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I would be able to stay in touch while I am away, but it doesn't look like that will happen. I promise lots of love and photos when I return - I hope you all have a wonderful couple of weeks and be sure to explore the links to the left, they belong to some of the most inspiring people ever...
xoox~jla
My sweet Ayla Eve - the morning began with ice cream and strawberries - the day ended with chocolate mousse - and you crashed - so sweetly in the middle of the living room, Lucien in your arms {Adie placed them there thinking you would want to see him when you awoke}. I hope you enjoyed you two days filled with love, chocolate, sushi and "more shoes mama?" You are my wild child and though you forever keep me on the tips of my toes, you are my true love. Your crazy curls and infectious giggles make me heart do tiny little summersaults. I adore sweet girl, happy second birthday.
xoox~mama
Monday we are off to Atlanta for a few weeks - and this weekend will be a delightful blur of events - Saturday night is our Passover Seder {eating matzah on a road trip will be the challenge of a lifetime}, Sunday is packing - and more importantly Ayla Eve turns 2 - how quickly it goes. I will have a birthday post for her on Sunday - then I hope to be back online by the end of next week so I can stay in touch during our travels.
I have also added a few new prints to the shop and as a thank you, I will be sending out a super secret 5x5 Polaroid print to anyone who places an order through 7 May.
Stay well friends and I hope everything is ever lovely...
xoox~jla
I know, I know - I promised I would be getting back to recipes at some point - and I still have every intention of doing so. But sadly, I really have not been cooking of late. After Atlanta - I plan on starting to get back into the weekly posting of an original recipe - for both your sake, and mine. In the meantime, have another cup of your favorite brew, and enjoy some new {or not so new} food finds that I have stumbled across:
~ Tartelette;
~ Fig & Cherry;
~ Shutterbean;
~ Foodbeam.
Enjoy - these should keep you more than busy until I start to play in the kitchen again ;)
xoox~jla
As Stana and I both have some travel throughout the last weeks of April, I am announcing the May theme a bit early this month:
Losing Focus: Find beauty in the blur...
Challenge yourself to see things a bit differently this month - I would like the main focus of your photographs to be {for lack of a better term} out of focus. Capture something you love - a place, a person, a precious treasure - and transform it into a piece blurry beauty.
For more information and to sign-up, please visit the site, The Photo Trade. If you are new to The Trade, please be sure to read our rules here.
xoox~jla
*edited to say: i didn't realize how similar the last two photos are - both off set blurry flowers - hmmm - i think i like off-set blurry flowers.
I hope you had a beautiful weekend friends! Mine was full of love and some precious time alone with my Mom - it was so lovely. This will be a busy week as we are gearing up for our annual "girls only" road trip to Atlanta, Georgia to visit my beautiful Aunt and her gorgeous daughters - and though we only see each other once a year {if that} they are like my baby sisters - I adore them endlessly. I am hoping that I will be able to stay in touch through the lens of at least one of my Polaroids over those weeks - still working out the techie issues. In the meantime I would love to share some beautiful finds with you - I find myself using this journal to collect wonderful little places in cyberspace - I do hope you enjoy:
~ Some inspiring and talented new Flickr finds: copyright depuis 1965, tomato senya, bemjjg, instant dreams and mkendall;
~ I can't get enough of her pinhole work, but I have yet to snag one - they go SO fast;
~ This looks like so much fun - if you are an artist, be sure to apply soon!
~ A dream come true;
~ You can find my work here this month - so exciting - thank you Jan;
~ And there are new entries here and here.
Have a wonderful Monday!
xoox~jla
I am 33 years old. Such a number - so many years ago I could not fathom being 33. And now, there is a certain amount of comfort in that number - I happen to love the number 3 - 33 feels extra special. And with age comes clarity. While my parents were out of town last week I came across a box of photos and slides of my mother. A storybook unfolding - her life through the lens of those who loved her most. And I had a thought, one I had not experienced since I first came across photographs of her in white go-go boots and a mod shift dress when I was in my early twenties - "my God - my mother had a life before me." It was an awakening of sorts, and I looked at her differently from that moment on, with more respect and more love. That was nearly 10 years ago - when I saw all of these photos again a few days ago - those thoughts flooded back to me in a great tidal wave of emotion - the crash of waves was resounding - especially now that I have my own children, looking at the images of her as a young, hip, undeniably beautiful mother made me want to be better. A better mother, better to myself, just better. Last night we went through the boxes together - laughed, cried - spoke in hushed whispers in the silent house about boyfriends long gone and hair styles never to be revisited. It is my birthday - but it also hers - she labored with unconditional love on that day and she has never once ceased. I love you Mama - thank you for this beautiful gift.
xoox~jla
p.s. the photo above is my Mom and I in Misawa, Japan when I was about six months old.
I spent the afternoon with one of my dearest friends - she allowed me to shoot my girls in her studio and it of course was complete madness - but a delightful chaos nonetheless. And I had to start the day with Polaroids of course - to see the digital images, you can visit my Flickr stream.
xoox~jla
p.s. I promise to return to link love and recipes soon ;)
she sets up her shots all on her own+she says"mommy i can do this"+when i try to talk her through+she knows to hold the camera so still+squint+hold your breath+shoot+smile. To see what she shot this morning, click here.
xoox~jla
Some amazing finds today... enjoy:
~ Jen launched her website - so beautiful;
~ I never leave the house without a Moleskine so I flushed with excitement over this {via Oh Joy!};
~ always on the lookout for cool totes - these are amazing {via CC};
~ a wonderful new project;
~ and loving this new Etsy find.
xoox~jla
posting this. She has been raiding my basket of shoes all morning - they have yet to find a closet in which to reside. There is also of course her love for her own shoes.
Have a lovely day friends!
xoox~jla
On my ongoing musings about objects and things, I have recently discovered that I am really loving pitchers right now. I am unsure why - maybe it is something metaphorical - the flow of contents into another space - or maybe it is simply the beauty of their curves. Most likely, it is the fact that I am currently surrounded by them - my Mom collects them - my Mom collects everything really. And this leads me to a quiet, honest moment. My love affair with pitchers most assuredly will be short lived - for she has spoons, and crystal and trasferware and sterling cocktail skewers and bowls, bowls, bowls and all sorts of things to seduce me from my {her} pitchers. Whatever shall I do? Do you have certain objects that captivate you - regardless of time or place - certain things that draw you in whether you collect them or not? With all of my collections packed away - save for a few pieces that make home feel like it is where ever that object stands - I would love to live vicariously through you dear readers! {and my Mother of course}.
xoox~jla
p.s. for a delightful peek at the treasures held dear by some amazing talent, be sure to peek at Poppytalk's Collection Series.
cool +foggy mornings that give way to gentle sunshine+raiding my mom's treasures+contrast+white pitchers+new projects+looking ahead+while glancing behind.
Have a wonderful weekend friends...
xoox~jla
p.s. be sure to check out Hannah's grand opening on Sunday - can't wait to see her gorgeous offerings.
So as you know, I am a bit busy - with work, the move, the book and of course life in general. That however has not stopped me from taking on yet another little project. I have been searching for sometime for a subject in which to begin a new photo journal - something that would keep me focused, bring me joy and challenge me to observe more deeply - more truly. I think that is important for photographers to practice these type of exercises - it keeps our eyes and minds fresh and forces us to see things with more clarity and creativity. After spending the last few days shooting on my parent's sunroom - I believe I have finally found that subject - the room itself. It is a velvet gray and wonderous place in the winter - reminding me of an East Coast beach house - and a light-infused beacon of a living space in the Spring and Summer. You are welcome to join me in The Room...
xoox~jla
Tomorrow already looks to be a very busy day - so I leave you with a few shots from this morning; Adie wearing a sweater she found on a teddy bear in my mom's house and a favorite scarf I found tucked away in our attic this weekend {missing for four years} - both sitting pretty on one of my Ghost chairs - "things" that made the cut and will be residing in Rome with us...
See you Thursday Friends~jla
A beautiful morning - a rare calm in the house this morning - all of the girls seemed occupied in their own little worlds - are rare treat indeed. And a moment to enjoy a lovely breakfast {smoked salmon with fresh cracked black pepper on cream cheese and oat bran toast - sliced organic cucumber} and enjoying some time to order this, listen to this and discover this.
Have a day of beauty...
xoox~jla
