Dog Photography Blog

Halloween showed up, dressed in plump costumes designed to disguise and retain warmth. The wind made marvelous work of the strewn cobwebs startling 1 dog and intriguing multiple trick or treaters. The night closed with the rise of the moon and engulfment into darkness, a spitting sleet keeping everyone home and cozied up with the leftover candies. Two horrible creature features (First: Piranhaconda & Second: Attack of the Killer Donuts). Horrible plot lines, bad graphics and subpar acting. A perfect way to wrap up the Halloween evening. 

Enter November 1st, fall in its glory, trimmed in pumpkins and rotund turkeys, hints of cinnamon and spice in the chilled air. And everything Halloween, fall or festival, gathered, marked down and pushed to the side to allow the utter take over of the red and green trimmed with gold (granted this holiday was trying its darnedest to wheeze in at the end of August). Upon the 6th day into November we have entered into Christmas. There is a whopping 49 days left until the actual date. Sure, its a money making holiday. Sure those big companies are quarters ahead (they’re planning spring break as you read). It’s always been a slight annoyance. 

Couldn’t we refrain from the holiday sparkle until after we’ve celebrated family and friends? Until after we have gathered in good food and love? Start the greens and reds the moment after Thanksgiving. Heck through a big royal party after the big Macy’s balloons have wafted by and Santa has given a hearty hohoho and wave. (Cue the song from Home Alone as they are running to the plane).

Perhaps this is a way back to a “new normal”. The year was a rough one, so let’s turn to the holiday that brings bliss, happiness and joy sprinkled with hope for the new year? (Though, this lovely holiday has been creeping upward into August for the past few years.)  Yes, we like Christmas. What we wish is that we could have a sense of fall, of Thanksgiving,  before it took over like a fluffy red & green twinkling beast. 

Here’s to fall, pumpkins and cider and that gathering of friends and family (together or remotely) to celebrate good health and love.  Let’s celebrate Christmas in its due time!

OOOOOOOOO!!!! Mark your calendars!

December 5th, from 9-2 in the Regency downtown St. Cloud there will be the Maker’s Market! Snag gifts and goodies from local artists and crafters. Plus you’ll get a chance to oogle at the lovely things Atomic Collars has! Indeed, we will be there in the flesh, masked and socially distant, hanging out with the awesomeness of local crafters & artists. The full details can be found here: https://www.makersmarketstcloud.com/

Recipe time!

Today, like every Friday before, it was a Saturday in 1896. The recipe submitted by Mrs. Lucy J. McChesney, of Charleston W. Va. 
(A unique: the recipes for Friday the 5th – submitted by Elizabeth Bacon of Memphis Tenn – are all repeats, minus the Southern Corndodgers.)

What in tarnation is granose?
– turns out it is a flaked wheat cereal introduced in 1895 and created by William Kellogg of the future Kellogg’s brand!

Let’s enter into the recipes for potato split biscuit and lemon pudding:

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POTATO SPLIT BISCUIT
Boil two large Irish potatoes; while hot mash well. Stir into the hot potatoes a tablespoonful of each of butter and lard, one level teaspoonful of salt, and when cool enough not to cook them, two well beaten eggs; to this add a teacupful of milk, in which has been dissolved one-half cake of compressed yeast and a tablespoonful of sugar. Stir in a quart of sifted flour; cover and leave in a warm place to rise. This should be mixed in the morning.  One hour before luncheon turn out on a biscuit board and with just enough flour to handle roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter; place them one on top of another (like a sandwich) in a baking-pan; let them rise and bake in a quick oven.

* Quick oven = 375-400 degrees
** assumed cooking time: 15-20 mins
*** yes you can still get cake yeast! Can’t find it (it will be refrigerated)? Use dry yeast: One 2-oz. cake yeast is equal to three packets (¼-oz. or 2 ¼ teaspoons each) of dry yeast.

Go ahead and share with your dog, moderation of course!

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LEMON PUDDING
Put a quarter of a pound of macaroons in a pint of milk to soak until soft. Beat four eggs with half a cupful of powdered sugar until light, and stir into the milk. Beat the whole until thick and smooth; add the juice and grated rind of two lemons. Pour into a well-buttered pudding mold; cover, and stand in a pot of boiling water to boil for one hour. Serve with lemon sauce (recipe follows). 

* the unique thing about this pudding recipe is that is uses already made macaroons, (which aren’t the coconut covered treats but instead the dainty tasty french cookies). These guys:

Interesting. Now if you’re bold, then make yourself up a batch of those tricky little tasty beasts (there’s a realm of letting them sit to get skins, and then baking to get perfect feet – we have not given them a try yet…). Feeling less than eager to put them together, then plop them into a pudding? Buy them. Aim for the lemon flavored ones to recreate the lemon pudding. Whole Foods does sell them, smaller bakeries might as well. 

Why banterings into vintage recipes that have nothing to do with photography and frequently little to do with dogs? History intrigues me. The 1896 cookbook is 124 years old, preserved and longer lived than the recipe givers within the pages. How the book itself survived in such stunning condition with no more than a slight discoloration on page edges and well worn cover is the curiosity. Who kept it throughout each generation, who cooked from it & added the dog ears on select pages? How did it leave the kitchen, the bookshelf and land in a large antique store in Indiana where it caught the attention of my eye? The inquisitive in me is curious. And the fascination makes me want to learn more, to share with you. 

This is about lending to you the depth that is I. Food is one of those universal things that bring us together. And heck, why not try some exotic 124 year old recipes? 

With Fridays being a fun, learn a little, banter a lot, perhaps cook something and share with your pupper, what would you like to know/learn?

This brain is available for all kinds of picking and sharing:
– photography elements
– dog breeds
– collecting Pyrex/vintage milk glass
– recipe consulting – there’s a pack & we can find the recipe!
– anything else delightful you can think up!

Respond to me at and your topic will become part of the Friday banterings!

Stay healthy, safe and enjoy that GORGEOUS MN weather while it remains!

If you need to get ahold of us (chit chat, scheduling your session, baking success or fail, etc) email: / text or call 320-428-0135 / Facebook & Instagram

Friday, the night before Halloween…

The creepy creatures were stirring, the scary movies nonstop, the costume creation (a vampire) in the nearly complete stage. Oh how we adore Halloween. (But not the dusting of S-N-O-W received overnight.) 

For this entry, we’re trying something a little different. If you’re on “le list” you’ve been getting handy dandy Friday fall color updates, some tasty recipes from 1898 and dog friendly recipes, plus assorted baubles and bits. We thought, why not extend this onto the blog for a little bit of pizzazz. (If you’re on “le list” you’ll still get the emails!). Without further babble, let the Fridays begin!

Did you know that October was Pitbull Awareness Month (Plus there’s a day too: October 26th is Pitbull Awareness Day)? Hey better to remember the end of the month…

The goal of Pitbull Awareness Month is to give people the chance to learn about the true nature of pitbull type dogs in the hopes of getting rid of years of negative stereotypes that are unfair. Being a pittie mom I can say he’s a dog.  He’s a doofus, nosy in a “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence” way, snores like an old man, tolerates being photographed, loves walks and suntanning, and is extremely particular about dogs he likes vs wants to eat their face. If you’re in his circle of people he’s happy to see you and will snuggle your warmth. He barks at squirrels, cats, people jogging, people on walks with their dogs, the mailman and delivery guys, all while sitting on the back of the couch like a 65 lb kitty cat. 

Neato peato pittie facts:

•  Pitbull is NOT a breed – American Pitbull Terriers & American Staffordshire Terriers are! 
• American Pitbull Terriers are recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC), & the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA) but NOT by the American Kennel Club! (AKC) – Staffies are!
• Though… American Staffordshire Terriers per the AKC might just be the American Pitbull Terrier renamed!
• They were originally bred for dog fighting, which means it isn’t unusual for some pitties to be dog selective
• They love people, are friendly and were once called “nanny dogs” 
• They score really high on temperament tests (a good thing!)
• No their jaws don’t lock when they bite, and no they don’t have the strongest bite force – that award goes to Rottweilers and German Shepherds

Some famous pitties you might know: Petey from the Little Rascals, Sergeant Stubby the most decorated dog of World War I, and Grunt in the movie Flashdance.

Plus Tige of the Buster Brown comics (1904-1923, with 1906-1911 having 2 versions of Buster Brown). 

Do you own a pittie? Do you have any myths or misconceptions you’d like to share?
Don’t own a pittie? Make friends with one!

We like to bake, morso than cook. In fact later today there will be some mega tasty ginger cookies that will be created (there’s 6 sticks of butter on the counter to get to room temp).

Where do these recipes come from? Depends. The ginger cookie is a recipe from the internets. Other recipes, well they are of the analog style. Taken from the collection of 58 cookbooks, aged 1898 to 1970s, from Betty & Better Homes, to small companies, brand names, churches and handwritten bits, these recipes give a touch of tasty vintage to the kitchen. The most common looked for recipes? Cinnamon rolls, cakes & cookies. Savory? Main courses? Who cooks that? HAHAHA!

One of the favorites is the 1898 The Daily News Cook Book. It’s a calendar of meals, dated, and entries submitted by people across the country, with the whole year of meals costing you a budget of $500. ($3,135.90 in today’s inflation.)

One of our favorite things to do is find the date and share the recipe. We’ve had squab, graham muffins, and many others, tasty and odd. One unique thing about the 1898 cookbook is that is assumes you know A.) how long to cook something B.) what oven temperature you need or C. ) what a fast or slow oven is. Adds to the adventure of the recipe. 

Today in 1898, it was a Saturday. The meals submitted by Mrs. C. J. Sunde of Chicago. 

Nothing overly exotic, though the quaker oats and the Harvard pudding are curiosities. Shall we see how we craft them?

QUAKER OATS BLANC MANGE
Bring one quart sweet milk to a boil, add saltspoon salt and stir in one cupful quaker oats; cook thirty minutes. Just before removing from the fire stir in two eggs, very well beaten. Sever either hot or cold. 

* sweet milk = plain milk
**yes it’s literally Quaker Oats – high odds they are the old fashioned style (Quaker Oats was based in Chicago!)
*** saltspoon is a tiny spoon used with a salt cellar that sat on the table, it equates to roughly 1/4 teaspoon

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HARVARD PUDDING
Sift together two and one-third cups of flour, one-half cup of fine granulated sugar, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one-quarter of a teaspoonful of salt. Work into this with the tips of the fingers one-third of a cupful of butter. Beat one egg light, add cupful of milk and turn onto the dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into a buttered mold and steam for two hours. Do not allow the water to stop boiling for an instant. 

*Vintage pudding is much different than the classic sweet treat that involves milk & powder or peeling back the lid of a cup (butterscotch please!). Pudding can be baked or steamed, savory or sweet. This seems a bit like a biscuit, you may be able to add in a little vim and vigor with spices. Seems a steamed pudding is cooked on the stovetop in a covered pan with boiling water. Interesting…

Also, both recipes are dog friendly if you wanted to share! Remember to do treats in moderation!

Best of luck, let me know how your cooking adventure goes!

Awesome news on the Atomic Collars horizon! (Oh you didn’t know we sewed bitchin collars & scarves as Atomic Collars?)

Drumroll………………………………………………

We are introducing hoodie and crewneck sweatshirts! (There also might be jackets on the horizon!). Made from upcycled and recycled found materials, these sweatshirts are one of a kind and perfect when the weather gets chilly. Warm classic cotton up to wool and cashmeres for the warmest, coziest cold weather wear. Sized medium to large for those bigger puppers who are freeze babies when the temp drops below 60 degrees. 

Bender helped model a crewneck and a hoodie. He’s really got his haute couture “I’d rather be doing other things” model look down hahaha!

Wondering if we can do a photography session now that the weather has gone into the north pole mode? Yes we can!

Snow can make an awesome backdrop, and its fun to capture your pup romping and getting a snow covered nose! Generally classic sessions are up to an hour and half (all at your dog’s discretion) while with snow/cold weather sessions we may wrap up a little sooner, per the warmth of your dog & yourself. If we start getting super shivers 30 to 50 minutes in, we’ll make our way back to our warm cars. 

If the temperature is slated to be under 20 degrees, rescheduling will be best. If the weather turns super gnarly, in the way of a massive blizzard, we’ll reschedule for a safer driving day. Rescheduling will take place no later than 2 hours prior to your session. 

How many of you have snow loving pups?

Put on your costume, horde half the candy, and be safe if you decide to go trick or treating. Or even if you’re home handing out the candy. 

If you need to get ahold of us (chit chat, scheduling your session, baking success or fail, etc) email: / text or call 320-428-0135 / Facebook & Instagram

The opening scene. Temperatures are mild from the frozen bits, the goals & plans blooming like the green sprouting around the yard. 

DREAD. The pandemic inserts itself messily into the beginning of March, holding onto a stay in place until the tail end of spring found in the late days of May. 

Oh the ample time! Use to:
– Create & launches courses
– Give time to Atomic Collars
– Launch into full time photography
– Weekly blog posts
– Creative marketing paired with action

[ Insert a hacking of the website somewhere in the duration. Seems since everyone had more time on their hands, hackers did as well. Massive annoyance. ]

The result:
• Courses – well at least one completed (Beyond the Barking Basics) with the manual mode course written but not recorded (we’re going on months – why?). 
• Atomic Collars – kicked into high gear, then over sewn the process. (Process = make / pictures / post for sale.) Currently the summer scarves are waiting to be finished, the 200 bin of ties is slowly weeding down and new ideas for waterproofing and glow in the dark have come to fruition. Plus a “formal wear” collection that turns your wedding necktie / colors into a collar. 
• Launch into full time photography – GO! And the lovely span of time from March to May said no photography, stay away from people. Good luck. 
• Weekly blog posts – seems this has really put into play. (The 52 Week Project is going to be restarted – not sure we’ve ever made it the full 52!)
• Creative marketing – with COVID its been a hold. We are slowly getting into an area of “normal” and marketing + action will be kicking better. 

CLASSIC INTERMISSION

Second act: Temperatures have risen to the summertime level, as have the plants & flowers about the yard. Someone invited the mosquitos out, and the birds have fledged multiple squawky offspring. 

Time to brush off the delays, the creaks, the dusty perception of direction, the subjective essence of time (what day is it?). The part time gig has arranged itself to consume Mondays, leaving the remainder of the week to be organized. Headspace will be addressed and managed to help with getting the movement going, to creating the action. (Currently there is a movement of overwhelm, of dull, of lack of direction, a grey and blue feeling – the culprit is not committing to a plan of action for forward.)

In the manner of James Clear of Atomic Habits: 
“Action forces prioritization. If you’re stuck deciding between options, force yourself to act. You can only act on one thing at a time, which means you will have to make something the top priority. Even if you pick wrong, you’ll learn something.”

And in the manner my favorite epic woman EVER Ash Ambirge of the Middle Finger Project:
“It really doesn’t matter where you start. But waiting to start will kill you.

The action to take: 
– Better communication with you – clients, friends, colleagues and avid followers 
– The Manual Course (it has been calling for creation & to be released into the world)
– Atomic Collars – finish the bin, the scarves, create the waterproof & glow in the dark collars and TELL everyone about them. 
– Full time photography is happening – we are booking late summer & FALL sessions! 

This is a grand adventure, laced with oddity for the first half of the year. Here’s to the new norm. 
Stay safe, hug your dog, wear a mask. 
We love and appreciate you.