So we’ve come across some really cool places in the D.C Metro area and thought it would be fun to showcase some of them here.

Do you have a pretty cool living room?

Yes? Send us a picture for a chance to win a free home cleaning for the Labor Day Weekend.  Simple as that.

Here’s how it works.

1) Send us a picture of your living room along with your twitter address to booking@maidsinblack.com OR just tweet the photo to us @maidsinblack on Twitter.

2) We’ll add it to our Facebook page at facebook.com/maidsinblack and the photo that gets the highest number of likes win.

Easy as 1 2 3 .

There are at least 2 prizes at stake, and depending on our schedule this weekend, we may throw in an additional one.  Cause we’re just crazy like that!

And that’s it.  Send us those photos and spread the word.

Drawing ends on Friday August 31st at 12:00 pm and we’ll contact you right away to try to get you scheduled for this weekend. Should be fun!

It’s a celebration! Each time we figure out a way to fulfill our business mission while remaining true to our social and evironmental missions, it’s a time to celebrate!

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Maids in Black is a green-driven company and do our work with an eye on the environment.  Our newest improvement?  Our offices and are now 100% wind powered. (Read on to see how you can do it too!)

Our Energy

 We are now 100% wind-powered! Clean power is any source of energy that is renewable and produces little or no pollution. Being powered by Clean Currents helps reduce global warming, and also provides long-term economic control and stability.

It’s super easy to make the switch!  It actually works out cheaper for us, and helps protect the environment at the same time!

Join us! By switching to Clean Currents you are helping to decrease your carbon footprint by offsetting the emissions from your electricity use with renewable wind power.

Our Products

Whenever possible we use products that are not harmful to the environment.  No harsh chemicals, no bleaches, and nothing that will cause harm to pets our plants. At the end of the day, our clients are teams are healthier for it and we are happier to know this!

It’s not always cheaper to do these things, but in the end we all save with a planet that will be around for our children and our children’s children.

So expect earth-friendly cleaning supplies and liquids that are non-toxic, biodegradable, not tested on animals, and do not create harsh, unhealthy fumes.

Our Practices

We schedule our teams efficiently by sending teams to homes based on client and team locations and based on traffic and and other routing determinations.  Thus we use up fewer fossil fuels and and less wear and tear on team vehicles at the same time.

The result? Smaller Carbon Footprint and a happier planet. Win! Win!

We have some fun stuff planned for the upcoming weeks that we think will make this process even more efficient.  Stay tuned!

How To Convert to Wind Power on Your Existing Electric Bill

It’s really easy and you can continue being billed by your current electrical provider.  Just go here, and follow the steps to convert your home or business in Maryland or DC to 100% Wind Energy using credits.  Chances are you’ll see a reduction in your bill as well.

http://www.cleancurrents.com/index.php/your-home/90-your-home-new

Enjoy!

The goal of the Biz Ladies Spotlight series is to focus on the very best and brightest of Washington DC and provide ideas to help you our readers pursue your passions.

(If you know of amazing stories of people that have followed their passions to make a living, email us and let us know.)

So without further rambling…

Meet Angela B. Pan, acclaimed travel blogger and landscape photographer.

Today we’re happy to interview Angela B. Pan  from the photography and travel blog Abpan.com.  Angela uses her blog as a platform to share her HDR photography, to give free photography tips, daily photos, and to grow the audience for her photography print business.

In this article you’ll find out how you can create a valuable product, give away great content to get traffic, and convert that to sales. 

Tell us a bit about your business Angela.  How did you get started?

I am a DC native to the core.  My interest in photography started when I was in high school and continued while I was at VCU (art education and art history) and GMU (marketing).

I’ve always loved to travel and I really wanted to find a way where I could make it my living. Photography was the perfect piece to the puzzle.

I’ve been actively taking landscape and nature images for about a year now and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

What made you decide to start a blog instead of just a store for your photography?

I wanted a platform where my readers can travel vicariously through my blog as I post a new high-definition picture each day.  This allows me to connect with my audience as I transport them around Washington D.C and on my travels as far as the sunny sands of Mexico.

What other things besides blogging do you do to build your audience and customer base?

I use Twitter and Facebook, and my Google+ audience has really taken off.

Can you share how the blog has impacted your photography business

I think people enjoy my adventures. They like being swept away to a new place, even if it is just for a minute. Not only do I blog pictures, but I try to make a new video every week when I go to a new place , so you feel like you are right there with me.  This in turn builds more engagement with my audience.

Are there any emerging trends you’re seeing for your field?

I think the most exciting thing is the fact that photographers are starting to use social media more.  It’s fun getting to know the people behind the pictures.

What are some of your favorite spots in DC/MD/VA to get your inspirational juices flowing?

I’m starting to enjoy the more natural places of the DMV.  Places like Great Falls Park and Alexandria VA really get me excited to shoot.  On top of all that, I love waking up early in the morning to shoot. Watching the sunrise is an amazing way to start the day.

So what fun things are you working on these days?

I just came out with my very first downloadable workbook! WOOP WOOP!!  Now, anyone who is passionate about photography can improve their images by adding more color and details.   Check it out at www.abpan.com

Have you connected with many other people who run travel or photography blogs online?

I’ve become friends with several other bloggers, which I think is important. I’ve met several of them in person and I’m always thinking of ways to collaborate.

Producing high quality content and  really helps to enlarge my market and I’m always surprised how far my photos make it online. Working together with other bloggers really help to bring more attention to my niche.

Does your blog directly lead to customers and sales? If so, how do you make that happen?

Yes.  Through the blog and my online engagement through social media, I have seen more sales of my photo prints and have also driven sales of my beginner’s HDR Ebook.  I try to think of the information that would be helpful for my readers and I provide it in a way that would make it easy for them to digest.

What advice do you have for creatives who are looking to support themselves from their work?

Starting a business is tough.  But the rewards can be great fun.  Just consider your strengths and passions and find ways to build an engaging audience and do something every day to advance your goals.  I’ve found that as I’ve developed a daily routine things tend to fall into place a bit better.

Any fun, crazy, outrageous, or just plain cool thing about yourself that you would like to share with our readers?

Studies show that if you don’t read www.abpan.com/blog everyday, you may break your mama’s back.  (Editors Note: We can confirm this to be true!)

A bit more about Angela’s technique

Angela uses a process called High Dynamic Range (HDR) where multiple exposures are combined to get a more accurate perception of what the eye sees.  You can see more of her amazing work and purchase framed pictures here

***

Note from MIB: If you have any specific questions for Angela, please leave them in the comments below. She’d be happy to answer them.

Angela B. Pan is the founder and photographer behind the photography and travel site Abpan, and author of The HDR Workflow Ebook.

So you’ve somehow managed to lure an unsuspecting human back to your place for a dinner date.  We don’t know how you did it, and chances are, you probably don’t know either.

But at this point, who cares?

The date is on.

All that’s left is for you to pull this bad boy off, and come out looking like a superstar.

Here’s how to do it in 7 Easy Steps.

1) Keep it Simple

This isn’t the time to go Full Martha Stewart!  You want to prepare a dish that is dependable, fun, but not too messy to eat.  Of course you’re trying to impress your date, but go with something classy, tasty, but not overly pretentious.

Fun tip:  No spaghetti, no lobster, no French onion soup… nothing that requires a full hazmat suit to eat without getting it on your clothes.  You’ll thank us later.

2) Take a Few Minutes to Create a Nice Ambiance

Be wary to avoid cheesy-ville, but two simple candles and napkins go a long way in creating a lasting impression.  Spend a minutes shopping for nice utensils and place mats and you’re golden.  Oh and strawberries always win, everyone loves strawberries!

3) Have Your Place Spotless

You’re going to have to finally vacuum that carpet and clean your guest bathroom (guaranteed to be used).  You can save the messiness for later, but for your dinner date, you rack up points for showing a bit of effort.  Clean your home yourself, or book our Washington D.C house cleaning services.  Either way, make sure your place looks awesome!

4) Prep Everything in Advance

If you’re going to have your date help with the preparation (could be a fun thing to do) make sure you have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go.  The goal is to spend the least amount of time in the kitchen as possible.

5) Mimic the Drink You Know They Love

Your goal here is to mimic what your date usually orders at a restaurant.  You should know what that is because (hopefully) you would have gone out to a restaurant before the at-home date.  Imagine if your date likes Long Island Ice Tea and you whip up a nice Long Island for them? It gets no more impressive than this!

6) After Dinner Stay Out of the Kitchen

I know, you’re tempted to whip up some magical dessert to seal the deal.  Don’t fall for this trap!  Grab a pre-prepared dessert.  Your goal at this point is to spend no more than 1 minute in the kitchen after dinner.  That time is best spent with your date over a fun dessert.

7) Relax

You did it! If everything goes to plan you’ll be now hanging out on the couch with someone you really like, sipping on good drinks and eating some delicious dessert.  You’re on your own from here!

—-

Editor’s Note: If you’re planning a dinner date in the Washington DC Metro area we can take care of most of this:  The house cleaning, grocery shopping,  carpet cleaning, dog sitting, or anything else you need to make your dinner date or party perfect!  Love is in the air!

1. Fresh coat of paint

It doesn’t get much easier than this. A quick trip to Home Depot and you can choose a color to make your bathroom come alive. I like home depot because they mix and match paint right on the spot. Can’t beat that!

2. Update your lighting

If you’re like me you probably haven’t changed your bathroom lighting in some time. Install some recess lighting and you’ll be shocked at the difference it can do to really sprucing up the bathroom. A perfect touch for your guest bathroom if you don’t want to do this to each bathroom in the house.

3. Tiles

Installing a fresh new tile design with brighter colors can go a long way in really bringing your bathroom to life. New tiles, with fresh grout and it looks like a complete bathroom redesign.

4. Change curtain with vivid colors.

Take a trip to Target and you’ll find some great new bathroom curtains for less than $20.

5. Add some art.

Add some great artwork to the room and you’ll complete a total new look at a great price. Hope you enjoyed this.

It’s hard not to think about water today. In the western world, we face growing concerns about our stewardship of the world’s most precious resource.

There are a billion people on the planet who do not have access to clean water.

Here at MaidsinBlack we want to do our part.

A portion of all process are donated to fund water projects in developing countries through Charity Water.

Stay tuned for more info.

Non-toxic cleaning is at the heart of everything we do here at Maids in Black.

One way that you can keep things clean and fresh around the home (without harsh chemicals) is by using baking soda.  Baking soda is a commonly available mineral full of many cleaning attributes that is made from soda ash.

Baking soda is slightly alkaline and has numerous uses in keeping air fresh and small spaces from getting damp.  It neutralizes acid-based odors in water, and adsorbs odors from the air.

Here’s how you can get the most out of baking soda:

Sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge or cloth, and use it as a gentle non-abrasive cleanser for kitchen counter tops, sinks, bathtubs, ovens, and fiberglass.  Baking soda will also eliminate perspiration odors and eliminate chemical smells from other products you use in the house.

Every home should have a set of baking soda for the multiple uses outlined above.

Good stuff right? It’s marketed as the best thing since…well, tap water. But when you get right down to it, it’s not much different, and in many cases, no different at all.

You end up paying a whole lot more for the opportunity to add more plastic to the environment, while drinking water that is often times exactly what you would get directly from your tap.

If you dig a little deeper you’ll find that many of the companies that profess to offer bottled water offer up very little evidence about where the water actually comes from or what purification steps are taken.

Why is this?

Could it be because the truth doesn’t justify the exorbitant price tag? After all, why would anyone knowingly pay a premium for something that is in many cases indistinguishable from regular tap water?