The only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to film!
No blooms outside yet, but I’ve got mine inside. Dear Friends, my pleasure to share with you this blinding beauty, hope you are not afraid of bright happy colors:
Let your week be so joyful and beautiful as these flowers!
And what’s at your window? Any bloom?
Love you all,
Yours Crazy Director
Dear Friends, as I promised you here a good choice for this weekend – my film. A new episode of Fun Time with Ann (with Ukrainian subtitles) devoted to snow, winter and fun. Where there is Ann, there cannot be a serious topic, though do not forget that I do usually talk unserious about serious. In every joke there is a piece of truth, right? Thus, this is a very serious work which took lots of my time and knowledge. I confess that this is the FILM I IMAGINED FIRST and only then filmed. I played it in my head before pressing record button. I guess better not to talk much and let you watch, and share with me your after thoughts. You know how much I treasure every your comment and like. They are vital muses for my creative and hungry mind, yeah, I am very hungry for your comments. Be generous!
Enjoy weekend and relax well!
Love you all,
Yours Crazy Director
P.S. What would you say if I tell you that I have a wish to write an ebook? Any ideas on topic? Looking forward.
Friends, friends, friends! We haven’t seen each other for one week. How are you doing? Did you have a busy week? Mine was a bit busy. How lovely it is to stay at home for weekend and do just what you like. Edit your film, publish your photos and read your comments. This makes me feel good as if there is no distance and i just look at you while sipping a hot cup of tea with a delicisous sandwich…It is still winter in Kyiv and there, at you? Aren’t you drinking tea ☕ now? How do you like spending your weekend? What is your favorite relaxing exercise? I would love to hear…and feel a bit closer to you 😊…
Have a happy and relaxing weekend! Have some time for things you like!
Love you,
Yours Ann
Poland is the neighbor country to the west of Kyiv which influence has spread all over. A long border line separates nation’s minds and makes them feel strangers. What does it mean being Ukrainian? Or being Polish? Can you look for the meaning in your vocabulary? Certainly not. However, you will find the meaning for the “citizenship” and that is what exactly important. Belonging to the Planet, World, and Universe. We need to be part of something, always, as loneliness can kill us. That is why I refuse to accept borders between countries, language barriers and mind blockades. I would like to get as close as possibly to life without any of them and understand why we still remain different mentally and so identical physically. There is a strong wish to inhale this beautiful city and print it in my soul!
PhotoThought 1: Main Scenes
I hope you are not tired of my postcards yet (I see your little cunning grimaces). I am not tired of designing them for you in some crazy hope that one day you might need them. It is also a terrific way to gather several photos at once and create a new common picture. The same as assembling a puzzle. Every piece takes its right place. And you look at the entire picture differently, right? The same when I look at the picture above. This is the collective image of Polish city called Zakopane. A very nice city situated in the southern part of Poland almost at the border between Slovakia and Poland attracts every hiker’s attention. You will find there so many routes to walk and so many breathtaking views to capture. In my postcard I decided to focus on little details such as local parks, monuments, and houses. They do not belong to the main attractions, however, they represent local habits and traditions better. Seeing these scenes brings me closer to Polish culture and people. I am eager to catch its specific mountain atmosphere. Air is different here; nature is different as well as atmosphere. It is a typical mountain city where tourism is the most popular occupation. A number of hotels, villas, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops goes off scale. It is a real tourist resort crowded most of the time. However, there are some narrow streets that can draw the curtain and let you peep through secret hole. Then you are lucky to observe a completely different picture!
PhotoThought 2: Mountains
Only mountains can be better than the mountains. This is the love from the first breathe. Air in the mountains is fresh and intoxicating.
‘It is always the same with mountains. Once you have lived with them for any length of time, you belong to them. There is no escape.’ (Ruskin Bond)
And you would not like to escape from them, you prefer staying there forever, just to look at them endlessly. Here there is no time, no distance, no hurry, only they and I. There is almost intimate bond between us. This is a teaser for you, my little Friends, as I made a lot of pictures about mountains and so many breathtaking views. Be patient!
PhotoThought 3: Countryside
In this postcard I am particularly fond of two goats: white and black. Aren’t they look cute? A couple or two family members. They seem to be curious about me and my camera. I can’t stand not taking a snap of them. I suppose they suit the entire atmosphere perfectly…
I saw rivers, small houses, fields and gardens. This city is very different from any mountain city in Ukraine. It is visible that people here live much better. While sitting in the local cafe I saw Polish happy faces and felt a bit envy. Please forgive me for being too honest with you, but I wish I could see my Ukrainians the same happy and free one day. Surely, my country is not that hopeless and if everyone does its best it can be really changed for the better, however, it will be a long way. And I would not like to wait so much. Unfortunately, I am a realist as well and see not too much positive. In fact people, my Ukrainians, do surprise me every day with their indifference and rudeness. Even worse, they make me also being indifferent and rude…and that scares me the most!
PhotoThought 4: Houses
How about sit comfortably in these red chairs and enjoy the…houses? I confess I have never seen such a gorgeous and unusual style. These houses drew my attention at once. I could not go by without shooting them. And those windows with colorful flowers and designed yards. Owners prove they are skillful at design. They are proud of beautifully decorated yards. As you may see almost all houses are wooden, a distinctive sign of the mountain region. It brings us back in time: when people could not afford themselves anything better than a humble wooden house. They made their houses from wood found in forests. There were too many forests at those times. On the contrary, nowadays these mansions are a privilege for people with impressive bank accounts. I would not refuse to settle in one of them and you? Just imagine a romantic scene near your fireplace…hmm…I bet you won’t refuse!
And now tell me something interesting about the city where you live. I am hungry for your comments, impressions and stories. Only one problem – this time I cannot promise you any reward, since your writer was not so successful recently. In my heart I would like to present you something every time you share with me your wonderful story, but I have no good sponsor or investor…yet.
In case you have no good idea what to present your friends or you need to find something special for somebody, here is the link to my designs available for you:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/anrostudio/shop?asc=u
Also if you like any of my postcards design, but in your head you imagine your own photos in them, please let me know and I will design for you. I am also eager to help to design some special card for any special occasion. Give me a hint in the comment or in twitter ann021814 (facebook Ann AnRo) and I’ll contact you as soon as possible!
Stay in tune! To be continued…
Happy weekend, my little Friends!
Yours Ann
P.S. As I was writing this post world has gone crazy… I have friends from France and I am in deep grief with them. One day France, the other night Turkey…I am lack of appropriate words…just a wish for all of us not to loose being wisdom!
“Life is a constant walk along the unknown roads…” (Ann)
While going deeply to the Mountains I was lucky to dart a glance at Slovakia through my passenger’s window. As you see I was not able to drive by without several secret stops at the most picturesque places. I felt that I needed to leave my mark there by pressing the ‘click’ button. Here we are, my lovely photomarks:
Somehow I happened to be in Slovakia only transiently. Never had enough time. This time was no exception. However, I suppose there is no obstacle for me to do it now. I mean why not to put off my tasks and spend some time dreaming about Slovakia and pretend I spent there some time. I think I can do it if my imagination assists me. As Mark Twain said ‘reality can be beaten with enough imagination.’ I will dare to beat mine right now.
Slovakia is a not a big (territorial) country with large economical potential and magnificent landscapes. Situated quite perfectly between Hungary and Poland, it has found her own balance. I would call it that Slovakia feels herself quite independent, since her development level makes it possible to establish her own rules. Cute little villages with their own typical style and charm. Although, I saw many gypsy settlements that look ugly and unwelcoming for my eyes. Please do not consider me a racist, but gypsies’ lifestyle is too chaotic, their houses are usually without doors or even windows, dirty inside and outside with blankets hanging inaccurately everywhere. I did not take a shot of that, I prefer crossing that pictures out of my head and pretend I haven’t seen them. It is much better to come back to peaceful beautiful green scenes. In my imagination Slovakia has a remarkably diverse nature with its 9 national parks and 14 protected landscape areas is literally a paradise for anyone. No trip to Slovakia would be complete without a visit to the wonderful mountains of High Tatras with peaks over 2500 m and glacier lakes that have been formed thousands of years ago. Moreover, Slovakians are very pleasant people with pretty faces and smiling eyes. I recognized that typical Slovakian women are very attractive. Though Ukrainian ladies are still the most beautiful, nobody can dare to argue with that. Surely I have not been to Bratislava, but Slovakia seems to look like a cute little chain of colorful villages, each with its own style. Thus, I take my incomparable imagination and continue my journey to the Mountains to catch all the beauty! See you in the Mountains next post!
In case you are interested, I’ve got newly designed items in my shop today. Except for traditional postcards and greeting cards, you will find some bags, pillows and travel mugs, and women tanks. For all tastes, even the most whimsical! Check it out by clicking the links below (and do not forget to please me with your sweet comment, I am hungry for them):
http://www.redbubble.com/people/anrostudio/works/22173970-tatra-mountains-in-may?p=greeting-card&card_size=postcard (just for 1.41$ , superior writing surface for your words of wisdom checked by me directly since I ordered for myself, delivered in time or even sooner, packed carefully together with a recycled craft envelope, discount of 20% on every order of 8+ cards, I will and you?)
http://www.redbubble.com/people/anrostudio/works/22230525-invisible-mountains
Let your imagination bring you somewhere far from reality!
Love you all!
Yours Ann
My dear little Friends, I am happy to see you browsing through my blog in search of some interesting pictures or stories. It depends on what you are interested more. Hope all of you can find something for themselves. I love hearing your ideas, remarks, experience or wishes, which are always very wisdom and help me a lot. Thank you in advance for being attentive to my funny chatting with you! I appreciate it a lot! Hugely!
Recently I have seized an opportunity to visit one of the family businesses dealing with cheese production. A lovely experience worth of being shared with you, right? I confess I felt very curious about it and even more than it is allowed. It is a known fact that family businesses during good economic times don’t earn as much money as companies with a more dispersed ownership structure. But when the economy slumps, family firms far outshine their peers. While visiting this small cheese business I came almost to the same conclusion. This family has a good place to work and live. Just look at the surroundings shown in the pictures, isn’t it Heaven? Their house is located in the mountain region. It is calm and no fumes. Imagine how cows roam free in this fresh air and graze in lush pastures of tender grass. There is milk in fresh air and what amazing taste it should have. I tasted that cheese and YUM, it was delicious! I bet you would love it. Choice is big and for every caprice. For a short moment I caught myself of being envy of them. I realized that family business is the best venture where everybody works hard and doesn’t waste time for intrigues. Yeah, exactly, in huge corporate office people do only one thing well, they scheme against each other. They are waiting when you mess it up. Everyone tries to find out whether your salary is not bigger than his/her…and that’s only the tip of an iceberg! Family business concentrates mostly on their profits, thus they understand that team work is important. They are oriented at fulfilling their goals and helping each other. It feels good, isn’t it? I confess I would like the same and who won’t? Working hard in the circle of your family and friends seems ideal to me. And for you? Don’t be shy, tell me…please…please!
I suppose I became so involved with this topic that forgot to introduce you my new idea or, better to say, project. My previous posts have been already devoted to postcards I designed, however, I had no idea what to do further with them. Accidentally I came across some website who offers photographers and designers to sell their creations through their internet shops, I did hesitate a lot before making a decision. I am still not sure whether it was a good idea, but I gave it a try. I place my first postcard and greeting designs officially here:http://www.redbubble.com/people/anrostudio/works/22058357-lake-mirroring
And now would like to present them to you!
Stunning designs and discounts of 20% on every order of 8+ cards. 300gsm card with a satin finish. 30% discount available on all cards when you purchase more than 16. Superior quality printing with a fine writing surface. All greeting cards supplied with craft envelopes. Prices are visible by clicking the links!
http://www.redbubble.com/people/anrostudio/works/22100199-3d-yard-at-the-mountains
I kindly (very very) ask you to let me know whether you like them! My initial plan was to sell my postcards at Ebay and deal with shipping on my own, but I faced high shipping prices and thought that prices for postcards won’t be cheaper than those ones at this webshop. Perhaps you know some better, more personal, solution to this problem. I am grateful for any advice! It seems Redbubble starts printing and shipping in time and provides constant notification of your order.
http://www.redbubble.com/people/anrostudio/works/22068286-rabbits-happy-summer
You might ask why I decided to deal with such a competitive field where I have almost no chance, I will reply you that my postcards are yet different from usual ones. Bulk greeting cards business is aimed at earning money, while I almost earn no money since webshop does printing and shipping and takes money for it. My cards give me a possibility to release my creative energy and maybe showing you something what you have not seen yet. These cards are designed firstly in my head and only then typed on a screen. It is a long way to implementation of my dreams and projects intended to brighten every singly moment of life, yours and mine. That is my road to be explored and which is yours???
Love you all,
Yours Ann
“Slow down and enjoy your life. It’s not only the security you miss by going too fast, but also where you are going and why.”
Photohunting helps me to slow down and enjoy the moment I am chasing for. An every day almost routine life is too hectic and busy, you are lucky one to grab a minute and think about anything important or even silly, why not? Being able to do it I found myself staring at beautiful images of postcards. It seems to me that postcards have not their best time, since in the era of Internet who needs them. Why should we go to bookstore to pick up a postcard when we can easily do it with one mouse click? Moreover, why should we spend money on it? Postcards or greeting cards for every occasion are available for free in web. It is a pity, indeed. Since there is no link between you and a postcard anymore, you do not do it alone, there is an intermediary between you and your choice. And I even do not mention that fact that we forgot how to hold a pen in our hands, everything is typed. However, how about the originality of each handwriting? Typed letters look the same. Yeah, there is much to ponder!
In 1861, John Charlton of Philadelphia created the first private postal card, called “Lipman’s Postal Card, Patent Applied For.” Government postcards came into the market in 1873. Postcards were novelties because of the pictures and designs that they used. In 1906, Eastman Kodak made a camera called the “Folding Pocket Camera” to create postcards out of photographs. Postcards were not used during World War I, as Germany was one of the main producers of postcards, and there were potential problems such as influenza epidemics spreading across country borders. However, advancing print technology brought about a new age of postcards after World War II. Postcards began to be printed in color, depicting pictures, historical buildings, national parks and exotic sceneries.
Will you believe that there was even “postcarditis” infection caught by many people in the world? Every town, city, and state had their own promotional card; every family counting itself among the middle or upper classes displayed on the parlor table an album bulging with different images. They believed that their city is the most beautiful!
Every postcard is unique, especially made on your own. Many of you, my Friends, are very talented and professional photographers who make excellent shots, thus your wonderful photos can be easily put into a postcard frame and delivered around the world. It is a good marketing tool. A postcard is better than something in an envelope. People are fast. We see and read very quickly – actually much more quickly than we even realize. With a postcard, even if prospects throw it away, they already saw your message regardless of whether they think they did or not. They saw it enough to either throw it away or keep it or respond to it.
How many times a usual postcard or a greeting card was used to show your gratitude. Countless. It was long ago before Internet existed. Certainly it took a long way to send a postcard to anyone, but imagine happy faces when the postmen deliver an envelope or a package with something inside…
How can you be content to be in the world like tulips in a garden, to make your every day bright and be good for nothing…
Hugs to all of you!
Yours Ann
“Wherever you travel to, I would love to receive a beautiful postcard.”
Lailah Gifty Akita
“The world before us is a postcard, and I imagine the story we are writing on it.”
Mary E. Pearson
Hello, my dear little Friends, I have discovered a new field for my inspiration – postcards. It is the unknown passion for me. I believe that postcards made with love is an artistic expression of our mind and heart. I would like to share with you mine! In case you like it and would like to have, let me know. Certainly the designer’s signatures and text can be deleted upon your request, and your own text will be added if required.
“How lucky I am to see
The bloom of the white magnolia tree…”
Oh beautiful Magnolia, you’re blossoming again.
It’s early Spring and there you are like you have always been.
Your glorious Spring time beauty is wondrous to behold,
But it is such a little while until your blossoms fold.
It only seems a day or two from when you’re in full bloom
That petals start to flutter down and leave me with sad gloom
The reason I feel gloomy is that just once each year
I see your gentle beauty, then wait another year.
Upon this wondrous earth of ours are many lovely things.
In spring I marveled at the sights the kind your beauty brings.
Oh beautiful magnolia, you are by Heaven blessed.
Spring time has many wonders but you’re one of the best.
Today my sweet, often crazy, imagination brought me (and you) to some wonderful place…to unknown country, which I am intended to conquer. Do you think that I am too ambitious and self-confident? You are right, but now, here and with your eyes looking at my pictures I can let myself just for several minutes!
I’ve come across some distant land
Enjoying blue reflections of the strand
I felt embraced and fully mesmerized
And yet so lonely, almost paralyzed
I guess it was that famous road to Paradise…
Hope you liked my clumsy poetic try! I wish you wonderful, crazy, sweet weekend with fabulous and unforgetable moments! And do not forget to share them with me !
Yours Ann
The writer who sleeps in me is a much better person than I am. I am not kidding – it is naked truth! Wow, look at your faces now…you heard the word “naked” and your imagination has broken loose…hold your horses, dear friends, we cannot undress here, it’s a public place, we can make people scared, only trees can do that, since they have nothing to hide. And what about us? Do not you have some secret thoughts kept deep inside? Get the whole thing off your chest!
Better? Not bad for the beginning.
There is the end of November, so with my post I am trying to catch the last train. Winter is coming soon, and it has no intentions to make way for Autumn. Nature has already unveiled her winter wardrobe. But you know what, temperature outside is not that cold to wear fur yet. Hey, look at the thermometer first, don’t you see how sunny is outside? I just wonder that people like choosing clothes according to calendar!
I have to confess that this picture is not new, I mean not this week made, unfortunately! Still I cannot let it stay unseen, you need to enjoy this beauty now and with me!
November is a serious month, I mean it is usually gray and rainy one, comfortable time to think and look around. I catch myself in a word that November can be very beautiful and ugly at the same time. However, I have to clarify that Nature is beautiful always no matter of season. I am going to talk about both, but showing you only which is good. My idea is to replace something ugly with something beautiful. Aren’t you confused? I hope not…
On my life road map I see too many red stop signs, when I cannot drive further…
My Nicki refuses to capture that ugly moments of reality – he would not let them stuck in our heads, better to enjoy only sweet lovely instants.
I would not like to see how trees are cut down because somebody (who has money earned in not so honest way) dreams of his palace!
I am physically not able to understand how can big rivers disappear. One of the major reasons is the over-exploitation of the underground water reserves, while environmental destruction is another reason, because desertification of forests has caused a rain shortage in the mountain areas. Again who is guilty, think about? And what is more awful than fish poaching. When fishermen use nets to catch spawning fish. Do they use their brain? You know what they have no brain at all, instead of this very important part of human head they have an empty place!
Huh, I am going to be harsh today. It is just the beginning, ladies and gentlemen! I started with global problems: trees cutting down, rivers disappearance, climate change, depletion of ozone layer, pollution, overpopulation, waste disposal, and etc. You may tell me that is not our cup of tea, GREENPEACE and other ecological organizations should fight against them. Probably you are right. However, who is behind? Guess who…yes, we are usual people who occupied this Planet and forget that we need to care about it. I wish we could love our Motherland!
I wish I could not see people who who dump rubbish in public places. I do not feel that fine is enough who such people, I have a better punishment – how about cleaning out this territory for the next two months and not only papers left, but everything, even the smallest pieces, especially from grass. Wipe that smile off your face!
A serious confession I hate policemen…who earn money illegally. Have you ever met such ones? I met, unfortunately. In my country if you are a foreigner and your car has a foreign numberplate, then they will not miss you. Do not expect that their vision fails and they will not recognize your number- they have a super torch! Nothing can distract them from a very important mission to check how much extra cash you have in your pockets and also how much you are ready to give them. They consider it as some tips for using our awful roads…who gave them such a right? Their stupid uniform?
And what about doctors? They are supposed to safe our life – instead they poke their nose into our pockets for…the same money. Is it human? I hardly can find an appropriate word for that.
World is too materialistic. The more I look at it, the less I like it.
Trees are able to change their leaves and we cannot. November is naked and so do we are. We have no super power or even magical stick. We cannot judge even. Sometimes we are lack of strength to fight. We are human beings who should just survive.
Although there is one thing…
Nicki can capture one magical moment and I will replace ugly reality with it…
What do you think? Will it work?
Let’s say good-bye to Autumn!
Yours Ann
