ice ice baby, too cold too cold

While on vacation up north - one would think that it would be much colder, much snowier and much icier than Minneapolis and Saint Paul, right?  Wrong.  Well, except for the ice, maybe, but only around good old Lake Superior... and then again, is there ever no ice around the lake??  That water is FREEZING!  Okay, so I know that in the summer there is no ice, but my point is you can get hypothermia on a 105 degree day if you jump in that lake!

I lucked out with the most beautiful three days worth of super clear, blue skies and I took full advantage of the gorgeous color it created in all of my iced out lake scenes.  I mean, we are talking absolutely some of the most beautiful blue skies I have ever seen!!  Who wouldn't want to take a picture of that??

I lugged my poor husband out to the town of Two Harbors to walk around the actual harbor area which, and this still baffles me, is the first time in either of our almost 30 years of visiting the Superior Shore of actually seeing the harbor... hmmm.  I think we need to recheck our vacation priorities!  Too much time spent cuddling in front of the fire and not enough time spent exploring!

I have about a billion more pictures of ice and I'm debating on releasing those to Etsy.  They're all pretty cool and I'm definitely thinking that they would make a great greeting card set - for what, I'm not sure.

Anyway, as usual, make sure to keep checking my Etsy site for more fun Lake Superior photography!

my recent trip

Don't worry, I'm still working on other projects I have spoken about in previous posts.  Those projects are much more intense then just walking around and snapping a few pictures so they take a little extra time to set up, shoot, edit and post!

In the meantime, I went on a trip!  Well, okay, as I write this I'm still on said trip... but it ends today and I'm quite sad.  I wish I could stay here longer!!  But who doesn't feel that way on vacation?!

Yesterday I posted a few new listings on Etsy and today I'll give you the story behind them!

Just across the road from where we stay there is a set of railroad tracks.  I know some of this history of them - used for the transportation of mining materials from the mid-1800's until mid to late 1900's and now used mainly for tourism.  There are quite a few rail lines in the area, but the one directly outside our door is used mainly for fun.  You can board the train to reach Duluth or take a murder mystery/pizza party/nature inspired trip!

I have, in fact, taken an informative ride on the train years ago.  The train doesn't run all the time and I'm not even sure if it runs in the winter.  I haven't heard it this entire weekend.  But there is something so desolate and eerie about a "deserted" set of railroad tracks.  Something so dangerous and daring too.

I took these pictures yesterday as I wandered around the area getting some exercise.  I jumped on to the tracks in a few different places to see what the view looked like and snapped a few shots from different angles.  The sky has been SO blue up here and the weather, although a little chilly, has been amazing!  These two photos are some of my favorites and there are definitely more to follow!

follow me for free stuff!

Want a free 8x10 print from me?  Follow my blog!!

When the AMP blog reaches 25 followers, I'll place the names in a BIG bowl and fish out the winner.  This winner will choose a photo from my Etsy shop and I will ship it to them free of charge... this person could be YOU!!

Want one?  You can have it if you just follow the AMP blog!!!  Just click the follow button on the left side of the screen!  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Tell your friends!!

lanterns lanterns everywhere

Today I posted a new picture to Etsy.  This photo was taken in Tokyo after the new year.  People were pouring in from everywhere to say a prayer, get their new year fortune and eat some delicious food!  The temple was decked out for the occasion and we were wading through the extreme amounts of people to check it all out!

 

The food was mmm, mmm, mmmmmm! I'm pretty sure that all of that walking we did the week that we were there did nothing for my waist line!  I was trying EVERYTHING!  I scarfed down some chicken bites on a stick just prior to snapping the shutter on this little beauty.

I must say that this is one of my favorite pictures... so much so that I made it my Google account background!  I can totally see printing this in a very large format and hanging it on a wall somewhere in my house!  I think it would look awesome!

Check out my Japanese Lantern listing as well as all of my other listings on Etsy!  I promise you won't be disappointed.

OH! And check out the Etsy Photography page on Monday - all day - to see my listings featured!!

i'm back!

Sorry for the delay in posts.  Its been a madhouse around here lately.  However, I'm looking forward to some time off from work this week/weekend and I'm all AMPed up about it!

To celebrate, I've posted a new picture that you can buy for the bargain price of $15!

I took Sunset Trees while in Nagoya.  My brother brought us to a park with a small shrine around dusk on New Year's Eve.  We hiked through the hills and took some pictures down by a river near the train station.  This park was nothing special - but at the same time it was beautiful!  I was wandering around on my own taking in the scenery when I looked up to find that the sun was setting and there were these three trees... all by themselves.  It was perfect!

results post

If you hadn't noticed, the results for the poll are conclusive...

COFFEE SHOP INFATUATION 

will be the next theme!  Thanks to those who voted!

A new poll will be up shortly and look for a chance at a free $5 Caribou Coffee gift card for those who vote!  You can't beat great coffee for free!!

Hopefully everyone is enjoying their Friday and aren't feeling too green from their Irish beer last night!

a shout out

Last weekend I went out to play paparazzo to the runners.  While out walking around the lake I took this picture and I must say that I am quite a fan of it!

That being said, I must give a shout out to lovingtherun.com for helping me to break into the world of Twitter and always being there for advice, feedback and suggestions.  Check 'em out!

So, here's to the upcoming running season!  I totally enjoyed stalking runners this last weekend and can't wait to join them on the running path... once it warms up since I'm a total wimp in the cold ;)

Oh - and Happy Beer Day!

hump day

What better way to celebrate Hump Day than by checking out my original greeting cards?  I have sweetened the deal even more from last week by giving you 10 cards and 10 envelopes for $10!!  It's the 10-10-10 deal!

10-10-10 DEAL

Don't see what you want in a greeting card?  I'm always open to suggestions and requests and I'd love to know what you want to buy!

Leave a comment with your ideas and if I pick your idea you'll get a free set of cards!!  Pretty great deal, huh?  Yeah, you betcha!

twitter tuesday

Twitter, Twitter everywhere.  What am I talking about?  I'm finally becoming fluent in Tweeting.  Yes, I'm slow to learn but I'll catch up.  I never felt a need to use Twitter until I realized that if you want your business out there you need to keep yourself in everyone's loop.  So, with the help of my good friend and cousin, I am learning the ropes.  Ah, it feels so good to Tweet.

So, if you want to follow me - and you should - find the Twitter badge located on the bottom of my blog or search for me by typing in abbymariephotog on Twitter!

bikes!

Lets start Monday off with a picture!

I took this picture in Japan - Nagoya to be specific - while I was visiting my brother.  In fact, his bike is somewhere in this picture!  More towards the back of this double decker bike rack and I love that they automatically have free bike parking next/connected to their train stations.
 
My brother was very proud to show us his bike because he bought it at a great deal and it was practically new (something you don't find too often in a country where bikes are a main means of transportation).

I was so excited to be able to take a series of pictures of bikes throughout our travels in Japan - mostly because I love bikes!

Check out this photos and other photos from Japan at http://www.etsy.com/shop/AbbyMarie09

sunday funday

Are we ready to start our week?  Yes, no, maybe so, all the way to... well, yeah, I wish I were going all the way to Mexico.  Aaah, warm sun and beaches and maybe an icy, cold margarita!!  Snap back to reality!

Anyway, to kick off the week I wanted to lower my pricing on gift cards!  Hooray!!!!!!!!  Now you can get yourself some fun, blank, totally rad greeting cards for $10 a pack!

Check them out on Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/AbbyMarie09 

And remember that from now until March 20th 10% of each purchase goes to help Japan!  Its a feel good purchase!

another snowy saturday

Good morning AMP followers!

The temperatures may be warming up, but we're still getting snow!  I can't complain though.  The melt to accumulation ratio leans much heavier to the melt variable and I'm hoping to lace up those running shoes and hit the pavement sooner rather than later!  Oh yeah, I'm a runner... of some sort.

This is me running a half marathon last year.  This is my standard pose while running.

Little factoid about me, not only do I spend my time with camera in hand, I *like to run too!  Although, in the winter I am typically stuck on the treadmill or lifting weights instead because I am a wimp with a capital W when it comes to snow & cold.

Yeah, yeah.  I know where I live and I know that the warm months are very limited.  I'm an indoor girl for most of the year :( but I love Minnesota because it has so much to offer for someone like me - nature, low-key night life, great breweries, friends and family.  I've lived here pretty much my entire life except for my college years and a summer abroad.

But enough about my running/personal life.  What am I working on today, you may ask?  Well, I'm attempting to become a better blogger and tweeter.  I have enlisted the help of a great friend, who happens to also be a great cousin, to get my rear in gear so that all of you followers will not only be informed about all that AMP has to offer but you'll also be entertained in the process!  If I were you, I'd be much more excited about that!

I know my followers are few at this point and that is to be expected because I originally put ZERO effort into letting the Etsy buyers and sellers know that I'm here.  Selling on Etsy started as an experiment to see if I was any good or if anyone was even interested in what I had to offer.  There has been some interest, so now I'm curious to see how far I can take my hobby turned business venture.

My photo editing and furry little friend.  Eda - she's the best!

So, today I am going to work on Etsy, Twitter and the blog.  I'll also be working on more of my Japan pictures... all 2000 of them... literally.  Good thing its snowing and I have nowhere to go!

*I actually complain more about running than I gush about my love for it, yet I feel compelled to get out there and do it because I am lost without it.  Weird?  Yes.  I am.

help japan!

I've been thinking all day about how I wish I could help out Japan and all of those hit by the earthquake and tsunamis and then I thought, "Hey!  Why don't I put my Etsy sales to good use?"

From now until March 20th - I will donate 10% of every sale to the American Red Cross and their Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief!  Sound good to you?  Check out my items for sale on my Etsy site!

For now I will temporarily suspend my SpringSprung promo and give everyone the opportunity to put that 10% to good use!  If you want to help donate further you can visit the American Red Cross or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

You can make purchases on my Etsy site - http://www.etsy.com/shop/AbbyMarie09

a shaky friday

Shaky is a great way to sum up today.  Japan was hit by a massive earthquake followed by extreme tsunami action.  This would shake my core just to be a person who watched horrified on the news, but I felt like the earthquake shook my entire body with as much energy as it shook Japan and surrounding countries because I have someone near and dear living right in Nagoya, only 160 miles from Tokyo.

This morning was a hectic flurry of phone calls and emails all while keeping an eye on Skype and hoping that my brother was able to get cell or internet service.  Fortunately, he was rather unaffected by the earthquake, other than a fierce shaking of both the building he was working in and his mental state while contacting friends and coworkers nearby to make sure that everyone was okay.  He contacted my immediately following my email and we were assured that everything was fine and he had made it home from work unscathed.

I am grateful that were able to visit him earlier this year and see the sites before such tragic circumstances and I'm sending as much positive energy to all of those affected by all of the horrible events.

I would love to promote his Etsy site and show off his amazing paintings.  however, since moving to Japan, he has had little time to complete many paintings and is worried about the cost of shipping to his customers so he hasn't been posting any new work for sale.  Either way, you can look at his sold items and maybe contact him if you are interested in something.  Check him out here for he is much more talented than I!

snow day

This has been one snowy, record breaking winter for us in Minnesota which in some respects may be a bit overwhelming, er, annoying.  We waited with bated breath to see if the weather reports were true.  A new version of the snow to come was presented to us each day this week and alas we were missed... this time, receiving a trite 2" on Monday and another few inches of the powdery stuff today.  Although, the weather is still "raging" as I write!

In honor of this white, white winter up here in the frozen tundra - right? - I would like to showcase my snowy pine greeting cards!  What better way to take advantage of a chilly and never ending situation!

Background story?  Well, yes, there is a bit of one here.  This photograph was taken during the very first snowstorm we received this season and it was a good one.  It was very early and gave us all a chance to reminisce about the Halloween Blizzard of '91.  Oh, what a good year!  If I remember correctly, I was a third grader dressed as a baby... carrying a shovel, wearing knee-high boots and bundled to the gills whilst hauling my load of candy from door to door.

But I digress, we were talking about this year.  To put it simply, this lovely pine bough is located in my yard where I sneaked out after shoveling the driveway to take a few pictures.  The snow was very wet and heavy that day and it made for some beautiful scenery - if I had a pair of snow shoes, I would have walked to the regional park to give you a better idea of what a beautiful day it was! However, I do not own a pair and therefore I resorted to snuggling into a homemade quilt with a large, steaming mug of hot coffee and the remote control...

Want a better look at these marvelous greeting cards?  http://www.etsy.com/listing/68806457/snowy-pine-greeting-cards-set-of-5-w

all in a row

I am so excited about my new Brewery Tour greeting cards that I didn't get a chance to boast my new All In A Row greeting cards! Womp womp :(

No worries!  I'll do that here!

Wanna know why they're so cool?  Because these little cuties come from Japan.  I found them at a temple on New Year's Eve and they're full of fun fortunes!  I couldn't bring one home for each and every one of you so I put them on a greeting card so you can write your own fortune inside!  Trust me, its a little easier than translating Japanese...

Check them out here today!

weekend warrier

With Saint Patricks Day and Easter right around the corner, I need some inspiration for greeting card ideas and themes to work on this weekend.  Don't you fret, though.  I'm sure to have a few brand new lines of cards and photos just for you!!

Until then, check out some of the Surly Brewery photos I took at their 2010 Darkness release party along with the greeting cards I posted last night!  Also - if you live in Minnesota, go and find yourself some Surly... it's pretty darn good!

Oh, and just why do you need to get yourself some Brewery Tour greeting cards??

• Saint Patrick's Day is right around the corner!
• You can use them at any time of the year (happy hour invitation anyone?)
• Ladies - what man doesn't appreciate a card with beer on the front??
• Fellas - see above!
• You can recycle the pictures into framed art!  Who doesn't love going green?

current promotions

I often run promotions just to give my loyal viewers/customers a little break on purchases!  Obviously, this winter has been a little snowy (read that with a ton of sarcasm) and I'm beyond ready for spring.  I'm assuming many of you are feeling the same way since most of my friends that adore winter are starting to complain as well.  Uffda.

At the moment I'm running a promotion for 10% off any purchase!  That's a pretty sweet deal!  Just enter the promo code listed below at checkout!!

Did I mention that its going to snow like crazy again today???  Apparently we won't be getting any snow until Sunday-Monday and then its going to be another 12 inches!!  Ugh.

amp of the week

I'm kicking off my first official full day of AMP blogging after a long night of messing around with the blogger designer.  I'm one pooped pup.

Either way, I would like to start out AMP by choosing one photo per week and giving you a little background on where I took it, why I took it and maybe a story or two just for funnsies.

This week's project is "The Stacks 2".  The picture was originally taken last year on a trip to Duluth with my husband.  We had just finally watched Jennifer's Body which takes place in Minnesota - up north of all places - and we decided we wanted to check out Devil's Kettle Falls in Judge C.R. Magney State Park where Jennifer supposedly lost her soul.  We thought it would be great for some photos and maybe a few laughs!  My husband decided that he was going to pretend to look for Megan on the trail and a series of pictures were taken of him cupping his mouth and pretending to call for her.

Overall, the hike was fantastic!  It didn't take too long to get there and once we arrived the scenery was amazing!  The Stacks 1 & 2 were taken about 40' upstream from the actual falls.  I did not build the stacks - many people come to Duluth and take advantage of the flat, smooth stones to create giant towers and rock art which I love to photograph.

Why is this my pick for the week?  We are planning another trip up north around the end of the month and I'm beyond excited to get up there!  We just decided last night that the trip is a for-sure and I have vacation on the brain!

As always - be sure to check out more of my photography on Etsy!

up and running

Welcome to AMP!  I'm excited to finally have my very own blog where I can show you my latest work - feature my previous work - and let you know what I'm up to!!

Please come back often and always check out my Etsy site at http://www.etsy.com/shop/AbbyMarie09