Ruthenium Design

photo + story inspired greeting cards and stationary. just because.

[rutheniumdesign]

I MISS YOU (RIP Ashes)

This is Ashes. She was around 20 years old when she passed away last year. She was a fantastic cat and lived a bi-coastal life at some point.

This photo was taken during the last year of her life. She lived in Lake Oswego, Oregon nearby the lake. My friend, Kate was house-sitting and it was summer, so naturally we had gatherings at the house. I snapped this photo of Ashes most likely after she was fed. 

I labeled the card 'I Miss You' before I found out that she had passed. I thought her smile was sweet and heartwarming and would bring anyone a smile. Her eyes closed (thanks iPhone flash) but still ridiculously sweet.

Thanks, Ashes for the love and inspiration. We miss you. 

You can buy the I MISS YOU card here.

xxR

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WE'LL ALL FLOAT ON

Yes, this card was inspired by Modest Mouse. The catchy chorus, the quirky video, all of this reminds me of a time when life was slightly easier. 

This photo was taken at a weird underground party in Bushwick, New York. It was taken either late November or early December, so it was freezing outside. I had just wrapped a feature film in Upstate New York, and this was a party that made everyone come hang out in NYC. I was with my friend Andy and Alejandro. I think Alejandro had some friends in town as well.

These balloons were part of the dance floor decor in the basement. There was a rotating stage of DJs and bands and the neon lazers were there during every single gig. This was my first Bushwick art/ house party and it certainly was one of the strangest. I took only a few photos from this night, and this balloon situation was one of them. The others that I had with me and the installation art, I was cherry red and intoxicated. 

After working on a tiresome feature, it was amazing to let loose with my fellow filmmakers. At the time, I think I had a minor crush on Alejandro, but given that we were all back to life in NYC, it was a night to move on and float on. This greeting card to me is about moving forward, moving up and taking breaths and enjoying moments along the way.

I might have just confessed about my crush on Ale-Ale-Alejandro, but he's such an incredible guy that he deserves all the attention in the world.

You can buy the WE'LL ALL FLOAT ON card here.

xxR

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WHATEVER, I'M A FOODIE

So, I'm Asian. And there are many blogs and memes about Asian people always taking photos of their food. I don't know what it is... perhaps most asian parents deprive their asian children of delicious food and consuming gourmet and beautiful food represents a notable landmark in our lives. I don't know. I'm a foodie, and sometimes, the food is a piece of artwork and that's why I take photos of my food.

This is the pork belly dish at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon. The Portland foodie scene has grown significantly, and I truly believe Clyde Common was one of the first restaurants to have that high-end gourmet foodie feel. It sits on the first floor of the Ace Hotel downtown and amongst the old architecture and grimy feel of Davies St. Clyde Common is modern, clean and absolutely delicious.

I was dining with my good friend Kate at the time. It was a random trip home and it was absolutely essential we indulged in a good mimosa driven brunch. At this particular brunch, I saw an old friend, Carlos working the bar. I had made movies with him in high school and we were collaborators at a very young age. It was such a great coincidence and one of the reasons that I love visiting home: you always run into the most unexpected people at the most random places. 

Since this brunch, Kate and I have had other foodie adventures around town (Screendoor being another favorite) and Carlos has moved to Los Angeles to bask in the sun as well. He works at Joan's on Third, which is one of the BEST DELIS/BAKERIES in all of Los Angeles. He made me a mean mocha last time I went to see him. 

I'm a proud foodie, and I take photos of them. I encourage others to do the same. In the end, it's not about the actual food, it's about the story and the situation around that particular meal. Don't be ashamed everyone, foodie pic the shit out of your meal.

You can buy the WHATEVER, I'M A FOODIE card here.

xxR

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#MILLENIAL (no.2)

One of my college roommates, Jenn was dating a guy who decided to go into the Marines junior year of college. At that time, our other college roommate, Jo was also dating someone who went away to the Navy. I also about to start dating this guy who was in the Air Force. So here we were, 21 and dating men who wanted to prove themselves and their manliness. It was a year of tears and sadness and uplifting joy when the significant others were town. 

Jenn wanted to do a photo shoot and send over some photos to Christopher. One morning, we took the camera out and walked all around the West Village of Manhattan. We ventured to the hudson and on our way back, found this great alleyway in-between some warehouses that had beautiful crazy advertisements.

I was always a huge fan of jumping photos. Naturally, I took a few of Jenn jumping like an idiot, and then it was my turn. This photo was perfectly framed with the "Be Stupid" poster and I knew I had to continue the series of the #MILLENIAL (again, appropriately spelled wrong). 

Since then, both Jenn, Jo and I have ended our relationships with our military-inspired men and moved on other men of all types. Jenn is now with a philanthropist doctor, Jo with a sport-loving media guru and I've had my handful of camera assistants, cinematographers and a guy who worked with farms. This photo to me represents a time when we were all so in love with love and jumped for joy to feel that way. And although it might have been "stupid" from an outside perspective, at that time, those guys were all we had. And each other, of course.

You can buy the #MILLENIAL (no.2) card here.

xxR

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#MILLENIAL (no. 1)

This photo was taken at a bar in Williamsburg. I don't remember the bar or the street and I think that's the point. It was a riot of a night with my friend, Igor, whose middle finger pointed to the camera. 

The memory game was at this bar, and of course we had to play every single card in the deck. This game was impossible and after endless rounds of not receiving matches, it was a natural f%@# you to the game.

#MILLENIAL is undeniably appropriate because "millenial" is actually spelled wrong. Not sure if anyone has caught that, but given the context and the night and the clumsy typing of our fingers, the typo of everything is just quite perfect. 

You can buy the #MILLENIAL (no.1) card here.

xxR

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SHIT HAPPENS

This photo was taken sometime in the summer of 2011, I believe. I was living in a beautiful one-bedroom on Ave C between 11th and 12th (I swear it was a phenomenal deal for a one-bedroom). My favorite place was my beach inspired bedroom and my fire escape. The fire escape was a place where I could smoke a cigarette, drink a glass of wine, listen to music and just hover over the chaos of Ave C. 

During that summer, I was inspired to have some flora and fauna in my apartment. One random afternoon after a delicious meal at Caracas with my friend Alex S., we rolled into a corner garden shop in the E. Village and I purchased a beautiful coral plant and made sure I got a matching hummingbird. 

This plant and hummingbird remained on my windowsill for a few weeks. And of course, one day as I was daydreaming on my fire escape, I clumsily knocked the plant off the ledge and it landed on the wood ground. 

I was devastated. 

I looked down at the burial ground and found that there was something kind of beautiful about this tragedy. The light was hitting the ground perfectly (it was probably about mid-afternoon) and the hummingbird was still "facing up" and sorta smiling. I snapped a photo on my Canon 5D MII and made sure to note this in my photo portfolio. 

Moral of the story: finding art when shit happens. 

You can buy the SHIT HAPPENS greeting card here

xxR

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The Origins of Ruthenium Design

Hey there! I'm Ruth, the designer/ founder / creator of Ruthenium Design. I'm a filmmaker, designer, art-enthusiast, foodie, and stationary freak. 

A casual craft turned into a hobby, and the hobby turned into a profound joy, the joy turned to passion, and the passion became Ruthenium Design. I've always loved writing cards and sending smiles to my loved ones. I'm that girl who keeps a stash of greeting cards or postcards, just incase I think of someone. 

These cards all feature original photos from my personal and professional collection. They symbolize a life idea and tell a story and this is what this blog is about. As you click on each greeting card photo, you'll discover how and why the photo was taken, and those brilliant individuals that were involved. 

I hope that my own stationery line will inspire you to simply send a card, regardless of occasion. All of these cards are blank, meant for your heart to pour through your pen and onto the page. It's the thought that counts, and it's worth the time to post something in the mail, knowing that happiness on the receiving end.

(photo taken by David Harry Yoon, Montreal, Canada. Nov. 2012)