This blog is where my personal and business life intersect. I'm a a multi-passionate creative who teaches people how to create faster roadmaps to abundance in work and life through the doorways of business consulting and reiki teaching. If you'd like a DIY workbook to plan for your own creative living, check out my Pricing Workbook for Creatives. You'll see that I travel the world as often as I can and keep a gratitude journal as a reminder to find strength in my challenges.
I was a full-time professional photographer for 15 years, so there are still many cringe-worthy archives of my early work and artistic journey on this 19 year old blog. I've written loads of creative business advice over on the Photolovecat blog, and have started sharing reiki healing stories and healing moments over on the Abundant Sphere blog. If you'd like to learn more about me, here's a TEDx Talk of what my guiding questions have been to help me tune into my natural gifts and purpose. I'm available for workshops, presentations, interviews, and private consultations on creative business topics and for the advancement of arts programs in schools and communities:
ANNE ON TEDX
You're invited to join me in celebrating my 2nd year at Western Ave Studios and my 6th year in business as a full time photographer! The last year has brought great balance and peace to my life, and I can't wait to share that with you. For the first time since I started my business, I have FINALLY been in the same city for more than 2 years!! There's so much that goes into those first two years of opening a business or starting in a new city that I'm soooo glad to finally be in a place where I can experience the fruits of building a great team of people to work with! So....
Let's Get Our Party On!
Where: Anne Ruthmann Photography - Studio 302, 122 Western Ave, Lowell, MA 01851 When: Saturday April 2nd, 2011. 12-5pm Studio Open House, 5pm - 9pm Stay & Party with Glen David Andrews Band RSVP & Map: So I can have enough gifts for all guests http://on.fb.me/anne411
(Don't live near me? I might be visiting your area soon!! For cities and dates, [CLICK HERE]!)
PS. The idea for the "Anne-iversary" came from my dear friends & photography colleagues Rich & Ashley Pizzuti, who also helped with the image above. They celebrated their "Anne-iversary" as the day we first met and I "helped them get their heads out of their @$$" by inviting them to get more connected with the local community of photographers. We've become such good friends since that first meeting and I really admire how quickly they've grown since then!
Only two days left to visit my FREE Holiday Photo Booth so you can get some holiday photos that won't suck this year! If you're lucky, we'll even give you a chocolate chip cookie. ;-)
When? THIS Saturday 12/11 & Sunday 12/12 from 12-5pm
Where? Western Avenue Studios, 122 Western Ave, Lowell, MA
Who? You & me baby
Why? Because you like to have fun!!
Buy unique & local handmade gifts this holiday season! Holiday Open Studios this weekend and next from 12-5pm! Directions available online: http://www.westernavenuestudios.com
For two days only, Saturday November 13th & Sunday November 21st, I'll be offering a limited number of studio boudoir sessions for only $300 with 10 high resolution digital files included.
Studio sessions generally include about 1-2 hours of shooting in studio, and about 1-2 hours of collaborative editing immediately after the shoot. This means no waiting to see the results, and you get to pick the favorites!! All shoots will be done in Film Noir Boudoir style, which means all black & white images. Prints & albums are also available, but no minimum purchase is required for the session special. Email me now to schedule your session!
Since it's hard to get close to a Koala in the wild, most of these photos are from the Featherdale Wildlife Park between Sydney and the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia.
Apparently the Koala's preferred diet of Eucalyptus leaves is what causes them to sleep alot. I think they look cuter and nicer with their eyes closed anyway. ;-)
Can you find the wild Koala in the photo below? This was captured at Noosa National Park in Queensland, Australia.
If you couldn't see it in the photo above, use this next photo to help you see what kind of place they naturally end up in.
At many parks in Australia, you get a chance to "Cuddle a Koala" - so I did! While I found most Australian animals in the wild to be quite tame around people, I still wouldn't attempt this outside of a supervised park, did you see those nails above?
On twitter and facebook a lot of people asked me to bring a Koala back from Australia- so I did! Unfortunately it wasn't any of the ones above. However, the Koalas I did bring back require no supply of eucalyptus leaves, tall gum trees for sleeping, or cleaning maintenance. They can cling to your camera strap, keep your pens and pencils safe, or ride everywhere with you on your keychain! To win one of these cute little mini koalas pictured below, just find one of your favorite TwitPic photos from my Australian adventures, copy the link to the photo and paste it in the blog comments below!! That's it! Oh, make sure your name is on your comment too! I'll announce the winners Monday morning in the comments, so be sure to check back then!
Contest ends April 19th- so get your entries in soon at GreenBostonWedding.com! Video entries are strongly encouraged!! I have to give a HUGE thanks to Kelli Sigmon of Swank Events for bringing all of these fabulous eco-friendly vendors together in one place!! I'm really excited to work with such a green team of Boston wedding vendors!! I just can't wait to see it all come together!! If you know of someone who would love to hear about this contest- please pass it on using the little email icon below!
(Please note: If you've already booked your vendors, please don't enter because we'd like everyone to keep their jobs.)
Congratulations Charlie & Richard!! Your video won over the hearts of voters and they voted for me to photograph YOUR wedding!!! Here are the official results:
Thank you so much to everyone who participated by logging in to cast their vote!! I was secretly checking the stats every day and it was such a close race all the way!! Each couple was in the lead at some point, but Charlie & Richard soared ahead by over 100 votes in the very end. ;-) I really look forward to meeting the two of you and to photographing your wedding!!
Samantha and I have been working on putting this little project together for about 6 months now! (Please give Sam most of the credit here because she totally deserves it!!) I've received a TON of requests for classic pin-up photography based on the sessions that I've already done, so we'll be taking this show on the road!! Sam and I will be shooting the sessions, vintage make-up and hair styling will be provided by a professional stylist, and we'll have plenty of goodies to show you what you can do with your very own pin-up photos!!
We're scheduled to visit 4 cities -
Chicago, IL - April 6, 7
Indianapolis, IN - April 13
St Louis, MO - April 20, 21
Louisville, KY - April 27th
We have a limit of 10 girls per day, and a minimum of 6 to make it worth our time and resources to travel to another city. We'll provide some props and costumes, but we encourage you to make the session as personal as you can by incorporating some of your own hobbies or your sweetheart's interests. What I love about pin-up photography versus boudoir photography is that pin-up is classic, cheeky, and FUN!! You don't have to be nude at all, and you can still look sexy and cute all at the same time! ;-) Samantha and I spent a lot of time studying the lighting, poses, make-up, hair, and themes from the classic pin-up art of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s created by Alberto Vargas and George Petty, who essentially defined and popularized the genre. I'm not offering pin-up photos outside of this tour, so if you want me to do them with you, this is THE chance girls!!! Visit the website to get more info and to sign up for your session before we sell out!! http://www.theroxygirls.com
Thank you to everyone who entered for the Indie, Offbeat, Green, DIY Wedding Photography Giveaway!! I loved reading your stories and getting to know more about you! You were all so gracious in opening your hearts to me and I sincerely appreciate that! Choosing finalists wasn't easy because it's not like any couple is better or more of something than another, it's just that I had to narrow it down to three and at some point I just had to make a decision! Everyone deserves to win, but I can only afford to do one. Now that I've narrowed down the selection - the rest is up to you!! Please get to know more about these couples and then vote for the winner!! The winner will be revealed on lucky ol' green St. Patty's Day!!
MARLENA & NATHANIEL
Wedding Location: 3 contenders. Bentonsport, Iowa. Beverley Shores, Indiana. Garden of the Gods, Southern Illinois.
What about your wedding do you consider to be: Independent? We took everything we associated with the word "wedding" and tossed it out the window... and then came up with a new word!
Offbeat? Rockets.
DIY? Invites, flowers, music, food, everything.
Green? We will limit waste with no decorations, buying clothes at a thrift store, buying food in bulk (or local, depending on location), and have a small amount of guests.
A few bits from their wedelope site: Nathaniel and I already had a date set wayyy back in 2007. Labor Day. And then we talked about it and talked about it until we came to the conclusion that a big, giant wedding with 500+ people at a church just ain't our thing, ya know? So now we've talked and talked and talked and have come to one conclusion: we don't want the big church wedding, but we don't want to get eloped, either. And so, wedelope was born!!
our wedelope will be:
• An extremely small amount of people. Right now we're going to shoot for 20. Not only does it make it a nice, intimate event, it also limits consumption & waste!
• No gifts. This is easy for Nathaniel & I because we've been living together for over two years and we already have a bunch of stuff we don't need! We're thinking about finding a good charity we both love to have people donate to, or let them pick a charity they love and donate to it.
• Location. We are planning to have it somewhere outside, where the decorations are natural.
• Gown/Suit: Nathaniel and I have 2 places in Des Moines that are second-hand shops that carry cool vintage stuff. He wants a brown three-piece suit. I just want a simple dress, doesn't matter what color. Just so I'm comfortable in it and it's pretty...
• Ceremony: We have asked one of our good friends, Patrick, to be our ordained minister. He wants to go online and get a certificate for "Church of the Dude." (We'll keep you posted about that one...!) We will be saying our own vows, and Nathaniel wants to somehow include rockets shooting off with planes buzzing overhead. (We'll keep you posted on that idea as well...)
• Afterwards: If we're in Bentonsport, they have a spring festival that features a dance, local vendors with crafts and food and stuff like that, which could be fun. If we're in Indiana or Southern Illinois, we have been toying with the idea of having the people that want to stay camp out and make a bonfire and cook fake hot dogs and s'mores and dance around. Oh, and drink a lot.
in conclusion: When I went to a bridal expo with my mom about a year ago, I kept asking myself, "What's the point in all this? This just doesn't seem like us." Nathaniel and I just want one low-key day where our closest friends and family get together, peek into our lives and celebrate us being lucky enough to have found each other, forever. For us, we don't need cake, djs, second generation great uncles, etc. etc. etc. for that. It's just us!
I feel as though I am truly the luckiest girl alive. I have been so fortunate to find someone who loves me for who I am and to spoil me with his love and affection. Over the past five years we have been through so much together and grown not only as individuals but as one. Richard has taught me so much and at the end of the day I know I am a better person because of him.
Just like everything in life, our relationship has not always come easy. We have worked hard to reach the point we are at today. One of the toughest times in our relationship was when Richard had to go away for basic training. Being away from each other was absolute torture for both of us. Although this was one of the most difficult times for us, it also made us truly appreciate one another more. It tested our love, devotion, and loyalty to each other. When Richard finally returned home we decided that there was nothing more we wanted than to spend the rest of our lives together. Nine months later, our love child, Alina Pembroke Sann was born.
So by now, you're probably asking yourself why do we deserve this?
We're good people! Richard and I try our hardest to make the best decisions that will allow us to sleep good at night. We give everything we do our all so that at the end of the day we know that we won't have any regrets because we tried our best.
We follow our dreams! I am a girlfriend, a mother, a student, a waitress, an actress, an educator, a friend to the environment, and so much more. I haven't let anything hold me back from pursuing my dreams; instead I strive to encompass all the things that I love most in my life. I love working with kids and performing which is why I'm pursuing a degree in teaching. One of my goals is to graduate and continue working with children and help mold the minds of tomorrow's youth. Art and theater are a passion of mine so I hope to instill my love of those with the children I teach. I am so thankful to have found my calling at such a young age and each day I strive to be able to make a living doing what I love.
We plan on using recycled paper for the save-the-date cards, wedding invitations, and place cards. We also want to print a list of ways that our guests can help the environment on the back of the place cards. I'm still searching for a place that we can get organically-farmed cut flowers or flowers that were grown without using any pesticides. For wedding favors we plan on giving out seeds that represent seeds of love where our guests can plant their own plant or tree. Recently I've been researching where I can purchase a wedding gown made of organic materials because I'd really like to wear a dress made of something completely eco-friendly. Lastly, we plan on creating a registry filled with eco-friendly items such as organic cotton sheets, recycled glass vases, and bamboo dishes.
SARAH & JEFF
Wedding Location: The Mississippi Gulf Coast
What about your wedding do you consider to be … Independent? I feel like 'independent' could be interpreted in a few different ways but to me it means an idea or action independent of popular culture. So here's how our wedding falls outside the lines of contemporary thought:
First, we've decided to have a very intimate celebration (35-40 guests) in a town we still have yet to visit. To briefly explain, Jeff just recently accepted a job along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and we'll be relocating there in mid-April and planning a local wedding for October.
My second point stems from my first so I'll continue … While we were both ecstatic about our new opportunity we both knew absolutely nothing about the Gulf Coast so we started researching like mad. In the last two months alone, we've learned how much the devastation of Hurricane Katrina continues to haunt the coast and its residents. How FEMA trailers are still a constant sight in the area and how relief groups continue to pour in and out of the area, helping to build temporary and permanent housing for those who are still without homes. I can't even begin to fathom the trauma so many have felt personally because of this fierce storm. After learning about this continuing struggle, Jeff and I decided we'd like to take our wedding day and share the spotlight with these persevering residents, who, in our minds, are much more deserving. Rather than accept wedding gifts, we will be asking our guests to make a contribution to their choice of a few different charities benefiting displaced residents still afflicted by the storm.
Jeff and I will also be looking at pet rescue shelters when we move down to the coast for a new addition (or two!) to our family. We're hoping to give a dog a new and loving home and we'd love to have him included in our big day. More than anything, we'd like our wedding to center around the celebration of life and we felt the best way to achieve that would be to open our hearts up to our new community and share our special day. We're looking forward to our fast-approaching move and we can't wait to join the passion of the many people who remain committed to helping those still in need along the Gulf. We want to do whatever we can to contribute to the rebuilding and healing process and we hope that our friends and family will join us and leave inspired to do the same back home.
Offbeat? When I first hear the word offbeat, I get one image in my mind: The character of Ana Pascal (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal) in Stranger than Fiction. Well, not really her in particular, but her essence. The essence of someone so confident in their beliefs and passions that they are not bothered by another's disapproving judgment but instead, proudly marches to the beat of their own drum. More than anything, it's important to Jeff and I to stay true to who we are at all times and that includes the day of our wedding. So many people I know seem to just swallow the mainstream images handed to them in movies and magazines – the notion that every bride should look the same on their wedding day … that you're not a bride until you're behind a veil. That the proper favor to give guests is a handful of Jordan almonds and that your invitations must be engraved on heavy white parchment paper. While these things can be perfectly fitting for some brides, I knew it wasn't a mold I was willing to fill.
Jeff and I have always shared a fondness for vintage styles -- the romantic music, the classic movies, the iconic stars. Nothing compares to the smooth crooning of Frank Sinatra, the elegance of Grace Kelly or the poise of Jacqueline Kennedy for us. So rather than succumb to the myriad of modern bridal marketing, I decided to embrace our shared love of vintage and be true to ourselves and our styles.
To stay in line with this vision …
My Mom and I have collected various antique milk-glass vases to combine with family pieces to hold flowers during the reception. I'm so excited about the beautiful milk glass I've acquired – some family heirlooms and some from antiquing with my Mom – and I plan on keeping many of the pieces after the wedding as a reminder of the fun of both the day and the planning that went into it.
I'll also be using my mother's cake stand (which happened to be my grandmother's as well) and cake server. And I'll be using my grandmother's locket to hold a photo of Jeff when he was a little boy and attach it to my bouquet. We will be compiling a list of music to be played during the reception which will only include our favorites, ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Dean Martin to Frank Sinatra to keep a consistent feel to the celebration.
I've also been going through old family photo albums to find favorites to include in vintage frames surrounding our guestbook. I also found a wonderful vintage book of sheet music I plan on using to create the cones for petal-tossing after the ceremony. And I plan on saving them for use in future holiday parties.
While my love for the old and timeless runs deep, I do have a little spunky, contemporary side I have to let loose so there will be a few details to show that. While I plan on wearing an ivory wedding gown, I'm looking forward to having fun with my shoes and coloring the soles a vibrant pink for a bright, bold and unexpected splash of color. And Jeff has already picked out a fun pair of colorful argyle socks to wear with his wedding day suit.
DIY? I adoooooore DIY projects and have a lengthy list of my own to accomplish for the wedding. While I've already mentioned a few (and a few more are mentioned under the Green category), here's several more that will be included:
I'm working on putting together Out-of-Town baskets for our guests. I'm re-using old galvanized pails that we had around the house as the baskets and am planning on stuffing them with local spring water, organic juices as well as regional maps, information and locally-made treats.
We wanted our favors to be something meaningful to both Jeff and I and to our guests. Because Jeff is a huge Ohio State fan and Ohio is the state we met and fell in love, we felt candy buckeyes would be a fun (and yummy!) way to celebrate our shared heritage. I'm going to make the candies myself and package them in personalized containers inspired by Martha Stewart (which can be seen here: http://classicbride.blogspot.com/2007/12/edible-regional-favor.html)
My Mom has graciously offered to hand-embroider the ringbearer's pillow with our shared monogram, which I can't wait to see finished! She will also be helping to hand-embroider handkerchiefs with our monogram as gifts to those at the rehearsal party.
I just bought some amaryllis bulbs to test-grow and possibly use as my bouquet. Whether they work or not, I plan on creating my bouquet and the floral centerpieces for the reception with my Mom (who has some serious experience with floral arrangements).
Jeff and I are writing our own vows – They may come off a little quirky to some but they'll be us and they'll be from the heart. We will also be ringing an antique family bell directly after the ceremony to honor and include those family members who have passed away but are with us in spirit.
Green? We will be having a very small wedding, inviting only 35-40 of our closest family and friends, to keep the celebration intimate and to cut down on flight and car travel. To also cut down on fuel consumption, we are planning on having the ceremony and reception in the same location or at least within walking distance of each other. We also plan on having an outdoor wedding during the afternoon to utilize as much natural light as we can. We chose the month of October to avoid the need for any type of air-conditioning and the energy behind it. Our ultimate dream is to say our vows under a huge, old oak tree – representing the history and longevity we wish our marriage to endure. I love that decorations can really be kept to a minimum in such a naturally dramatic space – no need for ribbons and flowers and aisle runners, etc. when you have a majestic old oak front and center.
Because I work with (and love!) print design, I feel comfortable and excited tackling all of the wedding stationary myself – the Save the Dates, the invitations, the RSVP postcard, the custom map, and the programs. I will be doing them all in a very modern-style calligraphy form in freehand with india ink (although I'm looking for soy ink) and a quill pen (You can check out a rough draft I posted here: http://classicbride.blogspot.com/2007/10/work-in-progress.html) All of the stationary will be printed on recycled paper. And I am currently working on creating a wedding Web site with extra information for the guests to avoid wasting paper.
We will both be wearing socially responsible rings, as they are both antique family heirlooms from both sides of our families. I also love how the shared history symbolizes the merging of our families.
I'm working on assembling two monograms (a 'J' and a 'S') made of natural moss to use as decoration during the ceremony and reception. I'm planning on re-using these after the wedding in our home around the holidays.
I will be researching around to see if it's possible to donate our leftover food from the reception to those still in FEMA trailers or to a local homeless shelter.
Link to your wedding details online: http://classicbride.blogspot.com After becoming frustrated with my organizational skills, I turned to a paperless platform to easily archive all my wedding-related ideas. The amount of encouragement, tips and advice that I've received have been so amazingly helpful in the planning process.
Please use the poll below to cast your vote BEFORE Monday March 17th!!
Note: Results will NOT be shown until the poll is closed!
The results are in!! After many hours of tabulations and confirmations, we have a winner for the secret contest!!!!!!
**** JAMIE ****
What does Jamie win!? $150 to spend at her choice of one of the following stores: - 1154 Lill - where she can be girly and create a custom bag - Apple Store - where she can be geeky and get software or toys for her iMac - REI- where she can be sporty and find new gear for climbing or buildering
She's not the only winner!!! The runner up is...
** NICOLE GREEN **
Nicole gets to spend $50 at her choice of one of the following stores: - iTunes - to keep her ipod full of her favorite bands' new albums - Etsy - to find tons of cool stuff with polka dots - Ruth's Chris Steak House - so she can have her choice of Steak Fries, Julienned Fries, or Shoestring Fries for her belated birthday or Valentine's Day ;-)
How did these people win a totally secret contest that no one knew they were entering!??!!? Let's just say they gave me a lot of blog love in 2007, and I just wanted to give a little bit of that love back ;-)
Someone is going to get a very nice surprise. You've been participating in this contest all year long and never even knew it. The points are being tallied and the winner will be revealed next week! I can't wait to see who it will be!
Update: My contest judge didn't realize how much research she had to do in order to find the winner- so the results won't be revealed until after the new year! However, she did give me a hint about who the winner *might* be!! ;)
A BIG HUG to Damon, who sent me an iphone picture of himself with my tote bag, which he says he'll "totally plan on bringing to the grocery store and using it as much as possible"!! Let's not forget his shiny Prius Hybrid eco-vehicle!! He's officially way cooler than I am. ;-) Thanks for the blog love and playing my silly contest!!
Every month I change my desktop image to a photograph I've recently taken and I thought it would be fun to share these images in my blog so that you can download them for your desktop as well! Every month I'll try to post a new image that is suitable for displaying at desktop size and resolution. Did anyone else notice that I didn't post one for May?! Why didn't anyone tell me?! In any case, click on an image to download a copy for your desktop.
This area of Bergen, Norway is known as the Bryggen, which is where boats and fishermen come in to shop and sell their catch of the day. When you see postcards or art of Bergen, very often you'll find an image of the Bryggen because many of these "stick houses" are over a hundred years old, and built in classic Norwegian fashion.
I usually like my desktop images to have some clean areas so that icons can easily be seen - but I love this image for the novelty of looking in the store window every day and discovering something new in this Bergen Antique Shop. I think it's quite fascinating to see what people treasure enough to hold on to and to pass on to others.
When am I going to give away a gift from Norway?! Right now. ;-) Since most of my time was spent in Bergen, the gifts are specifically from Bergen and will be equally appealing to a man or woman, maybe even a dog! To enter this contest, you will need to EMAIL ME a picture of your feet wearing your favorite shoes. I want this to be a self-taken pic of YOUR feet inside YOUR favorite shoes! Please make the image no larger than 600 pixels on any given side. Smaller is OK if you're just using something like a camera phone. I will choose the winner based on creativity - so let your imagination soar!! Why shoes you ask?? Because I found LOTS of beautiful shoes in Norway, yet never found a single shoemaker who sold my size. So, let me see your favorite shoes! The winner will be chosen on Thursday, June 14th, 2007! Game on!!
Thank you to everyone who gave me different drink ideas to try (CLICK HERE to check them out)!! I can't wait to taste your delicious concoctions!! This time the winner was chosen at random by closing my eyes, scrolling the responses up and down the screen and blindly placing a finger on the screen to find a winner. I couldn't believe who won, especially since I had JUST blogger her wedding! She must be one of those people who always gets lucky!!
Congratulations Dena!!! Enjoy a few Non-fat Peppermint Mocha No-whips on me!
Keep your eyes open for my next contest- I'm going to find something cool in Norway to give away!! Just remember, my contests are usually tucked away in random posts- that way only my most dedicated blog readers win fun stuff! ;)
As the rain trickled down the outside of my window, thoughts of fireplaces and drinking something warm and cozy came to mind. So, I headed out early to get one of my favorite indulgences- a hot Soy Chai Latte (I prefer Starbucks, but it's good elsewhere too!) Why do I love it so much? Because it tastes like you're drinking a cinnamon roll covered in cream cheese frosting or a piece of pumkin pie with sweet whipped cream on top.... seriously, doesn't that sound yummmmy?!?! The Tazo® Chai blend served by Starbucks is "a mix of rare black teas, exotic spices and comforting vanilla."
Even if you've never had soy milk or have been afraid to try it, try it in a hot Chai Latte first and see what you think. I don't drink soy milk in anything else, but for some reason, I absolutely love it with Chai Tea and now Chai with anything else just doesn't taste as good to me. Another option would be to go with non-fat milk, but the soy milk really brings something special to the flavor - in addition to extra iron and fiber, as well as reduced cholesterol and sodium (over skim milk). And don't forget to use your own mug to save 10¢ off your drink, but more importantly to save a few trees and landfills.
What's your favorite coffee or tea drink? I'm always interested in trying something new! Tell me what your favorite coffee house drink is in the comments below and you could win a $10 gift card to Starbucks! (Make sure you include your email so that I can contact you if you win!!)
Also, since April is Earth Month and Earth Day is only a few weeks away, Starbucks has teamed up with Global Green USA to provide a fun and interactive edutainment game about the different ways we can reduce our individual carbon footprints. Click the picture below to play!
A special thank you to everyone who participated in my Live. Love. Green. Tote Bag Contest!! There were some great ideas about small and easy changes we can make to help out the environment! Here are a few ideas that were mentioned:
"FREECYCLE!! If Freecycle is available in your area (you can find out at www.freecycle.org), by all means join! It has its roots in both environmentalism and anti-consumerism. There is also the added benefit of joining a local e-community like-minded others. I have both given and recieved some great items on Freecycle, and it feels gratifying to keep perfectily good items out of the landfill." - Sharyn
" I teach elementary art. It occured to me that buying new scissors every year is crazy. So, I bought a scissor sharpener. That way, I can re-sharpen blades and keep from putting 30 pair of kid scissors in the landfill every year." - Kristin
"Unplug that microwave, toaster, coffee maker, cell phone charger! That's just a bunch of energy going to waste." - Marlena
"Best Buy has a recycle area for ink cartridges, batteries... even cell phones! That's such an easy thing to add into your day. I stock pile my used Epson cartridges and then take them with us when we go shopping to get rid of them right. We have one of those IKEA bag holders for under the sink and use "old" grocery bags for lots of things - lunch-carriers, kitty litter disposal, etc. Oh, and I rarely wash my jeans too. And when I do, I do it on cold to save a little energy." - Megan
The winner was chosen at random using the tried & true system of names written on paper and drawing them from a bowl. ;) Finally, the winner is..... MARLENA!!!! Congratuations Marlena!!!! I'll be in contact with you shortly about where to deliver your Live. Love. Green. Tote Bag!
Keep your eye open for more contests in the future (they aren't always obvious or easy to find)!!! I love giving stuff away!!! ;)
Happy St. Patrick's Day!! If you want to know the real story behind St. Patrick's Day, and why it is associated with the Irish, Good Luck, and Clovers, check out the Saint Patrick's Day post on wikipedia. Since March 17th is when many people strut their love for the color green, I'm going to take this opportunity to share 3 ways to BE more green in your everyday life!! (Read on to find out how you can win a free reusable tote bag!!!)
1. Drive less. Find ways to carpool with the people you work with and/or utilize public forms of transportation, which is improving across the country! As gas prices go up, it may actually be MORE economical to your wallet and the environment to fly instead of drive! Since airlines are a public form of transportation, it helps more people utilize less fuel and emits fewer harmful gasses into the environment over time as opposed to that same 200 people driving in cars for several days instead of planepooling for a few hours. (I would love for someone to do some real research on this!) Trains are my absolute favorite form of travel because you still have many of the benefits of traveling on the ground like talking on your cell phone, connecting to your wireless internet, looking at the local scenery, having more leg room, and not having people frisk the heck out of you, but alas, we Americans haven't made it as easy or cool as the Europeans have. Jet Blue, Southest, and AmTrak make it very easy and economical to travel long distances with ease. If you absolutely need a car when you get somewhere, Enterprise has great rates and offers a hybrid Toyota prius at some locations.
2. Reuse more. It isn't enough to recycle by simply buying disposable products and putting them in a recycling bin. We need to reuse more. It's about using and buying things that are reusable rather than buying things that are meant to be thrown away. Imagine how much space we'd save in landfills if everyone brought their own cups to fill up at fast food chains, coffee shops, and gas stations. Imagine how much oil and how many trees we would save by trading in the disposable grocery store bags (which may get reused once before they break) for cotton totes that are washable and reusable. How about wearing jeans and sweaters more than once before washing them, which will result in using less energy, time, money, and strain on the environment (unless you went to a really smokey bar and the Febreze isn't doing the trick... no one wants to smell your smokey bar clothes!) Try using Dryel instead of driving to the dry cleaners and having them wrap plastic bags around your clothes. Check out ReusableBags.com to find all kinds of reusable items that have been made in ecofriendly ways. I could go on, but if even 1/4th of my blog readers committed to doing just one of those things, we could make a big difference!
3. Buy Locally. Studies have shown that people who purchase foods and goods that were grown and produced locally, tend to be healthier overall. How can this be so? The farther your food has to travel to get to you, the more preservatives have to be added, and the more waste and disease have a chance to affect the quality of that food. I think we can all agree that fresh produce which is in season always tastes better than produce which is out of season. If you want great food out of season, find out which local farmers can their produce and make it available for sale, or head to your local farmer's market to get the good stuff grown nearby. As great as the internet is, there's also a high value in buying things locally from small mom & pop shops that make their own products rather than having mass produced items shipped from who-knows-where. Not only does it help you support your local and US economy, it also helps save the environment by reducing the amount of waste created in producing and shipping mass market items. That's one of the things I love about Etsy and EBay, because they allow you to search for products and sellers near you!!
WIN A FREE: LIVE. LOVE. GREEN. ANNE RUTHMANN PHOTOGRAPHY TOTE BAG!! This reusable, washable, carry-all is usually only given away to my clients who order full size albums, but you can now get your own for free!! One winner will be chosen at random, and there are three different ways to enter, just pick one that works best for you! * Make sure you include your email address when posting a comment so that I can notify you via email if you're the winner! Here's how to enter: 1. Leave a comment below with another easy idea for living a greener lifestyle. - OR - 2. Make a promise in the comments below letting us know which of the ideas mentioned above you're going to put into action immediately. - OR - 3. Make a donation to the Environmental & Energy Institute and leave a comment letting me know who made the donation.
The winner will be chosen on April 9th! Thank you so much for your participation!!
This giveaway is sponsored by Anne Ruthmann Photography and The Yellow Rose Inn. Please click on the links to learn more about the sponsors. ___________________________________________ Updated: 2/10/07
I've received some responses saying, "I'd love to enter the contest, but I'm already married." This is not just for single people (it's also not just for women)!! Married couples are probably the most deserving of a boudoir photography session. I've also had several people ask me "can we still do boudoir photography with you if we don't win?" and the answer is ABSOLUTELY!!! So, here are a few more details about my special Film Noir Boudoir™ sessions:
MODESTY- Modesty can range anywhere from Victoria's Secret ad, to 1950's pin-up girl, to fine art nudity. The style is always romantic, elegant, artistic, and sensual... sometimes even playful, but it will never cross the line into trashy. My intent is to create art out of the human form.
PRIVACY- In order to protect your utmost privacy, I only use black & white film and do not post these images anywhere online unless you have given very specific permission for the use of any photo (ie: headshot only, or an unidentifiable abstract shot). I store the negatives in an undisclosed and locked location so that there is no chance of anyone accidentally finding them or making reproductions from the negatives. Negatives, prints, and albums can be fully destroyed if ever neccessary.
BODY TYPE- You don't have to be skinny and you don't have to look like a model. Take it from me, who is far from skinny or model-condition, to find a way to flatter your figure- whatever shape it may be. The beauty of photography is that we can focus on the most beautiful parts of who you are and disguise everything else that makes you self-conscious when you look in the mirror. You also need to remember that your fiancé or spouse already loves you just as you are and that any tangible gift you can give them to remind them of the beauty they see in you will be treasured.
COMFORT- I understand how insecure and vulnerable we can feel when being photographed by a stranger in such an intimate setting. Because of this, you can rest assured that I will be the only one behind the lens and that I will be coaching you to help you bring out your best. If you want to bring a friend, fiancé, or spouse along for comfort and support, I'm happy to have them there. The most beautiful images are captured when you are most comfortable, and if that means that we spend an extra hour before your session just getting to know each other and developing trust, we will do that.
CAPTURE- Black & White film is becoming a lost art and many photographers who only shoot digitally have never been able to achieve the same beautiful texture, tone, and subtlety that exists in an image captured on black & white film. Not only is B&W film incredibly forgiving, but it is also timeless and will remain beautiful for many years to come.
PRICE- The session is regularly $300 which includes approximately two hours of shooting on location and up to 4 rolls of film. There are a wide variety of prints, albums, and specialty products to choose from that allow you to be as economical or as extravagant with your images as you'd like. I work with each person individually to find something that fits both their budget and vision of how they'd like to use the images.
LOCATION- "On Location" can be anywhere from your fabulous home, to a beautiful hotel room, or even an exotic location. The location should be something that makes you feel comfortable and inspires you to feel sensual and beautiful. It's even better when it's a place that you and your partner enjoy together because the images will help draw on the memories you have or will create there. You would be responsible for obtaining any permissions or covering fees associated with using the location, but as long as there's a way for me to get there, the opportunities are endless.
TRAVEL- Travel is included up to 100 miles from Terre Haute, IN. However, I often travel across the country for various weddings and photography related events and am happy to save you a travel fee by arranging a session that coincides with a time that I will be in a city near you. In the event that you would like me to travel at a time that is more convenient for you, please email me for a quote on travel costs. Here are a few Illinois and Indiana cities located within 100 miles of Terre Haute: Champaign, IL; Decatur, IL; Effingham, IL; Bloomington, IN; Indianapolis, IN; Lafayette, IN; Carmel, IN; Evansville, IN.
If you know of someone who has been looking for a boudoir photographer but just hasn't been sure about the experience, feel free to share this link with them by clicking on the email icon below so they can see if Film Noir Boudoir™ is the right thing for them.
