CA
Regular store hours Monday - Saturday, 11 am - 6:00 pm


The Long Beach Depot for Creative Reuse window, ready for the Pepsi Refresh Creative Reuse Day Celebration

Cardboard Tube Pen Holder

Here is a great way to sort pens and other writing implements in the family craft area while reusing plentiful cardboard tubes. Griscel Diaz mounted hers on the wall, but I think it would work as well in a box or drawer for storing a wide variety of craft supplies (pencils, pens, brushes, Q-tips, and more). Another advantage of this design, if you get a new set of pens, just add a tube.

via inhabitat

Art Display and Storage Box

Children are prolific artists. It can be challenging for parents to figure out where to display and store even a few of their masterpieces. Here is an inspired idea from Maya Donenfeld. A way to highlight your child's most recent work of art, while archiving some of your favorites. You can decorate the frame however you like, but keep it simple so that it doesn't compete with the art itself. And do not forget to write the child's name and the date on the back of the art. This will make it easier for future collectors and art historians to identify.

You can find complete instructions on the bookhoucrafts blog

This would also make a good gift for grandparents, or doting aunts and uncles, with new work delivered on special occasions, or whenever inspiration strikes.

Cereal Box Marble Run

I love this simple cereal box marble run from Made by Joel. Check out Joel's blog for detailed instructions (and lots of other creative projects for kids). It fits perfectly into our ongoing series of posts celebrating the creative reuse of cardboard packaging and would be an easy project for a lazy summer morning.

Cardboard Tube Marble Run

We finally got a chance to put together the cardboard tube marble run that we saw in a recent issue of Family Fun magazine (click the link for complete details).

We cut up some 8.5x11 magnet sheets that we had sitting around to attach to the tubes, but you could also use those pizza delivery fridge magnets that you probably have too many of. In addition to marbles, we used round bells that added a fun sound component to the maze. We are trying to come up with some additional objects/shapes to add to keep the maze interesting. We would love to hear any ideas you may have in the comments.

iBox is Here

All of the tech buzz may be about Apple's new iPad, but we are pretty excited about our new iBox, a cardboard laptop computer we made ourselves.

We used an old box with a single flap top, an Apple sticker (if you have a Mac your probably have a couple of these lying around), a picture of a keyboard and track pad that we cut out of an old Mac laptop box (though I had planned on either taking a picture of a keyboard and printing it or drawing our own custom keyboard), a letter-sized sheet protector (available in clear or non-glare) to use as the monitor, and screen shots of a few of our favorite applications and websites, that we then printed and slide into the sheet protector when we want to work on a specific application (of course we can also create our own "applications" to put on the screen).







We also added a USB port (a hole cut into the side of the box) to plug in peripherals like a portable cardboard hard drive and our digital camera.

For more fun projects using cardboard boxes, click here.

More Cardboard Art: Building a Robot

Photographs by Greta Eskridge

I knew that long-time client and friend, Greta Eskridge, would be a great addition as a guest blogger here at the Dodgen Photography blog. Seeing her post about the cardboard robot her son made, sealed the deal (in case you didn't know, we're big fans of cardboard creations). In Greta's words:

My son James loves to build things out of cardboard. If he sees a box lying around the house, he is sure to ask if he can use it. This time he wanted to make a robot.

It was a pretty straight forward project.

First, I cut off the back of the box, then a hole for his neck and two holes for his arms. This allowed him to slip it on and off easily by himself. We used an additional box, with eye holes cut out, for the head.

Next, he decorated it. Besides markers or paint, some glue and various shiny things are just right for decorating a robot. Tin foil would also be fun.

He was pretty pleased with his creation.

A little imagination goes a long way with a cardboard box.

Greta

For additional photos, go here.

Recycled Forest

I love artist, Yuken Teruya's work in which he transforms everyday objects (like toilet paper tubes and Happy Meal Bags) into intricate vignettes. I also thought it fit in nicely with our series of posts about the creative reuse of cardboard.

Christina Katerina and the Box

I can't write about cardboard box creations without mentioning one of my favorite books, Christina Katerina and the Boxby Patricia Lee Gauch.

When Christina's family gets a new refrigerator, she gets a world of possibilities from the box it came in. The story follows Christina and her friend Fats, as they transform the box from a castle to a secret clubhouse to a race car to a summer mansion where they throw a lavish ball for their stuffed animals and dolls. The box is finally damaged beyond repair when Fats decides to wash it off with a hose. Fortunately, Fats' family just got a new washer and dryer...

The simple line drawings, by Doris Burn (who also wrote and illustrated the wonderfully imaginative Andrew Henry's Meadow, another favorite of mine) provide lots of inspiration for box creations.

Cereal Box Houses

Photograph from Bella Dia blog

Continuing with our series of posts about creative reuses of cardboard, here is a simple box house idea from the Bella Dia blog. When I was a kid, I always looked forward to finding the prize in the box of cereal. Now the box can be the prize. I think mine would have a garage door cut in the side for my Hot Wheels. Go to Bella Dia for detailed instructions.

Todd Oldham's House of Cards

I love this idea from designer Todd Oldham's book, Kid Made Modern, inspired by the Eames House of Cards. Not only is it a unique take on the classic cardboard box house, but it provides lots of "canvases" for kids creativity and can be reconfigured again and again.

Max's Jet Box

I knew when I walked into Max Gibbons' house for a portrait party that his family was hosting, I had found a friend. Upon seeing the jet plane that Max had built out of cardboard with his dad, I was reminded of the hours of fun I have had racing down the track, soaring through the sky and sailing across the ocean in cardboard boxes, first as a child and now with my children. I don't think any of my creations have been as impressive as Max's, but in my imagination (and in the imagination of my children) they were the real thing.

Not a Box

What better way to start a series of posts about the creative reuse of boxes than with a book about a rabbit with a box and an active imagination.

Not a Box is a simple and engaging book (think Harold and the Purple Crayon) that encourages imagination and thinking outside the box.

Save the cardboard

Grown-ups often joke that children like the box more than the gift that came in it. While this is certainly not always the case, an empty box holds enormous potential for imaginative play and creative art projects. If your home is anything like ours, you have a bunch of new cardboard sitting around - from online orders, gifts sent by distant relatives, empty tubes from wrapping paper, gift boxes, etc.

With this in mind, I will be posting lots of creative reuse ideas for all of your cardboard boxes, tubes, bags, and more over the next few weeks. So, before putting your cardboard in the recycling, save it for a little creative reuse first.

Photo Op: Photograph your favorite star(fish)

Photograph © Andrew Reitsma

The Aquarium of the Pacific is hosting a special photographers night on Tuesday, April 7 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. "On this night, the Aquarium will be available to photographers for the sole purpose of getting their dream photos without having to worry about the general public either getting in their shots or being bothered by their equipment." Those who attend can also enter the Aquarium's photo contest. The grand prize is an Animal Encounter of your choice.

Tripods, lighting equipment, and screens to block reflections are allowed (but not required) on this day only. Tickets are limited (to provide everyone the best opportunity) so be sure to contact the Aquarium ahead of time if you are interested in attending.

Thanks to Susan for passing this along.