Both humans and dogs contributed to the success of my recordings and this web site. If you'd like to identify, locate or learn about them, you're on the right page!
Mastering of first two: Clark Ferguson; Bearswamp Studios; Macungie, Pa;
Some of the album cover photography: Dennis Gillette; Gillette Photography;
Emmaus, Pa;
Additional album photography, Peter Elsea, Santa Cruz, CA
Graphics: Liz Stehman; Rittenhouse Graphics; Macungie, PA; Phone:
610-845-3083; E-mail: [email protected]
Liz Stehman; Rittenhouse Graphics; Macungie, PA; Phone: 610-845-3083; E-mail: [email protected]
Banner design: Peter Elsea: Santa Cruz, CA
Converting, organizing and uploading files: Peter Elsea; Santa
Cruz, CA
Order form on secure page: Len Burns; Santa Cruz, CA; Phone: 831-420-1828; E-mail: [email protected]
"Guide Dogs, First Hand"
Cover and tray card Photos: L'Orange, my former guide dog, a
black Labrador Retriever
Dog vocals: Ellie (my former guide, GSD), Reina (my twin sister's
former guide, GSD) and L'Orange (my former guide, lab)
"The Guide Dog Glee Club"
Front cover photo: This photo features 7 guides who were working at the time and one
who was retired.
German shepherds: Ellie and Gunther
Golden Retriever: Ren
Chocolate lab: Zipper
Black labs: L'Orange, Frisky, Herman and Isaac
Tray card photo: features four of the guides.
German Shepherds: Ellie and Gunther
Black labs: L'Orange and Frisky
Dog vocals: Ellie and Reina
"We Woof You A Merry Christmas"
Front cover photo: This photo features the four from the back cover of "The Guide Dog Glee Club":
German Shepherds: Ellie and Gunther
Black labs: L'Orange and Frisky
Back cover photo: This photo features the dogs on the front cover of "The Guide Dog Glee Club":
German shepherds: Ellie and Gunther
Golden Retriever: Ren
Chocolate lab: Zipper
Black labs: L'Orange, Frisky, Herman and Isaac
Dog vocals:
German Shepherds: Ellie, Reina, Hardy, Omalai, Hugh and Admiral
Black lab: L'Orange
Laurel Creek Music Designs logo:
On the left, one above the other are the words, Laurel Creek Music Designs. To the right is a music staff turned sideways. The five lines point up and down, but twist and curve to resemble a creek. In the middle of the staff is a blue eighth note, whose stem and flag appear to point upwards, rather than along the staff. It looks as if the staff is sometimes in front of the flag and sometimes behind it. The note has a transparency that gives it a watery look. Visually, I've been told it defies perspective and is very Escher-like.
Home: L'Orange, my eighth guide (black lab) and me; from the back cover of "Guide Dogs, First Hand"
About the Studio: Okay, this is not a dog! It's Jimmy, a Vermont Teddy Bear, holding a ukulele.
About Veronica Elsea: This is not a dog either. It is a picture of me, Veronica, playing Max, my viola.
About Laurel Creek Music Designs: Here is Jasmine, a friend's guide dog (GSD). She was caught curled up in my rocking chair.
Contact page: This is a very relaxed Ellie, my sixth guide dog. (GSD)
Credits: This is Maya, my third guide dog. (GSD) She is curled up, looking very pleased with herself.
Downloading and Saving audio files: This shows Maya, my third guide (GSD) turning around in circles as if she's playing or chasing Laurel Creek.
Music of the Month: This shows Ellie, listening.
For Thee I Sing!: This shows Annie, my eighth guide. (GSD) She is sitting, looking pensive, almost sniffing at the words, Laurel Creek.
Guide Dogs, First Hand: This is a beautiful picture of Ellie's head.
The Guide Dog Glee Club: Reina, my twin sister's seventh guide dog (GSD) is sniffing at one of the letters in the words Laurel Creek.
We Woof You A Merry Christmas: This picture features Hardy, my tenth guide. (German Shepherd) He is looking out, while sitting to the left of a Christmas tree, which is decorated with toys and a teddy bear angel on the top.
Purchasing a download card: This banner features Omalai, my eleventh guide (German Shepherd) lying down with a tennis ball by her feet, looking up as if to say, "Come play ball with me, please?"
Where else can you buy "We Woof You A Merry Christmas": This picture features Omalai, my eleventh guide (German Shepherd) surrounded by her toys. She is just about to bat at the Cuz toy which is between her paws. Lying near her you see a tennis ball and a nylabone.
Descriptions and text: This features Liz, my sister's third guide. (GSD) She is catching a snowball, standing on her back feet, just on the tips of her toes, in a very unusual pose.
Extra crumbs and tidbits: This picture features the elderly retired L'Orange, my seventh guide, (black lab). He is lying down with a large bone between his paws. His mouth is opened as if he's singing.
How Digipaks are made: This features a picture of an opened digipak.
How I created The Guide Dog Glee Club: Dogs are not featured here, as I was creating the glee club! This picture shows me in my studio, singing and playing one of the keyboards. It also shows other keyboards, wires and racks full of equipment.
The toys that brought the dogs to you: There are no dogs here either. This shows me in my studio working. You see two computers and several keyboards. I'm looking in the general direction of the words, Laurel Creek Music Designs.
More about what's in the songs: The words, Laurel Creek Music Designs appear across this picture of the dog biscuit wreath which is found in the Digipak art work.
Stories behind the pictures: This features Nannet, my ninth guide, (German Shepherd). It shows the front of my house; with Nannet and me, walking by, in the distance.
Who done it? ("We Woof You A Merry Christmas" credits): This features my twin sister and me with German Shepherd guides Robyn and Annie. Vicki is petting Robyn as we stand on either side of a Christmas tree, which is decorated with animals. The words, Laurel Creek Music Designs are in front of the picture.
About Diabetes Melodious: This banner features me, sitting at a vanity, filling an insulin pump cartridge. I am turned towards the camera, holding the cartridge and insulin vial up in the air. It shows My black lab guide Tai's head, with his nose up against my knee. You see several items on the vanity, including a kleenex holder with a bear on it, a band aid box which holds my lancetts and more. This sceen goes through the words, "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
Where else can you buy Diabetes Melodious: This is definitely not a dog! It's my brother-in-law's brownish-gray tabby kitten to the left of the words, "Laurel Creek Music Designs". The kitten is half-crouched, ready to pounce, very intent on hunting something off to the left of the page
Read all text and descriptions of art work: This banner features Robyn, one of my twin sister's former guides. She is lying down, looking relaxed. Her head is up and her tongue is out. She is to the left of the words, "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
Complete song lyrics and a short artist bio: In this banner I am being guided by Hardy, my former German Shepherd guide. We are walking along a sidewalk and some of the neighborhood around my friend's house shows. To the right are the words, "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
Extra points and tidbits: This banner features Nannet, one of my former guides. She is about to pounce on something which is off to the left of the page. She is in a crouched position with her right front paw up in the air. To her right are the words, "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
More about how the "Diabetes Melodious" digipaks are made: This shows an open, unfolded digipak, standing upright.
How I created Diabetes Melodious: This banner features me grooming Hardy, my former German Shepherd guide. I'm brushing his forechest and he's sitting on a grooming table schlurping my face. This picture is centered behind the words, "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
The tools that brought these diabetes numbers to you: This banner features Annie, my former German Shepherd guide, virtually hanging from a kong on a rope. Her front paws are in the air to the right of the words, "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
More about what's behind the songs: This banner features Hardy lying down. His paws are stretched out and his head is up, showing off his one funny crinkly ear. He has a friendly, almost playful look on his face. His tail goes behind the M of "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
Diabetes Melodious Credits: This banner features Tai, my black lab guide playing with his dog bed. His head is turned away from the camera. He has a black kong in his mouth and is pawing at his very wrinkled bed, which lands behind the M in "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
From The Song Banks Of Laurel Creek: On the left, you see the Laurel Creek logo, minus its text. In the center is where you find the words, Laurel Creek Music Designs and the German Shepherd paw print.
Check the progress of future releases: This shows Robin, my fifth guide, (German Shepherd) running towards you.
Links to other sites: This shows Sheena, my fourth guide dog (GSD) looking very curious.
Main order page: This shows Maya, my third guide (GSD) turning around in circles as if she's playing or chasing Laurel Creek.
The Screen-reader ordering notes: This page features the listening Ellie again.
The Online and Offline ordering pages: They feature L'Orange, my seventh guide (black lab), showing you his big brown "oh please" labrador eyes.
Thank you page: When you complete an online order, you see a very happy Ellie.
Decline: If your credit card is declined, you see a very sad L'Orange, again looking at you with those big brown eyes.
Compositions available for performance: This picture features Cherokee, my first guide dog (GSD) looking a little sad.
Return Policy: This shows me playing tug with a German Shepherd named Chiwa. We are at opposite ends of a large rope toy. Chiwa is looking very intense and I am backing into the words "Laurel Creek Music Designs".
Music For August: This is a picture of me, Veronica, playing Max, my viola.
Music For September: This shows my friend, Pat Mitchell and me as we're riding "The Giant Dipper", which is an old wooden roller coaster. We're both scrunch down, obviously sounding off, and my hair is blowing around like crazy. The words, "Laurel Creek Music Designs" appear across the center.
Music For February: Reina, my twin sister's seventh guide dog (GSD) is sniffing at one of the letters in
Hardy Birthday: Hardy, my tenth guide (German Shepherd), is jumping over the words Laurel Creek, just about to catch a kong.
Reina: Reina, my twin sister's seventh guide dog, played a very important roll in my recordings. She was responsible for some very clear steady pitches. Unfortunately, she lost her battle with kidney disease in March of 1998 before she could enjoy her newfound stardom. But it is her voice that will always make you laugh when listening to The Guide Dog Glee Club and her lively picture on the banner on the Glee Club's page on this web site. Thanks for your words of wisdom, Miss Reina.
Zipper:He was a gorgeous chocolate lab, who guided Joanne Rath around Allentown, Pennsylvania and beyond. Zipper appears in the front cover photo on The Guide Dog Glee Club CD and cassette. Just a few months after this picture was taken, he lost his battle with skin cancer. His calm gentlemanly demeanor will catch the eye of many people for years to come in this photo. Thanks for adding your grace and style to our lives, Zipper.
Ellie: Ellie, my sixth guide dog, played a major roll in my recordings. My grief surrounding her retirement was the inspiration for the creation of "Guide Dogs, First Hand". She was responsible for most of the whiny and expressive pitches. She gave many hours of her life being recorded and listening to me as I edited. Her serious, worried nature gave my recordings their sweet sound and gave me a great guide. Thanks for your patience and your compassion, Miss Ellie.
L'Orange: L'Orange, my seventh guide sang many of the melody lines in "We Woof You A Merry Christmas!" His expressive lines add much of the personality to this recording. His playful spirit kept me going through some difficult times and brought so many wonderful people into my life. His intelligence and curiosity were legendary. Guess he'd just seen it all by the time he left us in 2007. Thanks for the great party, m. L'Orange!
Annie: Annie, my eight guide didn't sing much. But she added a great deal to my life through her guiding and her easy manner. I'm glad she could grace this web site with her appearance on a banner or two. Thanks for the guidance, Annie.
Web site contents copyright © 1999-2010 by Veronica Elsea
