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The Little Bright Studio business model

By on May 11, 2013 in All, Little Bright Studio, Photography

LBS-bizmodelplan-doodle

Oh hai there.

​I am Amy and I like cats, science and making stuff. Not necessarily in that order, but “cat” often trumps other interests, mostly because my own cat, Lt. Kitty Picard Stewart, demands such attention.​

​Currently, I am designing a collection of really awesome bags. Why are they awesome? Because they are BAGS FOR SCIENCE!! And Bags for Science are awesome because:

  1. Their existence in this universe is to foster science education and scientific exploration amongst the youth ​of this fine country of USA.
  2. They are meant to be durable bags, durable enough to withstand the weather in the Pacific Northwest.​
  3. Bags for Science will rekindle the love of exploration and discovery.
  4. Cats like Bags for Science.​

Little Bright Studio will work around the social model of “you buy something, I give something” (think Tom’s Shoes or Warby Parker glasses). For example, you buy a pencil case/pouch, Little Bright Studio will donate pencils to a school, or its monetary value. Bringing home a bigger Explorer backpack will guarantee a classroom gets a cool microscope! ​I hope to work out the kinks of this type of socially responsible business model in the coming weeks.

Science is SO rad and it’s even more rad when young (and older, too!) minds are able to comprehend and apply it. I still dream of being the first Puerto Rican woman in space. Or the first Crazy Cat Lady. ​Later on, I will explain to you why it’s crucial that we invest in scientific education for our youth.

Thanks for reading and I hope to fill you up with more info and goodies!

Live long and prosper, ​

Amy

p.s. “SciBags” is a tentative name for this line. Thanks, Rosie!​

The Peonies of May

By on September 5, 2012 in All, Photography

Oh, just photos from Linnea and I’s trip to the Adelman Peony Garden Paradise in Salem, Oregon. Peonies upon peonies upon peonies. Move along, move along.

Miss Linnea instagraming.

Sweet Angie, low tide and the Ocean.

By on September 1, 2012 in All, Photography

Angie, why are you so pretty  and awesome and funny and fantastic and bright and caring and awesome? And why are you so far away? And why haven’t I visited you in Minnehappiness? Cause I suck.

Cannon Beach, Oregon shrouded in absolute Pacific Ocean beauty.

Bitty B.

Low tide at Cannon Beach is heavenly.

Winter happened and it will happen again

By on August 31, 2012 in All, Photography

As it happens periodically, winter happened, it’s gone and it will happen again. Always frigid cold for this Caribbean, always quiet, always seemingly endless and always emotionally challenging. It has been so since moving to the States ten years ago. A few lovely images were produced, though.

A beautiful snow fell upon NW Oregon late winter. Den and I drove up to his friend’s house in Mosier, just a few miles east of Hood River. Oh, how beautiful it all was.

Biking up the St John’s Bridge in Portland, OR.

Fantastic donuts at Irving St. Kitchen in the Pearl District.

The Columbia River Gorge

By on August 30, 2012 in All, Photography

I just can’t get over the Columbia River Gorge. The Oregon side and the Washington side. Hood River and the giant wind turbines past Maryhill. The Maryhill winery and all the windsurfers.

I can’t get over living in the Pacific Northwest.




I partied with sheep on my 30th brithday.

By on July 11, 2012 in All

Months before my 30th birthday in April, I came to the conclusion there would be no time to plan an outlandish party welcoming me into this fabulous decade. Nor did I want to spend the money (hooray for responsibility). Instead, I decided to make a childhood dream come true: hold a baby lamb in my arms.

Oh yeah, I am an exciting person. Thrilling.

After researching a few sheep farms in the Willamette Valley, I settled on Dolce Farm & Orchards and called them up. The message I left on their voicemail went something like this:

“So, um, I’m Amy and I’m turning 30 in a few weeks and I kind of want to hold a baby lamb in my arms, can you make this happen? okthanksbye”

The super nice Ann from the farm returned my call and informed me the sheep will most probably be giving birth just a few days before my birthday.

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”, I reacted.

Weeks roll by, the anticipation grows, my friends know about my plans and they too are excited (or just plain confused as to why I want to spend my colossal 30th birthday with…. sheep).

WHY?!?!?!?!?!?! OMG LOOK AT THIS BABY LAMB! HE WAS JUST A DAY OLD AND PRANCING ABOUT BEING ALL CUTE AND MISCHIEVOUS AND GIVING LITTLE KISSES TO HIS MAMA SHEEP AND OMG I WAS FLIPPING OUT AND NEVER ONCE DID A SHEEP POOP ON ME!!

Actually, I still flip out whenever I see these photos. Seriously. Needless to say, a little tear fell down my face as I held that little button in my arms. Ridic. My guy and I spent the rest of the afternoon cruising around the countryside near Newberg, OR.

 

GAHHH!!!!!!!

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are Icelandic Sheep, I think they are an absolutely beautiful breed.

 



This is Panda. She was very curious about us.

There were some beautiful hens around, as well, as if guarding over the baby lamb. Their eggs were delicious.

Thank you, Ann, of Dolce Farms & Orchards, for graciously allowing us to meet your little babies and let us in your wonderful farm. A dream come true, indeed.



OMGSHEEP!!!!!11!11!!!

Use the Force

By on March 21, 2012 in All, Photography

After 15 months, I finally have a proper photograph of my nerdy Use the Force tattoo. Oh, did you not know I’m a big nerd? Now, you know. Photo taken by the brilliant Ann McGarry, who is also the mama of that darling cat you see up there, George.

Things have been a bit quiet on this blog, haven’t they? To update you lovely reader on a few thingies:

01) I have postponed my Portland to Portland bike trip. I’ve realized I need to take care of one major aspect of my life that has me worrying: moneyz. Which is why…

02) I am restarting my family portrait photography business. It never really went away, but I had forced it into a year-long hiatus for a variety of lame reasons.

03) Little Bright Studio is still going strong.

04) OMG I got interviewed by Kristin Kalp of Brand Camp Blog over on Handmade Success. The interview allowed me to analyze what I do, how I do it, and how I present it to the world.

05) I recently discovered a cocoa-almond spread by Trader Joe’s. My sugar levels are probably wreaking havoc in my body. (mmm so good).

06) I am ready to conquer the world. Or at least make a few more people happy.

A few rolls of Fuji 400H are just chilling out in my fridge, waiting to be developed. Snow in Hood River, OR and low-tide at Haystack Rock are among the images I will soon relive.

Hope you are all having a wonderful beginning to Spring (soon, soon, soon the Pacific Northwest will give way to summertime and I will wear nothing but short pants and tank tops ALL DAY LONG.)

 

 

Angelina must be so sick of sandwiches

By on February 26, 2012 in All

For some reason, I actually watched the Academy Awards last night AND followed it on the Twitters. Inevitably, when Miss Angelina Jolie stepped up to present the awards for best original and adapted screenplays, the Twitters was all ablaze with suggestions on what meal Miss Jolie, who is a skinny woman, should consume: the often-mentioned sandwich, pies, hot dogs, shakes…I’m sure bacon was on the menu as well (mmm bacon).  My FAVORITE tweet on the subject informed the actress that “Skeletor’s Sister” had a pie with her name waiting to be devoured (har har). Clearly, the Twitterverse is deeply concerned about Miss Jolie’s health (When I am told there is a pie with my name waiting for me, I run as fast as my very healthy legs can take me, and eat that shiz UP! And the funny thing is… I’M STILL SKINNY AFTERWARDS- 118lbs, 5’5″ .).

It is perhaps a sign of old age (I’ll be 30 in a month), but I just didn’t find those tweets to be all that funny. They were not that well constructed nor original. Basically, making fun of skinny people is as bad as making fun of fat people. While I am a big fan of crude humor (holy crap, I finally watched Blazing Saddles the other day – LOVED IT), demoralizing a person for their weight is just so last millennium. Does America have a damaging problem with weight and self-image? Yes. Does it need to be addressed? Oh YES. Do we need to tell a skinny woman to “eat a sandwich”? No, I already had one. And it had Tillamook cheddar cheese and salami. It was delish, but I am quite full, thankyouverymuchasshole.

So I say: LET’S PROMOTE POSITIVITY, not negativity disguised as “comedy”, or worse, as “advice”. Positivity will entice a person to improve their health and live a fuller life. It did inspire ME to eat better, exercise and smile a lot more (Dave Chappelle and Louis CK are two of my favorite comedians of all time).

Can you imagine poor Angelina with her 20 kids (okay, whatever, 5) who are ALWAYS asking for either: A) PB&J; B) grilled cheese; or C) PB&J 24/freaking/7 and then having to endure a bunch of assholes over on Twitter telling her to eat MORE sammiches? That’s a LOT of carbs, man!

 

 

 

 

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